12 Days of Christmas Joy: Alaskan Christmas Redemption

Interview with Belle Calhoune about her book, 

Alaskan Christmas Redemption

Alexis: Why did you write this book?

Belle: Piper Miller was a character in the series and she was so spunky and spirited, that I knew I would write her story. She’s a great character to root for. I wanted Piper to have her happy ending.

Alexis: Describe the setting for this story. What makes Owl Creek special to your characters?

Belle: Owl Creek, Alaska is a quaint town in Alaska with faith-filled and quirky townsfolk. Owl Creek is only accessible by air or water. The town is close knit and heartwarming. The residents all know each other and they have each other’s backs in times of trouble. In the winter months you might see snow-covered trees and majestic mountains looming in the distance. If you’re hungry you can head over to the Snowy Owl Diner, Tea time or the North Star Chocolate shop. This small Alaskan town is full of life.

Alexis: Why did you make secrets, faith, healing and forgiveness the themes of this story?

Belle: I think secrets can be really compelling to readers. All of my books in the Home to Owl Creek revolve around secrets. Characters who are harboring secrets are really interesting to create. I think healing and forgiveness are powerful themes and when you add in the faith element it creates a powerful journey for the characters. Forgiveness always plays a big role in my stories, mainly because it’s a theme I deeply believe in.

Alexis: Tell me about your story’s hero Braden North. What does he look like? Sound like? Act like? What are his greatest strengths and most troublesome weaknesses?

Belle: Braden is a very handsome man. He has brown hair and green eyes. He’s tall with striking features. His voice is low and soothing. He’s very athletic and rugged. He’s always been an adventurous person and loves snowmobiling, skiing, mountain climbing and other outdoor sports. His greatest strength is his loyalty and belief in the goodness of people. His weakness is his lack of belief in himself.

Alexis: Tell me about your story’s heroine Piper Miller. What does she look like? Sound like? Act like? What are her deepest dreams and most troubling fears?

Belle: Piper is beautiful. She has warm brown skin, brown eyes and curly dark hair. She has a sweet voice and an infectious laugh. She’s a very good person and the very heart of Owl Creek. Piper is a warm person who is inviting and gracious. Any time a stranger steps into town, Piper makes them feel right at home. Her deepest dream is to turn things around at the Snowy Owl Diner so she can create a legacy for her father. Her most troubling fear is that she will lose the diner and disappoint her family and friends.

Alexis: How did Braden and Piper first become best friends?

Belle: They have been friends since they were little kids. In a small town like Owl Creek, everyone knows everyone. Because their brothers, Hank and Connor, were best friends, Piper and Braden were in the same orbit since they were small. Their friendship developed naturally and strengthened during their school years.

Alexis: What makes Piper’s diner memorable and special to the residents of Owl Creek?

Belle: The diner represents community to the townsfolk of Owl Creek. It’s not only a place where the residents gather for a meal and to try Piper’s latest pie creations, it’s a destination for fellowship. Folks gather to catch up on news, meet up with an old friend or commune with the locals. It’s a special place where everyone is welcome and no one is a stranger for long.

Alexis: Why does Piper believe that Braden can help her save the diner?

Belle: Piper believes Braden can help her because he’s her best friend and he’s always been there to help her ride out the tough moments in life. She thinks he hung the moon. Even though they are best friends I think there’s a part of her that has always been in love with him. She believes he can do anything. Be anything. Accomplish anything. And she trusts his judgement implicitly.

Alexis: How does working together to rescue the diner bring Piper and Braden together?

Belle: Piper has a lot on her shoulders. She’s inherited a diner that was in financial trouble when she assumed ownership and she hasn’t been able to fix things. The situation has made her frightened and sad. Things are spiraling out of control and she has no one to lean on. Working with Braden on getting the diner back on track affirms to Piper that Braden is still the loyal friend he used to be. He makes her believe that things can turn around with the diner. He gives her hope.

Alexis: What threatens to put a pin in Braden and Piper’s bubbling romance?

