Pam Hanson
Autor de Never Give Up
Sobre El Autor
Nota de desambiguación:
(eng) Pam Hanson and her mother Barbara Andrews write under the pseudonyms Jennifer Drew and Pam Rock. They also use Pam Andrews.
Series
Obras de Pam Hanson
A Simple Act of Kindness 1 copia
Sunflower Summer — Autor — 1 copia
Obras relacionadas
A Cup of Christmas Cheer: Tales of Faith and Family for the Holidays — Contribuidor — 4 copias
Etiquetado
Conocimiento común
- Nombre legal
- Andrews Hanson, Pam
- Otros nombres
- Hanson, Pam
Drew, Jennifer
Rock, Pam - Género
- female
- Nacionalidad
- USA
- Lugares de residencia
- West Virginia, USA
- Relaciones
- Andrews, Barbara (mother)
- Biografía breve
- Pam Andrews Hanson, the daughter of the romance writer Barbara Andrews, grew up within earshot of her mother's manual typewriter. Pam majored in journalism in college and later worked as a reporter. Pam married with with Mr. Hanson, a college-professor, and they created a family. After the birth of her first child, Erik, Pam started to work with her mother. They published their books under the pseudonyms Jennifer Drew and Pam Rock. Pam lived in West Virginia, with her husband and their two sons, Erik and Andrew.
- Aviso de desambiguación
- Pam Hanson and her mother Barbara Andrews write under the pseudonyms Jennifer Drew and Pam Rock. They also use Pam Andrews.
Miembros
Reseñas
Keeping the Faith is book 47 in the Tales From Grace Chapel Inn series about three sisters who run a bed-and-breakfast from their maternal ancestors' Victorian house in the village of Acorn Hill, Pennsylvania. Their late father, Daniel Howard, had been the pastor of nearby Grace Chapel, hence the name.
Widowed Mrs. Louise Howard Smith teaches piano as well as keeping the inn's books. Alice Howard is a part-time nurse. Divorced Jane Howard was a professional chef in San Francisco. She does the cooking and gardening. They share in housekeeping tasks.
These books have a formula: there will be a main problem and one or more problems for subplots. Guests and/or townspeople will be involved. Faith will play a part in resolving the problems.
Alice has been asked to be the editor for a wellness newsletter for the employees of the hospital where she works. She's nervous about interviewing people and writing articles. Luckily, Jody Monroe, one of the younger nurses, studied journalism before she switched to nursing. She's shy about interviews, but is willing to write. (It doesn't hurt that Alice is wise enough to consult the editor of the 'Acorn Nutshell' newspaper for tips in chapter 3.)
The very existence of the inn itself is threatened by the possibility of a rival establishment, bigger and more modern, coming to Acorn Hill.
Then an extraordinary young man, Perry Clay Garfield (call him 'Clay') enters their loves. Clay has walked from Omaha, Nebraska and plans to walk as far as New York. On the way he's promoting walking trails for communities. He certainly has the sisters' Aunt Ethel interested (Ethel's clothes are getting too tight).
Clay possesses a simple goodness and faith that inspires those who come in contact with him. I enjoyed reading about his interactions with the main and some of the supporting cast.
I also enjoyed the opportunities the authors took to slip in some health and ecological advice.
NOTES:
See chapter 3 for Louise's attempt to reason with the mother of a reluctant pupil. (Considering that this pupil's name is 'Charley' and another reluctant pupil in earlier books was named 'Charlie,' the superstitious might consider this an omen that Louise shouldn't to take on boys named Charles.)
See chapter 4 for information on proper socks and footwear for long walks.
See chapter 6 for diet tips for cats (poor Wendell). No mention of adding canned [no spices!] pumpkin to his food to reduce his appetite, prevent constipation, urinary crystals, and hairballs, I see.
Also, it's not easy, but cats can be trained to be walked on a leash.
Chapter 6 is also where one might read tips about preventing Type 2 diabetes.
See chapter 9 for tips about preventing heart disease.
See chapter 11 for a charming interview of a 97-year-old woman of faith.
Clay has advice about being environmentally responsible in chapter 12.
