Look Who's Reading Kristin Hannah Contest
Share a photo of you or your book club reading any one of Kristin Hannah's trade paperback or hardcover novels, and you could win a set of five Kristin Hannah novels, each one personalized and signed. Your photos may be posted on the website, so please let us know if that's not okay with you.
Email your photos to kristin@kristinhannah.com Captions would be great!
Contest rules:
All photographs may be used by Kristin Hannah and KristinHannah.com for advertising and/or promotional purposes. Photographs will not be returned.
Photographs that are too big or in any other way unacceptable will be removed from the contest.
Two winners will be chosen on Jan. 17, 2010
Winter Memories Contest
Thanks so much to all of you who shared your stories for my Winter Memories contest. Several of the letters were so moving that I have chosen to post more to the site than we originally thought. I hope you all enjoy them as much as I did.
Aloha and thanks,
Kristin
(all winning entries are posted below)
Winners: Patricia Tilton & Naomi Bliss
Honorable Mentions:
Julie Benson, Kelly Branyik, Virginia Campell,
Nancy Gillingham, Kim Griffith, Rebecca Hammack,
Karen Haney, Kay Harms, Brenda Ivester, Dawn Kelkner,
Sharon McDonald & Nicole Rosati
Winning Entry by Patricia Tilton
I fell in love with Ward just before the Christmas of 1980 – the good head-over-heels variety. Our relationship was magical and romantic, yet contained a depth and openness I longed for. I was 29, and he was a 44-year-old widower.
As the holidays quickly approached, I was in a dilemma as to what to exchange. No, strike that. I did know what I planned to give him. I was just anxious he might give me a ring. We exchanged gifts after the Christmas Eve service. Ward pulled a small box from his coat pocket. Inside the box was a beautifully hammered gold cross dangling on a chain. He had his jeweler design the necklace especially for me. He had handed me the moon, but could not resist making me squirm a little. He knew I wasn't ready to make a commitment. I lovingly embraced him, knowing that at the same moment the heavens certainly heard my sigh of relief.
During the week that followed Christmas, I felt prompted to burn a stack of journals I had written over seven years. Never before had I ever felt that need, and yet it consumed me. My journals housed stories, and private thoughts and feelings that I slowly was beginning to feel were no longer relevant to me anymore.
New Year’s Eve arrived and we spent it together at his home cozy, sipping wine and snuggling on the sofa near the warmth of his fireplace. Finally, I asked him if might burn some of my old journals in the fireplace. I carefully took each journal apart and began to toss the pages onto the glowing embers as the flames shot up the chimney. As I placed the last journal into the fire, I began to sob uncontrollably. Ward did not ask any questions, but just held me in a teddy bear hug and allowed my tears. The next morning, he called me chuckling to report that black ashes had blanketed the newly fallen snow in his yard.
After that sacred burning, I experienced a shift in myself in the coming months. By Valentine’s Day, Ward asked me to marry him. I said “yes” without any hesitation. In order for me to accept his proposal, I realized I had to say goodbye to the past so I could embrace my present life with him. Sometimes the best gifts come in surprising gestures of love.
Winning Entry from Naomi Bliss
Christmas of 1981 for me was my favorite winter memory to date. In early Oct. of that year, my husband of 9 yrs was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only 2 months to live. He was only 27 yrs. old at the time, and I remember pleading with God to heal my husband. Our daughter was only 8, and she was having a very difficult time comprehending what was happening to her daddy. Upon researching where that particular cancer was being studied, we found it was in our very own city, Minneapolis, and we had him transferred and admitted to the U. of Minn. Masonic Cancer Center. Through countless hours of supporting love from our families, and after 2 aggressive months of treatments, including him being nearly comatose, by that Christmas we were given a positive prognosis and HOPE. We celebrated that Christmas with our extended families, and all sang praises and rejoiced in our news. He had surgery and finished chemo in April of 1982. Today we have been married 37 years, and are the very proud grandparents of 2 boys, who are the light of lives.
Honorable Mentions:
Winter Memories by Julie Benson
Every year I wished for a White Christmas, some years, Mother Nature failed me, other times she came through in a BIG way. One of my fondest winter memories was Christmas 1993 when I was 15 years old. Christmas Eve dinner that year consisted of my Mom, Dad, and older sister. My brother had moved to Seattle, WA, earlier that year and couldn't afford the flight home. We all enjoyed a nice meal and once our bellies were full traveled out to look at the Christmas lights around our neighborhood. Snow wasn't going to stop this family tradition. Once it was time to open gifts, my Dad stood by the fireplace/tree like he always did and handed out presents one at a time until we all had a pile surrounding us.
My sister and I had long since stopped believing in Santa but we still woke up Christmas morning to more presents from my parents, a stocking full of goodies, and a VERY white Christmas!!! My father wasn't exactly the "outdoor" kind of guy but that particular Christmas Day he offered to venture outside with me to sled down the hill behind our house. Once our faces were "officially" frozen we retreated inside for my Mom's famous hot chocolate which always tasted better after playing in the freshly fallen snow.
