Sonja Danielson – Page 27

Happy Christmas Eve!

Tonight is the night when Christians observe the birth of Jesus Christ.

It’s also the night that Santa Claus comes down the chimney. He fills stockings and leaves gifts under the Christmas tree.

Santa’s ride is immortalized in the poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’. It’s one of my favorite things to read. I’m a sucker for a good story written poetically, which is why I love Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets.

As a gift to you, dear reader, I have put together some deals for the next two days. Effective immediately, The Fairies of Carlow: The Gilding ebook and The Voyage ebook are available for no charge. That’s right. They’re free only until the night of Christmas.

I also scheduled special pricing on The Fairies of Carlow: The Commoner for today and tomorrow only.

Click the links on the left-hand margin of this website, or search for my name, Sonja Danielson, on Amazon.com and you will automatically get the free ebooks or the specially-priced ebook for The Commoner.

I wish you a peaceful and happy Christmas with all the glad tidings of the season.

I wish you a peaceful and happy Hannukah, also, with all the amazing things the holiday brings.

Have a wonderful fun-filled day. Sonja

Guinness is going to be on TV tonight!

That’s right. This handsome boy will be on Tucson’s Channel 13 tonight. They are planning a feature on the library’s Read-to-a-Dog program and will be ‘interviewing’ Guinness.

He’s fluffed and brushed and ready for his spotlight!

I can’t wait to see him!

I hope you see the story and leave a comment here. He and I read everything and can’t wait to see your thoughts.

We’re also gearing up for Christmas! There may just be a gift under the tree or what you use to present gifts for the holiday (if you put your laptop there!). This is my holiday gift for you, dear reader.

Have a happy holiday week! Sonja

Happy Hanukkah!

To all of you who observe Hanukkah, I hope you enjoy the season.

Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration that observes that Maccabean victory in their revolt against the Greek-Syrians.

On each of the eight nights, a candle is lit in a menorah. A ninth candle is used to light the other eight after a special Jewish story and followed by a hymn. The menorah is usually placed in a window to remind those passing of the story of Hanukkah.

Lots of games are played during Hanukkah, with the dreidel being the most popular.

Popular and traditional food eaten during Hanukkah include fried potato latkes and deep fried doughnuts, called sufganiyot.

Today is also the winter solstice, which makes it the shortest day of the year. It’s a good time to begin the Festival of Lights.

I hope you have a happy Hanukkah. Sonja

#Humbug Day

Not only is it Humbug Day, but also Look On The Bright Side Day. They seem diametrically opposed. But if you are familiar with Charles Dickens’ ‘A Chrismas Carol’, you know that Ebenezer Scrooge began as a humbug type of person and by the end embraced the Christmas spirit.

I hope that wasn’t a spoiler!

I recommend reading the book. If you can’t manage that, then watch one of the many movies. I love the older black-and-white version, someone else I know likes the Muppets’ Christmas Carol movie, while others like the Bill Murray-helmed ‘Scrooged’.

Every one of these stories tells a story of redemption. It’s never too late to make a change in your life. It doesn’t matter your age or your history. Embrace the good and reject the pressure and the bad of this season, no matter which holiday you celebrate.

It’s a time of remembrance and hope. Don’t get so caught up in your ‘to-do list’ that you forget the importance of slowing down and enjoying some time with your thoughts and family.

Slow down! Sonja

Write Characters You Love

As a writer, you will spend a lot of time with your characters, so you should really like them. Most stories take multiple rewrites and if you get tired of your characters, so will your readers.

I love Guinness the Therapy Dog and it is fun to write about him during all his adventures. I equally loved each of the fairy princesses in The Fairies of Carlow series and their handsome princes (and one particularly handsome farmer).

https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=the+fairies+of+carlow — (c) 2019

I hope you have the chance to read all of The Fairies of Carlow books. I think you will enjoy each of them. Sonja

Big News Coming Soon!

I’m working on a wonderful holiday gift for you, my dear reader. Keep an eye on this page for the grand reveal!

I will give you one hint: it involves books!!!

Meanwhile, enjoy reading while cuddled in a blanket with your slippers and a steaming cup of tea!

I can’t wait to share my surprise with you! Sonja

Have Yourself A Sweet Day

It’s ‘Bake Cookies Day’, so get out your butter, sugar, and flour and get in there! This is the best time of year to bake, and it doesn’t matter if you want to bake chocolate chip, oatmeal, sugar, or Snickerdoodles. I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like at least one type of cookie.

Have a great holiday season and enjoy your baking, Sonja

On This Day–

It was December 17, 1903, that Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first flight with a powered aircraft. The first flight lasted 59 seconds and went 852 feet at an elevation of 20 feet. Orville had just flown into history.

The brothers owned a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. and experimented with flight there for almost ten years before finding success. Orville and Wilbur chose the beach at Kitty Hawk because a constant wind blew off the ocean and would help their aircraft fly.

In the above photo, Orville is seen lying inside the aircraft and Wilbur is the man standing at its right.

It’s hard to believe that today, just 116 years later, it is almost routine to fly across the ocean or around the world.

If you plan on traveling for the holidays, don’t forget to pack your sense of humor–and a good book (I suggest one of mine!).

Enjoy your holiday! Sonja

Books Are Available!

Take a look at all those titles! Every one of them is available exclusively on Amazon.com. You can either use the links in the left-hand column of this web site, or you can search for my name, ‘Sonja Danielson’, to bring up all of my titles that are available.

Each book in the Fairies of Carlow series stands alone with a glimpse at the continuing stories of previous characters. It’s almost like getting an epilogue while being immersed in the story of new characters.

The Voyage is based on actual history and tells the story of one of the notable and founding families of the East Coast of America. The Wing Family traveled around Europe before the matriarch and her sons crossed the Atlantic to settle in Plymouth Colony and eventually Sandwich, Massachusetts.

The Voyage is based on actual events and locations, and the book includes information on locations mentioned in the book and has a timeline of the events. I wanted the political climate of England and Europe easy to understand, which was difficult based on the rule of King Henry VIII, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth I.

The Voyage is easy to read and boasts several full-color illustrations made specifically for the book. The talents of the artist (not me!) show the dress and environment of the story. You have to see them!

I hope you are able to enjoy my titles, Sonja

#Giving #Charity

Photo on Unsplash.com
Photo by Robert Zunikoff on Unsplash

Whichever form of faith you follow, this is the season of giving–the season of charity. My hope is that you give and offer throughout the year.

There are those who have little need of actually ‘stuff’. Give of your time.

There are those who are in need of love. Give your love.

There are those who are in need of food. Consider giving to your local food bank.

There are those who are in need of transportation. Consider giving your time and drive them where they need to go–if you are able.

Anywhere you look, you will find someone in need. Try to determine what it is they need without asking. Most people will deny having any need, but a few minutes of your time or a plate of cookies or small token will do wonders to bring them joy.

Give of yourself. Sonja