Just in Time for the Holidays!

I'm so thrilled to tell you about my new book! A Christmas Peril is Book #5 in my Teacup Novella series and features a "story within a story" with a new twist. Here's the official blurb:

Lucy Alexander’s Teacup Novellas were inspired by a collection of vintage teacups her Aunt Lucille bequeathed to her. She’s excited about writing the next book in the series, a Christmas tale loosely based on her aunt and uncle’s love story set in the 1940s. But when a hostage situation lands Lucy’s boyfriend in the hospital, she sets her work aside to keep a bedside vigil with Mark. As the long hours of waiting stretch on, Lucy starts to read her beloved aunt’s handwritten diary. Shocked to discover a frightening story so eerily similar to the one she’s living, Lucy longs to find hope and encouragement in the pages of Lucille’s diary.

December 1944  - “The most wonderful things seem to happen when you least expect them,” writes Lucille Alexander after a serendipitous meeting with Gary Reynolds, a handsome lieutenant home on leave from the war in Europe. The two are inseparable in the five precious days he has left before heading back overseas just weeks before Christmas. On their last morning together, Lucille accompanies Gary to the train station, already dreading the long separation ahead. But that would be the least of her worries after her brave lieutenant rushes to help an elderly woman in distress.  

Lucy finds a strange and unexpected solace in her namesake’s ink-stained journal. Though seventy years have passed between them, would their stories have the same ending?

 

If you've read any of the other novellas in this series, you may or may not know that I wrote these books as a tribute to my own Aunt Lucille. In real life, Lucille was married to Harold Hale, my father's older brother. That's Lucille and Harold on the bottom section of my book cover (above). Aren't they the cutest?! And that's Lucille in the picture to the left. She always, always wore a bow in her hair made to match whatever she was wearing. I loved those bows. Signature Lucille. As is her beautiful smile!

Now, just so you know . . . A Christmas Peril truly is a work of fiction. That's why I named Lucille's handsome lieutenant "Gary" instead of Harold, because their stories are really nothing alike. So even though I've borrowed a few characteristics and personality traits, and set their story in the early 1940s, the plot line is pure fiction. Good. Glad we've got that settled.

And the pretty brunette on the cover above? That's Lucy! Imagine my surprise to find this stock photograph of someone who's almost the exact, spitting image of the girl who's been in my mind through all these novellas! So tell me. Is this how you pictured Lucy?

Last but not least, we are so excited about the release of The Teacup Novellas Collection - all five novellas in one volume! The Kindle version should be available in just a couple of days . . . BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

For all those who've asked for these stories in paperback, we'll be releasing the hard copy version of The Teacup Novellas Collection in time for Christmas! Drop me a line and I'll notify you when they're available. And check out the beautiful cover my daughter Hannah designed while we were in New York a couple weeks ago.

*** Special Christmas offer from OBT Books ... If you've got some book lovers on your Christmas list, we'd be more than happy to send you signed copies of our paperbacks. For more information, email me at the address below.

In the meantime, I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings,
Diane
Email:  dianemoody@comcast.net
Website:  www.dianemoody.net