Belle: The truth that Braden has been hiding from his best friend for four years threatens their relationship. I’m not giving out any spoilers, but there’s a reason Braden has been avoiding being in Piper’s orbit for the last few years. He harbors a lot of guilt and regret. He’s also very afraid that his past actions are going to rise up and get him in trouble with Piper.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this story?

Belle: I want readers to remember that even when things seem dark, hope is ever present. As human beings we all make mistakes and do things we regret. We can’t hold on to those moments. We have to be better, do better in the future.

Alexis: Did you play Christmas music while writing this story? If so, which song was your favorite and how did it inspire your storytelling?

Belle: Oh yes! I listened to it all the time. I think my favorite was Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Judy Garland. Both are classics. They never get old.

Alexis: What is your favorite Christmas holiday treat? Did it help you while writing this story? If so, explain.

Belle: I really like Moose Bar Crunch. It’s very sweet and Christmasy. I only indulge in it once a year (at Christmas) so it’s extra special. It’s sweet and crunchy and oh so delicious.

Alexis: If you could give one of your characters a Christmas gift, what would it be? Why?

Belle: I would give Piper a framed picture of her and her father, Jack. Although he is no longer living on Earth, I would hope the picture would remind Piper that love never dies. He’s always with her.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Belle. Merry Christmas!

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Author Bio:

Belle Calhoune grew up in a small town in Massachusetts as one of five children. 

Although both her parents worked in the medical field, Belle never considered science as the pathway to her future. Growing up across the street from a public library was a huge influence on her life. 

She is a Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a member of RWA’s Honor Roll. In 2019 her book, An Alaskan Christmas, was made into a movie (Love, Alaska) by Brain Power Studios and aired on UPTV. 

Belle is the author of over 40 novels and published by Harlequin Love Inspired and contracted by Grand Central Publishing.

Married to her college sweetheart, she is raising two lovely daughters in Connecticut. A dog lover, she has one mini poodle and a black lab. 

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Blurb for Alaskan Christmas Redemption:

Some secrets are meant to be shared. 

Before he gives his heart … he’ll have to forgive himself.

Returning to Owl Creek after years away, Braden North’s determined to help his best friend, Piper Miller, save her failing diner. But as they work to revitalize her business, Braden’s convinced he must hide the truth about a tragedy from their past…or risk losing Piper for good. 

If he can find the courage, might telling her everything make this Christmas a time for healing and forgiveness?

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Buy Belle's book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Connect with Belle:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author-Belle-Calhoune-280681912035512
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bellecalhoune/
Website: www.bellecalhoune.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellecalhoune/

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Romantic Reads: Smile for Me (book)

Welcome Jan Thompson to the blog! 

She's here today to talk about her book Smile for Me. 

Enjoy the interview!

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Alexis: What inspired you to write an interracial romance novel for the Christian fiction book market?

Jan: As a Christian Asian American, I have felt for many years that interracial romance is under-represented in our current Christian fiction market. In the words of Toni Morrison, “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

Taking it a step further, as a Christian who is in a multiracial family, I think that the current Christian fiction market largely does not reflect my real world. While not all my books are multiracial, I have made an effort to do so whenever the characters fit the story. I have several multiracial romances in my Savannah Sweethearts, Vacation Sweethearts, Protector Sweethearts, and Binary Hackers series.

Alexis: How did you come up with title “Smile for Me” of this first book in your Vacation Sweethearts series? Explain how your book title plays into your storyline.

Jan: Before I write the first book in each of my series, I agonize over the titles until I have all the book titles ready to go. This way, it’s easier for me to send the branding specifications to my cover designer. Vacation Sweethearts has book titles that end with “for Me.” The seven books in this series are Smile for Me, Reach for Me, Wait for Me, Look for Me, Pray for Me, Care for Me, and Cheer for Me. Each novel focuses on a couple at a vacation location that is familiar to me, somewhere I have visited in real life.

