Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ

As you know from previous blogs, I love this time of year! Sharing the love and wonder of the holidays with family and friends is what Christmas is all about for me.

It's also a great time for our Chicken Soup for the Soul team... they started choosing stories for this year's Christmas book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Time for Christmas in early summer, and are especially thrilled that it's finally time for Christmas!

We can't wait to share these heartwarming and inspirational Christmas stories. They'll leave you glowing in the Christmas spirit!

Here's a sneak peek of one of our favorite stories... spoiler alert, there is a Christmas miracle!

In her story, "Gramma's Gift," Jamie Cahill talks about her grandmother, who loved Christmas and shared many traditions with her grandchildren and then her great-grandchildren, Jamie’s three kids. The kids would snuggle in their great-grandmother’s lap as she read them the same Christmas stories she had read to Jamie.

Then, Jamie’s grandmother had a stroke at age ninety-seven. Jamie and her oldest child drove from Connecticut to Pennsylvania to see her and say their goodbyes. During the drive they talked about life and death, and Jamie shared some of the Chicken Soup for the Soul stories that she’d read from people who believe that our spirits carry on and are still present after death.

Although Gramma couldn’t speak, Jamie’s daughter Lucie talked to her and said, “Send us a sign when you’re gone, Gramma, a sign that you’re with us.�
Jamie says, “Months went by, and one day Lucie asked me if I’d seen any signs from Gramma. No, I hadn’t seen any signs. I wondered if I should have told her those angel stories and created those expectations. Now she was waiting for a sign, in the literal way that a teenager would.�

Ten months after Gramma died, the next Christmas season arrived. It felt different without Gramma there. But Jamie still had a good time and on Christmas Eve, she hosted 30 people for dinner. Christmas morning, she was exhausted. After all the gifts were unwrapped, her husband took the kids to his parents nearby to see their cousins and open more gifts. Jamie took a quiet walk and thought about her missing grandmother, and then brought in the mail from the day before.

The top piece of mail on a big stack of cards was an envelope addressed in her grandmother’s distinctive script. Jamie ripped open the card. She says, “It was Gramma’s hand-painted Christmas card, a lovely watercolor she did every year:

Dearest Jamie, Tom, Lucie, Emmett and Clara,
To all 5 of you�
What a precious family! It will be so nice to see you on Christmas. Save a few hugs for me.
Love you,
Gramma

It was her grandmother’s Christmas card from the prior year that had never gotten to them. It had a postmark from a year earlier but Jamie’s grandmother had made a slight mistake in the address. Somehow, it arrived on Christmas Eve a year later, ten months after Gramma’s death, right when Jamie and her family really needed a little Christmas miracle—a holiday hello from Gramma!


Warm wishes for a happy holiday season!


Amy Newmark

I must admit, coincidences have always held a special fascination for me. I'm not sure why as I am a rational and analytical person. Perhaps it's just the idea of something wonderful and strange happening without an explanation. I'm so intrigued with coincidences that the first chapter of our newest book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels and the Miraculous, is all about Divine Coincidences.

I guess it could also explain why I love this Deepak Chopra quote so much: "When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying world of infinite possibilities."

Here is a sneak peek of two of my favorite coincidence stories from the first chapter in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels and the Miraculous:

In Patricia Senkiw-Rudowsky's story, "A Date with Destiny," Patricia tells us about an amazing coincidence that happened to her friend Carla when she was having dinner with her toddler daughter at Friendly’s one Friday night. Carla found herself watching two young girls who looked to be around twelve. Patricia says, “It appeared that it might be their first time dining out without parents. The newness of their experience was evident. They beamed with pride at their adult behavior.�

Something about the friends intrigued Carla. They were nicely behaved—ordering politely, waiting patiently for their food, thanking the server. It reminded her of a time when she was young and was sitting with her best friend, showing her the ring that her first boyfriend had bought her. His name was Joey and he had moved away in ninth grade so she had no idea where he was now.

So much had happened in the intervening thirty years—she’d gone to college, gotten married, had two children, and moved away from her hometown. She had always wondered what had happened to Joey.
Patricia writes, “Carla was trying to focus on her daughter, but her attention kept drifting to the two girls across the way. She had no explanation for her fascination.�

Then the girls get their check and it was obvious from their panicked faces that they didn’t have enough money. Carla offered to help them with the bill, but they turned her down, saying that the father of one of them was picking them up. Carla decided to stay to make sure the girls were okay.

