It's beginning to read a lot like Christmas 2025: Author Interview with Dineen Miller

What made you decide to write a Christmas themed book? Could you give a short synopsis on the book for my readers?
The very first one I wrote—The Holiday Arrangement—was my first foray into romantic comedy. I’d written romantic suspense up to that point and needed a change. A mentor suggested I write something fun, and it was nearing the holidays, so I dove in and discovered I loved writing romantic comedy! I wound up writing two more short novels in the Seashells and Sunsets series, before switching to first person POV and starting a new series, Messy Love on Mango Lane. A Very Messy Christmas is part of that series.

The Holiday Arrangement: She needs a break from matchmaking—he’s sworn off blind dates. Will their holiday ruse bring more than just Christmas cheer? The Holiday Arrangement is a heartwarming romcom filled with festive fun and laugh-out-loud moments that will leave you believing in love and holiday magic.

A Very Messy Christmas: I’m great at organizing Christmas. Falling for the chef? That wasn’t on my list. A Very Messy Christmas is a special holiday standalone novella in the Messy Love on Mango Lane romantic comedy series. If you like opposites attract, witty dialogue and the magic of the season, then you’ll adore Dineen Miller’s sweet treat.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
When my girls were little, I designed a quilted advent calendar to count down the days until Christmas. I remembered my mother doing something similar with me when I was little and wanted to do the same for my daughters, who were both born in December (no, I did not plan that). Each pocket holds an ornament and a chocolate kiss, and the day of their births have their name on them. I still hang it up every year, even though they’re grown and my oldest lives in another state. But my grandson just turned one in September, so I can’t wait to continue this tradition with him.

What’s next in writing for you? 

I'm currently working on the third book in my sweet hockey romcom series, Romancing the Sun Kings. I’m excited to finish this story about the team's goalie, Wade, and his long time best friend, Bree, who he’s been secretly in love with most of his life. I’m an avid hockey fan and love watching it. So this series has been super fun for me.

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

Read in the genre you’re writing. I balked at this for a while, which turned out to be the final signal that I needed to switch genres because I didn’t want to read romantic suspense anymore. Now I devour two to three romcoms a week and find it so inspiring. It keeps me in the tone of the genre and is so much fun!

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

That your career and who you are as an author can be anything you want. There are tons of courses, groups, programs, etc. designed to tell us how to write, sell, and market, which is all good. But we can’t do it all without risking burnout. For me, realizing that my career can look any way I want helped me quit comparing my journey to those of other authors. That was a huge help for me.

Any last words or tips?

For authors, your best and most powerful tool is your newsletter. I've refined mine to bring my readers the best content, to grow my readership, and to build an ARC team. I’m very grateful for their encouragement and support. And I always love hearing from my readers. I’ve made some wonderful new friends in the process.

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

In the Offensive Zone with My Fake Bride released in May. I had so much fun creating a hockey player who was also secret royalty—Payton Maxwell, 3rd. There’s an unexpected development with is family back in England that requires him to have a bodyguard. He agrees, but only if the person is a female and can pose as his new wife. He didn’t think his family would go for it, but they do and he falls hard for Lily. She’s my bodyguard. My fake wife. And the one woman I can’t resist.

That's all for today's interview. To learn more about Dineen's books, use these links. 
Website: https://crewfiction.com/dineen-miller
Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/338189318445452
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordineenmiller/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authordineenmiller

And here's special tip for my readers... Sign up for her newsletter and get a free eBook story: https://subscribepage.io/iJNUnC

It's Beginning to Read a Lot Like Christmas 2025: Author Interview with Karen Liszewski

What made you decide to write a Christmas themed book? Could you give a short synopsis on the book for my readers?

To be honest, Christmas is my favorite time of the year and I just love the feelings of joy, love, and miracles that the season brings. I am someone who is a mood reader and love devouring Christmas books during the holiday season so I decided to write my own.

Second Chances in Winterberry is the second book in my Winterberry series and it follows Sally and Dominick who both live in the small town of Winterberry, VT. They dated in high school before Dominick broke her heart and when he moves back to town, he does whatever he can to get back on her good side. When he joins the Winter Festival committee to get closer to her, she begins to see a different side of him and her walls start to come down. What happens during the Christmas season is finding love, having a second chance, and learning what’s really important in life.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
Right after Thanksgiving, my husband gets the Christmas decorations down then goes to Chick Fil A for dinner while my daughter and I begin to decorate. Then when he gets home, we put on "Elf" and decorate the tree together. It’s my favorite tradition!

What’s next in writing for you? 
I have one more book in the Winterberry series, another Christmas book, coming out in 2026 and then a standalone after that which I am very excited about!

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

One of the best tips I ever received was to write every day. Even if it’s only 10 words, sit down and write. Another piece of advice that I always go back to is to write what you love!

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

I wish I had known how much editing went into publishing a book! (I agree!)

Any last words or tips?

For any aspiring authors, my tip is just to start. Don’t wait until the perfect moment or the perfect story. If you want to be an author and you have a story in your head, then go for it!

