There really is nothing new under the sun!

Congratulations to Carol Baldwin and Joan Edwards. They both won a copy of Obsessed By A Promise! by leaving a comment on my last blogpost! 

*          *          *          *    

I have often heard the quote from Ecclesiastes 1:9, "There is nothing new under the sun," but never thought much about it until recently when one of my critique partners sent me a link to an article about a spider. Let me explain.  

Years ago, I had an idea for a children's story about a very creative spider who is tired of spinning ho hum barn spider webs and wants to create her own more intricate designs. Mocked for her new designs, the spider would retreat to a window high in the barn loft where others couldn't see. It would take a family moving into the barn and one bright star shining through the new web, to make the others see that having different ideas can have surprising results. 

I had never read a children's story about a spider besides E.B. White's, Charlotte's Web and thought there might be room for another spider book. When I shared my idea with other writers I received very mixed comments. Many folks liked the idea but a fare amount did not. One person even said, "Eww! Spiders are scary. Nobody likes spiders!" But my spider, Spivey, I called her, would have an important job to perform. She would spin a creative web that would calm a very special baby lying in a manger. Spivey's story would have a surprise Christmas story ending.  

Spivey's Web, arrived on the market in 2017 and was retitled in 2020 as Spivey's Christmas Web. Just before Christmas, 2020, I received an article about author Raymond Arroyo and his new book, based on an ancient Eastern European legend, titled, The Spider Who Saved Christmas. Arroyo came across the legend while doing research for a middle-grade series. In his beautiful book, illustrated by Randy Gallegos, it's Nephila, a cave spider whose web saves the Christ child and his parents from Herod's men. 

Another version of the legend tells the story of a pinecone that falls to the floor in a hut occupied by a poor widow and her children. The pinecone takes root and grows into a tree but at Christmas time, the widow couldn't afford to decorate it. While the family slept, spiders in the tree spun webs that sparkled in the morning sun, a gift for the widow and her brood.  Since that time, throughout Eastern Europe, it has been the tradition to decorate Christmas trees with spiders. It is also believed that those spider webs are the reasons we decorate with tinsel to this day.

Who knew? I certainly did not. I thought my idea about a spider helping the Christ child was original, a figment of my creative mind. But you see, it wasn't.  

There really is nothing new under the sun! 

*             *             *             *             *

Leave a comment by February 5th and I'll put your name in to win a copy of Spivey's Christmas Web. 

Check out the Spivey's Christmas Web book trailer here:  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWxu-vSpuRI

Contact Sandra Warren 

https://www.arliebooks.com 

http://www.sandrawarren.com 

 

 

Firebird Book Award

 I've never been big on contests but when one of my books comes up a winner, it's easy to change my tune. 

Yesterday, I was notified that my historical fiction novel was awarded a FIRST PLACE in the HISTORICAL FICTION category for the SPEAK UP TALK RADIO FIREBIRD BOOK AWARDS. I entered the contest because the sponsors were sending all the proceeds to a worthy cause, a group that makes pillow cases for wounded veterans and their families. I always hoped my book, Obsessed By A Promise would be recognized but I never expected a First Place Award. I am thrilled, of course! 

Obsessed By A Promise is different than the other Orphan Train stories in that it is told from the point of view of a family member not from the child taken; a big brother charged with taking care of his little brother and the life long fifty-year search that ensues when the older brother loses him to the Orphan Train movement. The story is about family and how it transforms when a child is lost. 

If you enjoyed other Orphan Train stories, you need to check this one out and hopefully, like many other readers, you won't be able to put it down.  

Here's how to win a copy of the awarding winning Obsessed By A Promise: Leave a comment by January 20th and I will award Two Lucky Readers  an UNEDITED copy of Obsessed By A Promise, autographed if you like. A review on Amazon and/or Goodreads is always appreciated. 

Obsessed By A Promise   https://www.amazon.com/Obsessed-Promise-Sandra-Warren-ebook/dp/B07VV16ZC2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Obsessed+By+A+Promise&qid=1610726107&sr=8-1

*******

Contact Sandra Warren:  www.sandrawarren.com and/or  www.arliebooks.com 

Unexpected Writer Gifts From The Heart!

 As I reflect on this past year, as well as other years gone by, I'm reminded of the many people, known and unknown, who have stood by me and cheered with each new book and supported me in so many ways. Unexpected were the many gifts related to particular books I'd written, that came my way; many from complete strangers. 

After writing Arlie the Alligator, my story-song picture book, alligators started to invade my house. Today, I have too many to count, from stuffed animals, necklaces, earrings, ceramic alligators, coffee mugs, alligator puzzles, a cement alligator for outside, two custom made alligator cookie cutters and even an alligator cookie jar, to name a few! 

Christmas 2020 brought me a most unusual gift: an infinity scarf imprinted with the complete text, including song lyrics from the Arlie the Alligator mini-musical. Here is a photo of the infinity scarf and a close up of the story text with lyrics. A most wonderful gift. 

. 

After writing Spivey's Web, which became Spivey's Christmas Web, the story of a barn spider tired of spinning barn spider webs, who spins a web of her own design that creates stars that calm a tiny baby lying in a manger, I received a wonderful wire web to hang in my window as well as a spider mug that says, "Welcome to our web!" 

Then there was the gentleman from Virginia, the husband of a caterer

catering a reception for the dedication of a historical marker that resulted from the book, We Bought A WWII Bomber, who hand hammered a WWII B-17 Bomber out of metal to make bomber cookies for the reception. Following the reception, he gifted me with the cookie cutter.            

Several cherished gifts came from my wonderful critique group. In addition to helping me become a better writer, they've stood by me through thick and thin and were always there to offer honest and sometimes brutal advice that made each manuscript shine.

I'll never forget receiving the coffee mugs that make me laugh every time I use them. I particularly like the one that says, "My critique group understands me!" and "Writer: powered by chocolate!" Oh how well they know me. I'd be remiss to not mention the SCBWIC (Society of Children's Writers & Illustrators) hoodie or my latest writer gift that makes it all official..."I'm the Writer Elf!" 

As wonderful as all these gifts are, nothing beats a letter, a drawing or a story from a child who really enjoyed Spivey's Christmas Web or Arlie the Alligator and were inspired to pen something of their own. 

Hearing from a stranger, who took the time to write a review and said things                                            about your adult historical fiction novel like, "It's one of the best novels I've ever 

read!" or "I couldn't put it down," is perhaps the best gift of all and makes the long hours of frustration and enlightenment, creative inspiration and writer's block, emotional lows and highs that make up the writer's journey, worth every minute.  

None of the above mentioned gifts were expected. Some arrived on gift giving days like a birthday or holiday but most arrived out-of-the-blue. 

There's something funny, almost mystical about giving gifts to writers, at least in my experience, most arrived at the precise moment when I needed them most, when writer's block was at it's worst or when I couldn't figure out what to write next and the thought of giving up crept into my head. Writer gifts from the heart to the heart. 

Thank you dear friends, critique partners, family and most of all readers for giving me the the kind words that keep me writing.  

What kind of gifts have you been given to keep you going? 

*********************

Books referred to in this blog:

Arlie the Alligator - PB/Kindle/ DVD & Audio Cassette

Spivey's Christmas Web

We Bought A WWII Bomber: The Untold Story of A Michigan High School, a B-17 Bomber & The  

       Blue Ridge Parkway

Obsessed By A Promise

Sandra Warren can be contacted through her website.

​www.sandrawarren.com    

www.arliebooks.com 
http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com

http://twitter.com/SandraWarrenNC

https://www.instagram.com/sandrawarren_author/

https://www.facebook.com/SWarren.Author