Author Interview: Faith Potts {12 Days of Christmas}

Today, Christmas Eve, is our last author interview!  For our interviewee today we have the hostess of the 12 Days of Christmas blog party herself, Faith Potts!  Faith released her first Christmas book, Behold, this month.

About Faith:

Saved by God's grace, Faith Potts is a teenage writer and homeschool graduate, living with her family and beloved yellow labs in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not weaving stories, consuming large amounts of coffee, reading stacks of books, or studying American Sign Language, she can be found laughing harder than is healthy, daydreaming, and—of course—blowing dandelions.

Website: https://faithpottsauthor.weebly.com/ 

Blog: http://fireflysstoryspace.blogspot.com 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/faithpottsauthor 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/FaithPotts 

What inspired you to write a Christmas story?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved Christmas stories and what they represent. This is my favorite time of year, and I adore seeing that displayed in words. No matter the plot, trope, genre, or particular themes, I’ve loved nearly every Christmas story I’ve read—and they say writers write what they want to read. ;)

What inspired you to write Behold?

Being a short story collection, I wrote the stories inside Behold at different times and was motivated in various ways. Most of the stories were inspired by images, random thoughts, or Christmas miracles. And one of the stories, being a continuation of one of my other published works, was inspired by readers of that novella requesting more. 

A collection of short stories honoring the birth of the Savior

From two siblings caught up in the harrowing days of World War II to separated foster children in the US…

From a memorable road trip across the Southeast to the reunion of a war-torn family... 

You’ll be swept into the Christmas spirit with the endearing stories tucked inside these pages. The storylines range from family to romance to the bond of community, with settings scattered across America and beyond.

Behold the beauty of the Savior’s birth with this gathering of stories that warm the soul and bless the heart. 

What aspect of Christmas is your favorite to write about?

The hope, the love, the joy. Except for the occasional Scrooge, people are so much more generous, loving, and hopeful during the Christmas season. To me, it’s a peek into what the world would be like if we all truly appreciated the Savior who died for us and sought to faithfully serve Him—all year round. 

Did you write your Christmas book during the Christmas season, or all year round?

Behold is a collection of short stories, most of which were written during the Christmas season. One of the stories, however, was written during this past summer/fall. Getting into a snowy mood while it was nearly 80 degrees was tricky. ;)

What is one aspect in your book that you have a personal connection with?

As I already said, I love Christmastime and everything that comes along with the season. Several characters throughout Behold are journeying home for the holidays. Whether it’s a literal jaunt or a passage they don’t even realize they’re on at the time, the search to find where you truly belong at this time of year is special to me. 

What is one thing that you want all your readers to get out of your Christmas book?

To remember to behold. I doesn’t really matter if you don’t get the gift you think you just have to have, if you don’t sip hot cocoa or take a sleigh ride or have a white Christmas, if your tree isn’t perfect or your family photo looks like it should belong in a “caption this” contest. What matters at Christmas—and the rest of the year—is that we remember to stay in awe of the One who created us and withholds no good gift from those who love Him. 

Thank you for taking time to do this, Faith!

Visit her blog for the rest of participants:

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Author Interview: Ryana Miller {12 Days of Christmas}

Day 9 of 12 is here already; Christmas is nearly here.  I hope everyone is enjoying their celebration preparations, whether it be decorating, cooking, or snitching the food.

Today we have another special guest—Ryana Miller!  Ryana has published one Christmas story, Coffee Shop Christmas.  Before we get into the interview, let's take a look at her bio:

Hey! I'm Ryana Lynn Miller and I'm  from Central North Carolina! I am currently the oldest at home, being third in line out of seven kids. I am an Independent Fundamental Baptist and staunchly Pro-Life.

When I'm not writing Historical Fiction or a Christmas Novella about First Responders,  I might be found making cards, researching Creation Science, singing with my siblings, learning about web design (I must stress the learning part!) and spending time outdoors. I also teach history in my family's Homeschool and I help in our family's ministry, representing fbnradio.com. (Please check out our site!)

