Pam Hanson
Author of Never Give Up
About the Author
Disambiguation Notice:
Pam Hanson and her mother Barbara Andrews write under the pseudonyms Jennifer Drew and Pam Rock. They also use Pam Andrews.
Series
Works by Pam Hanson
Associated Works
A Cup of Christmas Cheer: Tales of Faith and Family for the Holidays — Contributor — 4 copies, 1 review
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Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Andrews Hanson, Pam
- Other names
- Hanson, Pam
Drew, Jennifer
Rock, Pam - Gender
- female
- Relationships
- Andrews, Barbara (mother)
- Short biography
- Pam Andrews Hanson, the daughter of the romance writer Barbara Andrews, grew up within earshot of her mother's manual typewriter. Pam majored in journalism in college and later worked as a reporter. Pam married with with Mr. Hanson, a college-professor, and they created a family. After the birth of her first child, Erik, Pam started to work with her mother. They published their books under the pseudonyms Jennifer Drew and Pam Rock. Pam lived in West Virginia, with her husband and their two sons, Erik and Andrew.
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- West Virginia, USA
- Disambiguation notice
- Pam Hanson and her mother Barbara Andrews write under the pseudonyms Jennifer Drew and Pam Rock. They also use Pam Andrews.
- Associated Place (for map)
- West Virginia, USA
Members
Reviews
Christmas Memories at Grace Chapel Inn is book 48 in the Tales From Grace Chapel Inn series about three sisters who run a bed-and-breakfast from their maternal ancestors' Victorian house in the village of Acorn Hill, Pennsylvania. Their late father, Daniel Howard, had been the pastor of nearby Grace Chapel, hence the name.
This book differs from the series' usual formula in that it contains three stories, all an example of 'retroactive continuity,' or 'retcon' for short. Retcons usually take show more place before the first story, book, episode, or comic book in a series. They may also take place between published/aired stories, etc. There is a framing story involving Louise Howard Smith, Alice Howard, Jane Howard, and Aunt Ethel Howard Buckley at Christmas. Each sister relates a memory.
'Louise's Christmas Memory' was written by Pam Hanson & Barbara Andrews
'Alice's Christmas Memory' was written by Anne Marie Rodgers
Jane's Christmas Memory' was written by Sunni Jeffers.
Louise's story is about the Christmas before Jane was born, although she is present in their mother's womb. Aunt Ethel and her late husband, Bob, married not quite two years, are not yet parents. Bob has hurt his back and Nellie Belle, an ewe, is having her first delivery. Ethel doesn't know what to do, so she calls her older half-brother, Daniel, for help. A blizzard strands Madeleine Berry Howard, 14-year-old Louise, and 11-year old Alice at the Buckley farm when Daniel drives back for the Christmas Eve service. The description of the old farmhouse and barn and the Christmas decorating were interesting. We already see seeds of the two elder sisters' characters. I enjoyed Alice's enthusiastic care of the lamb.
Alice's story is set when she was living alone with her father and tells us about Alice agreeing to take over the children's Christmas pageant when director Cathy Carling is called away to Minnesota because her mother had a stroke.
Alice is not yet the experienced leader of a group of middle-school girls called ANGELs. She's not experienced at all, but we get to see what led to the group's formation. Thank goodness her sisters come early to help out. In fact, Louise's husband and then 12-years-old daughter also help out.
One of the children in the pageant is learning disabled. She has the more common form of learning disability, which involves the verbal side of the brain. My problems are spatial (so I was fine with everything but higher math and gym), but I understand needing help and struggling to do what others can do. I'm glad the girl got her chance.
It was interesting that Vera Humbert, who came to Acorn Hill as a young woman (see book 43, Eyes on the Prize), knew something about pushy mom Tina Carsten that Acorn Hill native Alice didn't. Then again, Tina may not be an Acorn Hill native, either.