Chapter 13: I've read my Bible more than 40 times and Friday the 13th isn't mentioned in it. Clay's sensible information on the topic was refreshing.
Clay is probably the best thing about this entry in the series, although I can appreciate how difficult it is to try to do well by persons who do not have one's best interests at heart, so that subplot was good.
The recipe this time is Alice's Favorite Crab Dip.
Cat lovers: enjoy Wendell, the big (a bit too big) gray tabby.… (más)
Widowed Mrs. Louise Howard Smith teaches piano as well as keeping the inn's books. Alice Howard is a part-time nurse. Divorced Jane Howard was a professional chef in San Francisco. She does the cooking and gardening. They share in housekeeping tasks.
These books have a formula: there will be a main problem and one or more problems for subplots. Guests and/or townspeople will be involved. Faith will play a part in resolving the problems.
Alice has been asked to be the editor for a wellness newsletter for the employees of the hospital where she works. She's nervous about interviewing people and writing articles. Luckily, Jody Monroe, one of the younger nurses, studied journalism before she switched to nursing. She's shy about interviews, but is willing to write. (It doesn't hurt that Alice is wise enough to consult the editor of the 'Acorn Nutshell' newspaper for tips in chapter 3.)
The very existence of the inn itself is threatened by the possibility of a rival establishment, bigger and more modern, coming to Acorn Hill.
Then an extraordinary young man, Perry Clay Garfield (call him 'Clay') enters their loves. Clay has walked from Omaha, Nebraska and plans to walk as far as New York. On the way he's promoting walking trails for communities. He certainly has the sisters' Aunt Ethel interested (Ethel's clothes are getting too tight).
Clay possesses a simple goodness and faith that inspires those who come in contact with him. I enjoyed reading about his interactions with the main and some of the supporting cast.
I also enjoyed the opportunities the authors took to slip in some health and ecological advice.
NOTES:
See chapter 3 for Louise's attempt to reason with the mother of a reluctant pupil. (Considering that this pupil's name is 'Charley' and another reluctant pupil in earlier books was named 'Charlie,' the superstitious might consider this an omen that Louise shouldn't to take on boys named Charles.)
See chapter 4 for information on proper socks and footwear for long walks.
See chapter 6 for diet tips for cats (poor Wendell). No mention of adding canned [no spices!] pumpkin to his food to reduce his appetite, prevent constipation, urinary crystals, and hairballs, I see.
Also, it's not easy, but cats can be trained to be walked on a leash.
Chapter 6 is also where one might read tips about preventing Type 2 diabetes.
See chapter 9 for tips about preventing heart disease.
See chapter 11 for a charming interview of a 97-year-old woman of faith.
Clay has advice about being environmentally responsible in chapter 12.
Chapter 13: I've read my Bible more than 40 times and Friday the 13th isn't mentioned in it. Clay's sensible information on the topic was refreshing.
Clay is probably the best thing about this entry in the series, although I can appreciate how difficult it is to try to do well by persons who do not have one's best interests at heart, so that subplot was good.
The recipe this time is Alice's Favorite Crab Dip.
Cat lovers: enjoy Wendell, the big (a bit too big) gray tabby.… (más)
Christmas Memories at Grace Chapel Inn is book 48 in the Tales From Grace Chapel Inn series about three sisters who run a bed-and-breakfast from their maternal ancestors' Victorian house in the village of Acorn Hill, Pennsylvania. Their late father, Daniel Howard, had been the pastor of nearby Grace Chapel, hence the name.
This book differs from the series' usual formula in that it contains three stories, all an example of 'retroactive continuity,' or 'retcon' for short. Retcons usually take place before the first story, book, episode, or comic book in a series. They may also take place between published/aired stories, etc. There is a framing story involving Louise Howard Smith, Alice Howard, Jane Howard, and Aunt Ethel Howard Buckley at Christmas. Each sister relates a memory.
'Louise's Christmas Memory' was written by Pam Hanson & Barbara Andrews
'Alice's Christmas Memory' was written by Anne Marie Rodgers
Jane's Christmas Memory' was written by Sunni Jeffers.
