From Viola Shipman, Author of The Charm Bracelet
FEBRUARY 2017 ISSUE

Happy 2017 (and Valentine’s Day!)

I am honored to write novels that are inspired by my grandmothers’ lives and lessons as well as their heirlooms.

My latest novel, The Hope Chest, which publishes March 21st, was inspired by my family’s hope chests – and the special keepsakes that were held inside them. It also has a theme of finding hope when you think all is lost.

The story found in The Hope Chest is told by three people: Mattie, a fiercely independent woman battling ALS; Don, her devoted husband, who is facing a future without his one true love as their 50th wedding anniversary approaches; and Rose, their caregiver, is a young single mother trapped in her life. Each of them has lost a part of themselves until one woman’s heirloom hope chest is rediscovered, along with its contents and secrets. As their hearts heal, hope finds its way home again.

Like my debut novel, The Charm Bracelet, The Hope Chest was inspired by my grandmothers’ heirlooms, lessons and lives. I also reflected on my uncle’s courageous battle with ALS, as well as my relationship with my father’s caregivers during the final years of his life, strangers who have now become family to me.

This book continues my love for our shared family histories. I am so proud of its themes and messages and truly hope they will be inspiring to you and serve to reconnect you to your own family’s stories.

Here’s some early praise for The Hope Chest:

“Viola Shipman has written a graceful, touching novel that explores the temporal nature of life, and teaches us that even as we look back to sort through our personal histories, so we must look forward to find solace, power --and, yes, hope -- in the future.  A moving, emotionally impactful read.”  -Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

“A good choice for fans of gentle, heartwarming fiction. Readers of Christian fiction may also appreciate its messages of hope and faith in the face of adversity.” -Booklist

“The noted art colony and beachside tourist town of Saugatuck, Michigan, beautifully springs to life in this gentle story of lifelong love along with the emotional support and care that families and friends can provide. Life with ALS is also respectfully but vividly portrayed. It is refreshing and soothing to read about truly good people emerging from major life hardships with strength and dignity.” -Library Journal

4.5 Stars on Goodreads from early readers writing:

“I would give this story 10 stars!”

“Stunning, well-developed, and the most engaging novel I have read. Truly, a masterpiece all should read. I highly recommend it to all!”

“This is the first book that I have read that has actually caused me to shed tears. I feel like I know the characters personally and went through every high and low with them. It was such a beautiful story about life, happiness, hope, and how we must carry on and pick up the pieces when everything crumbles because life is beautiful and worth living.”

Read on for amazing contest news, a Valentine’s recipe and more!

Thank you for reading, and may I ask you to share this newsletter with other readers who you think may enjoy it?

GRAND GIVEAWAY

Win a Hope Chest filled with my family heirlooms...and two books! 

My grandmothers’ hope chests meant the world to them, and I can still smell the scent of cedar wafting through the air when I would open them and look inside. Many of the treasures my grandmothers placed in their hope chests are now an important part of my own home, and I use the following nearly every day: Desert rose dishes, McCoy vases, embroidered linens, aprons, a family Bible and, of course, photo albums.

I am honored to pass along the hope chest tradition via a contest my publisher, St. Martin’s Press, is running to celebrate the March 21st publication of The Hope Chest.

Enter to win your very own cedar hope chest! In addition, I am providing two of my own treasured heirlooms to win, including a charm from my grandmother’s bracelet as well as a vintage Christmas ornament from my family (ornaments were part of my grandmothers’ hope chests, and a vintage ornament plays an important role in The Hope Chest!). The prize also includes a paperback copy of my debut novel, The Charm Bracelet, as well as a hardcover copy of The Hope Chest from St. Martin's Press!  The contest is open through February 28, 2017.

GOOD LUCK!

Pre-Order The Hope Chest now, and I’ll send you an autographed, personalized bookplate!

For an author, pre-orders of a book are the equivalent of first weekend ticket sales for a movie’s release, the first week’s box office for a Broadway play, or opening day attendance for a professional baseball or football team. In short, presales of a book demonstrate surefire support of a book and enthusiasm. I’m hoping that you will consider ordering the book NOW from your favorite bookseller or bookstore, in advance of its March 21 release. AND IF YOU DO … Drumroll, please … I will send you an autographed, personalized bookplate for your book, which you can have on hand to place in The Hope Chest as soon as it arrives! Just message me privately at contact@violashipman.com and send me your snail mailing information and to whom you’d like the bookplate personalized, and I will send a bookplate at no charge! In advance, THANK YOU for your support!

Pre-Order at Any of the Following Retailers:

A Recipe: Chocolate for Valentine's Day!