This Christmas was as ordinary as any other but will always be my favorite as the following year my father passed away one month after my Sweet 16th Birthday. The years that followed were difficult, especially during the holidays, without having my father with us, but I always will remember and cherish that special Christmas with my Dad and be thankful I had the time to share with him.
Favorite Winter Memory by Kelly Branyik
My favorite winter memory is when my mom, brother, sister, and I surprised my entire family in Wisconsin for Christmas of 1996. My Aunt Sharon and Uncle David flew us into the Milwaukee airport on the 25th of December. To surprise the whole family, my aunt came up with the idea to put us all in large boxes as Christmas presents. We were all small enough to fit in them at the time. We hot glued big bows on them and my baby cousin, Nicco, put stickers on them. Later that night, we made our way over to my Nana and Papa's house. We waited inside the boxes excitedly as my Papa and other two uncles carried the boxes inside the house. For several minutes we waited for everyone to open the boxes. My younger sister started shaking in her box. This freaked out my Aunt Cindi who exclaimed "What the heck is in there?!" After another minute, my Aunt Cindi opened my sister’s box and shrieked. My older brother and I jumped out of the boxes after her and we were all greeted with hugs and tears. It was my favorite Christmas of all time.
Virginia Campbell’s Favorite Winter Memory
I live in the beautiful mountains of Southwestern Virginia. When I was a child, the Winter snows started in November. We could miss school, ride our sleds and build snowmen. My grandmother always made hot chocolate and peanut butter cookies on snow days. I love to be outside at night when it is snowing and it's cold enough that you can actually hear the snow as it falls. It's beautiful and other-worldly. Of course, there's Also the snow ice cream--yum!
Favorite Winter Memory by Nancy Gillingham
My favorite winter memory takes me back through the years to a place and time that still lives in my mind. My boyfriend and I were both home from our freshman year at different colleges. We had missed each other terribly, as we were 800 miles apart. The year was 1967, before the days of internet chats, email, texting or free long distance, and our main form of communication was by the U.S. postal mail system. Seeing each other again after four long months apart was magical and each moment together was to be treasured. On New Year's Eve we attended 11 PM Mass. While we worshiped, outside snow began to fall, and when we left the church just before midnight we entered a winter wonderland sparkling under the street lights. Gently falling snow wrapped the world in a blanket of silence and the beauty of the pristine wintry scene took my breath away. We looked at each other in awe, young and in love and together again on this special night. We shared a long, lingering kiss and really did hear music as the church bells announced that midnight had arrived. My love and I kissed from 1967 into 1968. It was long ago and far away but is still a beautiful memory of the magic of young love.
Favorite Winter Memory by Kim Griffith
My favorite winter memory would have to be one Christmas my family and I went to NM for Christmas to celebrate with my mom’s side of the family, with all 6 siblings and their families. It snowed a little so my brothers and I went outside to make a snow man and of course there were more leaves than snow but it was a blast. That same Christmas I can remember all of the girls getting home made Paddington bears which I still have mine and all of the boys getting those fire hats that made loud siren noises and lights up, after that Christmas all of the adults realized what a mistake it was getting all of the boys the same thing, the sirens and lights went on all day and all night. I think that Christmas was the first Christmas my grandparents wanted everyone to go home. On the way home our flight was delayed so we went and had a dinner at the restaurant, when we came back to the airplane there on the flight counter was my Paddington bear, I went running after it and I was so amazed that the flight clerk knew my name, that stuck with me throughout the years. This is just a little taste of my favorite winter memory.
Favorite Winter Memory by Karen Haney
My favorite winter memory was when we were newlyweds and we went to my husband’s family mountain cabin. Having gone there as a boy, he wanted to share those memories with me. A winding road in the mountains of North Carolina, we made it to Uncle Joe's cabin!
Far from civilization, we found the quaint log cabin, complete with old rocking chairs, charming hand-made quilts, and a hand-crank washer on the front porch. The "city girl" had never seen anything like it. We entered a freezing, three room cabin. My hubby started a fire while I went to rock on the front porch. When I sat down next to the old-fashion washing machine piled with quilts a loud squawking startled me! A large rooster flapped up, jumped down and clucked away! This was not the Ritz!
Although there was an antique claw footed tub, I passed due to no heat instead finding the mattress we pulled in front of the fire, piled with quilts and held in strong arms enough to keep me warm… but I do know I was still never so glad to see the sun come up so we could leave.
As I walked outside, I saw THE most magnificent sight. A snow covered mountain with a babbling brook running behind the house that I hadn't even noticed before. By the creek was a lovely doe deer. It was a beautiful sight and I realized that some things you had to experience to understand their beauty.
Favorite Winter Memory by Kay Harms
When I was seven years old we had a terrible ice storm in my hometown. In Georgia such storms are more common than true snow, but we were never prepared for them. During this particular storm, trees fell on power lines and took out the electricity for several days. The temperatures remained low and we were all without heat. We were also stranded. We couldn’t drive anywhere for more groceries or supplies.
