Song to Book to Movie and Back to Book and Song Again
Donna VanLiere
Latest book: The Christmas Journey
www.donnavanliere.com
Ten years ago I traveled to Knoxville, TN in the sweltering heat of July with my husband to visit our friends from NewSong, who were in concert. As we stood backstage in the arena, I could barely hear our friend Eddie because of the other band on stage. It was loud and dark and Eddie bent close to my ear. “I’m thinking of writing a Christmas song.” He gave me a short, two-sentence premise (basically: a little boy who wants to buy a pair of shoes for his mother who is dying but he can’t afford them so some man buys them for him) and then asked, “Do you think that would make a good song?” I said, “I think that would make a good book.”
I began to formulate an outline in my head at the concert and when I returned home I started to write. A few weeks later Eddie called and said they had the song produced and asked if my husband and I wanted to hear it. We listened on speakerphone and I cried when I heard The Christmas Shoes for the first time. The song became a favorite on radio and went to number one on the Billboard Chart, taking just three weeks to get there, faster than any song in history. I told Eddie years later that had he played the song for me in its entirety that I probably would have never been inspired because the story is all there in the song but because he gave me such little information I was able to see the entire book in my head.
The book was picked up by CBS and became a movie and when I was asked to write another Christmas book, The Christmas Blessing, CBS picked that one up, too and NewSong wrote a song of the same name for the movie. My publisher asked to write another book, The Christmas Hope and that one also became a movie with a song by NewSong. The Christmas Secret is set to be a movie for Lifetime in 2011 and I hope it will include a song by NewSong.
The journey continues with the new book, The Christmas Journey. It’s not a novel but rather a narrative filled with watercolor illustrations and still part of The Christmas Hope series of books. It’s a short read (it takes about fifteen minutes to read, which my husband says all books should be that short!) about the journey Mary and Joseph took. I hope this beautiful gift book will become a part of your Christmas Eve tradition or even a part of your celebration on Christmas Day!
Merry Christmas!
Donna
Giveaway Time!
Special thanks to Anne from Authors on the Web for providing a copy of Ms. VanLiere's latest book, The Christmas Journey, for a giveaway.
To enter the giveaway, please tell me your favorite Christmas song, book or movie. Leave your email address so that I can get in touch with you if you are the lucky winner.
This giveaway is open to US/Canada only and will end on January 15.
Extra entries:
Follow my blog (google connect, Networked Blogs, email subscriber) - anyway you follow is fine.
Follow me on Twitter and Tweet - please leave link.
If you post about this contest anywhere else, it is good for an entry - just let me know where you left it!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
52 comments:
Merry Christmas, Kristi!
My favorite Christmas book, is the gift of the magi.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
I am a email subscriber.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
Merry Christmas! My favorite Christmas song is Silent Night.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
I am a follower.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
I love to watch The Santa Clause.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
I love the Polar Express
littleone AT shaw DOT ca
I follow on GFC
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My fav christmas movie is The Polar Express
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My favorite Christmas Movie is It`s A Wonderful Life
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My favorite Christmas movie is It's A Wonderful Life. I would love to read The Christmas Journey :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
Following Books and Needlepoint with NetworkedBlogs on Facebook
Following @kherbrand on Twitter and Tweeted the giveaway
Shared the giveaway on Facebook
blog[at]theluckyladybug[dot]net
My favorite book set at Christmas Time is "The Last Noel" by Michael Malone
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net
I follow your blog via GFC & Google Reader.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net
My favorite Christmas movie is Miracle on 34th Street.
dlodden at frontiernet dot net
I follow with Google Reader.
dlodden at frontiernet dot net
My favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story.
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I am an e-mail subscriber.
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I just posted this on win a book -- no need to enter me!
http://winabook.westofmars.com/2010/12/28/the-christmas-journey-by-donna-vanliere/
I love the story that was the genesis for this series. I have The Christmas Journey on my to-buy list (I know, it's after the season, but I didn't see any reviews until right before Christmas) - everyone seems to love it! Thanks for the chance to win!
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I follow on GFC as jewelknits!
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I follow via Twitter as jewelknits!
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my favorite song is O Holy Night and favorite movie is Miracle on 34th Street.
yourstulee(at)saskte(dot)net
follow via GFC as primrose
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After all these years, my favorite Christmas movie is still "It's a Wonderful Life".
Thanks for the giveaway.
pennyt at hotmail dot com
My favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas.
Favorite song is O Holy Night and Mary Did You Know?. I also love the Christmas Shoes and the movie that was made of the Christmas Shoes.
misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com
I am an old GFC Follower
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Follow on twitter(@misskallie2000)
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I follow with GFC.
librarygrinch at gmail dot com
My favorite song is O Holy Night. I don't really have a favorite movie but my favorite show is How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
librarygrinch at gmail dot com
Tweeted:
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I love the song Silent Night. It gives me chills.
headlessfowl at gmail dot com
I'm following on GFC w/ headlessfowl
headlessfowl at gmail dot com
My favorite Christmas song is "What Child is This?"
figuringoutthesmallstuff(at)gmail(dot)com
christmas is my favorite holiday. I have lots of favorites.
favorite song: Oh, holy night
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
email subscriber
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
M favorite Christmas song is "Do You Hear What I Hear?"
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
I follow your blog as an email subscriber.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
I follow you on Twitter and tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/#!/ossmcalc/status/25816037278621696
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
I follow you via Google Friend Connect.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
I follow you via Networked Blogs.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
I posted about this giveaway on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/womackcm/posts/180757368614292
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
My favorite Christmas song is Mary, Did You Know?
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com
My favorite Christmas song is "Away In A Manger"
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
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