Welcome to the Launch Day Celebration
for The Christmas Book Flood!
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a story only coming out in digital formats–and the first time that those digital formats include both eBook and audio. This was my first of two contracted novellas for Tyndale, and can I just say that this is also the first time I got to write a Christmas story during the Christmas season??? That was pretty sweet! I finished this last January, sitting on the couch beside my Christmas tree. Ahhhh.
So what is The Christmas Book Flood about? It’s a friends-to-more historical romance set in Iceland of 1944…the year the Jolabokflod tradition began! I go not only inside this Allied-occupied island nation (this Scandinavian country was occupied by the Allies instead of the Nazis!), but into a (fictional) publishing house as they’re putting the very first Book Flood together. Both my heroine, Tatiana, and my hero, Anders, work for this publishing house and are in a frenzy to get the mountain of orders out on time…made all the more hectic because Tatiana is hosting her niece for Christmas this year, and she’s determined to bring joy to the heart of this precious girl who is devastated to be away from home.
Turns out Icelandic Christmas traditions are very unique too! Scroll down to get a peek at the differences you’ll encounter in this story!
Live DUAL Event!
I ended up cancelling my live event for The Collector of Burned Books due to travel, surgery, and then a month-long migraine that didn’t go away until I was again out of town for vacation…so tonight we’ll have a BIG celebration for BOTH The Collector of Burned Books and The Christmas Book Flood! Though these two books are both standalones, they are thematically linked by books (deliberate choice, yes!), and I think we’ll have fun talking about them both.
So join me for a Facebook Live video tonight, Tuesday October 7, at 7 pm Eastern! (You can watch it afterward too, and I’ll try to answer any questions in the comments!)
- Behind the scenes of both books
- Fun facts
- What’s coming next
The Christmas Book Flood focuses on Tatiana and Anders
First, a quick note on Icelandic names.
Iceland still maintains the ancient Viking naming tradition, which is that each individual’s surname is their father’s name with a suffix. Girls get name + dottir (daughter) and men get name + son. So while two sisters would have the same surname and two brothers would as well, a brother and sister would actually have different surnames (different suffixes, anyway), and they do NOT have the same last name as their own parents!
Because of this, unlike with most other countries, they don’t call each other by any sort of honorific (Mr. or Miss) most of the time. They just use first names. =)
So let’s meet my heroine and hero!
First we have Tatiana. Tatiana moved from her fishing village several years ago to work for her uncle in Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik at a publishing company called The Story Society (based on a mashup of actual Iceland publisher names–isn’t that fun?). Though she’s just her uncle’s secretary officially, she has a secret no one at the company knows. That she’s also the author of one of the books the Story Society has just released, written under a male pen name. And her editor, the man who’s become such a good friend through their shared correspondence over the many months of edits, is none other than the Story Society’s star–Anders.
Anders is an editor for the company, yes, but he’s also an acclaimed writer and artist, publishing a series of books for children that retell the traditional Icelandic sagas in a way that’s appropriate for young readers. Though he’s lived all his life in Reykjavik, Anders is from a family of fishermen who don’t quite know what to make of his scholarly self. He’s always felt like a disappointment to his family, like the odd duck that baffles and infuriates them, especially his many strapping brothers, who so embody the paradigm of Nordic heroes that Anders is always left feeling like an unhero in comparison. But at the Story Society, he has found his people. And maybe, just maybe he can finally find a way to get the attention of the publisher’s beautiful niece.
~*~
Tatiana is eager to welcome her niece, Elea, to the city for the weeks leading up to Christmas, while her sister is on bed-rest in the final weeks of a much-longed-for pregnancy and her brother-in-law is recuperating from a U-boat attack on his fishing vessel. But the Book Bulletin that all of Iceland’s publishers have worked together to put out–a catalogue that has gone out to every household in Iceland, promoting books as Christmas gifts this year, since paper is one of the few things not rationed–has been a little too successful. How is she supposed to find the time to do her job and give Elea the Christmas she deserves?
Turns out, it’s going to take some teamwork, on both counts. And maybe a little Christmas miracle…
Icelandic Christmas Traditions!
There are so many fun traditions unique to Iceland, and I had a ton of fun diving into them is this story!
For starters, instead of Santa Claus, they have the Yule Lads–13 brothers who are a sort of ogre-elf, who each trek down from their mountain home in the days leading up to Christmas, to leave gifts in children’s shoes in exchange for goodies like yogurt, cookies, candles, and meat. Elea arrives in the city frustrated that her aunt actually expects her to play along with this childish tradition, but through the Yule Lads, they bring some joy back into the season.
And something you might not know…Iceland doesn’t have many trees and NO native pines. So Christmas trees? Nope! Not traditionally a part of their festivities…or at least, not like you might think. They certainly weren’t immune to the allure, but since real trees weren’t to be had, they used their well-established ingenuity and craftsmanship to make their own. But not like the artificial trees we would recognize. No, they used things like metal hangers and dowel rods to create a “tree” with branches, draped them with juniper or other evergreens, and decorated them. By 1944, some pine trees were being imported for Christmas, but it was considered a luxury.
What’s your traditional dinner for Christmas? In Iceland, their big meal is shared on Christmas Eve, and gifts are exchanged afterward. Families will then attend Midnight Mass (the country is officially Lutheran) to welcome the arrival of our Savior. But that meal? Not turkey or ham! Those aren’t readily available in Iceland either. No, their traditional meal is skate. Various kinds of fish and lamb are their main meats.
They still love cookies though! Sugar and flour were both rationed during the war, of course, but families would save up their stores to make a few special things, including cookies and leaf bread–a thin-rolled dough cut in decorative designs and then deep-fried in fat (usually sheep fat at this period).
