A Sharecropper Christmas

Author Carlene Havel grew up in Texas and married a military man.  Courtesy of the US Air Force, she has since lived in seven US states, the Republic of the Philippines, and Turkey.  Her husband loves to travel, and the two of them have had lots of fun satisfying his wanderlust.  Although Carlene prefers peaceful mountain forests, her husband enjoys big cities, exotic locales, and archeological sites. They still laugh about an adventure in a Parisian coin operated laundry, and most likely some French housewives do, too. 

The Havels now live in Texas, in the midst of a big, extended family.  Carlene had no interest in writing until 2005, when she became a believer in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.  Along with everything else that changed, she developed a passion for writing.  Carlene loves Bible study, normally devoting most of one day each week delving into the scriptures with a small focus group.  She also enjoys sewing, knitting, crochet and embroidery.

Here’s what Carlene has to say about her Christmas book, “A Sharecropper Christmas”: As a child, I loved to nestle in someone’s lap after dinner while one storyteller after another spun yarns. At various times, relatives spoke of life on the farm, the great flu epidemic, D-Day, and World War II ration cards.  Uncle Bob didn’t talk much about his service, but once in a great while he would share a tidbit from his time as a soldier in North Africa, Normandy, France, and central Europe.  He was a medic at the US Forces hospital in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, and quite a guy.

My grandparents’ generation drew their inspiration from the Great Depression. “I tell you now, Boats, back in 1933, times was hard,” signaled the telling—or retelling—of an adventure softened by subsequent years of prosperity. (Great-uncle Boats got his nickname from the impressive size and shape of his shoes. Enormous feet are a family trait I had the misfortune to inherit, but that is another story for another day.) Stolen watermelons, hopping rides on freight trains, and hanging out with hobos fired my imagination.

"A Sharecropper Christmas” is my salute to the people who faced the difficult years of the Great Depression, working hard to survive and provide for their families. I admire their faith, courage, and perseverance. 

Here's the official description of “A Sharecropper Christmas”: The Great Depression left the Shoemaker family hungry and homeless. Their desperate prayers are finally answered when Herbert Shoemaker finds work as a sharecropper. Alice makes the best of the hard times without complaint, though she dreams of giving her little family a special Christmas.

And in case you are wondering--yes, my grandparents were named Alice and Herbert.

It's a quick read, and bargain priced at only 99 Cents during Pelican Book Group’s Christmas Extravaganza. Happy reading!  You can find “A Sharecropper Christmas” on Amazon here.