The 20th Christmas Filled with Two Decades of Emotion
For immediate release: “Write this– it’s time.” Awoken after a vivid dream that revealed the plot for author Andrea Rodgers’ latest novel, the voice of God very clearly told her this story needed to be told. In The 20th Christmas (Ambassador International; October 2014; $13.99, paperback) a joyous day spent shopping for gifts on a cold December morning turns tragic as Arianna Tate’s toddler Chase goes missing from a coffee shop.
Rodgers takes readers on an emotional, two-decade long journey. Set in Des Moines, Iowa, this fictional kidnapping makes reference to the well-known Johnny Gosch case, a 12-year-old newspaper carrier who disappeared during his route in 1982. The abduction put parents across the state on edge and sparked a fear campaign in the Iowa schools.
Instead of helping her son make his first gingerbread house, Arianna is fielding questions from authorities about his disappearance. Two days before Christmas Chase’s friends, family and complete strangers gather in frigid temperatures for a candlelight vigil outside the coffee shop he was last seen. Living in a fog of guilt and pain, the Tate’s celebrate Christmas after Christmas longing for the return of their precious son. With their marriage on the verge of destruction, the Tate’s must find a way to live with the grief of losing their son.
Meanwhile a drug addicted, mentally unstable woman reconnects with her estranged sister, this time with a child. After her sister’s death, Lydia and her husband adopt the little boy, raising him alongside their own four children. The 20th Christmas begins in 1994 with Chase’s disappearance, and ends in 2014 with an answer to Arianna’s repeated question to God, “why?”
About the Author: Andrea Rodgers knew from a young age that she wanted to be a novelist. Her passion never wavered, even when she put creative writing on hold for “a real job.” Andrea majored in journalism and mass communication at Iowa State University and worked at a Christian music station prior to being a stay-at-home-mom. She’s thrilled to be doing what she feels is her purpose in life. Andrea resides near Des Moines with her husband and two children.
To receive a review copy of The 20th Christmas or to connect with the author please contact publicist Alison Storm by email at [email protected].