In this series, I try to mention the title at least once in the book as part and parcel of the story. In Smile for Me, my Christian beach romance set in the Bahamas, I wanted to contrast careful Byron from carefree Tina. There is a scene in which Tina asks Byron to smile for her. At the end of the novel, Byron is all smiles. I’ll let readers read it to find out why.

Alexis: How did you research this story? Did you travel to the Bahamas where it’s set?

Jan: Yes, indeed. Many years ago, my husband and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas, and I had such a memorable time that I never forgot it. I can still remember the towns and people, beaches and hammocks, ocean and sky. Since I grew up on yet another tropical island in a former British colony, I was able to relate to Nassau and Freeport. We walked about the towns, visited nearby islands, and rested under swaying coconut trees. Smile for Me is a mix of my memories of this visit, plus the recollections of my childhood days in the tropics.

Alexis: Why is your story’s hero, Byron Moss, a “deadline-driven workaholic assistant school principal” and a meticulous planner too?

Jan: Byron is based on the planner side of me, which stemmed from my past career as a computer programmer. I meticulously plan everything and I even have plans for plans. I need deadlines to complete tasks or they would take forever if I let the perfectionism in me take over. So I decided that Byron would carry his iPad around his neck to show how tied he is to his planner.

Alexis: Why is your story’s heroine, Tina MacFarland, an “easygoing art teacher and studio potter with no sense of time” who likes to live life season to season?

Jan: Tina is based on the artistic side of me. In my life, I have done wheel pottery as Tina does, and like Tina, I have painted in many mediums and enjoyed art. These days I’ve been writing more than I’ve been painting (though I hope to get back to that soon). When I did a lot of painting, I rarely looked at the clock. I could paint all day long if given the chance. I thought that as a contrast to Byron, Tina would have “no sense of time” not because she doesn’t care, but because she finds the clock limiting to her artistic side.

Alexis: What role does Summer by the Sea Day Camp play in bringing the hero and heroine together? Paint a picture (with words) of Summer by the Sea Day Camp.

Jan: Sponsored by the Chapel by the Sea Christian School in Nassau, the Summer by the Sea Day Camp run by assistant principal Byron Moss provides schoolchildren of all grades an opportunity to enrich their hobbies and interests that they might not be able to do during the regular school year. The students can go beyond their regular academic curriculum. There are actually more than just art and music camps, but in Smile for Me, I only focus on the art camp because that’s where Tina interacts the most with Byron. The two cannot avoid each other, and they must confront the friction carried over from two summers ago.

Alexis: What happened the first time that Tina and Byron met that made them at odds with each other? Is there hope for a better, healthier and happier working relationship now that they’re in the same place again?

Jan: When Tina first went to Nassau to teach in the summer camp two years ago, she and Byron didn’t get along. Tina likes to say that Byron made her cry that summer because he kept a very strict schedule in the summer camp and she could barely keep up. Byron would roll his eyes over that accusation and say that she needs to learn to be better organized.

Alexis: Does Tina think that things will be different between her and Byron as she agrees to be an art teacher for his students this second time around? Why or why not?

Jan: Now that time has passed, and each has grown spiritually and gotten wiser when my novel begins, both of them have hopes that they can work together. After all, it’s for just one month to begin with. After four weeks, if they still can’t stand each other, Tina would go home to Savannah, and that would be the end of it.

Alexis: What role does Tina’s faith in God play in her giving Byron a second chance?

Jan: Tina and Byron discover that God is always loving and ever forgiving. Once they own the truth of God in their hearts, they begin to see the special love that God has in store for them. I loved writing about how they come together this time and how God’s love conquers all. As in all my other fiction books, I often include scripture verses that my characters learn as they travel along in life.

Alexis: Why is Byron so uptight?

