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Monday, October 13, 2008

Contest: It's Christmas in October!

This week, I'm pleased to welcome J. M. Hochstetler as our special guest judge. Joan is a busy person these days - as writer, editor, and publisher - so we'll share some of her bio today, and information about her publishing company tomorrow.


Here are the contest details:

Submit a scene or short story, 1500 words or less, with a Christmas theme. E-mail your entries to me by Friday for your chance to win an autographed copy of Joan's latest release. I'll post the entries as they arrive, and we'll announce a winner over the weekend.


About the book:


On this bleak Christmas Eve God has in mind a miracle. As on that holy night so long ago … in a world torn by sin and strife … to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss … there will be born a baby …

Destined to become a classic for all seasons, One Holy Night retells the Christmas story in a strikingly original way—through the discovery of a baby abandoned in the manger of a church’s nativity scene. This moving inspirational story will warm readers’ hearts with hope and joy long after they finish reading.







About the Author:


J. M. Hochstetler is the author of One Holy Night, a modern-day nativity story that retells the story of Jesus’ birth for today’s readers. Joan’s previous books are Daughter of Liberty and Native Son, books 1 and 2 of the American Patriot Series set during the American Revolution. Book 3, Wind of the Spirit, will release in January 2009.

Born and reared in central Indiana, the daughter of Mennonite farmers, Joan graduated from Indiana University cum laude, with a degree in Germanic languages. She currently resides near Nashville, Tennessee, where she was an editor with Abingdon Press for twelve years. In 2006 she founded her own independent small press, Sheaf House, to publish out-of-the-ordinary inspirational fiction.

Joan’s interest in the American colonial and Revolutionary War eras grew out of the experiences of her Anabaptist ancestors who immigrated to America from Europe seeking religious freedom. With her cousin, author Bob Hostetler, she is writing a novel titled Northkill that is based on the massacre of three of their Amish Mennonite ancestors on the Pennsylvania frontier during the French and Indian War, the Indian captivity of the attack’s survivors, and their eventual return home.

Learn more about the books at these blogs: One Holy Night , and The American Patriot Series .

You’ll also find Joan online on the Favorite PASTimes Historical Fiction blog, the Middle Tennessee Christian Writers blog, Edgy Inspirational Fiction Lovers , and Historical Fiction Books.


Tomorrow, we'll share information about Joan's publishing company, Sheaf House.


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2 comments:

J. M. Hochstetler said...

Hi, Tracy! I'm honored you asked me to participate as a judge for this contest. I'm really looking forward to reading the submissions--I have a feeling there are going to be some good ones!

Kate Shiloh said...

I love Sheaf House books. I've read two of the three released in 2008. One Holy Night and The Case of the Bouncing Grandma are outstanding books.

I admire Joan's tenacity and servant attitude--as well as her vision for Christian publishing. With so much talk about today's economy and growing capitalism, this is one small business we all need to support.