I enjoyed the play Kimmy Carsten wrote, 'Big Hearts in Tough Times,' which was inspired by O. Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi'. If you've never read the story or seen an adaptation, don't worry, it's summarized.
I particularly liked the way Alice's family was able to help her with the things she couldn't do herself.
The subplot about the mother and grandmother coping with a toddler with chickenpox when the mother had both arms broken by a careless driver was also good. Alice's advice about keeping little Beth cool is wise. I remember a short piece in the BMJ ["British Medical Journal'] about keeping kids cool when they have chicken pox from my days as a medical librarian. The child with chicken pox was given a special outfit to wear: the fabric was thicker on one half than the other. The side of the body that was kept warmer had more spots than the cooler side.
Jane's Christmas memory is set just after their father died and she and Louise returned to open the inn. She decides to organize a cookie drive to make sure the home bound elderly of Acorn Hill have visitors and treats for Christmas. Of course bossy Florence Simpson would like to make it a church affair under her control, but she's stopped. Thanks to Aunt Ethel, there's a double-digit list of persons who are home bound because of illness or injury as well as age. They're not just in Acorn Hill itself but in the surrounding countryside.
Most of the rest of the story involves Jane going around to local shops for errands or to invite others to the cookie party. Even those who can't cook agree to help deliver the goodies.
We get to learn how Jane made some custom cookie cutters for a special treat. There are also instructions for making luminaries that wouldn't work here in Southern Arizona, but should look lovely where it freezes.
Each of the three elderly persons Jane and florist Craig Tracy visit has an interesting story to share. Evelyn Potter talks about being a Civil Defense telephone operator during World War II. Hazel Tucker tells Jane about Alice and a naughty sheep during Jane's first Christmas pageant (she played Baby Jesus). From Duke Gladstone (who considers only frosted sugar cookies to be REAL Christmas cookies), they hear about a train that derailed outside Acorn Hill one Christmas.
The framing sequence tells us how the cookie drive has been handled since, as well as how enough money was donated to heat an elderly shut-in's house the rest of that winter.
Jane's story includes these recipes: Scottish Shortbread, White Chocolate Hermits with Eggnog Glaze, and Mocha Krinkles.
Car lovers: In Jane's story, two of Viola Reed's 14 cats, Diver the tabby and Anna the Siamese, have a cameo. The Howards' big gray tabby, Wendell, has several appearances there, as well.
Please see each story's individual entry for a list of characters and places in them. show less
This book differs from the series' usual formula in that it contains three stories, all an example of 'retroactive continuity,' or 'retcon' for short. Retcons usually take show more place before the first story, book, episode, or comic book in a series. They may also take place between published/aired stories, etc. There is a framing story involving Louise Howard Smith, Alice Howard, Jane Howard, and Aunt Ethel Howard Buckley at Christmas. Each sister relates a memory.
'Louise's Christmas Memory' was written by Pam Hanson & Barbara Andrews
'Alice's Christmas Memory' was written by Anne Marie Rodgers
Jane's Christmas Memory' was written by Sunni Jeffers.
Louise's story is about the Christmas before Jane was born, although she is present in their mother's womb. Aunt Ethel and her late husband, Bob, married not quite two years, are not yet parents. Bob has hurt his back and Nellie Belle, an ewe, is having her first delivery. Ethel doesn't know what to do, so she calls her older half-brother, Daniel, for help. A blizzard strands Madeleine Berry Howard, 14-year-old Louise, and 11-year old Alice at the Buckley farm when Daniel drives back for the Christmas Eve service. The description of the old farmhouse and barn and the Christmas decorating were interesting. We already see seeds of the two elder sisters' characters. I enjoyed Alice's enthusiastic care of the lamb.
Alice's story is set when she was living alone with her father and tells us about Alice agreeing to take over the children's Christmas pageant when director Cathy Carling is called away to Minnesota because her mother had a stroke.