Eventually, the father arrived and one of the girls ran out to the car to get the money they needed. Carla was leaving then, so she was passing by the car. And then she heard a man saying, “Carla, Carla, is that you?� It was Joey, who she hadn’t seen in decades. He was the father of one of the lovely girls. And he told Carla that he had been talking about her recently because his daughter had just turned twelve and he was telling her about the girlfriend he had at that age.

Now remember, they were not in their own hometown. They had both moved away from there. But somehow they had met up again, and all because Carla had been fascinated by those two girls, one of whom was the offspring of her first love.

In his story, "The Little Library," Dave Bachmann tells us about a heartwarming experience that unfolded right in his own neighborhood when a little free library popped up. His eight-year-old daughter Ayla was fascinated by it and the fact that she could donate a book and then take a used book home with her.

Dave explained that the book she picked out to take home would be one that used to belong to another little girl or boy. Dave was surprised when Ayla picked her favorite book to give away, but so be it, she donated that book and she chose a new one to take home. She explained that she was giving her favorite book and expected that the one she chose to bring home would have been someone else’s favorite, too.

They went back home and Ayla started reading her new book. She announced to Dave that she had a new friend named Clara, the name that was inscribed in the book she had picked out. Dave commented that Clara was his grandmother’s name. She had passed away before Ayla was born.
Dave says, “Ayla handed me her book, opening it to the first page, and I began to read the inscription written in flowery cursive.

Dear Little Girl,
This was my book when I was a little girl. Now, it’s yours. Even though we’ll never meet, we will know each other through these stories. Think of me when you read them.
Your friend,
Clara
Newton, Kansas�

All of a sudden, Dave said that he had to show the book to his wife. Why? Because his grandmother Clara had lived in Newton, Kansas. She had donated many of her possessions to a rummage sale that her church in Newton was sponsoring before she moved to Wichita.

Now Dave lived more than a thousand miles away from Kansas. But could it be? Did they really have his grandmother’s childhood book in their hands? Dave’s wife suggested they check the handwriting by looking in his mom’s recipe book, which contained recipes handwritten by her mother—Clara. Sure enough, the handwriting was a perfect match. And how many Claras would there have been in Newton, Kansas anyway?

Ayla reclaimed her book and ran off to read it some more. And Dave said to his wife, “Grandma Clara just reached across the years and a thousand miles to connect with her great-granddaughter for the first time.�

Enjoy!



Amy Newmark

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I love the feeling of empowerment you experience when you do something new or something scary. It actually energizes me. I think Eleanor Roosevelt had the right idea when she said, “Do something that scares you every day."

It's why I love the collection of stories in our book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone, so much!

One of my favorite stories from the book comes from Allison Lynn. She steps out of her comfort zone when she steps out onto a stage, for her very first solo. Here is a sneak peek at the story:

In her story, "Singing for Strangers," Allison talks about how she loved to sing and that she was good at it. Allison joined her first choir at age five and she kept on going, happy to be hidden in the second row as one of many. She joined every musical group she could find in junior high, but always ensembles no matter which instrument she was playing.

And then the choir director asked Allison to sing a solo in the Christmas concert. Allison had dreamed of singing a solo, but it also terrified her. She wished there was a version of her that could sing, alone, in front of crowds of people. But she wasn’t that person yet. She was still a person who wanted to hide in the second row of the choir.

Allison’s parents convinced her she could do it, and her mother helped her prepare her solo.

And then on the drive to school, Allison freaked out. But she got on that stage and she performed her solo, and she didn’t even know how it had gone until a woman sought her out after the performance and told her how great she was. That praise from a stranger meant more than the praise of Allison’s family and friends.

Allison wrote, “A person I didn’t know had loved my song. Something powerful was happening, something I didn’t fully understand but something I just couldn’t shake.�

She didn’t know it, but that woman planted a seed that began to grow.

Over the next few years, Allison sang more and more solos, and by the time she got to college she knew she wanted to be a professional singer.

