I am excited to share the first anniversary of my seasonal book, Christmas Eve at the Epsom Circle McDonald’s and Other Poems, now in distribution worldwide.
This book of poetry for Advent and Christmas and the tail end of the star we call Epiphany includes some poems a few years old, like the title poem, a memory I revisit every December 24th. Most are new. I write about tasting “blue” Christmas baked into cookies, tying a mask on the red-nosed reindeer, and being changed by “Wasn’t That a Mighty Day?” sung in Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity.”
From “Christmas Comes”:
…Christmas comes whether we are ready or not;
It comes whether we want it or not
It comes whether we used to believe,
Or try to believe, or are afraid to believe.
Christmas comes with presents and with absence.
It comes as expected,
And it comes as a nearly unbearable surprise …
NEW this year for churches, libraries, book groups: a tailored to your needs Zoom program with a reading from the book and workshop. Examples include: “It’s Beginning to Read a Lot Like Christmas” (with participants sharing their favorite Christmas story and discovering what makes a book “Christmas”) or “May your Days be Merry and Write” (with participants writing their own Christmas greeting, poem or mini-memoir.) My fee in the US is the purchase of ten or more print books by the sponsor (to be purchased by the participants or other friends who can’t attend) from Bookbaby. https://store.bookbaby.com/book/christmas-eve-at-the-epsom-circle-mcdonalds-and-other-poems
For individuals who want to purchase a book for themselves or as gifts, Christmas Eve at the Epsom Circle McDonald’s and Other Poems can be ordered from your independent book store, or follow this link for print or electronic books https://store.bookbaby.com/book/christmas-eve-at-the-epsom-circle-mcdonalds-and-other-poems Both formats are also available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and others, but they are less generous with authors.
For questions or more information contact me at mctirabassi@gmail.com
Maren
Gifts in Open Hands 
Hello Maren, from Aotearoa New Zealand –
I hope you don’t mind me contacting you, but I wanted to say first of all, how much I appreciate the wonderful resources you create and share through Gifts in Open Hands. I’ve used the beautiful and thought-provoking Communion liturgies you share throughout the time of Covid – they are wonderful – thankyou!
I’ve bought an e-copy of your lovely book of poems for my personal use and love them, so I was delighted to see that you have a workshop series for use in parishes/book groups. But then I saw that the ‘cost’ of the workshop is to buy ten copies of the book. There are a few problems with that for us – for a start, I don’t think we can get the physical books here in time (deliveries from the world to our little corner are very very slow at the moment), then many of our people don’t use e-books, plus I’m reluctant to ask individuals (many of whom are retired) to incur the cost of buying a book each.
So, what I wondered, was whether you would have a fee that would enable me to ‘buy’ the workshop series from you, independently from the books? Maybe an amount representing part of the author’s fee you would have received on a purchase of ten books?
Just an idea –and again, I hope you don’t mind me asking; please do feel free to say ‘no’…?
Ngā mihi mahana (warm greetings)
Sue Brown
From: Gifts in Open Hands
Reply to: Gifts in Open Hands
Date: Thursday, 14 October 2021 at 12:56 AM
To: Sue Brown
Subject: [New post] Christmas Eve at the Epsom Circle McDonald’s — new readings and workshops
Maren posted: ” I am excited to share the first anniversary of my seasonal book, Christmas Eve at the Epsom Circle McDonald’s and Other Poems, now in distribution worldwide. This book of poetry for Advent and Christmas and the tail end of the star we call Epiphan”
Wow. These Zoom programs sound so amazing. What a tremendous gift and such a creative way to share your words and encourage others to find their own.
I have lead workshops in writing for Christmas and for understanding what “makes” a Christmas book a Christmas book (or movie) so I am looking forward to re-habbing them and adding poems. I’ve also enjoyed teaching on Zoom though I was dragged kicking and screaming into it!
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I keep my copy handy every season! Reminds me of how some piano students want to play Christmas pieces year-round; somehow the message always fits. And I especially enjoyed getting to know you a little bit better through your FB readings! ❤️
Thank you so very much, Deane. It has been a joy to come to know you as well — it is a true gift of our virtual world. I look forward to your postings.