This week we welcome back Anne Greene to Author Memories.
ANNE GREENE delights in writing about wounded heroes and gutsy heroines. She writes both historical and suspense novels. After falling in love with several countries and their people, Anne set a number of her books in exotic locations. She and her hero husband, Army Special Forces Colonel Larry Greene, have visited twenty-five countries, including three communist countries. When she’s not deployed with her husband, Anne makes her home in McKinney, Texas. Two of her four children live nearby. Tim LaHaye led her to the Lord when she was twenty-one and Chuck Swindoll is her Pastor.
My Best Christmas
by Anne Greene
Do you have one Christmas that stands out in your mind? I’d love to say that my best memory of Christmas was one in which I did the giving. But it wasn’t. I was ten years old and thought I was quite the grown-up.
Though we always had enough to eat, had a roof over our heads, and sufficient clothing, my family was poor. So, Christmas for me consisted of too much anticipation before the grand day, but then pretty much disappointment the morning of.
That particular Christmas time I’d played in the snow, sang the Christmas carols our small town played throughout our downtown area in snowy Ohio. Spent my meager savings on gifts for my family members, and counted down the hours until Christmas morning. Though I knew Christmas for us wouldn’t amount to much, I loved the season. Though I wasn’t a Christian and didn’t know the real meaning of Christmas, I loved the idea of a Child born in a stable and laid in a manger. The whole idea sent my imagination soaring.
But that Christmas a whole new world opened for me. My older sister and I rushed down the stairs. There weren’t a lot of presents scattered at the base of the lighted tree and each present looked similar in size and shape. So, the initial glance didn’t seem too promising. We always took our time opening gifts, carefully unwrapping and saving the paper for the following year. We savored each gift, making the experience last.
Though we always had enough to eat, had a roof over our heads, and sufficient clothing, my family was poor. So, Christmas for me consisted of too much anticipation before the grand day, but then pretty much disappointment the morning of.
That particular Christmas time I’d played in the snow, sang the Christmas carols our small town played throughout our downtown area in snowy Ohio. Spent my meager savings on gifts for my family members, and counted down the hours until Christmas morning. Though I knew Christmas for us wouldn’t amount to much, I loved the season. Though I wasn’t a Christian and didn’t know the real meaning of Christmas, I loved the idea of a Child born in a stable and laid in a manger. The whole idea sent my imagination soaring.
But that Christmas a whole new world opened for me. My older sister and I rushed down the stairs. There weren’t a lot of presents scattered at the base of the lighted tree and each present looked similar in size and shape. So, the initial glance didn’t seem too promising. We always took our time opening gifts, carefully unwrapping and saving the paper for the following year. We savored each gift, making the experience last.
I opened the first present, and it was a book. Just the right color (blue), just the right size, and ummn just the right smell. Excitement mounted inside as my sister and I discovered each gift was another book in the series. I literally jumped for joy. I’d never heard of Nancy Drew, but those books looked too good to be true. I spent many hours reading and rereading those books. And Christmas continued through the year because my mother took me to visit a tiny book store. Halfway up the stairs to the Book Nook I could smell the enticing odor of fresh print on pages. Then there were tables and shelves with stacks of books to browse through. That year, every spare cent I earned took me back to that magic wonderland.
So, why the picture of a Grandfather clock? My favorite Nancy Drew mystery was The Mystery of the Old Clock. Children today don’t seem to be as interested in Nancy Drew mysteries, but back then I had no cell phone, no computer, no video games, and life was simpler. We had family, we had love, and we had the whole, wide world of books.
And, I didn’t discover the real meaning of Christmas until I was twenty-one. But that’s something I’ll have to tell you about at another time. For now, find yourself a book you’ve always loved, a treasured companion, curl up in a chair by a roaring fire and experience another world.
And, I didn’t discover the real meaning of Christmas until I was twenty-one. But that’s something I’ll have to tell you about at another time. For now, find yourself a book you’ve always loved, a treasured companion, curl up in a chair by a roaring fire and experience another world.
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GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, Dec 25th
to be entered to win a copy of Anne's giveaway, a free download of her ebook,
A Texas Christmas Mystery.
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GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, Dec 25th
to be entered to win a copy of Anne's giveaway, a free download of her ebook,
A Texas Christmas Mystery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Texas Christmas Mystery, White Rose Publishing, available now.
A lady Coastguardsman searches for a killer.
An oil rig troubleshooter accused of murder races to clear his name.
The murderer strives to silence them both.
As Amber Meredith seeks to arrest Derrick Darbonne, sparks fly. She needs to solve her first case. But the handsome Cajun suspect makes her heart race and her toes tingle. Derrick has worked all his life for his high-paying, adventurous job. When his past threatens his future, will he endanger the woman he loves?
An oil rig troubleshooter accused of murder races to clear his name.
The murderer strives to silence them both.
As Amber Meredith seeks to arrest Derrick Darbonne, sparks fly. She needs to solve her first case. But the handsome Cajun suspect makes her heart race and her toes tingle. Derrick has worked all his life for his high-paying, adventurous job. When his past threatens his future, will he endanger the woman he loves?
Read The Gift, Anne's previous visit to Author Memories.
Read Anita Mae's Book Review for her thoughts on Masquerade Marriage,
Anne's award-winning Scottish historical romance which was a direct result of
Anne and her hero husband, Army Special Forces Colonel Larry Greene's visit to Scotland - only one twenty-five countries they have visited.
A Christmas Texas Mystery is available as a downloadable ebook.
Masquerade Marriage is available as an ebook or a print copy.
Both are availabe at www.whiterosepublishing.com
To learn more about Anne Greene and view pictures
from her extensive travel, visit her at
www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com
Read Anita Mae's Book Review for her thoughts on Masquerade Marriage,
Anne's award-winning Scottish historical romance which was a direct result of
Anne and her hero husband, Army Special Forces Colonel Larry Greene's visit to Scotland - only one twenty-five countries they have visited.
A Christmas Texas Mystery is available as a downloadable ebook.
Masquerade Marriage is available as an ebook or a print copy.
Both are availabe at www.whiterosepublishing.com
To learn more about Anne Greene and view pictures
from her extensive travel, visit her at
www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com
