It began with a letter. Jackson Grim, newspaper columnist, was wading through his usual pile of hate mail from gun owners, religious wackos, and fans of a political talk show when he found it. The letter writer regretted the decision of the Hartville City Council to ban a manger scene on the front lawn of City Hall unless other "Winter Holiday" symbols (Santa, reindeer, snowpersons) were included in the display. Though he was not a religious man himself, Jackson decided to print the letter in his column—a decision he quickly came to regret.

This story of Christmas in the culture wars reveals a town thrown into mayhem by rhetoric on all sides when everyone from the town's leading atheist, Diedra Freep, to Pastor Marty is drawn into the debate. You will be amused and surprised by the events that follow, and you may even find your heart strangely warmed.

"Chris Fabry is a wonderful storyteller. His book offers great entertainment coupled with a spiritual wallop."
— Chuck Colson

"We never, never, NEVER endorse other people's novels . . . so how soon does the movie come out, anyway?"
— Brock & Bodie Thoene

"Wildly funny to start with—stunningly sobering at the end."
— Elisabeth Elliot

"Chris Fabry's skill is to be funny and wise at once. By a genuine, gentle humor he calls believers to believe the deep message of Christmas. . . . Read this book for Christmas when it is not Christmas."
— Walter Wangerin

"Reading instructions: Read from beginning to end. Breathe a prayer. Listen carefully for inner response."
— Janette Oke

What Readers Are Saying . . .

  • "Once again, Chris Fabry's brilliance in developing full-fleshed characters within a thrilling, yet poignant and sometimes painful story has captivated my heart and mind."

    — FICTIONADDICT.COM on Every Waking Moment

  • "In this edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense, all of the characters ring true."

    — BOOKLIST on Borders of the Heart

  • "Ultimately a story of love and forgiveness, [Dogwood] should appeal to a wide audience."

    — CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES

  • "The rural South comes to life, with themes of forgiveness and second chances as highlights. The characters are both deeply flawed and immensely relatable, making this another hit for Fabry."

    — LIBRARY JOURNAL on A Piece of the Moon

  • "Fabry has a true gift for prose, and [Almost Heaven] is amazing. You'll most definitely want to move this to the top of your 'to buy' list."

    — ROMANTIC TIMES, 4½-Star Top Pick Review

  • "Fabry has written a nail-biter with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers riveted."

    — LIBRARY JOURNAL on Not in the Heart

  • "A character-driven tale of dignity and compassion for those who seem to have lost importance to society . . . this thought-provoking read challenges the prevailing cultural calculations of the value of a person's life."

    — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY on Every Waking Moment

  • "[The Promise of Jesse Woods] is a well-crafted novel with sympathetic characters, gently woven themes, and evocative descriptions."

    — Sharon Garlough Brown, author of the Sensible Shoes series

  • "The skillfully woven plot twists, intermingled with humor, angst and questions of faith, make Every Waking Moment a true page-turner."

    — HOMECOMING MAGAZINE

  • "Dogwood will captivate you from cover to cover."

    — READERVIEWS.COM