Anita Mae Draper
  • Home
  • Books
    • Secret Admirer
    • American Heiress Brides
    • Austen in Austin
    • Here We Come A-Wassailing
    • Riding on a Christmas Wish
  • Blogs
    • Writing/Author Blog
    • Author Memories
    • Inkwell Inspirations
    • Heroes, Heroines, & History
    • Draper's Acres
    • Photo Blog
  • Research
    • The Oregon Trail Ruts
  • Fun
    • Text-Free Photos
    • Recipe Blog
    • Jigsaw Puzzles >
      • Christmas
      • Fauna
      • Flora
      • Travel Destinations
    • Free Reads >
      • The Shepherd
    • Poetry >
      • You Were By My Side
  • About Me
    • Long Bio
    • Media Kit
  • Contact

Penny Zeller: The Dream House & Giveaway

5/6/2012

50 Comments

 

This week we welcome Penny Zeller to Author Memories.

Picture
Penny Zeller is the author of several books and numerous magazine articles, which are listed at the bottom of this post.

Penny is an active volunteer in her community, devoting her time to assisting and nurturing women and children into a closer relationship with Christ. Her passion is to use the gift of the written word that God has given her to glorify Him and to benefit His kingdom.

When she's not writing, Penny enjoys spending time with her family and camping, hiking, canoeing, and playing volleyball. While she is generally a health nut, Penny does have one small weakness: hot tamales (yes, the little red candy kind!)


The Dream House
By Penny Zeller

I gazed at the brown and white playhouse with the pointed roof. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it - after all, it even had a crafted railing surrounding its own porch! A narrow white door led to the interior and I let myself imagine what it might be like inside this miniature dreamhouse.

“Do you want to look in the windows?” my dad asked, as if reading my mind. I could only nod. My mouth was wide open, but I couldn’t utter a word.

Dad led my mom, sister, brother, and me around the back of the playhouse where two windows, complete with screens, begged me for a peek within them.

I looked through the lower window. The miniature house was carpeted with brown carpet, and the builder had paneled the walls in a soft beige color. My imagination went to work deciding where I would put furniture, pictures, writing paper, and toys.  If only this was my playhouse!

Dad lifted me so I could see inside the top window. An upstairs? I couldn’t believe it! I imagined a rounded staircase… Later I would discover it was a bunk and not an upstairs, but for the moment, I allowed my mind to wander.

“They’re selling raffle tickets to win the playhouse. It’s for a good cause,” Dad said, interrupting my thoughts.

“Did you buy some?” I asked, my question coming out more like a whispered gasp.

“Yes,”Dad said, rubbing his hand along the smooth outdoor brown and white siding.“I’m going to win this for you kids.”

“Eddie, don’t make promises like that,” I heard my mom whisper.

Dad only winked at me and I dared to believe just for a second that he was right.

For the next several days, I couldn’t get my mind off of that  playhouse. The possibilities of home ownership at the age of 10 were just too great. 
Picture
Penny at age 10
Then one day, it happened. A large semi truck from my dad’s employment pulling a forklift drove down our dirt road. And what was strapped to the trailer of the semi? The playhouse!

My heart stopped and the volleyball I had been playing with fell to the ground. I rubbed my eyes. Surely, I was dreaming, as I had so many times before of this moment. (After all, I was known for my daydreams!)  
 
We were a one-income family and my parents didn’t have much money. How then could Dad have purchased enough raffle tickets for us to win? Surely it was a miracle!

Minutes later, I realized it was true and not a dream. I saw the smile on Mom’s face and heard the squeals of my younger brother and sister as the semi truck made its way slowly down the road, down the hill, and into our backyard.
 
Picture
Penny's cousin Katie stands by the dream house shortly after it was won
My imagination knew no limits, especially when it came to the playhouse. It was like a small Swiss chalet with its pointed roof, and it stood proud in our backyard next to the swingset and sandbox. My siblings, cousins, and I moved chairs onto the porch and lounged on hot summer days eating popsicles.

Inside the dream house, Mom hung two chalkboards on the wall for those times when we wanted to play school. (And yes, I was the teacher!) Dad put a desk and some shelves inside where we kept our books, stationery (for writing my stories!), and our special piggy bank fund for the less fortunate children. 
 
My cousins were our neighbors and together we took great pride in our “new home.”  We had sleepovers, played restaurant –complete with a drive-thru window and a decorated porch for outdoor dining. We moved our Fisher Price sink and oven into the playhouse to prepare special made-to-order meals (made almost exclusively out of different types of crackers).


We girls held special meetings, stayed up all night telling stories during sleepovers while eating a wide array of treats, and hid from our pesky younger brother and boy cousins during the day when they threatened to “torment” us.

 
Picture
Penny, age 10 (center) with her brother, Luke, age 4 (left) and sister Becky, age 7 (right) goofing around with some wigs their aunt gave them.
Many years have passed since those days spent in the playhouse. We no longer have our little dream house, but one thing we do have is all the wonderful memories that were created and won’t ever be forgotten. I now share whose memories with my own children about that day when one of my most-wished-for wishes came true.


