Stories & Reflection
Review: Keeping Christmas by Dan Walsh
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 by Marti
Categories: Read
It’s no secret to anyone who knows me: I love Christmas. As soon as the Thanksgiving dinner is cleared away, our house undergoes a tinsel-and-tree transformation as we prepare for the Christmas season. We make large pans of fudge and (with a nod to my Ohio roots) hundreds of peanut-butter-chocolate Buckeyes. We bake dozens of cookies. We even wrap all the paintings on our walls in Christmas paper—an inexpensive holiday tip borrowed from a physician’s office years ago.
So it’s no surprise that I also love Christmas books. This year, I’m excited to share the latest release from my friend and fellow Florida author Dan Walsh. Keeping Christmas: A Novel is a story to which I can relate. Not only does it take place in my beautiful hometown of Mount Dora, Florida, but the central characters are empty-nesters—just like my husband and me.
Christmas looks different to us in this stage of life than it did when our five children were small, and it does to Stan and Judith, too. Their three children are grown and gone, with families of their own—and none of them can make it home for the holidays. All the couple has left are their memories and a box of what they call “The Ugly Ornaments,” lovingly crafted by their children through the years.
Stan, an avid fisherman, seems eager to embrace their new lifestyle. After all, this is the Christmas when he and his best friend plan to buy their dream rig, the fishing boat of their dreams. But Judith has more than a bit of trouble moving beyond her loneliness and into the wonder and beauty of Christmas. 
Walsh, as always, does a masterful job of creating characters about whom we care. This time, he weaves the threads of their lives into a beautiful tapestry with more than a hint of compassion, love, and Christmas magic.
Include this book on your list of books to read—and give—this Christmas, and watch for my coming interview with Dan about Keeping Christmas along with news of a Christmas contest. If you live in the Central Florida area, be sure to visit charming Mount Dora on December 6, 6-8 p.m. and enjoy an in-person visit with Dan at the 2015 Christmas Book-tacular. Maybe I'll see you there!
(FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel free from the author. I was not required to post a review or a positive response.)
Find a local Christian bookstore where you can purchase Keeping Christmas.
Find this book on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or at Christian Book Distributors.
Read Marti's article about Christmas in Mount Dora in More to Life Magazine (page 60).
Share This Blog:
Previous Posts
4 Things I've Learned Since High School
Marti
9/16/2016
7 Surprising Bonuses of the Colorado Christian Writers Conference
Marti
4/8/2016
Where's Marti? Spring-Summer 2016
Marti
4/1/2016
Words with Friends: Dan Walsh
Marti
12/4/2015
Tips from the Pros: Dena Dyer
Marti
10/29/2015
Out of the Dust featured on Heart Talk with Linda Rooks
Marti
10/15/2015
Tips from the Pros: Sharon K. Souza
Marti
5/21/2015
Tips from the Pros: Grace Fox
Marti
4/23/2015
On Writers and Rhino Skin
Marti
4/21/2015
Sam-I-Am and the Colorado Christian Writers Conference
Marti
4/16/2015
Where's Marti? Spring/Summer, 2015
Marti
4/14/2015
No More Chicken
Marti
4/7/2015
Tips from the Pros: Janet Perez Eckles
Marti
3/12/2015
Why Meet with the Conference Chaplain?
Marti
2/24/2015
Tips from the Pros: Carla Rossi
Marti
2/19/2015
WRITE: Here I Am, Send Me? Courage in Costa Rica (Never the Same Missions, Part 4)
Marti
1/27/2015
Write: Here I Am, Send Me? Courage in Costa Rica (Never the Same Missions, Part 3)
Marti
1/20/2015
WRITE: Here I Am, Send Me? Courage in Costa Rica (Never the Same Missions, Part 2)
Marti
1/16/2015
WRITE: Dear Friends (A Fresh Start)
Marti
1/6/2015
WRITE: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, Free and Clear
Marti
11/3/2014
Write: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, Purpose-Driven Prayer
Marti
10/29/2014
WRITE: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, Lesson Learned
Marti
10/27/2014
WRITE: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, Battles and Blessings
Marti
10/24/2014
Write: Devotionals, Out of the Dust, I Surrender All
Marti
10/15/2014
WRITE: Devotionals, Out of the Dust: Obstacle Course
Marti
10/1/2014
WRITE: Winners, Winners
Marti
6/10/2014
WRITE: Words with Friends, Cynthia Ruchti
Marti
6/6/2014
WRITE: Escape the Lie, The Story Behind the Book, Part II
Marti
5/29/2014
WRITE: Escape the Lie: The Story behind the Book, Part I
Marti
5/27/2014
WRITE: Words with Friends: Michelle Cox
Marti
5/23/2014
Catch Us If You CAN Spring Scavenger Hunt: Drawing Winner
Marti
3/28/2014
WRITE: Tips from the Pros, Miralee Ferrell
Marti
3/27/2014
Catch Us If You CAN: Spring Scavenger Hunt, Stop #14
Marti
3/20/2014
WRITE: Top Ten Reasons NOT to Attend the Colorado Christian Writers Conference
Marti
3/18/2014
WRITE: Reflections on the Florida Christian Writers Conference
Marti
3/4/2014
WRITE: The Introvert's Guide to the Writers Conference
Marti
2/25/2014
WRITE: Tips from the Pros: Anne Greene
Marti
2/20/2014
WRITE: Never the Same Missions, Fundraising (Part II)
Marti
2/13/2014
WRITE: Never the Same Missions: Gentle Giant
Marti
2/4/2014
WRITE: Never the Same Missions, Grace
Marti
1/29/2014
WRITE: Never the Same Missions, Adult Leaders, Part 2
Marti
1/21/2014
WRITE: Words with Friends: Author Carol Barnier
Marti
12/5/2013
WRITE: Arguing with the Editor: Yes or No?