Alice is not yet the experienced leader of a group of middle-school girls called ANGELs. She's not experienced at all, but we get to see what led to the group's formation. Thank goodness her sisters come early to help out. In fact, Louise's husband and then 12-years-old daughter also help out.
One of the children in the pageant is learning disabled. She has the more common form of learning disability, which involves the verbal side of the brain. My problems are spatial (so I was fine with everything but higher math and gym), but I understand needing help and struggling to do what others can do. I'm glad the girl got her chance.
It was interesting that Vera Humbert, who came to Acorn Hill as a young woman (see book 43, Eyes on the Prize), knew something about pushy mom Tina Carsten that Acorn Hill native Alice didn't. Then again, Tina may not be an Acorn Hill native, either.
I enjoyed the play Kimmy Carsten wrote, 'Big Hearts in Tough Times,' which was inspired by O. Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi'. If you've never read the story or seen an adaptation, don't worry, it's summarized.
I particularly liked the way Alice's family was able to help her with the things she couldn't do herself.
The subplot about the mother and grandmother coping with a toddler with chickenpox when the mother had both arms broken by a careless driver was also good. Alice's advice about keeping little Beth cool is wise. I remember a short piece in the BMJ ["British Medical Journal'] about keeping kids cool when they have chicken pox from my days as a medical librarian. The child with chicken pox was given a special outfit to wear: the fabric was thicker on one half than the other. The side of the body that was kept warmer had more spots than the cooler side.
Jane's Christmas memory is set just after their father died and she and Louise returned to open the inn. She decides to organize a cookie drive to make sure the home bound elderly of Acorn Hill have visitors and treats for Christmas. Of course bossy Florence Simpson would like to make it a church affair under her control, but she's stopped. Thanks to Aunt Ethel, there's a double-digit list of persons who are home bound because of illness or injury as well as age. They're not just in Acorn Hill itself but in the surrounding countryside.
Most of the rest of the story involves Jane going around to local shops for errands or to invite others to the cookie party. Even those who can't cook agree to help deliver the goodies.
We get to learn how Jane made some custom cookie cutters for a special treat. There are also instructions for making luminaries that wouldn't work here in Southern Arizona, but should look lovely where it freezes.
Each of the three elderly persons Jane and florist Craig Tracy visit has an interesting story to share. Evelyn Potter talks about being a Civil Defense telephone operator during World War II. Hazel Tucker tells Jane about Alice and a naughty sheep during Jane's first Christmas pageant (she played Baby Jesus). From Duke Gladstone (who considers only frosted sugar cookies to be REAL Christmas cookies), they hear about a train that derailed outside Acorn Hill one Christmas.
The framing sequence tells us how the cookie drive has been handled since, as well as how enough money was donated to heat an elderly shut-in's house the rest of that winter.
Jane's story includes these recipes: Scottish Shortbread, White Chocolate Hermits with Eggnog Glaze, and Mocha Krinkles.
Car lovers: In Jane's story, two of Viola Reed's 14 cats, Diver the tabby and Anna the Siamese, have a cameo. The Howards' big gray tabby, Wendell, has several appearances there, as well.
Please see each story's individual entry for a list of characters and places in them. show less
'Louise's Christmas Memory' is the first of three stories in Christmas Memories at Grace Chapel Inn, book 48 in Tales From Grace Chapel Inn. That is a series about three sisters who run a bed-and-breakfast from their maternal ancestors' Victorian house in the village of Acorn Hill, Pennsylvania. Their late father, Daniel Howard, had been the pastor of nearby Grace Chapel, hence the name.
Louise's story is about the Christmas before Jane was born, although she is present in their mother's show more womb. Aunt Ethel and her late husband, Bob, married not quite two years, are not yet parents. Bob has hurt his back and Nellie Belle, an ewe, is having her first delivery. Ethel doesn't know what to do, so she calls her older half-brother, Daniel, for help. A blizzard strands Madeleine Berry Howard, 14-year-old Louise, and 11-year old Alice at the Buckley farm when Daniel drives back for the Christmas Eve service.