Jan: Byron’s family makes its fortune in the hotel and cruise industry. His brother, Donovan, enjoys his yacht, for example. His mother, Nancy—the matriarch of the family—has to run their family business alone after Byron’s father passed away suddenly. Byron has chosen the career path of an educator, earning a lesser salary than his jet-setting brother. I think Byron feels that he must be the best in his chosen profession and rise to the top, not only because he is in ministry for the Lord at a Christian school, but also to show his family that he has made the right decision for his own career.

Alexis: What are Byron’s greatest dreams for his career path and how does that goal affect how he operates?

Jan: His aspiration to become the principal (aka headmaster) overrules all else in his life. When the opportunity comes sooner than he expects, Byron plunges into more work. At the same time, he falls more and more in love with Tina, and begins to wonder if running a Christian school, with its many details, is something he wants to do for the rest of his life.

Alexis: What is it about seeing Tina again that hints to Byron’s heart that his adverse feelings for her are transforming into something more … romantic?

Jan: I think that deep in Byron’s heart, he finds Tina fascinating because she is so carefree. His work at the school is demanding, and the big shoes he has to fill as acting principal carries with it a heavy burden. When Byron is with her, he lets his guard down and he can be himself. He doesn’t have to perform or keep up protocols. He is free to seek God’s perfect will for his life without putting preconditions on himself. As he grows spiritually, his attitude towards Tina changes. Tina’s view of Byron as the taskmaster also changes, and her heart softens toward him.

Alexis: What’s the moral of the story?

Jan: There are several Bible verses in this novel, but two would probably describe the main themes of Smile for Me:

“A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps” (Proverbs 16:9 KJV).

Only God has the perfect plan, and I would do well to seek His perfect will for my career and life, rather than plan it however I want and then ask God to bless whatever I purpose. Instead, may His perfect will prevail.

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:14-15 NKJV).

The Bible admonishes Christians to be at peace with one another so that we don’t cultivate the destructive “root of bitterness” that can defile our testimony. When Byron and Tina start understanding each other, they are able to encourage each other in their walk with the Lord.

Alexis: If you could step into this story as a professional counselor for both Byron and Tina, what advice would you give to each person in a private session? Why?

Jan: I would discuss the two Scripture verses above, and pray with them for God’s wisdom to guide their lives professionally and privately. I’d also remind Byron to recall his conversations with his friend, Pastor Diego Flores, who has given him some good advice about balancing his personal life and professional career. As for Tina, I would counsel her to consider adding some structure to her productivity by putting herself on a flexible schedule that allows for her creativity to flow without losing track of time. Above all, I would encourage them to keep studying God’s Word and drawing closer to Him every day.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Jan! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Jan: Thank you very much for inviting me to your blog website. These are wonderful questions, and I appreciate your taking the time to prepare them. To me, writing is a calling. I have been writing for a long time, and I am thankful to God for the opportunity to be able to fulfill His calling for my life. Sometimes it takes me years to write one book. Sometimes it takes months. Either way, my ultimate goal is to glorify God!

~*~
Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Jan Thompson writes clean and wholesome multiethnic contemporary Christian romance with flavors of women’s fiction, Christian romantic suspense with elements of mystery, and inspirational international thrillers with threads of sweet Christian romance. 

Her books are for readers who love inspiring stories of faith, family, and friends. 

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Smile for Me blurb:

She is laid-back. He is uptight. Never the twain shall…kiss?

A deadline-driven workaholic assistant school principal who meticulously plans his schedule months in advance meets an easygoing art teacher and studio potter with no sense of time, living her life as the seasons come and go. When they cross paths again at the Summer by the Sea Day Camp sponsored by his church in Nassau, Bahamas, how can they get along if they cannot see eye to eye?

From USA Today bestselling author Jan Thompson comes Smile for Me, book 1 in her Vacation Sweethearts collection of inspirational Christian travel romance novels. To start off the series, we travel to the Bahamas in the Caribbean, where the waters are clear, skies are blue, hammocks sway under coconut trees, and hearts are in love…

Tina MacFarland is laid-back…

When invited back to the Bahamas for a second time two years after a disastrous mission trip there, potter and art teacher Tina MacFarland isn’t sure she wants to face the obnoxious assistant principal of the Chapel by the Sea Christian School again. The last time she encountered Byron Moss, he found fault in everything she did. It seems that nothing she ever does is good enough for Mr. Uptight, as attractive as he may be to her.

