A Winter Dream - By Richard Paul Evans Page 0,57
List
Grace
The Gift
Finding Noel
The Sunflower
A Perfect Day
The Last Promise
The Christmas Box Miracle
The Carousel
The Looking Glass
The Locket
The Letter
Timepiece
The Christmas Box
The Walk Series
The Walk
Miles to Go
The Road to Grace
For Young Adults
Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25
Michael Vey: Rise of the Elgen
Also by New York Times bestselling author
Richard Paul Evans:
The Walk series
What would you do if you lost everything—your job, your home, and the love of your life—all at the same time? When it happens to Alan Christoffersen, he leaves behind all that he’s known in search of hope. What he finds on his journey will save his life and inspire yours.
“Definitely a journey worth taking.”
–Booklist
Available wherever books are sold or at SimonandSchuster.com
Are you missing out?
Join Richard Paul Evans on
Richard’s Facebook Author Page.
Richard himself contributes almost daily.
Richard’s page has fun facts, great contests, first peeks, deep thoughts, GratiTuesday, and just about everything you want to know about one of America’s most beloved authors. When you join this thriving community you’ll get to know Richard like you never dreamed possible. Join us today!
It’s easy to join.
1. Login to Facebook
2. Type “Richard Paul Evans” in Search
3. Click on Richard Paul Evans Author (or Writer)
4. Click on LIKE. Welcome!
Or write to him at P.O. Box 712137
Salt Lake City, Utah 84171
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2012 by Richard Paul Evans
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Simon & Schuster Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition October 2012
SIMON & SCHUSTER and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.
Designed by Davina Mock
Jacket design by Jackie Seow
Jacket photograph by Carson Ganci/Design Pics/Corbis
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Evans, Richard Paul.
A winter dream / Richard Paul Evans. — 1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed.
p. cm.
1. Adult children—Family relationships—Fiction. 2. Family-owned business enterprises—Fiction. 3. Forgiveness—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3555.V259W56 2012
813’54—dc23 2012032646
ISBN 978-1-4516-2803-6
ISBN 978-1-4516-2805-0 (ebook)
Contents
TWENTY YEARS LATER . . .
I. THE WIDOW’S MANSION
II. THE CHRISTMAS BOX
III. THE BIBLE BOX
IV. THE DREAM, THE ANGEL, AND THE LETTER
V. THE STONE ANGEL
VI. THE ANGEL
EPILOGUE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For my sister Sue.
Whom I love and I miss.
No little girl could stop the world to wait for me.
—NATALIE MERCHANT
TWENTY YEARS LATER . . .
Richard Paul Evans
Twenty years and a million miles ago I was a young man with political aspirations. When I sat down to write The Christmas Box, I had just lost a race for the state legislature by less than one percent. I am grateful for many of my failures, but none more than that one. With time on my hands I decided to pursue a lifelong dream to write a book.
I didn’t have visions of becoming a bestselling author. My story was too personal, a trifle, meant only for my two young daughters, Jenna and Allyson. I wanted to write something that would capture the feelings of a young father—with the hope that someday, when my daughters were adults, they would read my book and understand the joy and beauty they had brought into my life.
I can’t think of a better place for the magic to begin. As I began to write my story, the story began to write itself. The words came to me with such unexpected and great force that I would wake up in the middle of the night and write long sections without stopping. I once pulled off the freeway and wrote an entire chapter on the back of whatever paper I could find in my car. I remember, very distinctly, wondering why I was being blessed with such great inspiration for something that, in the end, didn’t really matter that much. I didn’t understand at that time just how much this little book would matter.
I produced twenty copies of my book for family Christmas presents and gave a copy to my mother. To my surprise she said the book helped her heal after the loss of my little sister more than twenty-five years earlier. Other family members called to say how much they loved the story. I was pleased by the response