Winter Trees

Meet the residents and staff of Marigold Manor Assisted Living: Ginny, the grieving Activities Director; Chester, the facility's friendly chef with a secret; Edith, the practical farmer's widow; and Frank, the retired Navy Admiral. Ginny struggles to make the holidays joyful for the residents, while still mourning the death of her fiancé. Edith and Frank decide it's time for an intervention. The two conspire to play matchmaker between Ginny and Chester. The task isn't an easy one. Ginny must find a way to let go of her grief, and Chester's past may stop any romance from growing. But the two matchmakers are nothing if not persistent. They've lived too long, and learned too much, to give up hope. They know that barren winter trees bloom again in the spring and everyone deserves a second chance at love. Semi-finalist Christian Writers Guild's Operation First Novel Contest 2010