Book Review of Christmas
at the Homeplace
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“Christmas at the Homeplace” by William
Leverne Smith
Publisher: Vision to Action
Publishing
Category: Historical Fiction, Family
Saga, Missouri Ozarks, General Fiction
Tour Dates: November 2013
Available in Print and Kindle:
October 25, 2013
ISBN-13:
978-1493510405
Blurb:
Will they all be home for Christmas?
For the first time since their father died, Karen (Bevins) Winslow is expecting
all her children in Oak Springs for Christmas 1996. This Christmas of
homecomings offers some surprises as "The Homeplace Saga" continues.
Will Staff Sergeant Travis Inman arrive home from Bosnia in time to see his
baby daughter for the first time at Christmas? Will a life-long friend of the
Winslow family move to Oak Springs permanently? Does Peter have a son? The
boy's mother insists he does. How would this change the inter-generational dynamics
in the family businesses in the Oak Creek valley of the southern Missouri
Ozarks? Learn more by reading this latest addition to this continuing family
saga.
Also, follow local veterinarian Dr.
Jennifer Bevins and her young lawyer friend, Brian Kirk, as they temporarily
lay aside their personal family history and genealogy research to work with
City Librarian Judy Watson and others to form and create an Oak Springs
Historical and Genealogical Society. Their hope is that be reaching out to the
community they can locate additional local historical records on their families
back to the first settlements in 1833 when Jennifer's McDonald ancestors were
among those first arrivals in the valley. Learn what else occurs, before
Christmas, as Jennifer and Brian devote their full attention to this new set of
activities.
Series Information:
This page is an overview of
"The Homeplace Saga" series of historical fiction family saga stories
shared on multiple venues in print and online. These include essays, short
stories, novels, novellas, this home blog, a developmental wiki and more.
"The Homeplace Saga"
series of stories span the time period dating from 1833 to the present, in one
location. Occasional stories may follow characters to other locations, but
generally the stories all take place in the fictional Oak Creek Township river
valley, in northwest Shannon County, Missouri, deep in the southern Missouri
Ozarks.
NOTE: The latest major entry in the "Saga" is the 1996
novel, "Christmas at the Homeplace," to be released October 25, 2013.
"The Homeplace Saga" began with the
publication of the debut novel of author William Leverne Smith in 2010,
"Back to the Homeplace," set in 1987. This
novel introduced the Bevins-McDonald family and suggested a rich history in the
family farm business dating from first settlement in 1833 on the same land, in
the same river valley. [See Book Trailer video, right sidebar, scroll down]
"Murder by the Homeplace," is a novella (half
the length of a novel), a murder mystery-style story, that takes place in the
months that immediately follow "Back to the Homeplace."
With the novel, "The Homeplace Revisited," we jump nine years
to 1996, when three members of the next generation return to the valley as
young professionals to seek out their place in the growing family businesses.
Some readers have suggested this is two romance stories entwined with a story
of intergenerational conflict. [See Book Trailer video, right sidebar, scroll
down]
The novel, "Christmas at the Homeplace," focuses on the
fourth quarter of 1996, as various members of the extended families settle into
new roles following an active summer and fall. The theme is
"homecomings," for many of our characters, as a couple of new, key
characters are incorporated into "The Homeplace Saga." [See Book
Trailer video, right sidebar, scroll down]
The developmental wiki, "The
Homeplace Saga: Beyond the Books," continues as the
"creative center" of the growth of "The Homeplace Saga"
series of stories. These include character sketches, background on characters,
families and businesses, and a base for innovations in both story lines and
presentation platforms. You, the reader, are invited to participate, as well,
as interest develops.
Short stories of various kinds have
become the primary story-telling mode of choice. Three of these have been
published in the regional Ozarks Writers League (OWL) annual anthology, to
date, in 2011, 2012, and 2013. [The first two of these has now been shared on
this blog, as well, beginning here, with "The Trek to the Homeplace."]
We have begun to publish some essays and short stories on the HubPages platform, and at Squidoo.com, as well. Other venues are added as
deemed appropriate to reach new audiences.
Author Information:
William Leverne Smith was born and
raised on a Midwestern farm. A passion for family history and genealogy studies
provides background for his writing.
He and his wife live in a cabin in
the Missouri Ozarks.
Information on Vision to Action Publishing:
Vision to Action
Publishing designs and develops print, e-book, web, and video materials to
support life-long learning and leisure activities. It is a family business with
offices in Austin, TX, Teasdale, UT, and Hollister, MO, and does not accept
author submissions or outside advertising.
Links:
Review:
Interesting
homesy story continuing the saga of the Bevins-McDonalds family during the
current Christmas gathering. I am sure
that some of the story would have made more sense if I had read the other books
in the series, but I was able to follow fairly easily. The story was a little folksy, but contained
genuine emotion and love.
I
enjoyed the desire of the matriarch to have all her family there for Christmas,
particularly since the loss of her husband.
My family is experiencing something similar this year since my father
died rather unexpectedly this year. I
wish I had read the other books in the series so that I had a better background
to help me understand some of the nuances of the story.
I give
this book 4 out of 5 clouds.
This
product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my
opinions or reviews.
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