THE CHRISTMAS SECRET - A USA TODAY, "TWELVE BOOKS OF CHRISTMAS" PICK
Miami Herald says, "The Christmas Secret is a charming tale filled with miracles and inspiration."
Stellar reviews continue to pour in on Donna's latest (and fifth) installment in the The Christmas Hope Series. The December 3rd issue of USA Today chose The Christmas Secret as one of their top picks for Christmas books. The December 1st Miami Herald calls the book "...a charming tale filled with miracles and inspiration" while December 14th's Boston Globe says, "It's a sweet story that celebrates love and generosity of spirit."
December 1, 2009
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE CHRISTMAS HOPE
Donna and the stars of the LMN original movie "The Christmas Hope" offer their insights about the film's lessons and their characters' emotional journeys.
LIFETIME RINGS IN THE HOLIDAYS ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 with three Christmas movies based on Donna VanLiere Bestselling novels
Lifetime Movie Network is devoting an entire block of programming to the three holiday films, which begins with the airing of The Christmas Shoes at 4pm(ET/PT), followed by The Christmas Blessing at 6pm(ET/PT) and leading up to the world premiere of The Christmas Hope at 8pm (ET/PT). The premiere will be followed by an encore presentation of The Christmas Blessing and The Christmas Hope.
Visit Lifetime's The Christmas Hope page by clicking here. After the movie airs, please let them know how much you appreciate the family friendly programming (...and especially Donna's stories) and post some comments on their community board. This could go a long way toward getting our next movie made!!!
Movie Summaries...
The Christmas Shoes – Starring Rob Lowe and Kimberly Williams-Paisley - 4 pm ET - The Christmas Shoes follows a young boy, Nathan Andrews, whose Christmas wish is to buy a pair of shoes for his dying mother (Williams-Paisley). On Christmas Eve, his path crosses with a stranger, Robert Layton (Lowe), an attorney who had been drifting away from his family until the recent death of his own mother. With the help of the generous stranger, Nathan is able to give his mother one last precious gift.
The Christmas Blessing – Starring Neil Patrick Harris and Rebecca Gayheart - 6 pm ET - In The Christmas Blessing, Nathan Andrews (Harris) has grown up and is a medical resident. After losing a teenage boy on the operating table, he returns home and faces the memories of his mother’s passing. Nathan takes a position as a local coach and becomes taken with a beautiful teacher, Megan Sullivan (Gayheart). He forms a special bond with her student Charlie, who has also lost his mother, and together they both hope for a Christmas miracle. Rob Lowe makes a special appearance, reprising the role as Robert Layton.
The Christmas Hope – Starring Madeleine Stowe (The Last of the Mohicans), James Remar (Sex in the City) and Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210) - 8 pm ET - a Lifetime Movie Network Original Movie World Premiere - The third film in the trilogy follows Patricia (Stowe) and Mark Addison (Remar), a couple in a troubled marriage. When Patricia, a social worker, brings home a foster child who has no place to go on Christmas, they set aside their differences to give the young girl a special holiday. Beloved character Nathan Andrews (Ziering) returns in The Christmas Hope, bringing the stories full circle.
"VanLiere makes getting into the Christmas spirit easy with the fifth installment in her Christmas Hope series." (Publisher's Weekly)
When a struggling young single mother saves the life of an elderly woman, she sets into motion a series of events that will test her strength, loyalty, and determination, all the while setting her on the path to finding true love.
Christine Eisley is the mother of seven-year-old Zach and five-year-old Haley. Her ex-husband provides little, if any, child support and makes life difficult for Christine by using the children as pawns. She works long hours as a waitress to make ends meet, but her job is in jeopardy because she’s often late to work due to the unreliable teenaged sitters she’s forced to use. When Christine saves the life of a woman who works in Wilson’s department store, the owner of Wilson’s wants to find her, to thank her, but Christine has disappeared, losing another job once again. He sets his grandson, Jason, to the task of finding the mysterious “Christy.” Jason, an accountant by trade who has lost his job to downsizing, thinks he is “above” working at Wilson’s. Soon, he discovers that this new task gives him more than he bargains for.
The Christmas Secret is a novel for anyone who wants to see how love is a gift that keeps giving back; that hope is a treasure that never runs dry, and that faith is a miracle that is reborn with each new day.
FINDING GRACE WOMEN'S CONFERENCE OFFERS HOPE AND INSPIRATION IN TROUBLED TIMES
Donna joins national bestselling author and conference speaker Dannah Gresh and national recording artist Tammy Trent for Franklin, TN Women's Conference
Ask any number of people what the word "grace" means and you’re likely to get as many different answers. Some define grace as a short prayer before a meal. Others would say it’s a disposition of kindness and compassion, or an inner beauty. Clearly, grace may be one of the most misunderstood concepts in the world today. Yet, according to New York Times bestselling author and Williamson County resident, Donna VanLiere, grace is the one gift that can change your life forever.