Louise's story is about the Christmas before Jane was born, although she is present in their mother's womb. Aunt Ethel and her late husband, Bob, married not quite two years, are not yet parents. Bob has hurt his back and Nellie Belle, an ewe, is having her first delivery. Ethel doesn't know what to do, so she calls her older half-brother, Daniel, for help. A blizzard strands Madeleine Berry Howard, 14-year-old Louise, and 11-year old Alice at the Buckley farm when Daniel drives back for the Christmas Eve service. The description of the old farmhouse and barn and the Christmas decorating were interesting. We already see seeds of the two elder sisters' characters. I enjoyed Alice's enthusiastic care of the lamb.
Alice's story is set when she was living alone with her father and tells us about Alice agreeing to take over the children's Christmas pageant when director Cathy Carling is called away to Minnesota because her mother had a stroke.
Alice is not yet the experienced leader of a group of middle-school girls called ANGELs. She's not experienced at all, but we get to see what led to the group's formation. Thank goodness her sisters come early to help out. In fact, Louise's husband and then 12-years-old daughter also help out.
One of the children in the pageant is learning disabled. She has the more common form of learning disability, which involves the verbal side of the brain. My problems are spatial (so I was fine with everything but higher math and gym), but I understand needing help and struggling to do what others can do. I'm glad the girl got her chance.
It was interesting that Vera Humbert, who came to Acorn Hill as a young woman (see book 43, Eyes on the Prize), knew something about pushy mom Tina Carsten that Acorn Hill native Alice didn't. Then again, Tina may not be an Acorn Hill native, either.
I enjoyed the play Kimmy Carsten wrote, 'Big Hearts in Tough Times,' which was inspired by O. Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi'. If you've never read the story or seen an adaptation, don't worry, it's summarized.
I particularly liked the way Alice's family was able to help her with the things she couldn't do herself.
The subplot about the mother and grandmother coping with a toddler with chickenpox when the mother had both arms broken by a careless driver was also good. Alice's advice about keeping little Beth cool is wise. I remember a short piece in the BMJ ["British Medical Journal'] about keeping kids cool when they have chicken pox from my days as a medical librarian. The child with chicken pox was given a special outfit to wear: the fabric was thicker on one half than the other. The side of the body that was kept warmer had more spots than the cooler side.
Jane's Christmas memory is set just after their father died and she and Louise returned to open the inn. She decides to organize a cookie drive to make sure the home bound elderly of Acorn Hill have visitors and treats for Christmas. Of course bossy Florence Simpson would like to make it a church affair under her control, but she's stopped. Thanks to Aunt Ethel, there's a double-digit list of persons who are home bound because of illness or injury as well as age. They're not just in Acorn Hill itself but in the surrounding countryside.
Most of the rest of the story involves Jane going around to local shops for errands or to invite others to the cookie party. Even those who can't cook agree to help deliver the goodies.
We get to learn how Jane made some custom cookie cutters for a special treat. There are also instructions for making luminaries that wouldn't work here in Southern Arizona, but should look lovely where it freezes.
Each of the three elderly persons Jane and florist Craig Tracy visit has an interesting story to share. Evelyn Potter talks about being a Civil Defense telephone operator during World War II. Hazel Tucker tells Jane about Alice and a naughty sheep during Jane's first Christmas pageant (she played Baby Jesus). From Duke Gladstone (who considers only frosted sugar cookies to be REAL Christmas cookies), they hear about a train that derailed outside Acorn Hill one Christmas.
The framing sequence tells us how the cookie drive has been handled since, as well as how enough money was donated to heat an elderly shut-in's house the rest of that winter.
Jane's story includes these recipes: Scottish Shortbread, White Chocolate Hermits with Eggnog Glaze, and Mocha Krinkles.
Car lovers: In Jane's story, two of Viola Reed's 14 cats, Diver the tabby and Anna the Siamese, have a cameo. The Howards' big gray tabby, Wendell, has several appearances there, as well.
