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On this episode of Our American Stories, before Christmas Under the Stars became a Hallmark Channel staple, it was a quiet story written by a Chicago-area janitor. By day, Rikk Dunlap fixed leaky faucets and gym bleachers. By night, he wrote fiction, never expecting one of his midnight works to become the hit it is now. Rikk joins us to explain how one Christmas tree lot, one unforgettable character, and one quiet manuscript changed the course of everything for him.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

On this episode of Our American Stories, before&nbsp;Christmas Under the Stars&nbsp;became a Hallmark Channel staple, it was a quiet story written by a Chicago-area janitor. By day, Rikk Dunlap fixed leaky faucets and gym bleachers. By night, he wrote fiction, never expecting one of his midnight works to become the hit it is now. Rikk joins us to explain how one Christmas tree lot, one unforgettable character, and one quiet manuscript changed the course of everything for him.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit, and be inspired by our stories.

Our American Stories

Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit and be inspired by our stories.

Our American Stories tells stories that aren&rsquo;t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we&rsquo;ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit and be inspired by our stories.

How a Chicago Janitor Wrote a Hallmark Christmas Movie

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a7f6c9b1-fbd1-48e9-aeb3-b3bb00abed56/transcript

On this episode of Our American Stories, Leslie Leyland Fields grew up with a father who could not give his children the care or attention they needed. His absence shaped her childhood and left a distance between them that only grew as the years passed.

When he suffered a stroke late in life, Fields made the decision to travel from Alaska to Florida to see him after decades of distance. Leslie shares how that one moment changed everything about their relationship.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

On this episode of Our American Stories, Leslie Leyland Fields grew up with a father who could not give his children the care or attention they needed. His absence shaped her childhood and left a distance between them that only grew as the years passed. When he suffered a stroke late in life, Fields made the decision to travel from Alaska to Florida to see him after decades of distance. Leslie shares how that one moment changed everything about their relationship.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

Forgiving My Worthless Father

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/767ded49-9242-463a-bd3f-b42f015bc568/transcript

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1976, a British wine merchant named Steven Spurrier organized a small wine tasting in Paris that most assumed would confirm what everyone already believed: French wines were simply the best. That changed when a group of unknown American winemakers went head-to-head with the best of France and won.

In what later became known as the Judgment of Paris, some of the most respected names in French winemaking were forced to reckon with the idea that Napa Valley could produce wines on par with, or even better than, their own. Kevin Ferguson, whose father worked in the California wine industry, shares the story of that turning point, along with insights from Spurrier himself, the man who helped make it happen.

Be sure to check out Kevin’s Substack for more stories about his time in wine.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1976, a British wine merchant named Steven Spurrier organized a small wine tasting in Paris that most assumed would confirm what everyone already believed: French wines were simply the best. That changed when a group of unknown American winemakers went head-to-head with the best of France and won. In what later became known as the Judgment of Paris, some of the most respected names in French winemaking were forced to reckon with the idea that Napa Valley could produce wines on par with, or even better than, their own. Kevin Ferguson, whose father worked in the California wine industry, shares the story of that turning point, along with insights from Spurrier himself, the man who helped make it happen. Be sure to check out&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2F%40kevinferguson&amp;data=05%7C02%7CUraelBlackshear%40iheartmedia.com%7C96c283fe93d64fa77d2b08de9bd9ae69%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C639119556474319387%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=sijiGiTbtuncRJ9IFgvzsOXHf6bZR0NJrVAmEE%2F6XCA%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="4">Kevin&rsquo;s Substack</a>&nbsp;for more stories about his time in wine.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

The Day California Beat France at Its Own Game: The Judgment of Paris

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2a523800-33d1-42a2-a61b-b42f015bc569/transcript

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Scott Jones, a regular contributor to Our American Stories and the author of Growing Up Rural, shares the story of one of the most embarrassing moments of his childhood—the time he forgot to clean hog manure off his boots after finishing his early morning chores on his family farm in Iowa, causing quite a stink in his classroom.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Scott Jones, a regular contributor to&nbsp;Our American Stories&nbsp;and the author of&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FGrowing-Up-Rural-Lessons-Lifetime%2Fdp%2F1638148740&amp;data=05%7C02%7CUraelBlackshear%40iheartmedia.com%7C96c283fe93d64fa77d2b08de9bd9ae69%7C122a527e5b714eba878d9810b495b9e3%7C0%7C0%7C639119556474296648%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=72KuR9WHR8MDo9g91dmvCQ75vBHicskyn89%2BBdcddLQ%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="3">Growing Up Rural</a>, shares the story of one of the most embarrassing moments of his childhood&mdash;the time he forgot to clean hog manure off his boots after finishing his early morning chores on his family farm in Iowa, causing quite a stink in his classroom.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

Lesson Learned: Clean Hog Manure Off Your Boots Before Going to School

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/08c1569f-ebbf-489b-9f13-b42f015bc564/transcript

How a Chicago Janitor Wrote a Hallmark Christmas Movie

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