She continues in her story, “As I write this today, I’m sitting in the rehearsal room that I share with my musician husband. Our nine albums line a shelf on the wall. Our awards sit on the mantle. Photos and posters celebrate our national concert tours.�

So, here's my challenge to you: embrace the thrilling adventure of trying new things, and go conquer the very thing that scares you the most!



Amy Newmark

June is truly wedding season! Everywhere I look, I see wedding photos on social media... so much love and laughter. It always puts a smile on my face.

Weddings also remind me of one of my favorite stories from our new humor book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Well THAT Was Funny. It's a fun story about how our writer and her husband accidently walked into the wrong reception at a wedding. Here is a sneak peek:

In Alice Muschany's story, "The Envelope, Please!" Alice and her husband were invited to a wedding—the son of one of their co-workers. They had never met the son but they had been hearing about him for years from his dad.

They arrived at the banquet center and walked into a gorgeously decorated ballroom. Alice found the gift table and a miniature antique white trunk for wedding cards. She stuffed their envelope into the slot in the trunk. Then she and her husband enjoyed the open bar and lots of delicious appetizers.

The wedding party waltzed in, and the beaming couple greeted guests as they made their way to the head table. The groom shook hands with them and Alice’s husband told him how much he looked like his father.

Then Alice and her husband found two seats at an empty table and joined the long buffet line that stretched past an open doorway. And that’s when it happened. They were standing by that open doorway and Alice looked out in the hallway and saw a woman from her office walk right by and keep going.

That’s when Alice realized they were at the wrong wedding reception. They were supposed to have gone down the hall to a different ballroom.

And that’s when it got embarrassing. Alice tried to lift the metal clasp on the vintage trunk into which she had stuffed their wedding gift, but it wouldn’t budge. Then she knocked one of the gifts off the table. A man appeared and asked if could help. It was the father of the groom and at first he was not amused, but then Alice showed him the invitation to the OTHER wedding. He unlatched the lid on the box, chuckling, while Alice pawed through the envelopes to find the one addressed to the couple in the ballroom down the hall. And off they rushed to the other wedding, hoping they were in time for the meal.



Amy Newmark

All You Need Is Love � it's a common cliché and a popular iconic song. But it's more than that. Love is powerful and beautiful. Love is a miracle that can happen when you least expect it � in new relationships and in old ones, at any age and any stage of life. And really, who doesn't love a good love story? I know I do!

That's why our team was so excited to put together our new book. Chicken Soup for the Soul: All You Need Is Love. The book is filled with stories of love, happiness and second chances.

Here's a sneak peek at two of my favorite stories from the book:


Don't turn down that blind date.
In Janeen Lewis’s story, "Miracle Meeting," Janeen's fellow teacher said there was someone she should meet, Janeen was flat out not interested. It was the son of a fellow teacher, one who Janeen had never met because she had died in an automobile accident before Janeen started working at the school.

Janeen’s teacher friend kept asking, and Janeen kept saying no. She was dating someone else and it was going fine. But then that man broke up with her. And Janeen wondered if she would ever find the right man.

The next school year came, and Janeen was living in a new apartment. Winter came, and one wintry February morning Janeen was scraping her windshield and talking to an attractive, friendly guy who lived in her building. The subject of where she worked came up� and that’s when Janeen learned that this eligible young man, who was indeed of great interest to her, was the blind date she had been turning down for more than a year.

Eventually they got married, and Janeen changed her last name to Lewis from her maiden name, which was Miracle.

When love doesn’t die.
In her story, "Roses in Winter," Christine Trollinger loved the miniature rosebush that her husband Gene bought for the little spot of dirt in front of their house. And he loved to take care of the bush and pluck a rose for Christine every now and then. Unfortunately, the bush died right at the time that Gene learned his cancer had come back. He bought her another one, which stayed alive but failed to bloom all summer. Happily, it finally started blooming in October.

That December, Gene entered the hospital for what would be the last time. Christine says, “Through those dark days, the little blooming rosebush gave me comfort as I returned home each evening from the hospital.� The day before he died, the weather turned cold and the roses began to die. Those dead blossoms only made Christine’s pain worse.

It snowed the day of Gene’s funeral, and the rosebush was covered. But that night, when the outdoor lights turned on, Christine saw a miniature rose peeking through the snowdrift, looking as good as if it were June and not December. That little rosebush has survived 15 years now, and it continues to cheer up Christine. And last winter, on the anniversary of Gene’s death, that rosebush bloomed once again in a snowstorm.



