Focus on Christmas Fiction with Diane Craver with giveaway

Please welcome Diane Craver to my blog today. Diane's book was released this week and looks like a good read (am about to read it very soon) I love the cover. There is also a chance to go in the draw for a copy of this lovely book.

Thanks Diane for visiting today.

1.    Firstly can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hi! Jenny, thank you for having me here today! I met my husband while teaching at an orphanage, and we married in 1975. We live about twenty-six miles from Cincinnati, Ohio. While raising our six children, I started writing nonfiction. Several articles have been published in Woman’s World Weekly, Virtue, Down Syndrome Today, The Catholic Telegraph, Writers Weekly.com and other publications. Later, I decided it would be a nice escape to write fiction. I’m published through a variety of houses, including Booklocker.com, Samhain, Desert Breeze, Whimsical Publications, and Victory Tales Press. I write fun and inspiring stories filled with memorable characters. My books have received great reviews from readers and reviewers. I give thanks to God daily for all my wonderful blessings.

  2.  Can you tell us how you came to write a Christmas book?

When I realized the story I wanted to write, I knew it would be perfect and heartwarming to have the father reach out to his family in a special way on Christmas Day.

3.   How did you come up with the title?

The father gives the most wonderful gift to his wife and their four children on Christmas Day that will impact them for the rest of their lives so I thought of A Gift Forever. After more consideration, I decided A Christmas Gift would be the best title.

4.   How did you find the topic and was it easy to write for you?

      I had thought of writing a story about my father for a long time. His life was hard with his mother’s rejection and being raised by various relatives. Even though both parents deserted him, he had a deep faith and was able to be a good father to me and my siblings.

      Although A Christmas Gift is fictional, the setting and different events are based on true experiences.

 5.  How did you come up with the characters for your story?

My parents and siblings inspired the characters, except in A Christmas Gift there are four children and I have four siblings.

 6.   Do you have a message you hope readers take out of your story?

        I hope readers will enjoy experiencing a simpler life…a nostalgia for a more innocent time while reading A Christmas Gift. I think an important message is the faith of young Debby. She never wavers in her belief that Jesus will answer her prayers for her father. I hope the readers, too, will see age is never an obstacle to  accomplishing your goals in life as long as you have faith in God and in yourself.   Justin Reeves is fifty-four years old when he finally accomplishes what he wanted his whole life. 

7.     Can you tell us a little about your story?

        I’d love to. First of all, some of the book is based on my childhood experiences, but the story line and characters are fictional. Debby Reeves is an adult in the prologue   and epilogue of the book. The rest of the book is told through the viewpoint of  Debby as a bright seven-year-old. Debby’s father’s Justin Reeves is a man who has it all: a good job, a loving wife and children who are the center of his universe. Justin also has a secret he's hidden from everyone his entire life. One night Debby stumbles upon his secret and is shocked by what she finds. She confronts her father with the    awful truth, and together they embark upon a journey which takes her father  from the darkness of shame into the light of victory.

8.     Do you have any upcoming projects you would like to share?

        I have a sweet contemporary romantic story “The Proposal” in A Christmas Collection. It releases the same time as A Christmas Gift by Victory Tales Press. There are three other stories in this anthology by talented authors.

9.     Finally where can we find you on the net?

 My website is http://www.dianecraver.com and my blog is          http://www.dianecraver.com/blog. I’m also on Facebook and various yahoo groups.

EARLY REVIEW OF A CHRISTMAS GIFT:
When I first opened this story I felt like I was reading an autobiography. A woman tells a story of a Christmas years ago that she remembers fondly. Let me start by saying that while I am not usually a fan of first person…..I really, really, really like it.

There was something so powerful and real about the story and the characters. The way a little girl looks at her daddy with hero worship in her eyes is a wonderful thing. And oh how my heart broke right along with Debby’s on several occasions. I cried more than once during this story…in a good way though. It was that touching for me that I was moved to tears.

A wonderful story that will really touch your heart. I highly recommend it.

www.sweetlyreviewed.blogspot.com

Want to win a copy of this book then Leave a comment to be entered in Diane’s drawing on Tuesday, November 30^th. The winner gets a $10 gift certificate to Amazon OR Barnes and Noble or one of Diane’s publishers, a signed print copy of either A Christmas Gift or A Christmas Collection Anthology, and an angel ornament. If the winner should live outside of the US, an ebook will be substituted.  you can leave a comment here or at the above blog which is Dianes blog.