It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: Featuring Anita Heath

How did you come up with the idea for your Christmas book? Could you give a short synopsis on the book for my readers?

A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite Christmas stories, so Project Scrooge is my take on the classic story, but without the ghosts. There are so many existing retellings that it’s hard to come up with original material, but I took up the challenge as a brainteaser. When the perfect idea hit me, I ran away with it. I actually ended up writing the first draft in three days. It’s even written in staves in honor of the original.

My Scrooge, Sandford Stone, is bitter over a failed engagement. Like Scrooge, Sanford has allowed his feelings to grow deep roots until it colors his personality and all of his relationships. In place of the traditional ghosts, Sanford’s friends and family come together to challenge him to a month of Christmas traditions, in the hopes they can bring him out of his bitter prison. While he dreads 31 days of Christmas, spending 31 days with his beautiful ex-best friend proves to be the hardest part.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

I love it all! Christmas is my favorite. I love the quiet moments, late at night when only the Christmas tree lights are on. I love the family meals. I especially love the rare days when Christmas falls on Sunday. There’s something ultra special about being in church those mornings. 

And I love the special traditions we’ve crafted within our family. Like watching Christmas movies at Momma’s the day after Thanksgiving while we eat leftovers. The Christmas tamales!! And serving two different meals every Christmas for my husband, children, and extended family.

What’s next in writing for you? 

I have the 3rd Christmas in Garland novella releasing November 7th. It’s called It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and features a pregnant single woman and a recovering NFL player. It’s a beautiful, inspiring story full of laughter, forgiveness, and a cozy inn at Christmas.

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

“There are 3 rules to writing but no one knows what they are.” That was the first impactful word of advice I came along in my writing, and it’s something that I hold close to. There are so many well-meaning words of advice for new writers, that it can become oppressive. I’m all for learning, but the more you learn, the more you’re going to hear conflicting advice. There are certain things that are simply optional. 

Trends tend to turn into unwritten expectations, that at times ought to be broken … and at times followed. But HOW you write varies from author to author. And while some advice seems to be written in stone, it really isn’t. New authors need to learn when to turn a deaf ear to advice and just go do the thing that drives them.

It doesn’t really matter if you write in the morning or at night. By hand, on your phone, or in a writing program. If you edit while you write or don’t edit until you reach the end. Those examples are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “best” practices. The key is to test several things out and determine what works best for you. Don’t get caught up, trying to write like the experts, because the experts can’t even agree on how to do it.

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

Writing for publication takes a LONG time. Every book seems to take longer than we think it should, but the first book in particular will always take years longer. There isn’t a set timeline and it does differ from author to author. But a mistake many authors make is rushing their first book or being discouraged when it takes longer than expected. 

Quality work SHOULD take time. And a debut author just doesn't know how much they don’t know until they’re confronted with it. But this is normal. And it should encourage you to know that. Every publication after your first will build on your knowledge so it’ll get easier. But don’t rush the first one, and don’t be discouraged when it takes longer than you expected.


Any last words or tips?

Goals are nice to shoot for but don’t let your goals control you or determine your worth based on whether or not you can meet them. There are a lot of things out of your control. I think so many authors discourage themselves by setting up unrealistic expectations and forcing themselves to live up to them. I know I’ve been guilty.

The Lord is constantly teaching me to remain flexible. There are areas where I should work harder on maintaining priorities and striving for goals, but there are areas where I don’t need to force it but accept my abilities during that season.

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

I love to write edifying Christian romances. It’s important to me that I not only entertain my readers but I also feed their souls. I write over a wide range of settings. So far that includes the American Civil War, time travel to the 1880s, the Great Depression, 1950s, 1980s, and of course the present day.

One of my most popular series is The Art of Love. These stories take place in the 1950s and contain powerful love stories. Dance With Me is my personal favorite about rival ballroom dancers partnering together for a televised competition. But Painted Memories is equally powerful and was a 2022 Selah Finalist. It’s about a soldier with amnesia and his former fiancée who thinks he’s dead.

That's all for today's interview. Anita has a dozen books for you to look over and if you sign up for her newsletter, you'll get 2 FREE stories to read and one is a Christmas theme.

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dDbVNz
Website: https://christianauthoramheath.net/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/A-M-Heath/e/B00MQD5DX8