I’m excited to introduce “A Novel Gift” for all of you book-lovers out there!
I’m a bit of a Grinch when it comes to Christmas shopping. I get frustrated trying to find the “perfect item” for someone and usually procrastinate until it’s nearly too late.
Not this year. I’ve shopped early–for you!
I’ve put together a special box I’m calling “A Novel Gift.” It includes an autographed copy of Through the Shadows, my most recent novel. Readers are calling it, “an unbelievably beautiful story of coming out of the shadows of sin into God’s light and love.”
What makes this box even more special is the five additional surprises, hand-picked by the author, to help readers experience the story at a deeper level. Each of these gifts are to be unwrapped at key points in the plot, and it will contain an item featured in the story. You’ll get to hold treasures, smell fragrances–even taste things–right alongside the characters.
I’m offering the boxes for purchase (see info on my “Shop” page), but for a limited time, you can enter to win a box for yourself! See the entry page below.
If you’d like to reserve A Novel Gift as a Christmas present for someone, I’d encourage you to pre-order now. I only made a limited number of boxes, and when they’ve all been purchased–we’re done!
To enter the giveaway, see the form below.
Happy reading . . . and gift-giving!
One thing that I have wished I had in a story is a huge library.
Oh, yeah! I’d love that, too.
I wish I had a tiara! That would be fun to wear for Halloween.
Neat idea!
I love your idea to give surprise story gifts away with the book itself. That would make a great Christmas present for someone or great to win!
I had such fun picking out the items. I wish I could watch someone open them as they read. 🙂
I have read a few of your books and loved them. It’s hard to get the characters out of your head. I love the gift box idea.
Thanks, Debbie!
Oops, forgot to answer the question. I love quilts, so I would love to keep a quilt from any one of the stories I’ve read.
I like quilts, too. Have you read any of the Quilts of Love series?
Not an item really. When I read a book where the characters have close sibling relationships, I wish I had that w/my siblings. We all get along fine, but we are not that close in an emotional sense.
Yes, I feel the same way. When I was writing Through the Shadows, I found myself getting jealous of the sister-bond between the characters. I’ve got three brothers, but it’s just not the same. 🙂
I would like a best friend that would be there for me all the time! Your gift box is a very original idea!
Oh, yes! Like Diana in Anne of Green Gables?
Not really an item but I would love to have the chocolates and pastry confections I read about in a book once. They all sounded so yummy!
Books like that always make me hungry!
I wish I had the job that many of the characters have that allow them to meet interesting people.
That’s a good one, Carol! I enjoy writing about different jobs. It’s kind of like playing pretend for me. 🙂
Some of the food mentioned in stories! I read them and my mouth waters…lol!
Great prize pack Karen, thanks so much for your generosity and giveaway chance!
Yes! I like doing book signings with Rebecca DeMarino because she always brings the ginger cookies her characters talk about in the Southold Chronicles series. Yum! It’s fun to actually taste something you’ve read about.
Ginger cookies, yummy!! Those and molasses cookies are my favorite 🙂 Well, cookies in general really…lol!
I would like to have a diary from one of my ancestors–hopefully an interesting one!
I love reading old journals. I use them a lot for research on my stories. But having one from my own ancestors would be incredible!
What’s an item from a story that you’ve wished you could have?
I have always been fascinated by old books and the stories they hold. I would love to have a authentic pioneer or Civil war diary from the 1800’s from books I’ve read.
I love old diaries and journals. Even old letters can be fascinating. Sometimes you find that sort of thing at antique shops. I love looking through the vintage postcards.
I would choose books or money/giftcards
Giftcards to buy more books, right? That would be me, too!
Thanks for this chance to enter your drawing! To answer your question though; I am not sure what item from a story I would have wanted to have to love the story more. 🙂 what a challenging question for me to ponder!
It’s tough, isn’t it? That’s what I faced when I was picking out items to include in the gift boxes. But I’m SO excited by what I found. 🙂
When I read a story where the main character or hero has a quick wit or good sense of humor, I wish I had that. I always think of my witty comebacks about 2 or 3 wks after I needed them.
Haha! Yes, I’m exactly the same way.
I was reading Write Me Home by Crystal Walton a couple of weeks ago and her heroine had a thing for Swedish Fish candy. I absolutely HAD to have a bag – or two – after that lol.
I was just nibbling on those yesterday. 🙂
An heirloom quilt❤️
I love quilts, too!
