Welcome to the JustRead Blog Tour for …

A-parent-ly Christmas (by Amy R Anguish)—Noel and Joy Davidson didn’t mean to separate, but a job promotion and educational opportunities were too much for their marriage to withstand. Now, it’s Christmas and their son Andy wants them together. Between his mischief, an unexpected snowstorm, and the holiday spirit, they’re remembering why they first wanted to be together. But which one will give up their dream for the other?

A Match of her Own (by Sarah Anne Crouch)—Victoria Wood is torn between elation and devastation now that her sister is married and gone. When she realizes her sister’s best friend is alone and best-friend-less on Christmas, she knows just what to do. Set her up with a boyfriend! But pesky Jared Knight keeps getting in the way. Jared can’t date Victoria—she’s too immature—but he can’t convince his heart to move on. How will he keep Victoria from ruining everyone’s love lives? When will she realize her perfect match is closer than she thinks?

Jingle Bell Matchmakers (by Lori DeJong)—When country music star Aubrey Mayfield is lured home after years away, she’s bewildered when she and ex-fiance-now-widowed-dad Cody Lansdale keep finding themselves in the same place at the same time. As they become reacquainted, however, old feelings stir. Aubrey’s at a crossroads in her career and is contemplating a change. But when a chance at headlining her own tour takes her back to Nashville, Cody realizes her dreams may once again come between them. Unless God, with a little help from the Jingle Bell Committee, has a better plan.

The Santa Setup (by Heather Greer)—Turning friendship into love takes magic. Good thing Nicholas Eckert and Julie Clarke work at Christmas Wonderland. The attraction brims with holiday magic, not to mention four teenage elves determined that Mr. and Mrs. Claus stop playing a couple and become one. The teens will need more than mistletoe to pair up these two. Julie is seeing someone, and Nick won’t risk their friendship for possible love. Only the elven employees’ outrageous antics stand a chance of setting up Santa in time for Christmas.

What is something interesting readers would enjoy learning about you?

Amy: I’m an author by night, but during the day I also prepare taxes and teach preschool. The day jobs help pay the bills while the night jobs feed my soul.

Sarah: I live in a college town, basically on campus. We have a Bible study for college students, my husband adjuncts two classes, and we’ve “adopted” students to be part of our family. Spending so much time with them keeps me feeling connected, grounded, and (hopefully) a little bit young at heart—and I like to think that energy shows up in my writing!

What makes up your ideal reading environment?

Heather: Comfort. A comfortable chair, couch, or even my bed with tons of pillows around me. Quiet, fuzzy blankets, and no to-do list waiting for me after my reading time. Outside in a hoodie with a cool fall breeze is good too. 

Lori: A comfy chair in a quiet place with a window, light throw blanket, and candles

Amy: Comfy chair and blanket, maybe a candle nearby, something warm to drink, no children wanting my attention or husband wanting to share another meme. 

Sarah: Cozy! As a kid, I could read literally anywhere, but these days my ideal setup is a soft blanket, a comfy couch, and a warm mug of something delicious. Thankfully, I have a bit of “selective hearing” when I’m reading. That’s helpful when you’ve got three loud kids running around!

What was your favorite scene to write in this story? And why?

Heather: I don’t think I can pick one. Writing a story with mischievous, teenage elves and a Christmas village was too much fun. I loved all the cute, movie type scenes that pushed Nick and Jules closer to admitting the truth. But if I had to pick one, I’d say it’s camping out under the Christmas trees. The idea for that one came from one of my favorite memories with my kids. They loved sleeping under the tree with the lights twinkling over their heads. 

Lori: I really enjoyed writing the scene where they were “tricked” into having lunch together. It was fun watching them put the pieces together as to why they kept ending up in the same place at the same time.

Amy: The cookie-decorating scene. It leads to some extra-sweet moments between the two main characters—for more reasons than frosting.

Sarah: I loved writing the opening wedding scenes! They were such a fun way to introduce Victoria’s personality and set the tone for the story. I also couldn’t resist adding Easter eggs as little tributes to my favorite adaptations of Emma.

What unique research was required to write this story?

Heather: I signed up for an online chocolate making course (which I don’t think I ever finished) to learn about the proper steps and methods for making chocolate. I love baking and making sweets so it wasn’t too much of an imposition.

Lori: I did a little research into the music industry and how records become gold or platinum. That was interesting

Amy: How quickly things could be shipped at Christmas-time. How children travel via plane when the parent isn’t with them. And unfortunately, what the first steps in filing for divorce were (don’t worry—there’s a happy ending).

What was the inspiration behind your story?

Heather: We taught our kids about Saint Nicholas and we told them Santa, as the cartoons portrayed him, was something fun we played with at Christmas, but that Jesus was the real reason for the holiday. But I always loved Christmas movies like Rudolph and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. And the idea of Christmas all year long sounds amazing to me. I don’t care what time of year it is, if there is a Christmas shop where I am, I’m going to visit it. It was my love for all things Christmas, my love of the real gift of Christmas, and the idea of Christmas all the time that sparked the idea for The Santa Setup.

Lori: I had in my mind a story about someone who left their small town after high school with big dreams and now was coming back several years later not sure if it was all worth it. At first, it was a male protagonist I was thinking about. But when I changed it to Aubrey coming home, the story really lit up for me.

Amy: My son’s asthma was actually what gave me the idea in the first place. Knowing how important that daily use of the inhaler was for a while, I couldn’t resist exploring what would happen if the inhaler got left behind when the child went to visit dad for Christmas.

Sarah: “A Match of Her Own” is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. When I first found out our novella collection would be themed around matchmaking, I instantly thought of Emma. It was such a delight to bring her charm (and mischief) into a modern and Christmasy setting.

What did you learn while writing this story?

Lori: One thing I learned about myself as an author is that I can write short if I put my mind to it. I write long contemporary novels, which average around 95,000 words. This novella was just a tad under 25,000, so it was a challenge to rein myself in and get the words down that had the most impact. I’d never written a novella before, so it was a really fun process.

What encouragement do you hope readers will take away from your story?

Heather: Remembering the real gift of Christmas can give all our Christmas traditions meaning. And if we keep Jesus the center of Christmas, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the just-for-fun stuff too.

Lori: That even when we feel like we haven’t achieved what we thought would make us happy, His plans for us far outweigh anything we could possibly imagine for ourselves.

Amy: Even if bad things try to pull you apart from your spouse, you can still find a way to work it out. 

Sarah: I hope readers will be encouraged by Victoria’s character development. Her story is a reminder that even the most stubborn or self-centered hearts can grow and change for the better. God’s grace and the Holy Spirit can transform us from the inside out.

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Until next time, may your reading bring both light and encouragement.

Happy reading!
~ Danielle.