(NewsUSA) - Now more than ever, it's time for holiday cheer, and Lifetime is set to deliver with the network's annual It's a Wonderful Lifetime slate of original heartwarming holiday programming.

Lifetime's huge, 35 movie holiday slate kicks off on November 12. After Thanksgiving, the network debuts 30 new holiday movies in 30 days,between November 26 and December 25, starring, Reba McEntire, Kelly Rowland, Melissa Joan Hart, Jana Kramer, Kirk Franklin, Tia Mowry, Smokey Robinson, Ricki Lake, John Schneider and many more.

This year's movies offer something for everyone, and reflect Lifetime's ongoing commitment to diverse storytelling. In "Baking Spirits Bright," (11/21) Mira Varma (Rekha Sharma) proudly operates her family's fruitcake business, despite the declining popularity of the once-ubiquitous holiday dessert. Mira's parents hire Brady Phillips (Dion Johnstone) and his high-powered marketing company to turn business around and boost sales for the holidays. Naturally, romance ensues as Mira works to hold onto the heart of the company she loves, while her heart has other ideas as well.

In "Reba McEntire's Christmas in Tune," (11/26) showstopper Reba McEntire is Georgia Winter, half of a singing duo with her ex-husband, Joe (John Schneider). Years after their personal and professional breakup, the pair agree to reunite for a Christmas charity concert at the request of their daughter, Belle. Georgia and Joe find themselves getting back in tune, both on stage and off.

For those Lifetime fans who can't get enough Liddle, Kelly Rowland returns in the third film, "Merry Liddle Christmas Baby." (11/27)

This Christmas, Jacquie Liddle (Rowland) and her husband Tyler (Thomas Cadrot) are preparing for the arrival of their first baby. More merriment and mayhem abound as Jacquie's sister Treena (Latonya Williams) and her husband Julian (Jaime M. Callica) consider adopting a baby themselves, and their fashionista sister Kiara (Bresha Webb) heats up her relationship with boyfriend Chris (Nathan Witte).

As in 2020, Lifetime's 2021 programming includes a LGBTQ+ romance.

This year, in "Under the Christmas Tree,"(12/19) Ricki Lake stars as the p?tissiere extraordinaire in a small town who also acts as matchmaker for Alma Beltran (Elise Bauman) and Christmas tree whisperer Charlie Freemont (Tattiawna Jones). Charlie finds the perfect tree for the Maine Governor's Holiday Celebration in Alma's back yard. What starts as a sparring match turns to a romance between the two women as Lake encourages them take a leap of faith with love and Christmas magic.

Fan favorite Mario Lopez returns this year in "Holiday in Santa Fe," (12/10) in which he attempts to hang on to his family-owned business of Mexican-inspired holiday ornaments and décor, while sparks fly with the big-chain greeting-card executive who wants to acquire the company.

Visit mylifetime.com for more information about the complete 2021 It's a Wonderful Lifetime lineup.

(NewsUSA)

"Into the Sky with Diamonds"
by Ronald P. Grelsamer

One small step for a man. One giant leap for rock 'n roll. NASA's race with the Russians to land a man on the moon. The meteoric rise of the Beatles, considered by many to have revolutionized the music industry. In the postwar era, each stood as an unprecedented cultural watershed. Together, they captured the heady zeitgeist of the 1960s and ignited the imagination of just about everyone on the planet.

"Into the Sky with Diamonds: The Beatles" and the "Race to the Moon in the Psychedelic '60s" is an exhilarating account of these two global phenomena as seen through the eyes of Dutch Richtman, a young and enterprising NASA engineer who manages to snag a front-row seat to both. The audiobook has received an Earphones Award from Audiofile magazine. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3fvggXW.

The Road Remembered
by Kaye D. Schmitz

Love and humanity triumph amid the atrocities of World War II. Sam and Gerda face their enemies head-on, but they also battle internal elements on their own sides of the war that violate their shared values of humanity. They meet under the worst of circumstances and find a way to help each other through the trauma of the global struggle. They also prove to each other that people are people regardless of which end of the rifle they face and what their countries dictate they believe.

The book is inspired by nine true stories of World War II that are woven into a rich tapestry of historically accurate fiction. Purchase at http://www.kayedschmitzauthor.com/shop.

Death on the Downbeat
by Durden Kell

Toh, no! Another killer stalks the local jazz community. Jazz jams, gigs and murder combine in the ultimate trio that is sure to be "killing it" all around Atlanta. Adman and CC, his wife, now own The Farm, where a show horse dances and Adman builds it all up. CC rescues a pup called Harold and looks for other dogs to join her pack. And gigs and tours just keep a-comin'!

But who is the killer and what is the motive? Nobody knows until clues are put together by famous saxophonist John Cold "Adman" Dann and the Amateur Sleuth Society, featuring Adman's best friend, Misha Stefanukvand, as well as other great jazz musicians Ty, Carl, Arturo, André, David, Chip, Gerry and Leland. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3C8sQWh.

And Then Ben
by Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman

Post-apocalyptic thriller and climate fiction come together in this story of one woman's struggle for survival in a world decimated by an endless, unrelenting winter.

After the "event," 38-year-old Alice finds herself completely alone, cruelly separated from her children and left with only vivid, haunting dreams of life as it once was.

Fueled by her sharp survival instincts and sheer resilience, Alice moves through each day like the one before - until she discovers she's not as alone as she thought. Alice's need for human contact helps her overcome her apprehension about Ben, the only survivor she's encountered for months. As the two are drawn closer together by their shared desire for companionship, their individual pasts begin to reveal that everyone is not exactly who they seem. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3aSZ637.

NOTE: BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

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