Roberta Writes – Guest Post: D.L. Finn with her new book, Ghosts & Miracles Past: A Christmas Collection Two and a review

Guest Post 4 Minutes

Thank you for having me on your incredible blog today, Robbie, to share the release of Ghosts & Miracles Past: A Christmas Collection Two. I’m really grateful for your support!

Interview

Do you have a favorite story in the collection? Each story has a place and a piece of my heart. “The Christmas Train Mystery” comes from a love of trains. I ride them anytime I can and incorporated that into a story. How I feel about animals shines through in “The Christmas Rescue.” That story didn’t make the first collection, but giving it a second look, it found its voice. “Is There is Santa?” though is the one closest to my heart as I brought an “Elizabeth’s War” character into it. This was my first children’s book that I wrote. It was set in WWI, and I weaved some family history into it from when my great-grandma lived in North Dakota before her family moved to Alberta. So it was fun for Dr. Rhodes to make an appearance and see where the fictional family moved to in 1920.

What is your favorite tradition? I love the time leading up to Christmas and especially enjoy decorating while listening to holiday tunes. I still listen to the old Christmas vinyl records. This can range from Johnny Mathis that I got from my in-laws, the Disney songs my kids listened to, or from my time The Partridge Family, and everything in between. My daughter just got me the Nutcracker album for my birthday. While the music fills the room, each ornament I put on the tree has a special memory attached to it. Not only do we celebrate the now, but also the past when decorating and listening to music.

What is the first thing you do to kick off the holiday season? Beginning in the summer, I begin shopping, particularly for grandchildren. That permits me to spread it throughout several months. The other thing I do early is get supplies for the big feast. If pepperoncini or gluten-free dressing is on sale, I grab them and put them away until the holiday. Then, when it’s time, I give the house a good cleaning and drag all the boxes inside so I can start decorating.

Blurb

Picture caption: Cover of Miracles & Ghosts Past: A Christmas Collection featuring a Christmas tree and old-fashioned lamp

Miracles saturate the sweet-scented Christmas season—a reminder we aren’t alone.

Miracles & Ghosts Past: A Christmas Collection brings eight stories from past holidays. Rita buys train tickets for her and Morris’s 30th anniversary in the novelette, “The Christmas Train Mystery.”She’s convinced this trip will bring her and Morris closer—if he can find the time. A murder mystery excursion will change Rita’s life in more ways than one, but will she go with her workaholic husband or by herself? In the first short story, “Christmas Rescue,” Opal trusts the wrong man and loses her mother in the same year, leaving her feeling lost. On a mission to get candles for the dinner table, she makes an unexpected find. “Is There a Santa?” goes back to the 1920s, where a widower is desperate to hold on to his farm and children. He doesn’t want charity, just a bit of luck or a miracle. In the final stories, you’ll meet an eleven-year-old who’s home alone, a family living in the aftermath of war, a girl who gets some shocking news, a widow with a warning from beyond, and a woman trapped on an elevator with Santa. Hope underlies these stories; it endures even in the direst of circumstances. Whether help comes from a ghost, Santa, or an angel, miracles are just within reach.

Universal Purchase Link

My Review

This is the second collection of Christmas themed short stories in this series. I enjoyed the first collection, and this book was equally entertaining.

While all the stories in this book are engrossing, I am focusing on my favourite three for purposes of this review.

The Christmas Train Mystery – this is an entertaining Agatha Christie styled near murder mystery. Rita books tickets for her husband, Morris, and her to go on a murder mystery train ride for their thirtieth wedding anniversary. As the story unfolds, the extent to which Morris has changed and become self-absorbed and selfish over the course of their marriage becomes evident and the ticket purchase triggers a series of events that change Rita’s life. In true Finn style, the story ends on an uplifting and happy note.

She’s Home Alone – a creepy short story about a young girl home alone during a snowstorm and a predator with bad intentions. I enjoyed the character of Debbie and appreciated her presence of mind and calmness in a scary situation. Having been the victim of a home invasion, I know just how scary such situations are. The intervention by the angel was uplifting and engaging.

Elevator Santa – this is another story I could relate to as I have also been trapped in an elevator and it is a most unpleasant experience. The paranormal element in this story was subtly included and I enjoyed it very much. Another delightful story that finished on a high note.

Finn’s books always leave the reader with a feeling of contentment and the knowledge that there are lots of wonderful people out there who are the ‘helpers’. I appreciate her positive messages about the spirit of humanity wrapped up in engaging stories. This collection is perfect for Christmas.

Finn Fun Facts

  1. I love baking bread in the fall and winter.
  2. I prefer snowshoeing over skiing.

About D.L. Finn

Picture caption: author photograph of D.L. Finn

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

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D. L. Finn’s Gratitude Store

To celebrate the release, I will be giving away three Amazon Gift Cards: $5, $10, and $15. At the end of the tour, I will randomly pick the three winners from those who leave comments during the blog tour. Good Luck!