Knowing that Madeleine Howard will die an hour after the baby she's carrying here is born makes Louise's worry for her mother's well-being more aching.
The description of the old farmhouse and barn and the Christmas decorating were interesting. I liked the description of them making frobelsterne, German three-dimensional paper stars. We get to see seeds of the two elder sisters' characters. Alice's enthusiastic care of the lamb, Heiligabend, was sweet. (The lamb is not named in the story itself. The name and meaning are given early in the framing sequence between Louise's and Alice's memories.
I think Christmas Memories at Grace Chapel Inn is one of the better entries in the 15 books I've read so far. show less
Louise's story is about the Christmas before Jane was born, although she is present in their mother's show more womb. Aunt Ethel and her late husband, Bob, married not quite two years, are not yet parents. Bob has hurt his back and Nellie Belle, an ewe, is having her first delivery. Ethel doesn't know what to do, so she calls her older half-brother, Daniel, for help. A blizzard strands Madeleine Berry Howard, 14-year-old Louise, and 11-year old Alice at the Buckley farm when Daniel drives back for the Christmas Eve service.
Knowing that Madeleine Howard will die an hour after the baby she's carrying here is born makes Louise's worry for her mother's well-being more aching.
The description of the old farmhouse and barn and the Christmas decorating were interesting. I liked the description of them making frobelsterne, German three-dimensional paper stars. We get to see seeds of the two elder sisters' characters. Alice's enthusiastic care of the lamb, Heiligabend, was sweet. (The lamb is not named in the story itself. The name and meaning are given early in the framing sequence between Louise's and Alice's memories.
I think Christmas Memories at Grace Chapel Inn is one of the better entries in the 15 books I've read so far. show less
Another installment in the Grace Chapel Inn series, in which everyone seems like family or neighbors. This volume seemed to have better writing than some of the novels, which are written by different authors. In this story, Jane (the chef) suffers an injury, and each of the sisters takes on new roles and responsibilities. As always, the reader meets new guests who become friends by the end of the story. The touch of humor and low-key spirituality add spice and interest to the story.
Keeping the Faith is book 47 in the Tales From Grace Chapel Inn series about three sisters who run a bed-and-breakfast from their maternal ancestors' Victorian house in the village of Acorn Hill, Pennsylvania. Their late father, Daniel Howard, had been the pastor of nearby Grace Chapel, hence the name.
Widowed Mrs. Louise Howard Smith teaches piano as well as keeping the inn's books. Alice Howard is a part-time nurse. Divorced Jane Howard was a professional chef in San Francisco. She does the show more cooking and gardening. They share in housekeeping tasks.
These books have a formula: there will be a main problem and one or more problems for subplots. Guests and/or townspeople will be involved. Faith will play a part in resolving the problems.
Alice has been asked to be the editor for a wellness newsletter for the employees of the hospital where she works. She's nervous about interviewing people and writing articles. Luckily, Jody Monroe, one of the younger nurses, studied journalism before she switched to nursing. She's shy about interviews, but is willing to write. (It doesn't hurt that Alice is wise enough to consult the editor of the 'Acorn Nutshell' newspaper for tips in chapter 3.)
The very existence of the inn itself is threatened by the possibility of a rival establishment, bigger and more modern, coming to Acorn Hill.
Then an extraordinary young man, Perry Clay Garfield (call him 'Clay') enters their loves. Clay has walked from Omaha, Nebraska and plans to walk as far as New York. On the way he's promoting walking trails for communities. He certainly has the sisters' Aunt Ethel interested (Ethel's clothes are getting too tight).
Clay possesses a simple goodness and faith that inspires those who come in contact with him. I enjoyed reading about his interactions with the main and some of the supporting cast.
I also enjoyed the opportunities the authors took to slip in some health and ecological advice.
