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Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Let's Talk Christmas Books and Traditions: Author Interview with Violet Howe

How did you come up with the idea for your Christmas book?

While attending a writer’s conference last year, the other Soul Sisters authors and I decided we’d like to do a collaborative project together, so we sat and brainstormed ideas for characters, settings, and plot points over dinner. As our idea began to came together, I very much wanted to write the mother’s character as I enjoy writing romance for older characters. 

I knew as we continued to formulate the story ideas that this was a woman who had dedicated her life to serving others, including her foster children. It was time for her to experience love and romance again and put some of her own needs first.

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

It’s been fifteen years since Madeline Kirby adopted four girls and welcomed them into her home for Christmas. The holiday season has always been a special time for the family, and when one of her daughters plans a Christmas Eve wedding at the Cedar Mountain Lodge, Maddie looks forward to spending the week together in joyous celebration.

With the cancellation of the ceremony mere days before the family’s arrival, Maddie insists they must all forge ahead to the lodge to pull together and support the jilted bride. Luckily, love is swirling with the snow in the mountain air, and it seems no one is immune, not even Maddie.

She’d given up on romance when a tragic auto accident took her beloved husband along with her only child the year she adopted the girls, but a chance encounter with a handsome stranger ignites a spark that Maddie can’t ignore. As she tries to convince her daughters that love is a risk worth taking in their own lives, can Maddie be convinced she’s not too old for another chance?

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

Decorating the house with lights, decorating the Christmas trees—one with the kids’ ornaments and colored lights, and the other with all purple, gold, and silver ornaments, and white lights. And stockings! I love having Santa fill stockings for everyone!

What’s next for you?

I have a new series coming out in January—Cedar Creek Suspense. These books will be set in the same fictional town as two of my other series—Cedar Creek Mysteries and Cedar Creek Families.

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

To accept your own writing style and not feel pressured to conform to what works for other people. Some people need to outline on paper; others outline in their heads as they write. Some people need to write every day; others need time to think and process before the words will come. Some people are productive early in the morning; others late at night. There is no one right or wrong way to write. So allow yourself to discover what works for you and embrace that rather than trying to fit into someone else’s mold.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?

I wish I had held onto books in a series until they were all done so I could control the timing of releases better and market for that. I also wish I’d spent more money experimenting with ads and less money taking classes to learn more about ads.

Any last words or tips?

The story you have to tell is a story only you can tell. No one else has your voice or your experiences or your take. So don’t compare yourself to others. Do your thing. Tell your story. And tell it well!

Are there any other books that you’d like to tell my readers about?

I’d love for you to get to know the people of Cedar Creek, the fictional town that is the backdrop for many of my stories. Building Fences, Book 1 in Cedar Creek Families, is a heartwarming romance with a 35 year-old divorced mom as the heroine. She’s searching for her birth mother, but along the way she finds romance and the courage to stand on her own two feet. 

The Ghost in the Curve, Book 1 in Cedar Creek Mysteries, features a heroine who is a former movie scream queen. She comes to Cedar Creek for a weekend retreat, but after meeting a friendly sixteen-year-old ghost who pleads for her help, she ends up sticking around to try and solve the mystery surrounding the ghost’s younger brother. Soon, she finds love as her own life is in danger and her own beliefs are put to the test.

If you'd like to learn more about Violet's books, here are some links for you. 

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/VioletHoweAuthor
Author Website:  https://www.violethowe.com
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/violet-howe       
Newsletter:  http://subscribe.violethowe.com/newsletter1

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/violet_howe
Twitter:
 https://www.twitter.com/Violet_Howe

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