I’ve never met Penelope Marzec. She lives all the way on the east coast. But she is gifted in the arts and cooking and has a great sense of humor. She is worth getting to know!
Her lovely Christmas novella this year is Making Christmas Again—a warm-hearted story of broken people and how they begin to heal.
Penny. (Can I call you Penny?) What is your favorite Christmas recipe?
My favorite Christmas dessert is Cape Cod Cranberry Pie. It is easy, quick, and everyone loves it. My favorite recipes are always the easy and quick ones, but they must also be delicious, which this one is. I originally found it in the New York Times Heritage Cookbook many years ago. Subsequently, I shared it on my blog but it is now everywhere on the Internet, though with some variations like pecans instead of walnuts. I prefer the walnuts.
How about your favorite sacred Christmas song?
There are so many wonderful Christmas songs so it is difficult to choose just one. “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” is a good one though. It’s cheerful and upbeat. I must say that my second favorite would be “Good King Wenceslas.” It’s a whole story in a song with a moral. I happen to have a fondness for story songs. Maybe because I like stories. Or maybe because I grew up when folk songs were popular.
Favorite secular Christmas song?
As a teacher of young children, I sang many secular Christmas songs over the years. The kiddies always liked “Frosty the Snowman.” I suppose due to the repetitious thump, thump, thumping. But I was never happy with Frosty disappearing. Yes, I know he melted and he will come back—someday. However, hubby and I also entertained at various Christmas parties for senior citizens and disabled citizens. One of my favorites for those occasion was always Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. After all, Rudolph becomes a hero and as a romance writer I am always thrilled with heroes and happy endings.
Do you have a favorite Christmas decoration?
One year, I received a gift from one of the children in my class that was a stuffed snowman with a dog. With the addition of batteries, the snowman sang Jingle Bells and the dog woofed along. At the end of the song, the two figures shook. It is the most amusing Christmas decoration ever. Everyone smiles and children play with it until the batteries wear out. I put it in a prominent place so everyone can enjoy it.
What Christmas story do you enjoy?
I’ve read plenty of contemporary Christmas books and I like them, but I still believe the one that tops them all is Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. All of Charles Dickens’ characters are memorable, in all of his books.
I’ve never been to your part of NJ. Where should I visit in the summer?
Cape May is absolutely the best seaside resort in NJ to visit in the summer. It is considered the oldest seaside resort in the country. It has the second largest collection of Victorian homes in the country, too. There is a lighthouse and there are whale-watching tours. It’s fun to go hunting for Cape May diamonds. Plus there’s a zoo! When our daughters were young, we spent several summers in Cape May.
How about at Christmas?
Many towns in NJ have special events for Christmas, Cape May is one of them. However, hubby’s favorite Christmas activity is looking at holiday lights and the best display is the Magic Of Lights at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. It’s a drive-through light experience, which is great on a cold winter night.
Why should anyone read your book?
First of all, they should read it because it will ultimately leave them with a warm sense of hope. In addition, it features many classic Christmas moments that will undoubtedly stir their happy holiday memories. While the hero and heroine do have troubles, they learn to work out their difficulties and care for each other as well as the hero’s young son.
What do you hope readers will take away?
I believe it will show them that in choosing a path, we should always pray for guidance. Often, many of us decide that our decision is the best one and in fact the only one. I hope those who read this book will remember that we should always appeal to God in making our choices.
What is your favorite scene in your book?
My favorite scene is the Nativity play. It reminds me of all the Nativity plays my daughters put together with their younger cousins. It was nice to relive those times in the book. Of course, in the book it was far better with wonderful props. My daughters made do with whatever they could find. Watching them use their imaginations was the best part.
******************************
MAKING CHRISTMAS AGAIN is available at:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Christmas-Again-Holiday-Extravaganza-ebook/dp/B0DFD4XM5R
Barne&Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/making-christmas-again-penelope-marzec/1146222909?ean=9781522304920
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/making-christmas-again
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/making-christmas-again/id6670182335
Pelican Book Group: https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_41&products_id=1696
(It’s only $0.99 at the publisher’s website until Christmas.)
I loved this sweet story! Penny writes great books with well-developed characters and this one is a heartwarming read.
Yes! Great characters and a strong sense of location. She always makes me want to visit New Jersey—at least the regions she mentions in her books!
Thank you for the opportunity to be on your blog. I always enjoy your posts and to be included in one is awesome! I’ve always lived in New Jersey so I’m rather fond of it, particularly anywhere near the ocean. I’ve visited many other places but never Wisconsin. I’ve read that it produces the more cranberries than New Jersey. I love cranberries in everything. 🙂
Yes! I’m going to make some cranberry breakfast bars this morning if I get my act together. Definitely will be checking recipes for Cape Cod Cranberry Pie. Because I love cranberries (as already established) it’s a fun name to say, and I was at Cape Cod once in my life to go whale watching and fell in love.
Thank you.
Such a sweet interview! Thank you both, Anita and Penny. The book sounds lovely–and who couldn’t use more of a warm sense of hope and a reminder to take every choice to God? This sounds like just the book I’m looking for. Merry Christmas!
Thanks Robin! Glad you stopped by. Merry Christmas!
This joy-filled interview really made me smile this morning. Definitely looking up the pie recipe and the book!
So happy we could make you smile. Although what I know of you, smiles come pretty naturally to you! Thanks for the comment. Happy pie-making!
What a delightful interview.
I especially appreciate books that share a message of hope so I just purchased my copy.
Yes, this weary world needs that ‘thrill of hope.” Thank you for visiting!
Penny, I really enjoyed this book. A sweet story filled with lots of snow! (You know we don’t get much snow down south…mostly ice.)
Carol: I’m so glad you enjoy the book. We don’t always get a lot of snow, but sometimes we do and it makes life difficult. But it is pretty and it’s fun to make snowmen.
Cape Cod Cranberry Pie—does it only work with Cape Cod cranberries, I wonder? Or can you substitute Wisconsin or Michigan cranberries? 🙂
Cape May, New Jersey sounds wonderful! I just added it to my list of places to visit someday. It looks so charming—especially with all those Victorian homes.
You can’t beat a kid-produced Nativity play! Like Penelope, I have fond memories of my kids’ homespun shows with their cousins. How fun to include something similar in the book. Thank you for sharing!
Laura: Yes, you can use Wisconsin or Michigan cranberries. LOL! Our daughters always put on a good show and they were quite serious about doing a good job. Those were memorable times!