Regardless of her personal concerns, they need art teachers at the Summer by the Sea Day Camp, and Tina answers the call to go. Surely God will help her last for four short weeks. What can possibly happen in a month? Nothing she can think of.

Byron Moss is uptight…

Assistant Headmaster Byron Moss is at a crossroad in his career. On the one hand, he has worked very hard to get to this position at the Chapel by the Sea Christian School. One more step up from this assistant principal position, and he’d be in charge of the entire school.

On the other hand, when Tina returns to Nassau, Byron suddenly feels hemmed in by his career choice. He is restricted from showing his transforming feelings for Tina. He fears he has taken a wrong turn in his career, and that if he keeps going on that route, he may lose his chances with Tina. More importantly, what is God’s will for his life? Somehow, he knows that Tina is part of all that. But she’s so…chaotic! And it drives him nuts. For the first time in his life, Byron is confused about what he needs to do.

Never the twain shall…kiss?

Ah, Byron and Tina. How will they navigate the super-conservative work environment where office romance is frowned upon? Can they change the old rules? Or will the old rules change them?

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Buy Smile for Me on Amazon

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Connect with Jan:
Website: JanThompson.com
Book News: JanThompson.com/newsletter
Amazon USA: JanThompson.com/amazon
Goodreads: JanThompson.com/goodreads
BookBub: JanThompson.com/bookbub
Facebook: JanThompson.com/facebook
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thompsonauthor

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Christmas on My Heart: The Swan

The Story Behind The Swan (book) by Piper Huguley:

Caroline Lee had a dream about a romance series. She asked me, via a Facebook DM, if I would join in her dream about 12 mail-order brides coming to a fictitious Colorado town to establish families so that the railroad might come there. The theme would center around “The Twelve Days of Christmas” and each author would write a novella that would culminate in the couple getting married on their particular day. We were also encouraged to entitle our books after the motif of our particular day and to somehow use that motif in the stories.

What an opportunity! I said yes and agreed to meet with her and several of the other chosen authors at the Romantic Times convention in May 2017. At that meeting, everyone went to claim their particular day and motif. Days 1, 12 and 5 were already taken by the three authors who would start, finish, and have a key day in the events of the town. That’s how I became “The Swan” and my story would center around the marriage of my couple on Day 7.

The authors had to keep in touch regularly to ensure that the events of the story over the days flowed smoothly together. Being in the middle was not easy. Also, I had a complex idea for my story. I knew that at the time the story took place (1876) interracial marriage was illegal in most of Colorado. What if I made that my major complication? What if my couple were interracial? How would they skirt the law to be able to marry? The deal over the arc of the series is that twelve couples had to marry to make sure that the railroad could come through. How would such a couple be able to find a happy ending when the law wouldn’t permit it?

I also knew that the phenomenon of Black people who also were able to pass in white society was something that occurred in 1876. So my mail-order bride would be a young woman who would be able to pass for white and was intent on camouflaging her racial heritage to go to Noelle to marry. She was also intent on going to Noelle to confront her mother, who had abandoned her as a young child. The end of “The Swan” is a bit twisty, but I pulled it off in a way that let me be reassured that my couple would be able to have their HEA in a community embraced them both.

The swan motif is woven into the story in several ways. Some are easy “easter eggs” to find. The heroine’s name is Avis, which means bird. She also happens to have a long neck. The name of the general store she works in is called Cobb’s Penn. A cob is a male swan and a pen is a female swan. Learning swan stuff as well as creating this couple, whom I based on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, made the creation of the story fun.

I specialize in writing romance that speaks to the belief that we are all God’s children and are all precious in His sight, no matter what color we happen to be. I was extremely grateful to Caroline and the other authors that they allowed me to write a story that was truthful to this ideal and to the time while touching people’s hearts.