Did you have a special place you have fond memories of when you were young? Any secret clubs? Do you have a special place you go to now?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, May 13th
to be entered in a draw for a copy of 
Penny Zeller's Kaydie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaydie, Whitaker House, Sep 2011

Picture
For the first time in years, Kaydie Worthington Kraemer can breathe easily. Although she is still haunted by memories of her abusive husband, Darius, she takes comfort in knowing the man is dead. Staying with her sister McKenzie and brother–in–law, Zach Sawyer, at their ranch, Kaydie is still wary of men,  especially now that she has another life inside of her to protect. As she looks forward to her baby's birth, she builds a protective wall around herself that won't be easy to tear down.

Ranch hand Jonah Dickenson views his boss,  Zach, like a brother. He does not, however, envy Zach's new role as a husband. Deserted by his mother at a young age and forever despised and rejected by his own father, Jonah has few close relationships. But there's something about Kaydie that draws him to her and makes him question his decision to remain a bachelor.

When Cedric Van Aulst, an old friend of Kaydie's, comes to town, an unforeseen prospect of marriage arises. Cedric is someone Kaydie trusts. Will she settle for a safe union with him, or can she trust God to guard her heart and her life in the arms of Jonah?

Kaydie is part of the Montana Skies Historical Romance Series from Whitaker House:

Book 1 - McKenzie, Sep 2010
Book 2 - Kaydie, Mar 2011 (Book trailer above)
Book 3 - Hailee, Sep 2011 (Book trailer below)

Along with her Montana Skies series, Penny Zeller is the author of 
77 Ways Your Family Can Make a Difference: Ideas and Activities for Serving Others. 
 
She is also the author of the blog "A Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author"
at www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com 
where she provides weekly doses of inspiration and humor,
along with movie reviews from a Christian worldview, and interviews with some of her favorite author friends. 

Penny loves to hear from her readers at her website,
www.pennyzeller.com
and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennyzellerbooks.  