I graduated from homeschool in 2013. I knew that I wanted to be an author, but I had no idea how much work was involved! My first novel was published in 2015/2016 (Printing around Christmas and New Years is not a good idea!) four years after I wrote the first draft.

You can visit Ryana's website and find her blog at lifeofheritage.com.

What inspired you to write a Christmas story?

Actually, two authors inspired my desire to write a Christmas story, Sarah Maxwell of Titus2.com and Victoria Minks of www.victoriaminks.com. Both had written Christmas stories that I loved and I realized, there really aren't enough good Christmas stories out there. I decided to "join the club."

What inspired you to write Coffee Shop Christmas?
Long story on this one. I found an article on how to write an outline for a novella and wanted to give it a try. Not long before, I had read a story by Victoria set in a Coffee Shop and I loved the setting. I thought it would make a cozy scene for a Christmas story, so I went with that. The outline was vague, but fun, I'd never done anything like that before. I threw a small police line in the story as as nod to my heroes. ;) Then I put it all away and forgot about it. That was fall 2015.

In the summer 2016, after all the negative media coverage began towards our law enforcement, I pulled out my outline and read it. I knew the time was right. After rewriting my plot, and adding a lot more police involvement, I sat down and drafted it.

While for some, Christmas is a time of pleasant memories, for others, it is a reminder of past tragedies. Police widow Katherine Shannon is one such person. Since the death of her husband a year ago, she has made ends meet running a coffee shop across from the town police station. But as time goes on, she’s questioning whether she should keep the shop open or if maybe God has something else in mind for her.

Can a cup of coffee really make a difference in this world? Can a coffee shop be used for God’s glory? Can God use burnt cookies and salted caramel lattés to open a door for Christian service? Or an overheard conversation to touch a heart? (Mark 9:41)

Through a series of God orchestrated events, she will find her answer. Come along and join Katherine as she finds God’s will for her life. Once you visit The Coffee Shop, you’ll never be the same.

What aspect of Christmas is your favorite to write about?

Hmmm...for this story, I loved creating the setting. To me, Christmas smells and feels a certain way or it just ain't right,lol! But telling the Christmas story was probably the best part. I have my protagonist telling the story of Christmas and Easter to a writer, so playing with the writer's mind's eye was fun, describing the smells, sights and feels as she thought it would be. As a writer, it was easy to do, haha!

Did you write your Christmas book during the Christmas season, or all year round?

No, I actually wrote the story in October, edited it in November, and set it aside again.

What is one aspect in your book that you have a personal connection with?
Good question. There are a few scattered through my story. The policeman in a wreck it's based on a neighbor of mine growing up who wrapped his patrol car around around tree. Thank God he survived, though he was badly injured.  Another is the book references in the story :^) and a reference to a grandpa fighting in WWII. My Great-grandfather served in the army during that war, so that was a nod to him, even though the only similarity he has to the story is the fact that he served :^)

I don't know if this counts, but this book really taught me a lot about how much my police force means to me. It drew me to find out more about them and realize how much they sacrifice for us. Of all my books, this one is has my heart.

What is one thing you want all your readers to get out of your Christmas book?
I'm gonna cheat and give you two;^)

First, I want people to look for opportunities to do work for Christ. Whether it's witnessing or encouraging someone, there is work to do if you'll look for it.

Second, respect your policeman. They are people just like me and you and they volunteer for all the stress that goes with the job to protect and serve...even if you don't like them. They are True heroes and need our prayers.

Shout out to Chief Hicks, Officer Allen and the Denton Police Department!  You are heroes! Thank you for your service! 

Thank you for joining us today, Ryana!

Tomorrow we have some Christmas music to help you write your Christmas WIP.

Check out Faith's blog for the rest of the participators, as well as the giveaway!