That's all for today's interview. To learn more about Karen's books, use these links. 
https://www.facebook.com/karenliszewskiauthor
https://www.instagram.com/authorkarenliszewski/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Karen-Liszewski/author/B0CLT5KMWW

And here's a special bonus for my readers... Here are two eBooks that are currently available as freebies - but only for a short time. Read their book blurbs and see it they're a fit for you. 

Taylor Hart - https://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-Christmas-Arrangement-Billionaire-ebook/dp/B0DF3YSGLN/

Melody Grace - https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Sweetbriar-Cove-Holiday-Collection-ebook/dp/B0CL7ZZK5X

It's Beginning to Read a Lot Like Christmas 2025: Author Interview with Cathe Swanson

What made you decide to write a Christmas themed book?

Every year, I write a book for the Christmas Lights Collection, so I have quite a few Christmas books. For the past three years, I have written books set in Golden Valley, Montana: Hashtag Hitched at Christmas, A Gold-Fashioned Christmas, and A Christmas Glow-Up. This year’s collection, Lovelight Gleams, is our 10th annual collection!

Could you give a short synopsis on the book for my readers?
When social media influencer Lindy Sutton loses her job in Seattle, the last place she expects to land is Golden Valley, Montana—population 500 and shrinking fast. Her great-aunt Clara has recruited her to promote a brand-new conference center as the ultimate destination wedding venue, complete with ghost town backdrops and Rocky Mountain sunsets. It's a quirky gig with a tight deadline: document a New Year's Eve wedding that will save a dying town. But between the bride's questionable choice in grooms, a banana-yellow rental car that won't go uphill, and a frustratingly handsome sheriff who keeps pulling her over, Lindy's Montana adventure is nothing like her carefully curated Instagram feed.

Sheriff Wyatt West has his hands full keeping the peace in Gold River County, especially with his father waging a one-man war against the very conference center that represents the town's last hope for survival. The last thing Wyatt needs is a glamorous city girl with a ring light and a sports car disrupting his orderly world. Yet somehow Lindy's enthusiasm is contagious, her laughter is irresistible, and those sunset-amber eyes make him forget every reason he should keep his distance. When vandalism threatens the town's dreams and family secrets come to light, Wyatt must choose between loyalty to his father and his growing feelings for a woman who might not stay past New Year's.

As Christmas approaches and wedding plans unravel, Lindy discovers that Golden Valley isn't just a backdrop for her videos—it's becoming home. But can a small-town sheriff and a big-city influencer find common ground when their worlds are hashtag-incompatible? In a season of hope and second chances, two hearts will learn that the best gifts can't be wrapped, the truest love stories aren't scripted, and sometimes God's greatest blessings come in the most unexpected packages.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
I love to decorate my home for Christmas with things that are special to me -- family heirloom decorations and many that are handmade by me or friends and family. I have a lot of framed photos from family Christmas celebrations over the past fifty or sixty years, and I hang them up only at Christmastime, covering most of one wall. They get packed away after the holiday, so it’s fun to see them “fresh” each Christmas. The grandchildren enjoy seeing the pictures of their parents and grandparents celebrating Christmas as children.

What’s next in writing for you?
I’m currently working on a series set in the late 1960s to early 1970s. My generation experienced dramatic political, cultural, economic, and spiritual changes in our lifetime! These books will have some romance, but they are primarily mystery/suspense. And Jesus People!

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given you’d like to share?
Maintain a “series bible” with all the details for each book, to stay consistent. Otherwise, I forget things from one book to the next. I recently had a man inherit property from an aunt he’d never met, because he was her only living relative. But I had initially introduced him as having parents and siblings! (Younger authors might not have this problem.😉)

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?
Prepare to treat it like a business from the start, with separate bank and Amazon accounts. Track expenses and income closely and learn to read the data, making practical decisions based on accurate information. And keep up to date on it all year, to make tax returns less stressful.

Any last words or tips?
Write at your own “spiritual comfort level” for each story. Don’t downplay the Christianity because you’re afraid you might turn people off, and don’t try to shoehorn religion into a story just because you want to write Christian fiction. Keep it natural. My books tend to be heavy in Christian content because they are usually set in Christian ministries and communities. Scripture is quoted. Sermons are discussed. Prayer is offered aloud. The books that are set in more secular environments still have Christian characters, and they behave like Christians (you know… sinners saved by grace!), but the stories are less “saturated” in daily Christian life.

What’s your newest release that you’d like to tell my readers about?
Don’t miss this year’s Christmas Lights Collection: Lovelight Gleams

It includes contemporary Christian romance novels from Chautona Havig, Jaycee Weaver, Laina Turner, and me, Cathe Swanson!

That's all for today's interview. I love the plot for Cathe's latest Christmas book. It's a fresh and creative idea. Hope you like it, too. Here are some links to find out about this books and all the others Cathe has written. 

https://catheswanson.com/books/
https://www.facebook.com/CatheSwanson/

And here's a bonus for my readers... Get a free eBook copy of Potato Flake Christmas by signing up for her newsletter. Just click on the link below. I did it and I'm looking forward to reading this story! https://catheswanson.com/newsletter/