“Very sure.”
Soon the sound of applause was the cue to send the children back on stage for the final curtain call. Judd and Jason hurried out with their friends to sing a rousing version of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
Emily Merkle stood in the wings and smiled at her young charges. It was time to move on. Mission accomplished.
praise for the novels of
New York Times bestselling author
DEBBIE
MACOMBER
“Her name on a book is a guarantee of warm-hearted, endearing romance that will captivate and charm her legions of readers.”
Jayne Ann Krentz
“[Macomber] will touch the lives
of every reader.”
Lori Copeland
“Warm, funny, and uplifting.”
Romantic Times “Charming and touching by turns.
It would take a real Scrooge
not to enjoy this.”
Elizabeth Lowell
“Debbie Macomber is one of our premier storytellers.”
Anne Stuart
Acknowledgments
Working on Mrs. Miracle has been an incredible experience. The woman has a mind of her own. She’s bossy, sassy, and opinionated. The first thing she did was teach me a few lessons on the virtue of patience. This book was written with her standing over my shoulder, harping at me to straighten up and get the story right. I would have apreciated it if her priorities had been more along the lines of getting the book in on time! For those of you who loved Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy, be warned. Mrs. Miracle is her own woman and doesn’t wish to be confused with those three troublemakers.
As it is with every book, a number of people deserve a mention. My gratitude, as always, to my editor, Carolyn Marino, who suggested I do a book with miracles. My agent, Irene Goodman, for her excellent navigation skills along the twisting, rut-filled road of publishing. To my ever-patient husband and family. They learned long ago that it was perfectly normal for me to walk around talking to people they couldn’t see. “This is my mom,” my son, Dale, said recently, and then added in a lowered voice, as if this should explain everything: “She writes books.” To Susan Wiggs, Christina Dodd, Susan Macias, Jeane Renick, Susan Sizemore, Sharon Sala, and the other “Harpies” for their friendship and unfailing support.
For all of those who’ve written me to ask about the fate of Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy, let me assure you all is well. They’re on sabbatical for now, raising havoc in the heavenly realm and bugging me. Who knows, they just might be called back into action someday. I’ll keep you tuned. Thank you for your wonderful letters. You can reach me at P.O. Box 1458, Port Orchard, WA98366.