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Author Interview: Sarah Holman {12 Days of Christmas}

Christmas is drawing nearer and nearer!  And as the day looms closer, I'm here with another author interview—this time with the talented Sarah Holman!  Sarah has written two Christmas stories, Distorted Glass and For My Good.

About Sarah:

Sarah Holman is a not so typical mid-twenties girl: A homeschool graduate, sister to six awesome siblings, and author of many published books and short stories. If there is anything adventuresome about her life, it is because she serves a God with a destiny bigger than anything she could have imagined.

You can connect with her at her website, The Destiny of One.

What inspired you to write Christmas stories?

I love the season and I love Christmas stories. While I like a fluffy Christmas story as much as anyone, I know that Christmas can be a hard time for people. I wanted to write Christmas stories that gave hope to people who were hurting.  

Which of your Christmas books is your favorite, and why?

That's hard to choose. However, I suppose "For My Good," because I enjoyed the action and I loved showing something I've learned from my one life: God uses hard things for our good. Christmas can come with the expectation of all things working out perfectly. Sometimes, we need reminders when things don't go right, God still has gifts for us.

It is Christmas time, but nothing is like it is supposed to be. Can a chance encounter help Janet to find joy and meaning despite her pain?

What inspired you to write For My Good?

I knew young people whose parents had divorced. I was thinking about it one day and started writing. This story came out. 

What aspect of Christmas is your favorite to write about?

I love all the decorations and songs I get to include. It's so much fun to decorate my books, so to speak. It's also great because it's easy for readers to picture it in their mind.

Did you write both of your Christmas books during the Christmas season, or all year round?

I normally start writing them in the summer. It's pretty funny to be writing about cold weather and Christmas when Texas is hitting between 90 and 100 degrees, but that's often how it works. 

What is one thing that you want all your readers to get out of your Christmas books?

That we serve a God of hope. He came as a baby, in the middle of a chaotic time, to offer us hope for the future.

Thank you for joining us, Sarah!
I'll be back tomorrow with twenty Christmas story prompts!

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Author Interview: Faith Blum {12 Days of Christmas}

We're five days into the Christmas blog party, can you believe it?  Today we have another author interview, this time with Faith Blum!  Faith just published her first Christmas book this month titled O Come, All Ye Faithful, a collection of Christmas short stories.

About Faith:

Faith Blum is a small-town Wisconsin girl. She’s lived in, or outside of, small towns her whole life. The thought of living in a city with more than 60,000 people in it scares her, especially after some interesting adventures driving through big cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Faith currently resides in the middle of the state of Wisconsin with her husband and their cat, Smokey. She is blessed to be able to have writing as her full-time career with household work and cooking to do on the side. She loves to paint walls as long as she doesn’t have to do hallways or ceilings.

When not writing, you can find her cooking food from scratch due to food allergies (fun), doing dishes (meh), knitting, crocheting, sewing, reading, or spending time with her husband (yay!). She is also a Community Assistant for the Young Writers Workshop and loves her work there. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to contact her on her website.

You can also find Faith on Facebook and her blog.

What inspired you to write a Christmas story?

My mom, actually. She mentioned that I hadn’t written any Christmas stories and asked if I would consider it. So I did. :)

What inspired you to write O Come, All Ye Faithful?

For that specific story in this collection, I was planning to start writing in the WWI era and had always been fascinated by the story of Christmas 1914 on the Western Front, so I decided to write it.

O Come All Ye Faithful 

Edwin wanted to be home, but instead he crouched in a trench. The English on one side of No Man’s Land and Germans on the other. What a way to spend Christmas. Could anything make it better? 

Peace on Earth

Emmie and Elana are estranged sisters, torn apart by an old boyfriend five years earlier. Will they survive a night in the same hotel room after a blizzard forces them together or will peace on earth go out the window? 

Silent Night

Christmas decorating had never gone this wrong. Jenna had just started when a crazy, gun-waving woman, walks right in the front door and ties her up in her own Christmas lights. Will Jenna even see her family this Christmas? 