NOTES:
See chapter 3 for Louise's attempt to reason with the mother of a reluctant pupil. (Considering that this pupil's name is 'Charley' and another reluctant pupil in earlier books was named 'Charlie,' the superstitious might consider this an omen that Louise shouldn't to take on boys named Charles.)
See chapter 4 for information on proper socks and footwear for long walks.
See chapter 6 for diet tips for cats (poor Wendell). No mention of adding canned [no spices!] pumpkin to his food to reduce his appetite, prevent constipation, urinary crystals, and hairballs, I see.
Also, it's not easy, but cats can be trained to be walked on a leash.
Chapter 6 is also where one might read tips about preventing Type 2 diabetes.
See chapter 9 for tips about preventing heart disease.
See chapter 11 for a charming interview of a 97-year-old woman of faith.
Clay has advice about being environmentally responsible in chapter 12.
Chapter 13: I've read my Bible more than 40 times and Friday the 13th isn't mentioned in it. Clay's sensible information on the topic was refreshing.
Clay is probably the best thing about this entry in the series, although I can appreciate how difficult it is to try to do well by persons who do not have one's best interests at heart, so that subplot was good.
The recipe this time is Alice's Favorite Crab Dip.
Cat lovers: enjoy Wendell, the big (a bit too big) gray tabby. show less
Widowed Mrs. Louise Howard Smith teaches piano as well as keeping the inn's books. Alice Howard is a part-time nurse. Divorced Jane Howard was a professional chef in San Francisco. She does the show more cooking and gardening. They share in housekeeping tasks.
These books have a formula: there will be a main problem and one or more problems for subplots. Guests and/or townspeople will be involved. Faith will play a part in resolving the problems.
Alice has been asked to be the editor for a wellness newsletter for the employees of the hospital where she works. She's nervous about interviewing people and writing articles. Luckily, Jody Monroe, one of the younger nurses, studied journalism before she switched to nursing. She's shy about interviews, but is willing to write. (It doesn't hurt that Alice is wise enough to consult the editor of the 'Acorn Nutshell' newspaper for tips in chapter 3.)
The very existence of the inn itself is threatened by the possibility of a rival establishment, bigger and more modern, coming to Acorn Hill.
Then an extraordinary young man, Perry Clay Garfield (call him 'Clay') enters their loves. Clay has walked from Omaha, Nebraska and plans to walk as far as New York. On the way he's promoting walking trails for communities. He certainly has the sisters' Aunt Ethel interested (Ethel's clothes are getting too tight).
Clay possesses a simple goodness and faith that inspires those who come in contact with him. I enjoyed reading about his interactions with the main and some of the supporting cast.
I also enjoyed the opportunities the authors took to slip in some health and ecological advice.
NOTES:
See chapter 3 for Louise's attempt to reason with the mother of a reluctant pupil. (Considering that this pupil's name is 'Charley' and another reluctant pupil in earlier books was named 'Charlie,' the superstitious might consider this an omen that Louise shouldn't to take on boys named Charles.)
See chapter 4 for information on proper socks and footwear for long walks.
See chapter 6 for diet tips for cats (poor Wendell). No mention of adding canned [no spices!] pumpkin to his food to reduce his appetite, prevent constipation, urinary crystals, and hairballs, I see.
Also, it's not easy, but cats can be trained to be walked on a leash.
Chapter 6 is also where one might read tips about preventing Type 2 diabetes.
See chapter 9 for tips about preventing heart disease.
See chapter 11 for a charming interview of a 97-year-old woman of faith.
Clay has advice about being environmentally responsible in chapter 12.
Chapter 13: I've read my Bible more than 40 times and Friday the 13th isn't mentioned in it. Clay's sensible information on the topic was refreshing.
Clay is probably the best thing about this entry in the series, although I can appreciate how difficult it is to try to do well by persons who do not have one's best interests at heart, so that subplot was good.
The recipe this time is Alice's Favorite Crab Dip.
Cat lovers: enjoy Wendell, the big (a bit too big) gray tabby. show less
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