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The Twelve Days of Christmas in Minnesota: A Loony Launch

  • Nov. 11th, 2009 at 5:40 AM
chair, sleeping
My friend and crit group member Connie Van Hoven recently celebrated the release of her first children's book: The Twelve Days of Christmas in Minnesota (Sterling, 2009). I'm so excited for her!

The book is adorable! It's the story of twins who visit their Minnesota cousin for Christmas, and he gives them a different, uniquely Minnesotan gift for each of the 12 days. Hot dish and hockey sticks, anyone?

It's charmingly illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, a Minnesota artist. Connie and Mike are both so nice and so talented that it's really exciting to finally see this book come out!

 

  Connie's launch party, which I couldn't make it to, was this past weekend at the Minnesota History Center. Here's Connie with her husband, Greg (dressed Minnesota lumberjack style, like Grandpa in the book). With them is Checkers the loon, also a character in the book. It sounds like it was a fabulous launch, with hotdish, cake, and singing (and you know the Twelve Days of Christmas is a long song!). And lots of book signing.


And the next day, Connie had a signing at the Minnetonka General Store, where she sold almost 100 books. I am in awe. And it couldn't happen to a nicer writer.

Go Connie!

And if you live in Minnesota, or if you have family members in Minnesota, this would make a great gift for the kids in your family, school, or community. Order it here from Barnes & Noble.		  
  • Mood: cheerful

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Comments

( 3 comments — What do you say? )
[info]susanwrites wrote:
Nov. 11th, 2009 05:15 pm (UTC)
Okay, gotta know, what's "hotdish?"

Sounds like a fun launch. Good luck to your friend on her book's success.
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[info]laurasalas wrote:
Nov. 11th, 2009 07:31 pm (UTC)
Ha! I wondered the same thing when we moved up here. Now I forget not everybody hears the word all the time. (I don't eat it, but I do hear it all the time.) Hotdish is just another word for casserole. The typical Minnesota hotdish is basically a tater-tot casserole, with ground beef, cream of potato soup, some veggies, and tater tots on top. It's...interesting.
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[info]susanwrites wrote:
Nov. 11th, 2009 07:35 pm (UTC)
"Interesting" is an interesting way to describe it. hahaha.

Cassroles have never been my favorite either. I don't like all my food touching.
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( 3 comments — What do you say? )