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Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

Published

105 thoughts on “Roberta Writes – Guest Post: D.L. Finn with her new book, Ghosts & Miracles Past: A Christmas Collection Two and a review”

  2. Thanks for opening up your blog tour me, Robbie 🙂 I appreciate you including your review. It definitely got a forest happy dance! Xo

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  6. Robbie, the train mystery story is really sticking with me. I can understand why it’s one of your faves.

    Denise – I’ve been snowshoeing before. It’s fun, but I think I like cross country skiing better because skiing isn’t as tiring.

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    1. Thank you, Priscilla:) Happy to hear that story lingers! For me, I fall less snowshoeing and its more of a leisurely hike. But for long distance cross country is the way to go. Just being out in the snow is fun 🙂

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  8. I didn’t know you baked bread, Denise. 🙂 You’ll have to share some recipes. I’d love to bake bread for our Thanksgiving feast. I did love seeing some of the characters from “Elizabeth’s War” show up in a short story. This book is so special and there is something for every reading palate. Thank you for sharing, Robbie. Congratulations, Denise!

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    1. Yes, nothing like fresh baked bread! What a treat for Thanksgiving, Jan 🙂 I usually bake banana or pumpkin, but venture out into other flavors. I use coconut flour, which requires more eggs but works good for everyone. Biscuits are wonderful too. Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it and was thrilled with your review. I liked seeing Dr. Rhodes again too. Sometimes characters like to stick around. Xo

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  13. I enjoyed every story in this collection! A wonderful review of Denise’s book, Robbie. Every year I say I’ll get my Christmas shopping finished before December – still haven’t accomplished that goal, lol.

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    2. Thank you, Teri 🙂 I appreciate you saying that, makes my day. I always think I’m done shopping early but always find out I missed someone.

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  14. Great interview and review, Robbie. I enjoyed the first collection and will be reading this one sometime next month. I’m looking forward even more after reading the connections.

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  15. A fabulous review of this book, eagerly awaiting me on my tablet. I love that Denise is such a Christmas person and her attitude to decorating for the season is similar to mine. I too enjoy decorating while listening to Christmas music. This statement rang true with me, “Not only do we celebrate the now, but also the past when decorating and listening to music.” Thanks for featuring Denise, Robbie.

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    1. Thank you Darlene 🙂 There is something special in that moment, isn’t there? It really is living in the past, present, and future all at once. I love we share the same enthusiasm too! Why I love writing these collections so much and hope you enjoy it. Was very happy to see Robbie’s review here. Happy Christmas reading xo

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  20. That was a fun and interesting interview and a great review. I did not know Denise liked snowshoeing more than skiing. I like skiing more, but I’ve done snowshoeing many times and I can see how you love that.

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      1. Ouch! My daughter was run over by a big guy when we were sledding/toboggan downhill. She was little and flew up in the air circling around up side down, and I watched it all from a distance. Those events can certainly be a put off from the activity. Also thank you for the recommendation. Denise is a great author.

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          3. You are right. Silence or unconcioussness is not a good sign after trauma. Like they say when you want to help out at a traffic accident, start with the quiet ones, they are probably the ones most in trouble.

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    2. Thank you, Thomas 🙂 Skiing is fun, my only issue with it is getting off the lift. With help I’m okay. We snowshoe around our property, it’s really nice when the snow is deep. I also have cross country skies to use and do like them but I fall more. Just nice to get out and enjoy the snow however we do it!

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  21. This is a fabulous tour stop for Denise, Robbie. Thanks for hosting! I loved her book, and “She’s Home Alone” got to me too. By the way, I love snowshoeing. Downhill skiing never appealed to me, but water skiing did years ago. There’s something about staying level. 🙂 Congrats to Denise, and I wish her an abundance of success. 💖

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    1. Hi Lauren, I have never tried snowshoeing, but I did try skiing once when I visited South Korea for two weeks. For this South African, I remember the cold more than anything else – smile! I love Denise’s Christmas stories and have read both collections.

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  22. I enjoyed your choice of stories, Robbie. I particularly enjoyed the Santa story. I’ve been stuck in an elevator for only seconds, when it takes a long time to take off, but it would be frightening to be stuck for any length of time.

    I haven’t been at home when we had a home invasion, thank goodness. That was a good story, too. It’s hard to write a review about each story, but they were all very well done.

    Have a great weekend.

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  25. It’s great to stop by and see Denise here, Robbie. She had a nice shout-out for you and your books too. I enjoyed the same stories as you did, though they were all great reads and I zoomed through the stories in more time. (I’ll need a new bunch for next year – Lol).

    I was amazed that Denise starts Christmas shopping in the summer. That’s being organized! I haven’t even thought about it yet. Uh oh.

    Congrats to Denise on her great reviews and a wonderful tour. Happy Holidays to you both!

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