It is no secret to my friends and family that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Part of the reason, no doubt, is that I was born on Thanksgiving Day. I cannot remember any Thanksgiving where I was not surrounded by at least some family. Many, many Thanksgiving Day feasts have been personally prepared and hosted by me (with family members bringing favorite dishes, of course). This is the year of our "Big Thanksgiving" at my home in West Virginia. We call it that because not every year has everyone, or nearly everyone, attending. This year will be jam packed with a new baby, a newly married couple, a new college attendee, a granddaughter who just made it to"double digits," a much-loved sister coming all the way from Egypt, and a son-in-law who just ran the NYC marathon in 3 hours 34 minutes. And all the rest of us with joys, accomplishments, and memories to share.
As I anticipate and reflect on the coming weeks of preparation and excitement, my thoughts turn to my stories. All three of my major novels and some of my shorter works have an underlying theme of family or the search for family. Two stories have high points occurring in November and scenes of Thanksgiving gatherings. As I gather with loved ones for this wonderful holiday of thanks, I like to have my characters also surrounded by love and family. May all of you who read this blog be especially blessed with the love of family and friends this coming Thanksgiving.
