An Interview Revisited with Romance Writer Teri Wilson

Teri Wilson's life should be a Hallmark movie. She started writing for Harlequin's Love Inspired Imprint and her stories touched the hearts of many readers. Soon The Hallmark Channel came calling and asking to make her stories into movies.

Here are the movies that started as her stories...

UNLEASHING MR. DARCY, MARRYING MR. DARCY, and THE ART OF US. If you're a Hallmark fan, you've probably seen this year's release of NORTHERN LIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS, based on her book SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS. She even had a walk-on part in the movie!  So, now let’s walk back in time to that earlier interview…

How did you come up with the idea of your Christmas romance?

SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS is a Christmas romance about a woman who unexpectedly inherits a struggling reindeer farm that comes complete with three dozen unruly reindeer and one handsome, brooding ranch hand. I first got the idea for this book when I was watching the Westminster Kennel Club dog show on television and saw a dog that had been bred for herding reindeer. I'd already written two books set in Alaska and really wanted to write a Christmas-themed story set there. When I saw that dog on television, the rest of the plot just came to me. 

Could you give me a short synopsis on the story for my readers?

Owning her own plane is all charter pilot Zoey Hathaway's ever dreamed of. So when she inherits a struggling reindeer farm, with three dozen unruly reindeer and one dangerously attractive ranch hand, Zoey's well-crafted plans seem to fly out the window. Now she must put her trust in Alec Wynn and hope that the troubled cowboy's past won't interfere with her plans to save the farm. Zoey knows that if she wants to succeed, she can't do everything on her own. But as she accepts Alec's help, she'll soon realize it's not just her farm that's at stake—but her heart.

You've had one book that became a Hallmark Movie (Unleashing Mr. Darcy) and I understand this book is also in the process of becoming a movie. Could you give me the details about that?

The book has been optioned for film by the Hallmark Channel and is currently in pre-production. The script has been written, and filming should start soon. The movie will most likely air on Hallmark during the 2017 holiday season. (yes, it did debut that time!)

What made you decide to do a Christmas themed book?
SLEIGH BELL SWEETHEARTS is part of my Alaska series for Harlequin Love Inspired. As soon as I started writing books set in Alaska, I wanted to write a Christmas story set there because it's just the perfect setting for a holiday story. Alaska looks like a gorgeous Christmas card all year round. 

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

I love to go see the living nativity scene at our church, and going to the candlelight service on Christmas Eve is also a family tradition. Afterward, we come back home to eat chips and queso and open Christmas gifts. On Christmas Day, my family always goes to see a movie together. I'm a huge fan of Christmas movies. My favorite is It's a Wonderful Life. Every year I watch it while I bake a batch of cookies during the weeks leading up to Christmas.

 What's the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?

Write every day whether you feel like it or not. It's important to develop the habit of writing. Once you start, the inspiration will come. If you wait to feel inspired before you start writing, you will never finish anything.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?
Every writing career has ups and downs, but you will have countless opportunities to reinvent yourself. If you love writing, don't give up. 

That's all for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Teri's current books and upcoming projects, here are some options for you.

Website: www.teriwilson.net

Twitter: @teriwilsonauthr

Amazon:  https://amzn.to/2A5rOMs