Another year draws to a close. Are you like me, looking back and wondering how everything didn't get done? Or wondering how you got so many things done?
I've got to admit, this year went a bit different than planned, not always in a bad way. I had two books release, which is the personal goal I have set myself for now (after almost killing myself doing four a few years ago). And I have contracts for two more to release next year. But ...
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All three of my Christmas stories have children in them. Want to know why? I can't imagine Christmas without kids.
Don't get me wrong. We had ten Christmases without children, while we waited on God's perfect timing. And I enjoyed those Christmases. But they lacked something. There is something magical about seeing the holidays through a child's eyes. They still believe in magic and see it in every piece of the holidays. Why not join them? The Christmas trees decorated by theme are beautiful. Their big fluffy bows and color-coordinated ornaments are stunning. But that's not the kind of Christmas tree I want.
Granted, I also don't want one like I described in the first chapter of Mama Dated Santa, where all the ornaments are falling apart, tinsel is here and there, and some of the branches are in the wrong slot. Yeah, no. Thanks. There's something special about the tree we put up each year--and not because it's twenty years old (the one we bought our very first Christmas when we barely had any room to put a tree up). No, it's because the ornaments hold so many memories and reminisces. It's that time of year. The time we all want to watch the cheesy holiday movies. Of course, real life isn't much like the movies, but that doesn't keep author Heather Greer from wishing to dive into them. Instead, she incorporates the fun ideas into her stories. Read on to find out about her most recent one. I admit it. Everything people say about made for television Christmas movies is true. From the opening scene, viewers know how the story will end. We see the same actors cast year after year. Yes, there will be an almost kiss. And if there is baking, someone will get flour on their nose or cheek only to be wiped off in a moment filled with romantic sparks.
We devour them anyway. Why? How do you imagine authors coming up with their story ideas? Today's guest author, Lori DeJong just might surprise you with her latest plot. She's introducing her characters, as well as how she thought them up. I was thrilled when asked to join the ladies writing the novella collection for A Match Made at Christmas, when another writer had to bow out due to a scheduling conflict. I’d never written a novella before, but was so excited to dive in. All I needed to do was come up with a synopsis and write the first two chapters for approval by our publisher. Problem was, because I was a late-in-the-game replacement, I had no story and only had a couple of days to come up with one.
When in a time pinch for a story idea, sometimes it's best to just stick with a classic. See how Sarah A. Crouch came up with her idea for her novella in our new collection which releases TOMORROW. I remember reading Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I’d wandered over into the adult section of our tiny public library in Prairie Grove, Arkansas because I’d just about exhausted all of the options in the children’s section. Jane Austen was a name I’d heard before, so I knew her books were supposed to be some of the classics, but I didn’t know if she’d read more like Moby Dick or Tom Sawyer.
After loving Pride and Prejudice, I quickly consumed Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, and Emma. My parents let me watch the 1996 Gwenyth Paltrow Emma at some point, but Clueless was the first time I remember watching a modern adaptation of a classic story (unless you count the PBS show, Wishbone). I’ve since loved all things Jane Austen and Emma stuck with me as the quintessential matchmaking story.
It's that time of year. The time when we wrap things up for 2023 and start looking ahead to what 2024 holds.
I'm going to be honest. 2023 just about wore me out. When I first agreed to four different book releases this year, I wasn't thinking straight. Or wasn't remembering how much time that took on top of everything else I was doing in my life outside of being an author. Needless to say, I'm not ready to do that again for a while. That being said, I'm still going to be releasing books next year. Yay! |
This is a place for me to tell you about what I'm writing, talk about the process or where some of my ideas came from, or even have other authors come in and talk about their books.
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