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All is Calm, All is Bright focuses on the Prince of Peace and celebrates the Light of the World. Short devotionals beginning on December 1 take you from the Old Testament longing for the Messiah through the fulfillment of God's promise in the story of Jesus' birth found in the gospels. Along the way, a day here and there spotlights traditions, songs of the season, and even Christmas movies. Each day's reading brings you one step nearer the heart of Christmas: Immanuel, God with us. You'll finish the journey on January 6, encouraged to celebrate Him all year long.
PNW Summer Book Tour
OUT OF THE WATER released 2021, but due to that five letter "C" word, my 2021 PNW book tour was canceled. Summer 2022, opened the bookstore doors and I enjoyed meeting readers across the PNW.
First stop was Kirkland, WA where I sold out of their allotment of books (a nice problem). Positioned near the front of the store, I enjoyed a great meet and greet.
Next stop was Northgate, WA where I enjoyed talking to readers about how every book begins with a question and readers checking out the inside flap try to determine whether they want the question answered. STARS IN THE GRASS asks "How does a family survive a loss and even grow from it?" OUT OF THE WATER asks "Is it always better to know the truth? and "Could you give up a child if it might be better for the child?" REMNANTS: A Family's Escape from Stalin's Russia and the Child They Left Behind, begs to answer "How could a mother abandon her son?" The two humorous books I'm working on ask, "What do you do if you inherit something you don't want?" and "Would your life have turned out differently with another name?"
Stop #3 was Woodinville, Washington where after delivering a talk near the front of the store, the store's limited supply ran out and so I did, too, early.
Stop #4 took me across the state and into Idaho where I spoke outside at the Priest Lake Library to a delightful group of people from the Panhandle and beyond. I had just finished a ski on the lake and arrived to talk about Priest Lake and read selections about it from OUT OF THE WATER. I was energized, but my book supply was exhausted. Finally, my last full day on the lake closed with a book club near the shore of the lake.
What I love best about book talks/signings is talking (no great surprise there) entertaining, meeting new people, and answering their questions. I hope I have many more opportunities for all of that!
Out of the Water
Ippy Award
Bronze Medalist
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Another Bronze!
Out of the Water was awarded the Bronze Medal for Regional Fiction in the Independent Book Awards, and was recognized as a Finalist in the Women’s Fiction category for the National Excellence in Indie Literature.
Out of the Water
Finalist in the 16th Annual
NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Guest post at Savvy, Verse and Wit:
"I considered the needs of book clubs when I created my online Book Club Kit featuring potential recipes, menus, invites, and templates for a variety of parties. In addition, I’ve included maps, discussion questions, a music playlist, information about the time periods: 1919, 1931, and 1981, and party ideas."
-Ann Marie Stewart
Click on the laptop to read AnnMarie Stewart's guest post at Savvy , Verse and Wit.
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I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing stories, putting on plays, or belting songs. Ever since grade school when my dad substituted me in for his turn at the Toastmaster podium and I held a captive audience with my speech, I've loved making people laugh and cry. Whether public speaking, singing, acting on stage, or creating a novel, I want to be a part of the story.
While in my teens, my dad challenged me to write a memoir about my mom’s family. My grandparents escaped from Russia and had to leave behind their three-year-old son in order to save the rest of their family. Delving into the history of that choice and the emotions, and learning about their lives, fascinated me. My dad believed in me and I wanted to complete this. In the meantime, my own life happened and I taught junior high, senior high, went to grad school, married, and had two daughters and a sheep farm, and wrote five other books.author ann marie stewart
Loudoun’s Ann Marie Stewart Wins Christy Award
- Loudoun Tribune
On November 8 in Nashville, TN, local author, Ann Marie Stewart, won the 2017 Christy Award for her book, Stars in the Grass. The Christy Award, named after Catherine Marshall’s bestselling book, Christy, was established in 1999 to acknowledge excellence in Christian writing and creativity across genres.
