New Memoir Highlights 50 Years of Christmas Love Letters
Traverse City, Michigan Nov 24, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - A unique fiftyyear tradition of handwritten Christmas love letters is at the center of a newly released memoir titled Story of a Marriage: 50 Years of Christmas Love Letters by author James Jim McCormick of Traverse City.
The book shares the collection of letters McCormick wrote to his wife, Marilyn, beginning in 1968. Each Christmas, he set aside time to write about their life together as young newlyweds, new parents, partners in faith, and eventually an older couple facing the challenges and changes of later years. The letters became a record of their marriage and a reflection of the everyday moments that held their relationship together.
Near the end of Marilyns life, McCormick went searching for the letters she had carefully saved. Finding them again became a personal tribute to her and the life they shared. He describes the collection as his poor mans Taj Mahal, a reminder of the commitment and affection that carried them through five decades.
The memoir offers strong humaninterest appeal, presenting a true fiftyyear tradition preserved through handwritten letters that capture the everyday reality of a long marriage. Its Christmas setting makes it timely for the holiday season, offering readers a story rooted in love, memory, and meaningful traditions. The themes are universal, touching on marriage, family, faith, and resilience, and the book ultimately stands as both a legacy for the couples children and grandchildren and an invitation for readers to reflect on their own relationships and the traditions that shape them. Story of a Marriage is both a personal tribute and an account of a committed marriage told through the simple act of writing a yearly letter.
Review copies, author photographs, book cover images, and selected excerpts are available upon request. Interviews with James Jim McCormick may also be arranged. You can also visit his website at https://jimmccormick-author.com/
Acclaimed horror novelist and U.S. Army veteran Vanessa M. Chattman returns with a chilling new supernatural tale that promises to haunt readers long after the final page. Her latest novel, BENEATH THE OAK, delivers a gripping blend of psychological terror, hidden family secrets, and ghostly suspensecementing Vanessa M. Chattmans reputation as one of the most compelling voices in modern horror.
Set in the quiet isolation of rural America, BENEATH THE OAK follows Alyssa Ward, a grieving woman forced to confront the shadows of her past when she returns to her childhood home after her mothers sudden death. What she expects to be a simple homecoming becomes a descent into a generational nightmare. The massive oak tree looming behind the houseonce a symbol of comfortnow pulses with an eerie, oppressive presence. At night, whispers seep from its roots, and ghostly silhouettes gather beneath its branches, watching, waiting.
As Alyssa sorts through her mothers belongings, she discovers a series of journals revealing a dark family curse tied to the ancient tree. For generations, the Ward family has been tormented by a spirit bound to the oakone that selects a single family member to keep beneath its roots. When Alyssa begins experiencing visions of a young girl calling her name, begging for release, she realizes the curse is awakening once more.
The deeper Alyssa digs into her familys past, the more the veil between the living and the dead unravels. The spirit beneath the oak soon reveals its true identitysomeone Alyssa once knew, someone she unknowingly abandoned. To break the curse, Alyssa must confront buried memories, longforgotten guilt, and a supernatural force determined to claim her as its next offering. The battle becomes not only for her life, but for her soul.
Vanessa M. Chattmans signature styleatmospheric, emotionally charged, and rooted in psychological horrorshines throughout BENEATH THE OAK. Known for her ability to blend haunting imagery with human vulnerability, Chattman crafts a narrative that is both terrifying and profoundly intimate. Her exploration of grief, memory, and generational trauma elevates the novel beyond traditional horror, offering readers a story that is as thoughtprovoking as it is chilling.
With a growing body of acclaimed work spanning supernatural fiction, psychological thrillers, and cinematic screenplays, Vanessa M. Chattman continues to push the boundaries of the genre. BENEATH THE OAK stands as one of her most powerful works to datea haunting reminder that the past never truly stays buried, and some spirits refuse to be forgotten.
BENEATH THE OAK is now available through major retailers and online platforms. Readers seeking a gripping, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant supernatural horror experience will find themselves captivatedand hauntedby Vanessa M. Chattmans latest masterpiece.
