The Handmaid and the Carpenter

What’s it about?

I always tell people that this is like “When Harry Met Sally,” but it’s when Joseph met Mary. It’s a little Christmas book that humanizes the event that inspired the holiday. Everyday details about food and clothing and daily life help make it seem as though you are there. Though you might not WANT to be when it comes to giving birth in a stable…..

What was the inspiration?

I wondered what it must have been like to be Mary, to be so young and suddenly thrust in the middle of this momentous event. And I really wondered about Joseph! How did he feel when he was told his virgin wife was pregnant? The book is largely a testimonial to faith.

Excerpt

The Handmaid and the Carpenter Book Cover
Random House – 2006

“A hard pain came upon her. She rose up, clenched her teeth, and pulled on the rope. When the pain subsided, she lay back down and allowed herself one more moment of pity for her poor circumstances: She lay on the floor of a stranger’s stable. Somewhere, water dripped. The air was foul with the scent of the animals and their droppings. Wind blew in through the cracks in the walls. She closed her eyes. So be it.”

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