Bio: Lynn Austin
has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A
former teacher who now writes and speaks fulltime, she has won eight Christy
Awards for her historical fiction and was one of the first inductees into the
Christy Award Hall of Fame. One of her novels, Hidden Places, was made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie.
Lynn and her husband have three grown children and make their home in western
Welcome back,
In The Wish Book Christmas, what message do you hope to convey about Christmas? Christmas is about the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ, given to us in love by our heavenly Father. He should be the focus of all that we do to celebrate. Christmas shouldn’t be just a spending spree with long lists of all the presents we need to buy and the gifts we hope to receive. Instead, it’s a time to return God’s love by freely giving ourselves, our time, and our talents to others, expecting nothing in return. This is the best way to glorify God and celebrate His Son’s birth at Christmas.
Please tell us a bit
about the setting of your novella. The
Wish Book Christmas takes place in a small
Can you provide a
brief backstory of your characters? Eve Dawson and Audrey Clarkson Barrett
were childhood friends in
This story is a nostalgic harkening back to the iconic Sears Wish Book catalogue. Was this catalogue part of your childhood Christmases? Please explain. Oh yes! The Sears Wish Book was something my two sisters and I looked forward to every season. I remember the three of us poring over it together the way the two boys in my novella do, choosing among page after page of toys and dreaming of finding them all beneath the tree on Christmas morning. Like the mothers in the novella, our mother also made us limit our choices—which was often difficult to do! The catalogue would be limp and dog-eared by the time we gave Santa our final lists. When I was researching this novella, I was surprised and pleased to find back issues of the original Sears Wish Book online, dating back to the 1940s and ’50s. It was great fun to be reminded of all the toys from my childhood. And although the prices seemed ridiculously cheap by today’s standards, parents probably found them costly at the time.
Sears Wish Book catalogs were an important part of my life as a child, and now I own a couple of the older ones. If someone is standing in a bookstore considering your novella, what might you say to them to encourage them to read it? We all need a reminder now and then that Christmas isn’t about creating the perfect “Hallmark Christmas” with all the trappings and trimmings—and exhausting ourselves and our credit card limits in the process. The Wish Book Christmas offers inspiration for keeping the true meaning of Christmas at the forefront as we celebrate Christ’s birth. Readers with children and grandchildren will find some ideas for managing their kids’ expectations and teaching them to give.
What is your hope for this novella? My hope is that The Wish Book Christmas will rekindle the joy of giving and inspire creativity in shaping our Christmas traditions. The beauty of Jesus’ birth can be celebrated in simplicity and should be shared with neighbors who don’t know Him. I think most children are naturally generous, and I hope the story inspires parents to teach their children new ways to give at Christmas.
What lessons from this story do you hope will resonate with your readers? One of the characters in the novella, Eve Dawson, has a difficult time accepting God’s forgiveness for her past mistakes, feeling that she has to do something to earn it. I hope the message is clear that Jesus is God’s gift of grace to us so that our past can be forgiven. Like Eve, we can have a new life and a new beginning in Christ.
How did writing this story change you and your own perspective of Christmas? I love to lavish presents on my children and grandchildren, but writing this story reminded me that it’s more important to teach them, by my example, how to give generously to others. I want to reach out to my neighbors in new ways this Christmas and pare down all the expectations of what makes a “perfect” holiday.
Readers,
here’s a link to the book.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Wishbook+Christmas&ref=nb_sb_noss
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.
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14 comments:
This beautiful and captivating story interests me greatly. The era and the setting is incomparable. Lynn Austin is an extraordinary writer whose novels are memorable. Anne in NM.
I loved the Sears Christmas catalog and I could not wait every year to sit down and devour every page.
I know this book will be a great read!
Melanie Backus, TX
Thank you for this wonderful feature. I have read many of Lynn Austin's unforgettable novels. This story sounds beautiful. Pearl-NM.
Thanks, everyone, for dropping by! I really enjoyed sharing my thoughts with you. I hope you enjoy "The Christmas Wish Book."
Blessings,
Lynn
Lynn Austin is a new author to me. Her books look incredible to read. Would love to read & review this author's books in print format. Loved the book cover. This is my kind of book.
I really enjoyed reading the interview and learning about this author as well as this author's books.
I love books like this.
Please enter me.
Hope I Win.
Crystal Stewart from PA in the USA
I loved this book but Lynn is one of my favorite authors so I knew I would. Don’t enter me.
Lynn Austin is one of my MUST read authors!
Caryl K in TX
I really enjoy reading Lynn Austin’ books, she is a great author. I also enjoy history & although I don’t remember the Sears & Roebuck catalog, I have family members that do. That being said, pairing Lynn Austin & a story about the catalog definitely sounds like a winning combination. Can’t wait to read it.
Sorry, I forgot to mention I live in Ohio
I remember Sears Wish Books and Sears Catalogs but I don't remember Christmas of 1951. I was too young then. My son used to love the Toys R Us catalogs when he was young. Kids today just have commercials and Google. This looks like a book I would enjoy while reminiscing about the past. Linda in SoCal
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Nichols SC.
Such an intriguing idea of using the the Sears catalogs and then building a plot around it. Thanks for the chance to win a copy. Cherie from FL
I live in DE and I am old enough to remember the Sears Wish book. There were 6 of us kids and we all loved that catalog!
I so remember the Sears Roebuck Catalogs Thank you for this amazing giveaway! If this is for a print copy please enter me Sarah Taylor from Ohio!
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