Dec 13, 2017

The Romance of Christmas

I have a confession to make. I haven’t read a single Christmas story so far this year. Not one!

Christmas romances are close to my heart. In the ten years I’ve been writing, I’ve written four of them. And each one has been significant for different reasons.



  His Christmas Angel was my debut book. Rachel Bailey tells me that book is sprinkled with fairy dust. And it truly felt that way when I received the call from my editor in London. It signalled the start of my publishing journey with Harlequin Mills & Boon. It’s a book that will always hold a special place in my heart.





 Speaking of firsts, Christmas Wishes New Year Kisses was my very first self-published title. Some of you might remember that it was part of the LoveCats DownUnder Hot Summer Nights box set. It was a joy to work in collaboration with the other Cats who took part in the project, and to dip my toes into Indie waters. It taught me a lot! Also, it’s set on a tropical beach. What’s not to love about that? ;-)


As for learning experiences! No book I’ve ever written has taught me more than Christmas at Candlebark Farm. When I received the third set of revisions for that book (yes, you heard that right – the 3rd!), I realised the book had to be completely rewritten. So I rewrote it…in a month. It was the book that forced me to look closely at character motivation, to streamline conflict, and to focus it all on the hero and heroine. I hope that no book I ever write is that hard again. Still, I’m awfully proud of the book.




 Last but not least is The Nanny Who Saved Christmas. This one won The Booksellers Best Award (announced and awarded at the Romance Writers of America’s conference and collected by the wonderful Susan Meier on my behalf). I still get tingles whenever I recall her email telling me I won. Awards and kudos aren’t necessary, of course. But I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t enjoy it. :)


 You can probably figure out by now, after all of this talk of Christmas romances, that it's pretty unusual for me to not have drowned myself neck deep in Christmas titles. And, of course, all of this reminiscing has me dying to write another Christmas story.

First, though, I should be reading oodles and oodles of them for inspiration, right? So, have you read any brilliant Christmas romances so far this November and December? What would you recommend I pick up?

12 comments:

  1. I haven't read any either this Christmas, Michelle! I haven't read anything much these past couple of months and I have a book to finish before Xmas... But then I'm going to spend a week playing catch up! I have Christmas themed re-release coming up on the 18th of Dec which I am excited about too!

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    1. It sounds like Christmas has snuck up on both of us, Amy! Here's hoping we can make up for it in the New Year. I read your Christmas themed re-release first time around -- Hanky Spanky Christmas was sooooo much fun. ;-)

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  2. Hi Michelle

    Firstly let me say that I have read and loved all of yours in previous years and I have read a lot lately and they have been fab some of them are Medicals which I really enjoy there is a Christmas in Manhattan series of 6 which are do I have read 3 of them and then there is Carol Marinelli's Christmas Bride for the Sheikh another medical and Marion Lennox's The Billionaire's Christmas Baby A Desire by Karen Booth Snowed in with the Billionaire and Karen Rock's Heartwarming Christmas at Cade Ranch and then of course Helen Lacey's A Fortune's of Texas Christmas.

    Yes I love Christmas stories :)

    Have Fun

    Helen

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  3. Aw, I'm so glad you've enjoyed my previous Christmas stories, Helen. And wow! What a wonderful list you've given me. I *must* get that Marion Lennox asap. And Carol's (I mean Christmas and a sheikh -- what's not to love). Will check out all the others too. Thanks for such a wonderful list. :-)

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  4. Looks like I've got some books to add to my ever-growing to-read list. Christmas snuck up on me too this year. I haven't read any Christmassy stories recently either.
    Of the top of my head, if you haven't already read it, I recommend Stefanie London's A Dangerously Sexy Christmas - this is also the first of Dane Security/Dangerous Bachelors series. I know there are others that I'd recommend but I need to go through my collection to confirm the titles and that they are Christmassy.

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    1. Christmas seems to have snuck up on all of us, Lyn! I can see quite a bit of Chrissy reading happening in January. ;-) Oh, and a big yes to Stef's A Dangerously Sexy Christmas -- it was a great start to her Dangerous Bachelors series. :-)

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  5. Michelle, I just finished the Nanny who saved Christmas. It was lovely. I especially liked the moment in the canyon, what a vivid description. So I have no recent title to suggest.

    You have written several Christmas titles, so you may have to re-read one!

    Seriously, do you read your completed works?

    Best wishes for the new year,
    Laura

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    1. Aw, thank you, Laura! So glad you enjoyed my Nanny. And LOL, but no -- I never read my books once they're released in the wild. Mind you there are a couple of Christmas stories I wouldn't mind rereading -- Marion Lennox's Christmas With Her Boss, and Liz Fielding's Mistletoe and the Lost Stiletto. Hmm...might have to see if I can hunt them up! :-)

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  6. Here's a few suggestions, Michelle, from someone who loves Christmas romances! https://breathlessinthebush.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/mirandas-bumper-christmas-musings.html
    I love them, read them every year for about a month in the lead up to and post Christmas. Can't get enough of them.

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  7. i have been reading all the Christmas books on my kindle this month some new but a lot I have had for some time so thought I would read them to free up room on my kindle -----Lyn W

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    1. That's an excellent plan, Lyn! I should go check what's on my Kindle -- I bet there'd be some unread Christmas reads stashed away on it somewhere. :-)

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