Amy Newmark

Who doesn't love a good piece of advice? I'm always looking for those few magical words that have the potential to solve a problem that is taking up too much space in my brain! That's why I am so excited about our newest book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Advice that Changed My Life. It's an inspirational read for anyone looking for a dose of guidance and motivation.

Each story in the book is a testament to the power of advice, and how it can be a game-changer when it comes from the right person at the right time. The stories are not just heartwarming and uplifting, but they are also practical and actionable. Who doesn't love that?

Here are previews of two of my favorite stories from the book that will provide you with the inspiration to move forward:

If you don’t ask, they can’t say yes.
In her story, "Just Ask," Nancy Emmick Panko knew she needed to learn how to try something new after her historical fiction novel was published. As writers learn, getting published is only half the battle. Marketing and publicity for their books are the only ways they’re going to be discovered by readers and that’s tough to pull off. You have to approach newspapers, magazines, TV and radio shows, and bookstores to try to get articles written and appearances booked.

But then Nancy’s wise friend, Cynthia, said this: “If you don’t ask, you don’t ever allow anyone to say yes. What’s the worst thing they could say? No? Get lost? But what if they say yes?�

Nancy mustered up her courage and she started asking. That led to all kinds of articles and radio and TV appearances. She says, “How did it happen? I simply asked.�

Remember you deserve to be treated right.
In Risa Nye's story, "Not Chopped Liver," Risa was prepared to be bored when her parents dragged her to the bar mitzvah of a kid she didn’t even know. As she sat alone after the ceremony, avoiding her parents, she certainly didn’t want to strike up a boring conversation with the old lady who sat down next to her. But the lady started asking her questions, and before she knew it Risa was confessing that her boyfriend was unreliable and poorly behaved.

She also told the lady there was this other guy, a friend. He was a good listener with good manners. He was always there for her. He took her to the movies and didn’t mind when she cried. But still, her boyfriend—he was the one who could be so romantic and charming, at times.

That’s when the old lady leaned in and said, “You should never take a back seat to anyone. You don’t let people treat you that way. Not a boy, not anyone.� And then she added, “That other boy, the one who took you to the movie, he sounds like a better bet. Stick with him.�

Risa has been married to that “other boy� for fifty years now.




Amy Newmark

Did you know Monday, February 20, 2023 is Love Your Pet Day? The day is dedicated to celebrating the special bond between pets and their owners. For many pet owners, their pets are more than just animals; they are family members, friends, and companions. Love Your Pet Day provides an opportunity for pet owners to express their love and appreciation for their furry friends.

At Chicken Soup for the Soul we think every day should be love your pet day! And what better way to celebrate Love Your Pet Day than by reading stories from our two newest books � Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons Learned from My Dog and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons Learned from My Cat.

Here are previews of two of my favorite stories:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons Learned from My Dog
In her story, "You Can't Fool Me," Mary DeVries’s German Shepherd was not pleased when his humans brought home a kitten. That kitten followed the dog everywhere, trying to play with him and climb on him like a jungle gym. The old dog tried to ignore her antics, although occasionally he’d reach out a paw and swat her away.

Then, when the kitten was six months old, she went to the vet to be spayed and had to stay overnight. The dog was in the car when they went to pick her up and he was overjoyed to see her! Mary says, “All traces of Mr. Cool were gone. His beloved baby sister was back, and he couldn’t be more pleased. We had to restrain him from smothering her in kisses. Back home, he insisted we put the kitten on his bed where he curled up next to her and stood guard until she was back to her feisty, annoying self. Once she was healed, he tried to return to his previous aloofness, but we knew the truth.�

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons Learned from My Cat
In Laura Plummer's story, "Letting Love In," Laura knew she could never love another animal the way she loved her cat, Chulo. So, when she was asked to foster a one-month-old kitten until she was old enough to adopt, Laura agreed, knowing she would have no trouble passing the kitten on to her forever family.

That little kitten brought so much light and laughter to their family. Even Chulo loved her. After a month, when they were to return the kitten to the shelter, she developed an eye infection, so they had to keep her another two weeks.