Please see each story's individual entry for a list of characters and places in them.… (más)
This book differs from the series' usual formula in that it contains three stories, all an example of 'retroactive continuity,' or 'retcon' for short. Retcons usually take place before the first story, book, episode, or comic book in a series. They may also take place between published/aired stories, etc. There is a framing story involving Louise Howard Smith, Alice Howard, Jane Howard, and Aunt Ethel Howard Buckley at Christmas. Each sister relates a memory.
'Louise's Christmas Memory' was written by Pam Hanson & Barbara Andrews
'Alice's Christmas Memory' was written by Anne Marie Rodgers
Jane's Christmas Memory' was written by Sunni Jeffers.
Louise's story is about the Christmas before Jane was born, although she is present in their mother's womb. Aunt Ethel and her late husband, Bob, married not quite two years, are not yet parents. Bob has hurt his back and Nellie Belle, an ewe, is having her first delivery. Ethel doesn't know what to do, so she calls her older half-brother, Daniel, for help. A blizzard strands Madeleine Berry Howard, 14-year-old Louise, and 11-year old Alice at the Buckley farm when Daniel drives back for the Christmas Eve service. The description of the old farmhouse and barn and the Christmas decorating were interesting. We already see seeds of the two elder sisters' characters. I enjoyed Alice's enthusiastic care of the lamb.
Alice's story is set when she was living alone with her father and tells us about Alice agreeing to take over the children's Christmas pageant when director Cathy Carling is called away to Minnesota because her mother had a stroke.
Alice is not yet the experienced leader of a group of middle-school girls called ANGELs. She's not experienced at all, but we get to see what led to the group's formation. Thank goodness her sisters come early to help out. In fact, Louise's husband and then 12-years-old daughter also help out.
One of the children in the pageant is learning disabled. She has the more common form of learning disability, which involves the verbal side of the brain. My problems are spatial (so I was fine with everything but higher math and gym), but I understand needing help and struggling to do what others can do. I'm glad the girl got her chance.
It was interesting that Vera Humbert, who came to Acorn Hill as a young woman (see book 43, Eyes on the Prize), knew something about pushy mom Tina Carsten that Acorn Hill native Alice didn't. Then again, Tina may not be an Acorn Hill native, either.
I enjoyed the play Kimmy Carsten wrote, 'Big Hearts in Tough Times,' which was inspired by O. Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi'. If you've never read the story or seen an adaptation, don't worry, it's summarized.
I particularly liked the way Alice's family was able to help her with the things she couldn't do herself.
The subplot about the mother and grandmother coping with a toddler with chickenpox when the mother had both arms broken by a careless driver was also good. Alice's advice about keeping little Beth cool is wise. I remember a short piece in the BMJ ["British Medical Journal'] about keeping kids cool when they have chicken pox from my days as a medical librarian. The child with chicken pox was given a special outfit to wear: the fabric was thicker on one half than the other. The side of the body that was kept warmer had more spots than the cooler side.
Jane's Christmas memory is set just after their father died and she and Louise returned to open the inn. She decides to organize a cookie drive to make sure the home bound elderly of Acorn Hill have visitors and treats for Christmas. Of course bossy Florence Simpson would like to make it a church affair under her control, but she's stopped. Thanks to Aunt Ethel, there's a double-digit list of persons who are home bound because of illness or injury as well as age. They're not just in Acorn Hill itself but in the surrounding countryside.
Most of the rest of the story involves Jane going around to local shops for errands or to invite others to the cookie party. Even those who can't cook agree to help deliver the goodies.
We get to learn how Jane made some custom cookie cutters for a special treat. There are also instructions for making luminaries that wouldn't work here in Southern Arizona, but should look lovely where it freezes.
Each of the three elderly persons Jane and florist Craig Tracy visit has an interesting story to share. Evelyn Potter talks about being a Civil Defense telephone operator during World War II. Hazel Tucker tells Jane about Alice and a naughty sheep during Jane's first Christmas pageant (she played Baby Jesus). From Duke Gladstone (who considers only frosted sugar cookies to be REAL Christmas cookies), they hear about a train that derailed outside Acorn Hill one Christmas.
The framing sequence tells us how the cookie drive has been handled since, as well as how enough money was donated to heat an elderly shut-in's house the rest of that winter.