50 Comments
    Picture

    Recent Posts

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Genealogy Posts Index

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    19th Century
    19th Century
    20th Century
    20th Century
    21st Century
    Abingdon Press
    Adams
    Agriculture
    Alberta
    Albert Rogers
    Alcohol
    Ancestry.ca/com
    Ancestry.ca/com
    Anniversary
    Antique
    Antique Photograph
    Antique Photographs
    Arnold
    Auction Sale
    Aunt
    Aurora
    Australia
    Banff
    Barbour Books
    Barker
    Barn
    Barnhart
    Baseball
    Beechnuts
    Belhaven
    Belhaven School
    Belle Plaine
    Bellhaven Choir
    Bertha Hamilton
    Bethany House
    Bible
    Birthday
    Birth Records
    Blessing
    Blizzard
    Book
    Books
    Box Social
    Box Social
    Brandon
    Brighton Beach
    Brooks
    Brother
    Bruels/breuls
    Buggy
    Burks Falls
    Canada
    Canadian War Museum
    Car/streetcar
    C Deverell
    Cecil Prosser
    Census Records
    Census Records
    Certificate
    Chapman
    Charisma House
    Charivari
    Chatham
    Childhood
    Children
    Christie Nelson
    Christmas
    Church
    Circus
    Civil War
    Cliche Or Phrase
    CNR
    Cole
    Connecticut
    Consumption
    Coronation
    Courtship
    Cousin
    Cowieson
    Cozy Mystery
    CPR
    Crafts
    Croquet
    Crossway Books
    Croutch/Crouch
    Crowder
    Cyclone/tornado
    Dafoe
    Dales
    David Draper
    Davidson
    Davidsons3828f1982c
    Depression
    Destruction
    Deverell
    Deverell In Toronto
    Diphtheria
    Discala
    Disease
    Document
    Dora
    Easter
    Eatonaposs30973d10cc
    Eatonscf75de7cf3
    Edithedyth Draper7f425b64a8
    Education
    Ella
    Elva & Wm Mitchell
    Emanuel Nelson
    Emmanuel Nelson
    England
    Entrance Exam
    Ernie Glover
    Ernie Winter
    Ethel Marie
    Ethel Maud
    Ethel Nelson
    Europe
    Eva Amelia Perrault
    Even Before Publishing
    Excursion
    Exhibition
    Fabric
    Fair
    Fanny Joes Niece
    Farm
    Farm Equipment
    Farm Equipment
    Fashion
    Father
    Fauna
    Fern
    Finland
    Fire
    Fire Insurance
    Flag
    Flewell
    Florida
    Food
    Foresters
    Fort Battleford
    Fountain Pen
    Fox Island
    France
    Fred Coventry
    Fred Coventry
    Fundraiser
    Genealogy
    Generations
    Geoff Bowerman
    George Caleb Nelson
    George Metcalf
    George Milburn Draper
    Geraldton
    Ghosts
    Glover
    Google Earth
    Grainery
    Grand Coulee
    Grand Coulee
    Grandparents
    Graveyard
    Great Grandparents
    Great Great Grandparents
    Great Lakes
    Great Lakes Romances
    Great Parents
    Greenwood
    Hail Insurance
    Halifax
    Hamilton
    Harlequin
    Harvest
    Hearst
    Henry Nelson
    Herbert
    Hired Girl
    Hired Man
    Historical
    Historicals
    History
    HMCS Niobe
    HMS Pembroke
    Holiday
    Holland Landing
    Hollywood
    Holt
    Homestead
    Horses
    Hot Springs
    House
    Housework
    Hunting
    Huntley
    Huntsville
    Hustle
    Hymn
    Ice Harvest
    Ida Amelia Glover
    India
    Indian Head
    Industry
    Ink & Inkwell
    Insurance
    Iowa Relatives
    Ireland
    Irwin Or Erwin Perrault
    Jacksons Point
    James A
    James H Nelson
    JD (James David)
    Jennie Draper
    Joe Perrault
    Kavanagh
    Kellington
    Kelowna
    Kentucky
    Keswick
    Kidnapping
    Kids
    King
    King George V
    Kings
    Kit
    Lake Superior
    Lanigan Dist Ha
    Laundry
    Lennox
    Lepard
    Leslie Nelson
    Leslie Thomson
    Letter
    Life Insurance
    Lighthouse
    Linstead
    Little Willie
    Liverpool
    Location
    London
    Longlac
    Louie
    Louie Sarah Louisa
    Louie Sarah Louisa39defa3554
    Louisiana
    Love Inspired
    Love Inspired Historical
    Love Inspired Suspense
    Lyceum
    Mabel-winter
    Mahoney
    Mail
    Maine
    Man
    Manfredmanford
    Manitoba
    Mann
    Map
    Margaret Glover
    Marguerite
    Markham
    Marriage Record
    Mary Smith
    Massachusetts
    Matt Or Matte
    Maud Bruels
    Medieval
    Memoirs
    Memorabilia
    Memorial
    Merlin/Murland
    Midge (Mildred)
    Military
    Ministry
    Miss Hunt
    Mitchell
    Montana
    Moody Publishers
    Moose Jaw
    Morrison
    Mortgage
    Morton
    Morton Park
    Mother
    Mothers Day
    Mount Albert
    Mr Brooks
    Mr Young
    Music
    Muskoka
    Navy
    Nelson
    New Daly House
    New England
    Newlywed
    Newmarket
    New Orleans
    Newspaper
    Niobe
    Noah Draper
    Norma Draper
    Norman Draper
    Norman Yorke
    North Bay
    North Dakota
    North York
    Oak Tara Publishers
    Ohio
    Olympic
    Ontario
    Orillia
    Ourroots.ca
    Owen Sound
    Parthena Fisher
    Party
    Patty
    Pense
    Percy Draper
    Percy Draper
    Pets
    Phillips
    Photograph
    Photography
    Pie Social
    Playhouse
    Politics
    Pollack
    Pollock
    Portage Flyer
    Postcard
    Poster
    Post Office
    Prairies
    Prince Albert
    Prohibition
    Prosser
    Queen Mary
    Queensville
    Quincy/quinsy
    Railroad/railway
    Ravenshoe
    RCNVR
    Realms
    Recipes
    Reciprocity
    Regina
    Remembrance Day
    Reuben Perrault
    Rheumatism
    Rigler
    River Mersey
    River Thames
    RNCVR
    Rodeo
    Rose
    Royalty
    Roys
    RPPC
    Ryland
    Sadiesayde Nelson
    Sarah E Greenwood
    Sarah Elizabeth Glover
    Sarah Louisa Louie
    Sarah Louisa (Louie)
    Sarah Louisa (Louie)
    Sarah S Deverell
    Saskatchewan
    Scent
    School
    Scotland
    Sedore
    Seeding
    Seneca
    Series
    Sharon
    Sheppard
    Ship
    Shivaree
    Singing
    Sintaluta
    Sister
    Sk
    Sleighs
    Slideshow
    Snow
    Soldier
    Song
    Soules
    Speech
    Sprague
    Stamp
    Stephen Draper
    Stewart Draper
    Stockings
    Store
    Summerside Press
    Suspense
    Sutton
    Sweet
    Taimi Discala
    Tarter
    Teacher
    Terry
    Thames River
    The Waltons
    Thomas Nelson
    Thunder Bay
    Togo
    Tomlinson
    Tornado
    Toronto
    Toys
    Train
    Transportation
    Travel
    Traviss
    Tubercolosis
    Tyndale
    Udora
    Uncle
    Uncle Emanuel
    Uncle Frank
    Uncle John
    Update
    Veda Perrault
    Victoria Maud
    Video
    Vintage
    Viola
    Violet
    Wagon
    Wardell
    Washing Machine
    Wass
    Wawa
    Weapons
    Weather
    Wedding
    Well Water
    West
    Western
    Westgarth
    Whitaker House
    Whitefire Publishing
    White Rose Publishing
    Whooping Cough
    Willie Sedore
    Willoughby
    Will Rigler
    Winch
    Winnipeg
    Winter
    Women
    Woodblock Print
    Word
    Work Bee
    World War 1
    World War 2
    WW1
    YMCA/YWCA
    York County
    York/yorke
    York/yorke
    Zenuk


Created on Weebly  - Copyright Anita Mae Draper 2011-2021