It wasn’t the type of storm that left behind nice powdery snow for the making of snowmen or snowballs. Besides, due to most of the trees leaning low with heavy ice sickles, we children weren’t allowed to play outside anyhow. And so, you’d think we would have been miserable. But we weren’t.
I remember trekking through the icy snow to our neighbor's house where we gathered around their fireplace and ate soup they had heated up over the embers. Later we played cards by the light of a kerosene lamp and then walked home in the moonlight. The next day they walked through those same silvery woods to our house and we repeated the same simple ritual.
Now that I have felt the weight of adult responsibility, I'm sure my parents and their friends were concerned about many things - keeping their children warm and healthy, saving the spoiling food in the freezers and fridges, and paying for the impending repairs. But I only remember feeling warm and protected and loved in the midst of family and friends.
Submitted by Brenda Ivester
I have lots of wonderful memories, especially this time of year, of when I was a young girl growing up, becoming a teenager, and finally getting married, having my 3 babies and now with 2 grandbaby boys, but I guess now one of my most favorite has to be of this past weekend. My only son, who is 26, has been on a ship for the past 7 months in the Marines doing a Middle East deployment tour…He was due to arrive on base Friday about 4pm, well as it happens with the military, there were lots of delays, his bus finally rolled in a little after 10pm, …Me and my 2 daughters and His Dad were the first ones to spot him and when I saw that hand go up and wave at us from the window, I just lost it. It was so Good to see him in person. The tears were joyful ones and I have to continue to Thank and Praise God, We take for granted seeing our loved each day or at least once or twice during the week and being able to talk to them on the phone whenever we want, so I feel especially blessed to have this memory. Memories are what makes a life, and I surely have wonderful ones with my family.
Dawn Klekner’s Entry
One Christmas, my son Nicholas, decided he wanted an "Ugly Doll," a rudimentary stuffed animal with minimal marking, colors and features. He wrote in his letter to Santa that he wanted the largest "Ugly Doll" in the store...the SIX-foot display model! What is a parent to do when there’s no way to physically deliver the goods? Get creative.
I ordered the smallest "Ugly Doll" to get the appropriate tags, colors and design and then set forth to create my own homemade version. I soon realized the six-foot size was painfully unrealistic so my husband came up with a perfect solution to our height challenged project.
We bought sparkle confetti, sprinkled it over the fireplace hearth and mantle to illustrate Santa's path through the room. We then nestled a FOUR foot "Ugly Doll" under the tree with a note addressed to Nicholas.
Nicholas,
Your present was such a large doll I had to use my magic sprinkle dust to get it down the chimney. Unfortunately, I noticed that the doll didn't come back to its full size. Don't worry, if you give it love it will grow over time.
Santa
My husband and I breathlessly watched for his reaction, awaiting his approval or disapproval of the situation. We were thrilled when he smiled and exclaimed "Santa wrote ME a letter. He says my "Ugly Doll" is going to grow!"
He was happy with his gift and we were overjoyed to be able to make his extraordinarily difficult Christmas wish come true.
Florida Snow by Sharon McDonald
When you are born and raised in Florida it is too cold if it is below 50 degrees. In 1978, I was in my junior year at a very large high school. I was a Varsity cheerleader. That winter had been brutal for Orlando. During an exciting Varsity basketball game someone came in and started shouting that it was snowing outside. The officials stopped the whole basketball game and everyone went outside in the parking lot. The whole gym cleared out! The snow would melt as it touched the car hoods and the ground. Everyone was so excited to actually get to see snow. This was the first time I had ever seen snow. Everyone was jumping up and down and squealing. The fans were louder outside over the excitement to see snow then they were moments ago while the game was playing. We all stayed outside for quite awhile and then the refs told everyone it was time to resume play. All the fans, players, and cheerleaders went back inside our toasty warm gym and resumed play. That was one of the most exciting basketball games I ever cheered at!
Favorite Winter Memory by Nicole Rosati
My favorite winter memory was back in 2004 on the best snow day we have had in years. January 26, 2004 was my dad’s birthday. My brother and I were thrilled we didn’t have school, as that rarely happened. I was a Senior in high school, so I gathered my friends, my brother called his and we headed to this great hill to sled for the day. My parents showed up with our dog, Sammy, a beautiful golden retriever who loved to play in the snow with us. We made trains, had races and when we thought we couldn’t sled anymore, we began the largest snowball fight I’ve ever seen. My mom and dad were like kids again with my brother, his friends, me and my friends. Sammy was running around between the groups of snowball fights as he tried to catch them. At the end of the day, we talked about how much fun it was to be together. Usually if we had a snow day, my parents were still at work. That day was their chance to be kids again. Now, I’m 24, and with all of the holidays since 2004, we haven’t had a snow day like that. I chose this memory as my favorite because I believe memories are what the holidays are all about; childhood enthusiasm about snow days, and spending time together with the people you love.