Christmas in Sugarcreek (19 page)

1. The theme of belonging is an almost-constant one in my novels.
Christmas in Sugarcreek
was no exception. Ben, Rebecca, and Lilly all felt that they weren’t quite good enough for the people who loved them. Did they change . . . or did their perceptions about themselves change?

2. Writing about Lilly and Robert celebrating their first Christmas together made me nostalgic. Over twenty years ago, my husband and I started several traditions that have become an integral part of our holiday season. Do you have any traditions that you began? Are there any traditions you wish you could change?

3. The Amish are known to be very giving and charitable people, which is one of the reasons I wanted Caleb and Rebecca to be working on Christmas baskets in the novel. What ways does your family or church or community give back at Christmas?

4. Obviously, Lilly and Robert’s story was a twist on O. Henry’s famous story, “The Gift of the Magi.” Have you ever had a Gift of the Magi moment, where you gave someone a gift that they couldn’t use?

5. When I finished the novel, I still wasn’t sure where Ben and Judith should live. Do you have a preference? Above the store like Gretta and Joshua? In Ben’s house? Or, perhaps they need a new place of their own?

6. Is there a character in the Seasons of Sugarcreek novels who you would like to see more of? Why?

7. When I first read the Amish proverb, “The woods would be silent if only the best birds sang,” I knew it would go well with this novel. Does the proverb resonate with you in any special way?

8. The following scripture verse helped me tremendously when writing this novel. Is there a person in your life who adds “light” to it? Can you think of a way that you add “light” to others?

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ ”
John 8:12

About the Author

S
HELLEY
S
HEPARD
G
RAY
is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including
Hidden
,
Wanted
, and
Forgiven
. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full-time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town’s scenic bike trail.

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Also by Shelley Shepard Gray

Sisters of the Heart series

Hidden

Wanted

Forgiven

Grace

Seasons of Sugarcreek series

Winter’s Awakening

Spring’s Renewal

Autumn’s Promise

Families of Honor

The Caregiver

The Protector

The Survivor

Credits

Cover design by Mary McAdam Keane

Cover photograph by Doyle Yoder

Holly photograph by Shutterstock

This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

CHRISTMAS IN SUGARCREEK
. Copyright © 2011 by Shelley Shepard Gray. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

FIRST EDITION

EPub Edition November 2011 ISBN: 9780062089779

Print Edition ISBN: 9780062089762

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