I met Gail Kittleson when she was researching for her novel Land That I Love, which she set in the Texas Hill Country. We had so much fun as I drove her to the various places mentioned in her book, and she was able to make many contacts for that book's launch. And so, last September, she came again, and we had more fun. :) At each presentation, readers would tell us stories from their parents' and grandparents' eras. Talking as we drove, we thought how much fun it would be to work on a Christmas collection set in various Hill Country towns in various eras of history. We acquired three new members for our team, and 11 months later...voila!
Here's how we summarized our book on the back cover:
"A Hill Country Christmas - Hope for Hardscrabble Times is a collection of 18 holiday stories from every corner of the Texas Hill Country. Five different authors make history come alive in these multi-cultural narratives about life and death, humor and sadness, heartache and romance, the blessings of Christmas and the triumph of the human spirit.
The holiday season isn’t always easy, but these stories are filled with inspiration from Christmas Past and hope for the difficult times we live in today."
That can be an interesting question in Texas! Unlike the Hallmark Christmas Specials, it rarely snows here. Christmas may or may not even be cold. In addition, we have such a unique blend of cultures that families tend to mix and mingle traditions from several heritages. My own family blends the traditions of our Scot, English, German, and Hispanic experiences. Our decorations include plaid accents, German candles on the tree, and a cactus wreath in the courtyard. Most of the Christmas cookies I bake are family recipes from my husband's German side, but on Christmas Eve we always eat tamales to honor the years we lived in the Rio Grande Valley...and a Coastal Boil of shrimp, crab, new potatoes, and corn on the cob just because.
What’s next in writing for you?
Gail returned for a third visit when we launched A Hill Country Christmas on October 1. We've maxed out every available opportunity to visit libraries, historical societies, and book stores during the week-long launch, AND we'll be together again when we lead our Deep in the Heart Indie Writers' Retreat February 27-March 1, 2023. There are plenty of interesting towns and history in the Texas Hill Country! We intend to create a second edition of A Hill Country Christmas for the 2023 holiday season and are considering several series concepts with stories set in the same area.
Don't be afraid to experiment! There's really no such thing as a great writer...just great editors and REwriters. You never know what might work until you try it, and if you aren't sure you like it, you can always try again.
What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?
I've learned SO much about marketing in the last year or two! I'm very glad to have discovered many new ways to help people find a book they'll love.
Any last words or tips?
It really is true that we do best when we "write what we know." No two people have exactly the same history, experiences, or perspectives. That's what makes life interesting...and that's what makes WRITING interesting!
Are there any other books that you’d like to tell my readers about?
In addition to the Discover Texas History curriculum which was my first foray into professional writing, I have two historical fiction novels--More Precious Than Gold and Stronger Than Mountains--set in New Mexico Territory in the tumultuous gold rush during the Reconstruction Era.
That's all for today's interview. I hope you check out these books. Having lived in the Texas Hill Country myself, I can tell you the history is amazing. Though I now live in Florida, I still have tamales at Christmas and enjoy reading stories from this area.
Here's your opportunity to score FREE eBook, Lynn will choose one winner from all those who sign up for her Inner Circle of readers in the next 5 days. Sign up here
More Precious Than Gold by Lynn Dean
Stronger Than Mountains by Lynn Dean
Stronger Than Mountains by Lynn Dean
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