And then it was finally time to surrender the kitten and let another family adopt her. Laura says, “I’d been so sure that my heart couldn’t accommodate another pet that I’d never worried about loving Lena. The truth was, I couldn’t imagine giving her back to the shelter� She showed me that my heart could expand to let love in. I realized that I was never really her foster mother. I was always just her mother. I’m a foster failure. And it’s one of the best things to ever happen to me.�



Amy Newmark

Christmas is truly a magical time... I love all the holiday decorations around the neighborhood and of course, I love putting up the Christmas tree. The lights, the ornaments, the piney aroma... it truly makes this time of year so special. It's one of the reasons why Chapter 2 from our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Christmas, celebrates Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes... and the inspiration behind each of them!

One of my favorite stories from the book is written by Michele Sprague. In the story "Ragged, Forlorn... It's Perfect" Michele tells us that it was months past Christmas, and she still hadn’t taken down her little eighteen-inch Charlie Brown Christmas tree on the mantel. It was sparse, misshapen, and it only had one ornament. Her daughter pointed out that it hadn’t looked good at Christmas, and it still didn’t look good.

But Michele found special meaning in that little tree. She had found it her first Christmas after her divorce, hidden in a corner of the store among some toys. The next year, when she was more back on her feet, that sad little tree was back on the mantel, but a beautiful six-foot Christmas tree stood beside it, nicely decorated with ornaments made by Michele’s daughters.

And her daughter was still telling her the little Charlie Brown tree needed some help—some lights, more decorations� Nevertheless, both trees went up every year.

Ten years later, Michele remarried and continued the tradition of putting up both trees. Her new husband, Larry, suggested they leave the Charlie Brown tree up all year, complete with its one ornament. “It’s simple and reminds us of what’s important,� he said. “Life doesn’t have to be filled with glitz and glamour for us to be happy. This simple, little Charlie Brown tree reminds us to enjoy the little things, which are often beautiful.�

Happy Holidays!
Amy Newmark

Storytelling has been around for as long as humans have roamed the earth. Its purpose serves for more than entertainment � it is a fundamental part of being human. Sharing stories is inherent to our empathy; it helps us understand one another. Who doesn’t love spending time with friends and family and listening to great stories?

At Chicken Soup for the Soul, we’re always on the search for great writers with powerful stories to tell. We reflect on Maya Angelou’s words: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.� We couldn’t agree more.

So, what’s the recipe for writing a winning Chicken Soup for the Soul story? What’s the secret to having your story selected? Here are a few tips:

- Use your wisdom: have an intuitive feeling about what a Chicken Soup for the Soul story is. Pick up your favorite copy of our books, or head over to our and check our story posts to read the daily featured story.

- Make it real: tell a true, exciting, heartwarming, or funny story about something that has happened to you or someone you know. What story do you love to tell your friends and family on repeat?

- Be bold: speak from the heart. We often hear that our books became an outlet for new writers who never shared their stories in written form before for the world to see. They all cite how the process feels extremely cathartic and productive. Take us on the emotional journey with you.

Okay, you’re ready to share your story! Head on over to our website � � and see what topics we are working on. Submissions are filling up quickly and we want to hear your story!

Amy Newmark

Miracles happen every day—you just have to look around to see them. The 101 stories in our new book Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles and the Unexplainable prove that life is full of miracles� you just have to open your eyes and sometimes... your heart.

That’s what happened in one of my favorite stories from the book. Written by Lisa McCaskill, "The Painting" is the story of how Lisa fell in love with a painting that you could see from one of the couches in the student union. Everyone knew that was where she would sit and study for all her courses so that she could glance up at this colorful piece of abstract art. She didn’t even normally like abstract art, but this painting was different. It called to her.

Five years later, a college graduate with a breakup behind her, Lisa had decided she was finished with love. But then her sister set her up for a surprise blind date. Frank was sweet and funny, but he had two little kids, and that was not something that Lisa had even considered. Nevertheless, she agreed to go to his home for his younger son’s birthday party, and there she was shocked to find “her� painting.

It was Frank’s! He had painted it. Lisa says, “That was more than thirty years ago, and here I am, still married to Frank—now we have four grown kids. I’m still sitting by the painting even though I had to marry him to get it.�


Amy Newmark