The Gift Goes On

Four friends and a year to reflect on. The year had been good for Carlotta, but Priscilla, Remus, and Newton all had at least one trial through the year. A mysterious giver the previous year had helped them all out, though. What would this year’s gifts bring? 

O Christmas Tree

Gareth loves Christmas. But more than that, he loves Christmas tree hunting. As the family prepares for their annual trip, Gareth can barely contain his excitement. But what are all the spray bottles for?

What aspect of Christmas is your favorite to write about?

The preparation probably since almost all of these stories are about preparing for Christmas.

Did you write your Christmas book during the Christmas season, or all year round?

I wrote these stories in June and July, so not unless Christmas in July counts, I didn’t write it in the Christmas season at all.

What is one aspect in your book that you have a personal connection with?

In the last book of the series, Garrett is based off of my two youngest siblings and the cat is also inspired by somewhat true events. 

What is one thing that you want all your readers to get out of your Christmas book?

Christmas is a time for hope, no matter what the situation.

Thank you so much for joining us, Faith!
I'll be back tomorrow with some gorgeous Christmas covers.
Don't forget to visit Faith P.'s blog!

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Author Interview: Rebekah Morris {12 Days of Christmas}

Welcome to day three of the 12 Days of Christmas party!  Today we have another guest that has graciously agreed to an interview, Rebekah Morris!  Rebekah is a talented author that has published a good many Christmas stories.

About Rebekah:

Rebekah A. Morris ia a homeschool graduate, an enthusiastic freelance author and a passionate writing teacher. Her books include, among others, Home Fires of the Great War, The Unexpected Request, Gift from the Storm, the Christmas Collection series, and her best selling Triple Creek Ranch series. Some of her favorite pastimes, when she isn’t writing, include reading, playing with her seven nieces and nephews, and coming up with dramatic and original things to do. (Sometimes with the nieces and nephews!) The Show-Me state is where she calls home. 

You can find Rebekah on her blog, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

What inspired you to write Christmas stories?

Christmas! I love Christmas and all that goes with it. One of my favorite things though, was listening to my mom read a few Christmas stories to us each year. Over the years we discovered a few more good Christmas stories, and then I decided to try my hand at writing one. My first story was: Unto Him (Published for the first time this month.) From that time on, I’ve written some sort of Christmas story every year. 

Which of your Christmas books is your favorite, and why?

Oh, that’s hard. I honestly don’t know. It would be a toss-up between “At the Christmas Lodge” (because I want to do everything they did), “First Christmas in America” (because it’s based on a true story), and “His Law Is Love” (because I’ve never set a Christmas story in AZ nor with those circumstances).

And speaking of His Law is Love, it also was just published this month!

Will hate and fear drown the song of Christmas love?

Amelia is eagerly anticipating her first Christmas in the west, but she soon finds that her brother-in-law's worry and her sister's exhaustion reach far deeper than the cares of a ranch and a family. A rash of fires and cattle thefts is plaguing the area, and the three young orphans they've sheltered are under suspicion from their prejudiced neighbors.

As hostilities mount, Amelia seizes every opportunity to help and encourage, but how much can one girl do? Will Reverend Brown win the community over to the true spirit of love? And will help arrive before everything they hold dear is destroyed?

What inspired you to write those books?

“At the Christmas Lodge” was inspired by the family get-togethers we used to have with my mom’s side of the family, only we never got that much snow! “First Christmas in America” came about after reading a story submitted by a Reminisce Magazine reader about their first Christmas in America. It brought tears to my eyes, and I knew I wanted to turn it into a story people could read every Christmas. “His Law Is Love” came about after watching some episodes of “26 Men” about the Arizona Rangers. My mind started spinning with ideas and then this Christmas story hopped out, and I had to write it.

What aspect of Christmas is your favorite to write about?

The joy of family, the true peace on earth, and memories each person creates.

Did you write all of your Christmas books during the Christmas season, or all year round?