Marti
11/7/2013
WRITE: Tips from the Pros: Crystal Bowman
Marti
10/24/2013
WRITE: Mega-Cooking FAQs, Part II
Marti
10/11/2013
WRITE: Mega-Cooking FAQs, Part I
Marti
10/8/2013
WRITE: Tips from the Pros, Davalynn Spencer
Marti
8/1/2013
WRITE: Coincidence? Not so much.
Marti
7/30/2013
WRITE: Top Ten Perks of the Florida Christian Writers Conference
Marti
3/23/2013
WRITE: Vonda Skelton's Christian Writer's Den Blog
Marti
2/5/2013
WRITE: Florida Christian Writer's Conference--Celebrate the Awe
Marti
1/30/2013
WRITE: Words with Friends: Joyce Magnin, author of CAKE
Marti
1/26/2013
WRITE: The National Bible Bee--More than a Competition
Marti
11/8/2012
WRITE: Colorado Christian Writers Conference and Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference
Marti
3/20/2012
WRITE: YA Friday: Dear Teen Writer
Marti
2/10/2012
WRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference
Marti
1/26/2012
READ: Review, Freedom's Stand by Jeanette Windle
Marti
12/8/2011
WRITE: Interview, Ava Pennington (One Year Alone with God)
Marti
12/6/2011
WRITE: The Buzz on the Bee (National Bible Bee)
Marti
12/1/2011
WRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference
Marti
9/28/2011
WRITE: It Began with a Whisper
Marti
9/22/2011
WRITE: Interview, Janet Perez Eckles (Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God's Fiesta)
Marti
8/11/2011
WRITE: Interview with Joyce Magnin
Marti
3/10/2011
WRITE: Interview with Arlene Pellicane
Marti
2/17/2011
WRITE: Interview with Susan Meissner
Marti
2/8/2011
READ: Review, Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner
Marti
2/2/2011
WRITE: Interview with Linda W. Rooks
Marti
1/27/2011
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #8: Lack of Focus
Marti
12/16/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #7: Arguing with the Editor
Marti
11/30/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #6: "I Don't Have Time"
Marti
11/12/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #5: Reduce Your Use of Passive Voice
Marti
10/12/2010
WRITE: Interview with Yvonne Ortega
Marti
9/24/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #4--Failure to Follow Through
Marti
9/14/2010
WRITE: Letter to a New Writer
Marti
8/31/2010
WRITE:Guatemala Lessons--The Greatest is Love
Marti
8/19/2010
WRITE: Guatemala Lessons--Live the Story
Marti
7/21/2010
READ: Review, CHARLOTTE FIGG TAKES OVER PARADISE by Joyce Magnin
Marti
6/25/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #3--Failure to Follow Directions
Marti
6/23/2010
WRITE: Cec Murphey Appreciation Month
Marti
6/11/2010
WRITE: Frequently Made Errors #2--Too Much Backstory
Marti
5/29/2010
WRITE: Critique or Criticism?
Marti
5/5/2010
WRITE: Quad-Cities Christian Writers' Conference--My Favorite Things
Marti
4/22/2010
WRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference: My Top Five Blessings
Marti
3/26/2010
WRITE: Firm Foundations, Fulfilled Dreams: An Interview with Author C.J. Darlington (Part IV)
Marti
3/17/2010
WRITE: Florida Christian Writers Conference; Jerry B. Jenkins Reception
Marti
3/3/2010
WRITE: My Writing Journey, Part 1
Marti
2/25/2010
WRITE: Relationships Matter
Marti
2/19/2010
