Monday, December 14, 2009

THE CHRISTMAS PEARL: REVIEW AND REALLY QUICKIE GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
THE CHRISTMAS PEARL

BY DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Still spry at ninety-three, Theodora has lived long enough to see her family grow into an insufferable bunch of truculent knuckleheads. Having finally gathered the whole bickering brood together for the holidays at her South Carolina home, the grand matriarch pines wistfully for those extravagant, homey Christmases of her childhood. How she misses the tables groaning with home-cooked goodies, the over-the-top decorations, those long, lovely fireside chats with Pearl, her grandmother's beloved housekeeper and closest confidante. These days, where is the love and the joy . . . and the peace?

But this is, after all, a magical time. Someone very special has heard Theodora's plea—and is about to arrive at her door with pockets full of Gullah magic and enough common sense to transform this Christmas into the miracle it's truly meant to be.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dorothea Benton Frank is the New York Times bestselling author of Bulls Island (William Morrow, 2008), The Christmas Pearl (William Morrow 2007), The Land of Mango Sunsets (William Morrow 2007), Full of Grace (William Morrow 2006), Pawleys Island (Berkley 2005), Shem Creek (Berkley 2004), Isle of Palms (Berkley 2003), Plantation (Jove 2001), and Sullivan's Island (Jove 2000). Her newest book, Return to Sullivans Island, will be released by William Morrow June 30, 2009.

Ms. Frank has appeared on NBC's Today show, Parker Ladd's Book Talk, and many local network-affiliated television stations. She is a frequent speaker on creative writing and the creative process for students of all ages and in private venues, such as the National Arts Club, the Junior League of New York, Friends of the Library, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. She has also been a guest speaker at the South Carolina Book Festival; Novello, North Carolina's Festival of Books; and the Book and Author annual event in Charleston, South Carolina, sponsored by the Post & Courier.

Before she began her writing career, Ms. Frank was involved extensively in the arts and education, and in raising awareness and funding for various nonprofits in New Jersey and New York. At the present time she serves on the boards of The South Carolina Historical Society and The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League.

The author, who was born and raised on Sullivan's Island in South Carolina, currently divides her time between New Jersey and South Carolina.


REVIEW:

Frank brings you back to the low-country in this short but nostalgic, sweet holiday story of family and what it means to be a part of one. Theodora, the main character, remembers when she was young and the home was in the loving hands of their housekeeper Pearl who made Christmas a magical family time. Theodora is in her 90's and although her bones are cracking, her brain is not. She wants so much for her whole family to come together as they did in the old days and enjoy Christmas and understand its true meaning. However, she knows this clan and all their new ideas and feelings about what is important in life and she sees it won't happen.

With a bit of holiday magic and good timing, the housekeeper has to leave and who should appear to help from...well?... she appears (with the help of some "Gullah"magic)and it is indeed Pearl! Pearl brings the house back to its old shine and glitter with the old family heirlooms and real Christmas tree...out with the fake glitter and glitz and in with the family Bible and homemade goodies to eat. Throw these two ol' gals together and their feisty souls can conjure up one homespun holiday for sure.

As Pearl leads the way to physically changing the home, they don't realize it but she also changes the people that are in it. Oh, yes, this can be a little predictable and maybe the characters aren't putting my brain into hyper drive to figure out their deep-seeded issues, but it is a wonderful bit of cheer just when we need it. Just right to sit down with and sip on some hot chocolate and put your feet up as it is a fast and fanciful read. You can't help but laugh and smile at some of the wondrous things that occur and if nothing else, you are left with a bunch of Pearl's favorite recipes at the end so you are drooling and up again to head to the kitchen to start working on some. She includes everything from she-crab soup and cheese straws, to a glazed and fruited ham with mint juleps to wash it down with. Enjoy the story and prepare something yummy for your family and perhaps some of that old Gullah magic will appear in your home for a while...in case you need it around now!


QUICKIE GIVEAWAY
WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK?

THANKS TO SHAWN AND GOOD PEOPLE
AT HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHING,
I HAVE 2 COPIES OF THIS WONDERFUL
BOOK TO GIVE AWAY. HERE IS WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN A COPY!


RULES:
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:


+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING "FUN" ABOUT THE AUTHOR WHEN YOU GO TO DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK'S AUTHOR'S FUN PAGE AT THE HARPER COLLINS WEBSITE HERE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON THE BEST SELLERS BOOKS OF HARPER COLLINS AND NAME ONE OF THEM YOU'D LIKE TO SEE GIVEN AWAY SO YOU COULD READ. NOTE THERE IS MORE THAN ONE PAGE YOU CAN CLICK ON AT THE BOTTOM TO GO TO THE NEXT, ETC. I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU PICKED OUT ONE I HAVE READY TO POST VERY SOON AS THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO THERE.