For me, nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolate (okay, and a special someone to share it with!). I love chocolate of all kinds: White, dark and semisweet. I love chocolate candy bars and chocolate kisses. I love chocolate chip cookies, and I love fudge. You get the point? But I think I love brownies as much, or more, than any other chocolate. There’s something about the gooey, dense sweetness of brownies, the way they taste with ice cream or a glass of milk.

One of my favorite all-time recipes is a family recipe that was discovered years ago in Taste of Home magazine. It’s for cinnamon brownies, and they are like heaven. These brownies are not only different and delicious, but they fill the house with wonderful smells while they are baking and inspire anticipation (especially from your Valentine recipient or recipients). I think that this will quickly become one of your all-time favorites, too.

Happy Valentine’s Day from my home, kitchen and heart to yours.

Ingredients for Brownies:

¾ cup cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup butter, melted (divided)
½ cup boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I love Penzey’s!)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (six ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Ingredients for Frosting:

6 tablespoons butter, softened
½ cup baking cocoa
2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 to 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine cocoa and baking soda and blend in 1/3 cup melted butter. Add boiling water, stirring until thickened. Sitr in sugar, eggs, vanilla and remaining butter. Add flour, cinnamon and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips.

2. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool.

3.  For frosting, cream butter in a mixing bowl. Combine cocoa, sugar and cinnamon; add alternately with the milk. Beat to a spreading consistency. Add vanilla. Combine. Add more milk if necessary. Spread over cooled brownies.

Makes 3 dozen (which is one serving for me!)

The Charm Bracelet is now available in paperback!

A Special Note to Book Clubs … 

If you have yet to read The Charm Bracelet, or share it with your book club, I hope you will check it out and then share it with your book club. Let me know if you choose it for your discussion, as I would love to call in and Skype or FaceTime with your group.

Visit my book club page, which includes contact information as well as a wonderful book club discussion guide for The Charm Bracelet. And the same offer stands for The Hope Chest!

Upcoming Appearances

Friday, March 24th
7:00 pm
Vroman’s Bookstore
695 E. Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101
626-449-5320

Wednesday, April 5th
6:30 pm
Palm Springs Public Library
300 S. Sunrise Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760-416-6731
Books will be available for purchase.

Sunday, May 7th
2:00 pm
Foolish Things Coffee Co.
1001 S. Main St
Tulsa, OK 74119
A Tulsa Literary Coalition & Magic City Books event.
Books will be available for purchase at the event

Monday, May 8th
7:00 pm
Books-A-Million
423 S Rangeline Rd
Joplin, MO 64801
417-659-8600
Reading and signing

Tuesday, May 9th
7:00 pm
Left Bank Books
399 N. Euclid Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-367-6731

Wednesday, May 17th
7:00 pm
Grand Rapids Public Library
Main Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Auditorium, 3rd floor

Wednesday, May 31st
2:00 pm
Boswell Book Company
2559 N Downer Ave.
Milwaukee WI 53211
414-332-1181

Thursday, June 1st
7:00 pm
Anderson’s Bookshop
(Location TBD; please check web site!)

Saturday, June 3rd
6:00 pm
The Book Cellar
4736 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
773-293-2665

Thursday, June 15th
6:30 pm
Loutit District Library
407 Columbus Ave.
Grand Haven, MI 49417

Thursday, June 22nd
7:00 pm
Forever Books
312 State St
St. Joseph, MI 49085
269-982-1110

Wednesday, June 28th
10 a.m. (Coffee @ 9:30 am)
Montague Public Library
8778 Ferry Street, Ste. 2
Montague, Michigan 49437

Thursday, July 25th
7:00 pm
“Off The Page”
Sponsored by the Darcy Library of Beulah & Benzonia Public Library
891 Michigan Avenue
Benzonia, Michigan 49616
Books will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of The Cottage Book Store

Wednesday, July 26th
3:00 pm
Roscommon Area District Library
106 Lake St.
Roscommon, MI 48653                     
Books will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of Saturn Books.

Thursday, July 27th
6:00 pm
McLean & Eakin
307 E Lake St
Petoskey, MI 49770
231-347-1180

Wednesday July 28th
10:00 am 
(Coffee available at 9:30 am)
Montague Public Library
8778 Ferry St, Ste 2
Montague, Michigan 49437

Monday, July 31st
6:00 pm
Saturn Booksellers
133 W Main St
Gaylord, MI 49735
989-732-8899

Saturday, August 12th
5:00-7:30 pm.
East Hampton Library’s 13th Annual Authors Night
Village of East Hampton, New York

Tuesday October 3rd
6:30 pm
An Evening with Viola Shipman
Van Buren Conference Center
490 South Paw Paw St.
Lawrence, MI 49064

More dates are being added all the time! Visit my tour page for updated details.