Jane's story includes these recipes: Scottish Shortbread, White Chocolate Hermits with Eggnog Glaze, and Mocha Krinkles.
Car lovers: In Jane's story, two of Viola Reed's 14 cats, Diver the tabby and Anna the Siamese, have a cameo. The Howards' big gray tabby, Wendell, has several appearances there, as well.
Please see each story's individual entry for a list of characters and places in them.… (más)
Empty Nest is book 44 in the Tales From Grace Chapel Inn series about three sisters who run a bed-and-breakfast from their maternal ancestors' Victorian house in the village of Acorn Hill, Pennsylvania. Their late father, Daniel Howard, had been the pastor of nearby Grace Chapel, hence the name.
Widowed Mrs. Louise Howard Smith teaches piano as well as keeping the inn's books. Alice Howard is a part-time nurse. Divorced Jane Howard was a professional chef in San Francisco. She does the cooking and gardening. They share in housekeeping tasks.
These books have a formula: there will be a main problem and one or more problems for subplots. Guests and/or townspeople will be involved. Faith will play a part in resolving the problems.
The main problem of this entry is Joanna Gordon, who works with Louise's daughter, Cynthia Smith. They are both children's book editors, but Joanna's mind is more on writing poetry than work. Joanna doesn't realize how her tendency to go off and think about poetry is very inconsiderate. Cynthia and her aunts are worried about her, but no one is being sensible and letting Joanna know she's in danger of being fired. They aren't even telling her how inconsiderate she is. I don't think they did her any favors by keeping silent.
Joanna is allergic to garlic, so that's a challenge for Jane.
Jane has installed a new bird feeder. How nice for the birder couple, Margo and Ross Wallace, who are staying at the inn. The empty nest of the title refers to the fact that their only child, Penny, is going off to college. Margo is more open about how much she will miss their daughter than Ross is. See chapter 12 for something Aunt Ethel says that makes a difference.
Louise isn't going to have as much time with Cynthia as she'd thought because she's on jury duty. The scenes involving her experiences are interesting, particularly the motives of one juror.
Alice and her ANGELs (a Bible study, projects, and community outreach program for middle school girls), are going to help out at the library. Joanna wants to help, but that doesn't work out as Joanna expected.
NOTES:
Chapter 2: Previously named members of Viola Reed's 14-cat household that I know about are a 17-pound black-and-white tomcat named Gatsby, ivory Siamese Anna, Tess the calico, and a tiny black-and-white named Kane. I suspect there's a reference to the action in a previous book I haven't read here. Anyway, Viola's oldest cat is a gray male with a crooked leg named Ahab. She also has an orange marmalade named Harry. (Gatsby is the one who will be glad to see Wendell again.)
Chapter 4 mentions one of the things jurors must not do.
In chapter 8, Ross and Margo talk about what a great place Pennsylvania is for bird watchers.
Chapter 11 has a clarification about the reason for not touching bird nests and why it's okay to throw rice at weddings without worrying about birds eating it..
Joanna, who writes children's stories of her own, gives the children at the library information about paper dolls.
Chapter 15: How nice to know that the late Rev. Howard once gave a sermon praising Martha. (I never heard the story about Martha and Mary without wishing that either Martha had given up making dinner to join Mary in listening to Jesus, or Jesus and Mary had joined her in the kitchen, sharing the tasks.)
See chapter 16 for information about quilts and corsets.
That's the refrain from 'His Eye Is on the Sparrow', lyrics by Civilla Durfee Martin, music by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, that Louise and Cynthia are singling in the last chapter.
Joanna is a nice and creative person, but she would have driven me crazy. I did like the library program for the littler children and the information about jury duty should be helpful to readers.
The recipe this time is Jane's Orange Blossom Baklava.
Cat lovers: I'm sorry, but Wendell spends most of the book staying with Viola Reed and her 14 cats because Joanna is allergic.… (más)
Widowed Mrs. Louise Howard Smith teaches piano as well as keeping the inn's books. Alice Howard is a part-time nurse. Divorced Jane Howard was a professional chef in San Francisco. She does the cooking and gardening. They share in housekeeping tasks.
