Celebrating Christmas Books Featuring Jill Kemerer

Today's featured author is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, emotional, small-town romance novels often featuring cowboys. She is a multi-published author of Christian romance novels with Harlequin Love Inspired with over half a million of her books have sold worldwide. Now, let's get some more details about her books.

How did you come up with the idea for your Christmas book? 
I was taking a walk one day and the Bible story about the prodigal son popped into my head. I started wondering what this story would look like in today’s world. Before long, I had a hero who was orphaned at a critical time in his life and who then lost his inheritance through unhappy circumstances.

Once I had Sawyer figured out, I turned to the heroine. I realized Tess was a single mom taking care of her terminally ill father, and she’s struggling when the story opens. These two hurt people are forced to overcome their trust issues, and what better time to do that than at Christmas?

Sounds like a good basis for a storyline. Could you give a short synopsis on the book for my readers?
Here is the back blurb of The Prodigal’s Holiday Hope.

When Sawyer Roth is hired to work on his childhood ranch, he knows he has a damaged reputation to repair. Tess Malone, the new ranch owner’s daughter, is the hardest to win over. But as Christmas approaches, Tess and her toddler son find a way into Sawyer’s heart. He lost everything the last time he put his trust in love. Can he risk it all again?

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
I love going to church on Christmas Eve with my husband and kids. After the service, we go home and have special snacks while we play games. Sometimes, we attempt a family photo, too! Later in the week, we’ll celebrate Christmas with both extended families. It’s always great to see everyone.

What’s next in books for you?
Book two in the Wyoming Ranchers series, A Cowboy to Rely On, releases on December 28, 2021. I’m excited about this series! The second book follows Jet Mayer as he’s confronted with some shocking secrets his youngest brother hid from him before he died.

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given you’d like to share?
Always address the emotional side of the story. An exciting plot can fall flat if there isn’t any emotion behind it. It’s not enough for a house to burn down. We need to convey how the house burning down affects the characters.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?
Everything? Haha! No, seriously, I think the mental game can be really tough. It’s difficult to wait to hear from agents and editors. Rejections are always depressing. Or if you decide to self-publish, it’s hard to get your book to stand out and get sales. I doubt myself often, and I struggle with envy at times. But I’m doing what I love, and I am thankful every day for the blessing of this career.

Any last words or tips?
Yes, I want to encourage all the aspiring writers out there. Your journey might be easy or it might be excruciating, but it’s worth the effort. Write your stories! If you don’t, who will?

Are there any other books that you’d like to tell my readers about?
If you’re interested in my backlist, please go to my website. I write a Christmas story every year, so there are several Christmas romance novels in my backlist. 

Thanks for that info. I love reading Christmas stories and I know I'm not alone. So, if you'd like to learn more about Jill's books, here are some links to get you started

Website: https://jillkemerer.com/books/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jill.kemerer

Amazon: https://jillkemerer.com/books/

In Love with Small Towns: Author Interview with Jill Kemerer

When did you decided to write your first novel?

I was just out of high school and frustrated by a book I’d just read, so I decided I would write my own book! It ended at page twenty-two. Needless to say, I realized there was more to writing a book than deciding I could! The writing bug bit me, though, and I started writing full time years later when I had my first child.

 

Why did you choose to write contemporary romance? Who are some of your favorite contemporary romance writers? 

I love reading contemporary romance, and it seemed a natural fit. I have so many favorite authors! I’ve been reading a lot of Christian contemporary romance lately. Becky Wade, Beth Vogt, Carla Laureano, Mellissa Tagg, Denise Hunter and Rachel Hauck have released terrific books in the last year or two. I’m a huge fan of Love Inspired, also. Jill Lynn, Allie Pleiter, Gail Gaymer Martin, Missy Tippens, Tina Radcliffe and Brenda Minton are all must buys!

 

How long did it take you to write the first book? How many rewrites did you do on it? Who helped you with the editing? 

I wrote my first full length novel eight years ago. I didn’t know much about revising, so I did very little. Small-Town Bachelor, my debut novel, was actually the thirteenth book I’d written. I did extensive rewrites!

 

Both your novels are published with Harlequin’s Love Inspired Line. How many other publishers or agents did you pitch?

I’ve had a terrific agent, Rachel Kent with Books & Such Literary, for four years. We pitched several books to various publishers, including Harlequin Love Inspired, and I’m very thankful to have sold this book. As anyone trying to get traditionally published knows, there’s a lot of waiting involved. From the time we submitted the proposal (and there were requested revisions on that) to the time I got the call was about a year.

 

Have other books been started and stopped along the way? 

Oh, yes! As I mentioned previously, I’ve written thirteen novels. My early books were great practice, but they are not fit to be published. I’m proud of the last six books I wrote, though, and hope to see them in print someday, too.

 

What is your writing discipline? How many hours a day do you write? Do you have a word count goal daily? 

I track my writing/revising progress daily. From plotting to the final polish, it takes me four months to write a short novel (55,000 to 60,000 words). It takes me around six months for a longer novel (85,000-95,000 words). Writing is my full time job. I spend at least an hour every morning on the business and promotion side. I usually write, revise, or plot six hours a day, four days a week. I set one weekday aside to run errands and manage my household, and weekends are spent with my family.

 

What type of publicity do you do to promote your book? What has worked best for you in generating sales?

 I do the typical publicity. I have a reader-focused website. I scheduled a month-long blog tour, sent out press releases, sent review copies out and hosted several giveaways. I’m not sure what will work best, but I’ll be tracking it in the future.

 

You were part of a collection of 22 stories and recipes with other “Love Inspired” writers a few months back. How did that come together? 

I was blessed to be approached by Dana Corbit, an amazing Harlequin Love Inspired author. She asked if I would be interested in submitting, and, of course I was! I’m thrilled to be included with so many of my favorite authors. All of the proceeds benefit children’s charities, which to me is the best part!

 

What do you know now about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner?

When I first started writing, I believed in talent. But after seven years of rejections, I learned it was really all about hard work and a willingness to study and grow.

 

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along? 

The best advice? Keep writing! Never quit.

 

That's it for today's interview. If you would like to learn more about Jill's writing, here's some great links to get you started:
Website: http://jillkemerer.com      Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJillKemerer

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jillkemerer

Interested in purchasing Small-Town Bachelor? Click on http://jillkemerer.com/books/small-town-bachelor/ for links to purchase!