Sometimes the brightest Christmas miracle begins with a single lantern in the window.
My Christmas book, Bright is the Light, releases today!! I’m really excited. It’s available in ebook, KU, and paperback. AMAZON
Ex-soldier Calder Jackson arrives in Jubilee, Texas half-frozen in a blizzard with a weariness that no rest can heal. The story takes place in 1868, just three years following the Civil War’s end. He suffers from shell shock, the old term for PTSD. He’s seen too much heartache and death to last a lifetime so he drifts from town to town, hoping to find some peace for his soul.
If he doesn’t find warmth soon, he’ll perish. When he spies a sign for a room for rent in the Walsh house, he quickly takes it, not knowing how much it’ll change him.
Often we just have to have faith that we’re making the right decisions. He quickly befriends a simple minded boy, a 15 year old, who insists a lantern in the window on Christmas Eve will draw blessings to them. Together, he and Calder build a lantern on nothing but the boy’s faith. Micah believes with the simplicity of a child that the lantern will change their lives.
And oh yes, there’s a romance between Calder and Micah’s sister. Kate can’t cook to save her life and burns everything, much to Micah’s dismay.
This story is set about where Dalhart, Texas is at the very top of the Texas Panhandle. They get frequent blizzards in the winter months. Blizzards were unusually harsh in 1885-1887. Of the 2.5 million head of cattle before then, 75 percent died as they huddled in frozen creeks and against fences that kept them from drifting south to warmer areas. A large amount of the cattle ranches were unable to sustain the loss and went under.
Then in February 1956, the Panhandle received 43 inches of snow over a 92 hour period. There were 23 human deaths and a lot more cattle froze.
These are just two devastating blizzards in this area out of hundreds. Calder Jackson is aware of how quickly a man could freeze to death so he’s thankful to reach the town of Jubilee, Texas and find warmth.
Have you ever been in a blinding blizzard or a bad snow storm? I was in a lot of those in my hometown and remember how difficult it was to get around. One year when I was small, I worried if Santa was going to make it. That was big worry for my little heart. Leave a comment to enter the drawing for two ebook copies of Bright is the Light.
May you find joy and love now and always
Linda