A String of Mysterious Gifts

A month ago, I received an unexpected gift in the mail….

A WHOLE BOX of Bordeaux chocolates from See’s Candies. My absolute favorite! Three reader friends– Joy, Crissy and Amy — had sent it to me.

The note accompanying the chocolate indicated that I should be on the look-out for more gifts. More gifts? But why? It wasn’t my birthday. Nor had anything celebration-worthy occurred with my writing.

Soon after, I received…

A gun toy that shoots rubber bands. I knew my friends were aware that Let It Be Me, the book coming out next month, is a milestone book for me. It’s my tenth Christian fiction novel. Clearly, this toy gun held significance. I wondered if it represented my book Her One and Only. In that one, the bodyguard heroine carried a handgun.

All of a sudden the chocolate took on an additional meaning. I, personally, love chocolate. But the heroine of Sweet on You is a chocolatier.

Ah! I told my daughter that I suspected that they were sending me gifts to commemorate all ten books. Joy, Crissy, and Amy confirmed it. So charming! So thoughtful.

My daughter’s imagination (and mine) have been captured by these mysterious gifts. She asks me every day, “Has a new gift come in the mail?” I finally had to tell her, “You don’t have to ask. You can trust me to let you know when a new one arrives.” Which it did.

I guessed Meant to Be Mine on this one, because the heroine is a baker. I was right!

I was visiting my sisters when the fourth gift arrived. My daughter took it upon herself to open it for me. When I returned home, I found an empty box that looked like a raccoon had torn it open. It took a little digging to discover where the raccoon my daughter was hoarding the items.

Three adorable bowls. This one wasn’t as easy to guess as the first three. After some thinking, I settled on Falling for You because the heroine buys housewares when anxious.

I was right! (Though I won’t be at all surprised if they stump me before all is said and done. To be honest, they remember the books better than I do.)

Praise be to God for equipping me, by His grace and strength, to write ten books! I’m always so aware that I’m able to do this job only because of His provision. And I’m also aware of how fortunate I am to have friends like these — who are a steadfast source of encouragement and support. They’ve made this journey so much sweeter.

I’d love to hear about a gift you’ve received that meant a lot to you!

Before I go, I wanted to let you know that Baker Book House is currently offering a wonderful pre-order deal for Let It Be Me. 40% off the list price for a signed copy + free shipping! Click here or on the image below to order.