From Here To Bethlehem - A Short Story By Kathryn Guare

Christmas is just around the corner and author Kathryn Guare is offering a lovely Christmas gift to all her fans and readers.  Her short story From Here To Bethlehem is available for free on Amazon through December 17th, 2015.

A Heartwarming Christmas Story:

This charming Christmas story is set in Vermont, with Kate, the owner of the Rembrandt Inn, accepting a last minute reservation for a business party. Her Irish boyfriend, Conor, is there to support her, as they learn about what Christmas means to each other.

The events of this short story are a snap shot into the lives of Kathryn's hero and heroine of The Virtuosic Spy Series. But don't worry! You don't need to have read Kathryn's first two books to enjoy this heartwarming Christmas tale.

This story is full of lyrical prose, and a lovely sampling of Kathryn Guare's descriptive writing style, replete with warm characters, and welcoming settings. The characters come to life through beautifully paced and nuanced dialogue. 

An Irish Hero:

Conor McBride's Irish turn-of-phrase is liltingly accurate, so he gets two thumbs up from me as the perfect hero. He simply oozes Irish charm.

In this story, once he shares his childhood memories of the Irish Christmas candle with Kate, I realized I could really get to like this guy. 

The Candle In The Window:

Here's the excerpt where Conor describes his fond memories of Christmas with his family in Ireland ....

"“What was your favorite part about Christmas when you were little?” Kate asked, once they were walking back home.

“Besides the gifts and puddings and boxes of chocolates?” Conor smiled. “The candle in the window. Before we went to bed on Christmas Eve, my mother would make a little ceremony out of lighting and blessing it, and then she’d let me carry it to the window. It would stay there all night while we were asleep.”

“You weren’t afraid the house would burn down?”

Conor shrugged. “In soggy old Ireland? Sure it’s hard to get anything to burn, even when you’re trying. Anyway, it was a special candle for the holy family, so I expect we thought God would look after it.”

He grew quiet, caught up in a memory of the waxy scent of the thick white candle that made their living room smell like the inside of a church, and of watching its flickering light cast shadows on the wall while he listened—half asleep—to his mother’s soft voice reciting the prayers in Irish. He could nearly hear it, even now."

And so, if you would like to meet Conor and Kate, and delve into their worlds with Kathryn Guare, simply check out this lovely holiday story. 

About Kathryn Guare:

Kathryn Guare lives in the Vermont town where she grew up, part of the third generation of her family to call the tiny capital city of Montpelier home.

She spent ten years as an executive with a global health membership and advocacy organization, worked as a tour coordinator in a travel agency, and has traveled extensively in Europe and India. She has a passion for Classical music, all things Celtic, and exploring ethnic foods and diverse cultures.

Her first novel, "Deceptive Cadence" was awarded a Gold Medal in the Readers Favorite Awards and a Silver Medal in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. 

Thank You:

A big thank you to Kathryn for her wonderful books and for sharing her lovely Christmas story with us this year.

And to all of who stop by my website to check out my recipes and ramblings .... May your holiday reading this year kindle beautiful memories of Christmas past, and inspire you to enjoy every moment of this blessed Christmas season.

Slán agus beannacht!

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Here are some other posts you might enjoy:

Festive Mincemeat

How To Light A Christmas Pudding

Irish Christmas Blessings