Mostly I write them in November and December. Once January hits, I’m pretty much done with Christmas stories. :) I’ll even set aside an unfinished story until next season. If I’m publishing them before Christmas, I’ll usually have to edit them and stuff before November even arrives and that’s tough. :)

What is one thing that you want all your readers to get out of your Christmas books?

That Christmas is not toys, games, cookies, and “me time.” It’s about serving others, about family, about the wonderful Love sent to a word of sin. Yes, there is time for laughter (just read “A Christmas Disaster”), there’s also time to reflect on what has become important to you (read “The Christmas She Wanted”) but not everyone is happy at Christmas time (as is shown in “Christmas Smiles”). It all comes back to the real reason for Christmas: Christ came to earth to suffer for our sins that we might be reconciled to God. I hope each reader of my stories is reminded of that wonderful event.

Thank you so much for being our guest, Rebekah!

To our readers: come back tomorrow for a post full of tips about writing a Christmas story!
Again, don't forget to visit Faith's blog for the links to all the other participators!

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Author Interview: Kellyn Roth {12 Days of Christmas}

Welcome to day one of the 12 Days of Christmas blog party, hosted by Faith Potts!  The next week and a half will be full of author interviews and other fun bookishness as we count down the final days to Christmas.  Today, as our first guest, author Kellyn Roth has graciously agreed to be interviewed!

About Kellyn:

Kell is a Christian & Historical author from North-Eastern Oregon who has independently published multiple novels, the most notable being The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy.

She founded the company Reveries Co. to help Indie authors achieve excellence affordably and without delay. Kellyn teaches writing through the Young Writer’s Workshop as well as privately.

She lives in the country outside a small town in North-Eastern Oregon with her parents, two little brothers, conceited beta fish, arbitrary cats, precious border collies, and various cows and chickens.

You can find Kellyn at her blog/website, Reveries.

Kellyn has published one Christmas story (with another soon to be published!), Esther Ashton's New Dress.  On to the interview!

What inspired you to write a Christmas story?

To tell you the truth, it was just the desire to write something about the "most wonderful time of the year." I love Christmas, and I'd always wanted to write about it - so that was my experiment. It turned out being fun!

What inspired you to write Esther Ashton's New Dress?

Well, mostly my love of WWII fiction. I love the "Gift of the Magi," but I didn't quite want to retell it; still, I'm told it sort of resembles that classic tale, which was fun!

Recently-orphaned Esther Ashton doesn’t expect much from Christmas with her brother away fighting in the South Pacific, her sister-in-law hospitalized with a new baby, and her job at the department store providing little to no profit. Will Esther have any sort of a Christmas or will it be another dud?

Esther Ashton’s New Dress, a Christmas short story, is sure to delight any fan of Christmas, the 1940s, and brevity.

What aspect of Christmas is your favorite to write about?

Definitely family gathering together to celebrate!

Did you write your Christmas book during the Christmas season, or all year round?

In the case of "Esther Ashton's New Dress," I wrote it in December. My other Christmas story, "Kind" (coming on the 22nd of December), was started during October and finished in November!

What is one aspect in your book that you have a personal connection with?

Does loving tiny babies count? I just loved talking about the wee baby in Esther Ashton's New Dress. So sweet! There aren't enough babies in my family - they've all grown up - so I'm waiting impatiently until my brothers get old enough to marry and have families of their own. :P (I'm told kidnapping is illegal, even if it's just for snuggles and even if the baby is a friend's. ;) )

What is one thing that you want all your readers to get out of your Christmas book?

Even if your Christmas isn't idyllic - for instance, there's a war going on or you're stationed in Germany with no hope of coming home - you can still find joy: in your loved ones, in helping others, or simply in the knowledge that Jesus Christ has come to the world to save us!

Thank you for joining us, Kellyn!

You can all join us tomorrow for a post full of ideas of Christmas gifts for writers.

For now, visit Faith's blog for the links to the rest of the participating blogs, as well as a giveaway!

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