“For most of us, life hasn’t turned out the way we planned, but despite our past or current circumstances we can’t be disqualified from God’s grace. Even in the midst of our pain, our struggles or our despair, God desires to birth in us greater dreams than we could ever have imagined or hoped for,” says VanLiere, whose latest book, “Finding Grace” is the inspiration behind the upcoming Finding Grace Women’s Conference, to be held in Franklin on October 2nd and 3rd.
The conference, also featuring bestselling Christian author and popular radio speaker, Dannah Gresh, as well as award-winning Christian recording artist, author and speaker, Tammy Trent, promises a deeper awareness of the gift of grace and its power to transform lives.
“I can speak from firsthand experience of the hopelessness women encounter when they lose their way - their dreams are shattered and they feel trapped by the chaotic and sometimes mundane routine of life,” adds VanLiere. “No matter what your experience – divorce, death of a loved one, sexual abuse, infertility, job loss - this event will encourage you that through grace you can know renewed laughter and pursue the dreams God plants deep in your heart.”
For more information on the Finding Grace Women’s Conference, go to www.findinggraceonline.org, or call (615) 512-7701.
WHAT: Finding Grace Women’s Conference WHEN: Friday, October 2nd, 7-9PM; Saturday, October 3rd, 8AM-12:30PM (includes continental breakfast) WHERE: The Orchard Ministry Center, 109 Rand Place, Franklin, TN HOW MUCH: $25 advance, $30 at the door FEATURING: NY Times bestselling author, Donna VanLiere, bestselling Christian author and popular radio speaker, Dannah Gresh, award-winning Christian recording artist, author and speaker, Tammy Trent. INFO & REGISTER: www.FindingGraceOnline.org PHONE: (615) 512-7701 EMAIL: info@FindingGraceOnline.org
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY REVIEWS DONNA'S UPCOMING CHRISTMAS NOVELLA, "THE CHRISTMAS SECRET"
"VanLiere makes getting into the Christmas spirit easy with the fifth installment in her Christmas Hope series."
"Single mom Angela Christine Eisley’s struggling to care for her young children, Zach and Haley: her waitress job isn’t bringing in a ton of dough; and Brad, her disgruntled ex, refuses to pay child support and is bent on taking custody. Soon, she’s lost her job and her landlord’s threatening eviction, but salvation comes in the form of another job and a handsome bachelor named Jason Haybert, who’s trying to locate the anonymous good Samaritan who saved a family friend’s life. The holiday cheerleading doesn’t stray too far afield as VanLiere tidily wraps up this reminder of the magic of giving. (Releasing Oct.)"
DONNA VANLIERE INDUCTED INTO THE OHIO FOUNDATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES HALL OF EXCELLENCE
Joins such luminaries as Coretta Scott King, Hugh Downs, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, and Senator John Glenn.
On April 21, Cedarville alum Donna VanLiere ’89 was inducted into the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence. The honor was based on her years of exemplary writing and speaking skills. Besides Cedarville’s own Dr. David Jeremiah and Dr. Joseph Stowell, Donna joins such luminaries as Coretta Scott King, Hugh Downs, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, and Senator John Glenn.
“It was very humbling to be inducted alongside so many men and women of integrity,” Donna said. “I look at the list and think, ‘Which one of these is not like the others?!’ Still, I’m grateful for the honor.”
The Hall of Excellence was established in 1987 to honor alumni of member institutions of The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges whose lifetime achievements exemplify the... READ MORE>
Lifetime Movie Network is devoting an entire block of programming to the three holiday films, which begins with the airing of The Christmas Shoes at 4pm(ET/PT), followed by The Christmas Blessing at 6pm(ET/PT) and leading up to the world premiere of The Christmas Hope at 8pm (ET/PT). The premiere will be followed by an encore presentation of The Christmas Blessing and The Christmas Hope.
"VanLiere makes getting into the Christmas spirit easy with the fifth installment in her Christmas Hope series." (Publisher's Weekly) 
Donna joins national bestselling author and conference speaker Dannah Gresh and national recording artist Tammy Trent for Franklin, TN Women's Conference
The conference, also featuring bestselling Christian author and popular radio speaker, Dannah Gresh, as well as award-winning Christian recording artist, author and speaker, Tammy Trent, promises a deeper awareness of the gift of grace and its power to transform lives.
WHAT
"VanLiere makes getting into the Christmas spirit easy with the fifth installment in her Christmas Hope series."