DEADLINE FOR ENTERING IS
6 PM, EST, DECEMBER 16
(so I can get it to you by Christmas, we hope)
GOOD LUCK!

36 comments:

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

I'm not entering. I just wanted to let people know what a wonderful book this is! I read it a couple of years ago and it tells a touching story about the true meaning of Christmas...in a funny, light-hearted way. Good luck to all the entrants!

DarcyO said...

Dorothea Benton Frank is currently reading "People of the Book," which I've heard is very good.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

DarcyO said...

There are a lot of good books offered by Harper Collins including "The Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver (you already have a giveaway for that one). "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" also looks good to me.

dlodden at frontiernet dot net

Margie said...

The author is the happiest when on Sullivan's Island, SC. I have been there, so I can understand!
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

scottsgal said...

She's be completely insanely depressed if she couldn't write. That's dedication!

msboatgal at aol.com

Margie said...

The book I would pick is Wilderness Warrier, the biography of Teddy Roosevelt. My husband would also enjoy this book.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

scottsgal said...

I'd say My Journey With Farrah - she put up such a good fight it'd be interesting to hear more about her journey.
msboatgal at aol.com

bermudaonion said...

I saw that Dorothea and I have something in common - we both hate liver! milou2ster(at)gmail.com

bermudaonion said...

I'd like to see you give away Highest Duty. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

rubynreba said...

The place where she is happiest is Sullivan's Island SC
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

I would like to read My Journey With Farrah
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Debbie F said...

I love that she said My greatest achievement so far is…

getting published at all.

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Debbie F said...

I would love to read Act Like a Lady, Think like a Man by Steve Harvey! Steve is so funny and I have seen him on many interviews!

Also- The Long Snapper by Jeffrey Marx. I love football and I love stories about the underdog making good. This would be a great read!

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

g.g. said...

Something fun is we both share a favorite book in our top 5 books and that's To Kill A Mockingbird

anjamie4 at gmail DOT com

g.g. said...

So many to choose from but boy would I like to read and see LOTS of pictures about John Bon Jovi

anjamie4 at gmail DOT com

brokenteepee said...

She hates liver. I can understand that!
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

brokenteepee said...

I would love to win The Pioneer Woman Cooks
thank you
kaiminani at gmail dot com

Sue said...

I loved that her greatest love is her family. Me, too! Thanks for the giveaway.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

Sue said...

I'd love The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. Looks SO good. Thanks again for the giveaway.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

Benita said...

Fun-Dorothea's favorite food is anything Italian. I couldn't agree with her more. I love Italian food.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

I'd like to see Read My Pins by Madeleine Albright given away. (It was on p.3 of the site.)

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

justpeachy36 said...

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

Dorothea Benton Frank doesn't like liver... now there's a fun fact for ya lol...

Please enter me in the giveaway.

justpeachy36 said...

justpeachy36@yahoo.com

I want to read, The Lucana by Barbara Kingsolver... Looks like a great book.

holdenj said...

I'm right there with Frank in having liver as my least favorite food! The story looks great. Thanks for the chance to win.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I know you already have a giveaway going for Lacuna, so I think one of my other choices for a new bestseller to see on these pages would be Pirate Latitudes, the last Michael Crichton book.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Linda Kish said...

If she couldn't be a writer she would be completely insanely depressed

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

Blindman's Bluff I love Faye Kellerman's books.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Angie said...

it looks like she loves food!

Angie said...

I would like you to review A Pioneer Woman Cooks. I love cookbooks and would like to see if this one is worth it

Sandee61 said...

I liked all the fun stuff on Dorothea's website, but beg to differ on liver. I hated it immensely as a child, and then had it fixed differently, and now I love it. I would love the book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks...its on my wishlist. Please enter me for the giveaway for The Christmas Pearl...it looks like a wonderful Holiday read. I've read almost all of Dorothea's books, and I'm a huge fan.

Christmas Blessings,
Sandee

Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com

Icedream said...

I think it's great that she is currently reading The Red Tent. It was a fantastic book! I'm pretty sure she'll love it.

waitmantwillie@hotmail.com

Icedream said...

I definately want to read Pirate Latitudes. I will miss Crichton so much, he was a favorite author of mine.

waitmantwillie@hotmail.com

CherylS22 said...

Under Dorothea's fun stuff is the statement:

My least favorite food is…
liver in any form.

I sure agree!
Thanks ~ megalon22 at yahoo dot com

CherylS22 said...

I'd like to see "Blindman's Bluff"
By Faye Kellerman as a giveaway.

megalon22 at yahoo dot com

Nancye said...

A vacation with no agenda---my kind of vacation.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I would like to see the book: "My Journey With Farrah"

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

CLICK HERE TO
SEE MY POLICY