And of course…The Christmas Book Flood!
My favorite Icelandic Christmas tradition, though, is the one whose origin I’m writing about in this story. Jolabokflod has taken the book world by storm in recent years, so it’s quite likely you’ve seen something about it.
In short, it’s the tradition of giving books as Christmas gifts (again, opened on Christmas Eve after dinner) and then staying up until you leave for church reading your book and drinking hot chocolate. I mean…COME ON. Best. Tradition. Ever!
Of course, when it began in 1944, that hot chocolate was unlikely–chocolate and sugar were both seriously rationed. But I do approve of the addition. 😉 Paper, however, was not rationed, which meant that books were a logical and affordable choice of gift during the war.
And they were well received! Iceland, even today, boasts more readers per capita than any other country, putting Americans to shame. Which is no surprise, because they’ve long been known as “a storytelling people.” Families will tell each other stories over dinner and in the evenings, often about their day (but told as a complete tale with beginning, middle, and end), but also the old sagas of the Viking heroes, often with tragic ends. (I read some of these as research, guys, and oh my gracious, LOL. Definitely that sort of story that always ends in death to everyone, hence why Anders has to make them kid-friendly. And Odin makes frequent cameos!)
What a splendid gift to books and book lovers! With her customarily reverent research, Roseanna M. White weaves a tale destined to reach deep into the hearts of word-lovers everywhere. Igniting a passion for the power of the written word, White shines a spotlight on an oft-overlooked snapshot of history and blazons a light on a little-known tradition with her confident and binge-worthy prose. White’s in-depth characterization and deft exploration of family dynamics are underscored by a spotlight highlighting a unique community easily transporting readers to an island of perseverance…and books. Destined to find its way onto every “keeper shelf” The Christmas Book Flood will be revisited by readers every Christmas…time and time again.
Giveaway
US entrants, enter to win bookish Christmas ornaments and few (unshown) stocking stuffer style goodies,
PLUS a gift-wrapped book of your choice from my shop for you to give to a loved one this Christmas, signed to them!
(Yes, this can totally be a gift to you, signed to you, LOL. Put it under your own tree. I won’t judge.)
International entrants, enter to win a copy of any of my books, shipped from your usual online retailer.
(If the above entry form is not working, check it out here.
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
This storyline sounds so compelling! It’s definitely different from our American traditions. I was surprised that Tyndale didn’t offer a paper copy, though.
I am so looking forward to reading this book!
I knew nothing about the Jolabokflod tradition when I was growing up, but getting books for Christmas was MY favorite tradition! My brother and I each spent $1.00 on gifts for each other. (Yes, this is definitely showing my age!) My dollar was enough to buy him a model car kit and his dollar was able to get me a book! Oh, how I loved those books! Thanks for writing this special story but I’m sorry I can’t have a print copy to hold in my hands.
I loved reading this so much. I always learn so much history from you and this tradition is one of the best ever. I might start doing this with my family. I know my sons and daughter in love will love it and maybe pass it on to my grandson and granddaughter. What fun!!!
Gorgeous new cover!
This book sounds like a perfect start to the Christmas season, which I’m saying starts right now. So much fun to read about the Icelandic Christmas traditions, too!
Thanks for the information on Iceland’s Christmas traditions! I am looking forward to reading the book.
Yay for books featuring books!
So excited for this book!!
Christmas and books! What’s not to love!
So exciting! I can’t wait to read this, and it’s perfect because I’m already feeling the Christmad spirit
Happy release day! This sounds like a great book. What a fun tradition.
This sounds like a great book. I really like the cover. So pretty!
Happy Release Day! This sounds like a great read!
This sounds absolutely wonderful ! I am putting this on my wishlist.
Congratulations on your new release!
Congratulations! I love your books. Praying for you.
You are so sweet. Thank you so much for the opportunity. God bless you.
Happy Release Day! I’ve always thought Jolabokflod is a great Christmas tradition. I want to implement it in my family, but I would never be able to stay up super late. 😀 Maybe I’ll just have to adapt it a bit.
Yeah, “stay up late” for me usually means to about 10pm, not midnight, LOL.
This book sounds really interesting! Loved the unique Christmas traditions mentioned in the blog!
Wonderful post! Congratulations on your new release.
I enjoyed reading this post and learning about Icelandic Christmas traditions. The books sounds fabulous, and it would make a great Christmas gift for certain individuals.
I’m excited to read this new Christmas story. I love the WWII genre and am excited to see the new traditions in this story!
I look forward to reading it, it sounds great!
Happy Release Day! I’m looking forward to reading it!
I can’t wait to read A Christmas book Flood!
Happy release day! I’m looking forward to reading this one!
Hi Roseanna! This looks like another great book! I don’t think I have ever read a book set in Iceland so I look forward to reading this. Please throw my name in the hat for your Christmas giveaway! 😁
Congratulations on this newest release, it sounds great!
Congratulations on your new book. I can’t wait to read it!
I love every book of yours that I’ve read & can’t wait to read this one!
Happy release day. I love learning about others traditions. This sounds like a great book.
I’m really looking forward to reading this as it sounds so fun and Iceland is not a country I know much about!
Looks like a great book. Looking forward to reading it!
I love your books
I have now read two of your fine books, and I look forward to reading more. The first was Yesterday’s Tides, and then I recently finished The Collector of Burned Books.
I gravitate to historical fiction, especially by a Christian author like yourself.
I am glad to have discovered your thoughtfully-written books. God has given a marvelous gift to you.
May the good Lord bless and keep you.
So glad you’ve enjoyed those two–and hey, you got to read about a heroine with your name in Collector! 😉 That’s always so fun!
Happy Release Day!! It sounds amazing!
Thanks, Denise!!