These books have a formula: there will be a main problem and one or more problems for subplots. Guests and/or townspeople will be involved. Faith will play a part in resolving the problems.
The main problem of this entry is Joanna Gordon, who works with Louise's daughter, Cynthia Smith. They are both children's book editors, but Joanna's mind is more on writing poetry than work. Joanna doesn't realize how her tendency to go off and think about poetry is very inconsiderate. Cynthia and her aunts are worried about her, but no one is being sensible and letting Joanna know she's in danger of being fired. They aren't even telling her how inconsiderate she is. I don't think they did her any favors by keeping silent.
Joanna is allergic to garlic, so that's a challenge for Jane.
Jane has installed a new bird feeder. How nice for the birder couple, Margo and Ross Wallace, who are staying at the inn. The empty nest of the title refers to the fact that their only child, Penny, is going off to college. Margo is more open about how much she will miss their daughter than Ross is. See chapter 12 for something Aunt Ethel says that makes a difference.
Louise isn't going to have as much time with Cynthia as she'd thought because she's on jury duty. The scenes involving her experiences are interesting, particularly the motives of one juror.
Alice and her ANGELs (a Bible study, projects, and community outreach program for middle school girls), are going to help out at the library. Joanna wants to help, but that doesn't work out as Joanna expected.
NOTES:
Chapter 2: Previously named members of Viola Reed's 14-cat household that I know about are a 17-pound black-and-white tomcat named Gatsby, ivory Siamese Anna, Tess the calico, and a tiny black-and-white named Kane. I suspect there's a reference to the action in a previous book I haven't read here. Anyway, Viola's oldest cat is a gray male with a crooked leg named Ahab. She also has an orange marmalade named Harry. (Gatsby is the one who will be glad to see Wendell again.)
Chapter 4 mentions one of the things jurors must not do.
In chapter 8, Ross and Margo talk about what a great place Pennsylvania is for bird watchers.
Chapter 11 has a clarification about the reason for not touching bird nests and why it's okay to throw rice at weddings without worrying about birds eating it..
Joanna, who writes children's stories of her own, gives the children at the library information about paper dolls.
Chapter 15: How nice to know that the late Rev. Howard once gave a sermon praising Martha. (I never heard the story about Martha and Mary without wishing that either Martha had given up making dinner to join Mary in listening to Jesus, or Jesus and Mary had joined her in the kitchen, sharing the tasks.)
See chapter 16 for information about quilts and corsets.
That's the refrain from 'His Eye Is on the Sparrow', lyrics by Civilla Durfee Martin, music by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel, that Louise and Cynthia are singling in the last chapter.
Joanna is a nice and creative person, but she would have driven me crazy. I did like the library program for the littler children and the information about jury duty should be helpful to readers.
The recipe this time is Jane's Orange Blossom Baklava.
Cat lovers: I'm sorry, but Wendell spends most of the book staying with Viola Reed and her 14 cats because Joanna is allergic.… (más)
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Louise's story is about the Christmas before Jane was born, although she is present in their mother's womb. Aunt Ethel and her late husband, Bob, married not quite two years, are not yet parents. Bob has hurt his back and Nellie Belle, an ewe, is having her first delivery. Ethel doesn't know what to do, so she calls her older half-brother, Daniel, for help. A blizzard strands Madeleine Berry Howard, 14-year-old Louise, and 11-year old Alice at the Buckley farm when Daniel drives back for the Christmas Eve service.
Knowing that Madeleine Howard will die an hour after the baby she's carrying here is born makes Louise's worry for her mother's well-being more aching.
The description of the old farmhouse and barn and the Christmas decorating were interesting. I liked the description of them making frobelsterne, German three-dimensional paper stars. We get to see seeds of the two elder sisters' characters. Alice's enthusiastic care of the lamb, Heiligabend, was sweet. (The lamb is not named in the story itself. The name and meaning are given early in the framing sequence between Louise's and Alice's memories.
I think Christmas Memories at Grace Chapel Inn is one of the better entries in the 15 books I've read so far.… (más)