I don’t have an answer to that question,but that is a very interesting giveaway.
The first thing that comes to my mind when considering this question is the violin from Kristy Cambron’s “The Butterfly and the Violin”. I played the violin briefly when I was little and have always loved this instrument.
It may be the same as others, but reading about large libraries in older homes always makes me wish for one! Those sweet and kind older brothers is something I always wanted as well.
A talking cat!
I love visiting actual settings fiction books are based on. I love Julie Lessman’s Isle of Hope series – last May, I visited Isle of Hope, Ga. where it is set. I drove down the street of the setting for her character’s houses – it made what I read even more realistic. I fully expected to see the characters come running across the lawn on the way to their boat dock (across the street). Such a beautiful setting and a blessed experience!!
Love the concept of the Novel Gift, Karen!! I’ve seen gift boxes with unwrapped gifts pertaining to, and accompanying books – but never wrapped ones you opened as you read the book. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!!
I would love a house with a huge library
I love the gift idea with the surprise packages. What a good idea for a Christmas gift. Thank you for your creativity both in your writing and how you show it in other ways.
Phyllis
I wished I had some
Of the amazing baked goods in Liz Curtis Higgs’ books.
Not sure what I’d want as I am blessed with a wonderful family and happy!
What a great giveaway and this sounds like a great read! Thanks for the chance to win! Have a blessed day!!
I would love to win the book and especially the surprise gifts! I love those kind of surprises!
I don’t think often about something I want… Usually I think about what to get or do for others. Time is what comes to mind first. My children and their families all live quite a distance from me and I would like time to just be!
A metal detector 🙂
No clue, but it’s a great Idea
Hi Karen, I’d love to taste some of the special food mentioned in Jan Karon’s Mitford series.
A man who truly loves me.
An item from a story that you’ve wished you could have is Lady Susan’s horn.
The first thing I thought of was Lucy’s little bottle of “a cordial made of the juice of one of the fire-flowers that grow in the mountains of the sun. If you or any of your friends is hurt, a few drops of this will restore them.”
I noticed the comment above is Susan’s horn – which was my next thought. Very fun to think about.
How about a little pixie dust? 😉
Sea glass jewelry. I’m a big jewelry fan and when I read Colleen Cobles book that featured the main character making and selling sea glass jewelry I wanted some!
I would love a huge library and a maid & cook. I often want some of the food mentioned.
I don’t wish so much for things, but when I read books set in countries I’d love to visit, I wish I could be there. I just read a book set in New England, and I’d love to go there.
I’ve read books about quilts and I would love to have one. I also would love a snow globe I’ve read about.
I agree with Winnie! It would be so much fun to travel to the setting of a book. So many wonderful places such as England and Israel.
This is really probably going to sound silly but I would love some of the textbooks from Harry Potter. Thank you for the chance for this wonderful gift.
I would love to have an old authentic trunk filled with old things.
A getaway cabin of my own. When I read about people just getting away into a small cabin that they own makes me want to buy one too. Just a few items and my books. I wouldn’t have to do much cleaning in a small place. I could just read, then read some more. Ha!
I would love to know my biological family history. Being adopted I read a lot of stories about adoptions and people who are adopted. I never had the urge to find my biological family but I still wanted to know the family history – who were they, where did they come from or when they came here.
Every time I read the story of Beauty and the Beast, I wish for the castle library! Enough books to read for the rest of my life!
I’m not sure what book it was or the author but I remember a tear bottle that was so neat that I wished I could have.
A cabin in the mountains!
I would wish for a magical wardrobe. Instead of visiting Narnia, I would want it to take me to my daughter’s house 2,140 miles away.
I know I read something once of two magical wardrobes where you enter one and come out in the other, but I cannot for the life of me remember the book.
I would love to have a cozy home in a small town 🙂
I would love to have charming bookstore 😉
This has to be one of the best drawings I have entered. As for the item I would want would be the diaries from the people from the wagon trains. A piece of furniture they had to leave on the side of the trail. It was so sad for them but I’d take very good care or it.
Thanks for such a wonderful giveaway!
That’s a good question. From children’s classics I read as a kid, there were probably many scenes in numerous chapters. Laura’s muff and box from on the banks of Plum Creek. The feast at the end of A Little Princess. Nowadays it’s the clothes, houses, etc in books.
I need plane tickets to go to Scotland, fall through some stones, wake up in 1743 and find Jamie Fraser!