SERVES 6 TO 8
* * *
*White Lily Self-Rising Flour available at www.whitelily.com
*I “crush” vanilla wafers in the food processor or blender!
*Important
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The energy and contagious enthusiasm of many people went into the creation of this book and I would like to thank them here. First and foremost, my gratitude to Buzzy Porter who encouraged me to write this story in the first place, and to the South Carolina Historical Society for the use of the photographs of Charleston from ages ago. Huge thanks to Carrie Feron, my brilliant editor who might be the most charming Yankee I have ever met except for Larry Kirshbaum, my fabulous agent who is also a genius. Much love to both of you.
To the Morrow team with love and thanks: Jane Friedman, Michael Morrison, Lisa Gallagher, Virginia Stanley, Carla Parker, Carl Lennertz, Michael Morris, Michael Spradlin, Brian Grogan, Michael Brennan, Rhonda Rose, Donna Waitkus, Dale Schmidt, Liate Stehlik, Adrienne DiPietro, Richard Aquan, Tom Egner, Barbara Levine, Rick Harris, Ana Maria Allessi, Debbie Stier, Ben Bruton, Lynn Grady, Tavia Kowalchuk, and of course, always special thanks to Tessa Woodward.
To Debbie Zammit, Ann Del Mastro, and Kevin Sherry for endurance and friendship.
All my love to Peter, William, and Victoria. And to booksellers and readers everywhere—my holiday wish for you is one of perfect health and peace with my most heartfelt thanks for your support. Happy holidays and thank you, thank you, thank you!
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK was born and raised on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. She and her long-suffering husband, Peter, divide their time between the New York area and Charleston, South Carolina, where their two children are in college and spending every last dime their parents earn. They thank you for your support.
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ALSO BY DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK
The Land of Mango Sunsets
Pawleys Island
Shem Creek
Isle of Palms
Plantation
Sullivans Island
Credits
Jacket design by Laura Klynstra
Front jacket photograph by Rita Maas/Jupiter Images
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
THE CHRISTMAS PEARL. Copyright © 2007 by Dorothea Benton Frank. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
ePub edition October 2007 ISBN 9780061741326
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