In 2018, “The Swan” won two Maggie awards—one for romance novella and the other for best book by a GRW member. I’m very proud of this Christmas story, and I hope you will enjoy it as well.

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Author Bio:

Piper G. Huguley is a two-time Golden Heart ®finalist and is the author of “Migrations of the Heart,” a three-book series of historical romances set in the early 20th century featuring African American characters. Book #1 in the series, A Virtuous Ruby, won Best Historical of 2015 in the Swirl Awards. Book #3 in the series, A Treasure of Gold, was named by Romance Novels in Color as a Best Book of 2015, received 4 ½ stars from RT Magazine, and won an Emma Award for best historical romance in 2017. 

Huguley is also the author of the “Home to Milford College” series. The series follows the building of a college from its founding in 1866. Book #1 in the series, The Preacher’s Promise was named a top ten Historical Romance in Publisher’s Weekly by the esteemed historical romance author, Beverly Jenkins and received Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest Contest of Self-Published e-books in 2015.

Her new series “Born to Win Men” starts with A Champion’s Heart as Book #1.

A Champion’s Heart was named by Sarah MacLean of The Washington Post as a best romance novel selection for December 2016. 

She blogs about the history behind her novels at http://piperhuguley.com. 

She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.

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Blurb for Piper’s book (The Swan):

Avis Smith is willing to go to Noelle to marry a man she doesn’t know in order to avenge a fourteen year wrong — her abandonment to a life of misery and abuse when she was just six years old. In order to get to Noelle, she has to lie about who she is, but her thirst for vengeance is so strong, she transforms herself into the pious, beautiful bride that JD Jones wants. Still, she never expected to be abandoned at the altar. 

His work as an abolitionist and fighter for justice will not allow storekeeper Liam Fulton to turn his back on the beautiful woman his archenemy is willing to leave at the altar. He figures a way to help Avis out of her predicament, offers to showcase her in his store so that other potential grooms in Noelle will see her and might want to marry the young woman with the long and elegant neck.

When swans mate, they mate for life. When Liam offers to help Avis, he never expects that in working with her to find a resolution to her problem, he discovers a fierce need to protect her. Avis doesn’t know that she might find something better than what she was looking for--a new way to a family and bonds of a strong and life-long lasting love.

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Buy Piper’s book on Amazon

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Connect with Piper:

Website: https://piperhuguley.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/piperhuguley

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Cozy Christmas Reads: Belle's story

Interview with Belle Calhoune, author of Reunited at Christmas:

Alexis: The setting for your story, Reunited at Christmas, is an Alaskan town called “Love”. How sweet! It’s a very unique name for a town. What makes it special? Paint a picture of it with words.

Belle: Love is a quaint Alaskan town that is very special due to the charming townsfolk and its remote location. Love is only accessible via ferry boat and seaplane. The town has an imbalance of males to females, so the premise of the series is that the town mayor, Jasper Prescott, starts a program called Operation Love that brings single females who are looking for love to the lovelorn town called Love. There is lots of love in this town along with warm-hearted folks who live their life with faith.

Alexis: Ruby Prescott is the heroine of your story. What is she like? Describe her looks, personality and heart. 

Belle: Ruby is a beautiful woman with tawny colored skin, long black hair and warm brown eyes. She is African American. She is very brave. In the story she is suffering from amnesia, so when she returns to Love it is on a wing and a prayer. She’s forced into situations where she is completely lost, so she really has pluck and grit. She’s very honest and loving. She has a very big heart and she tends to think of others before she thinks of herself.

Alexis: How was Ruby’s life before the avalanche that almost claimed her life and how is it different now that she survived?

Belle: Prior to the avalanche she was working as a member of a search and rescue team which required a lot of courage and mental fortitude. She was happily married to Liam and raising a small child, Aidan. Although she and Liam were very much in love, he was very concerned about her career and the inherent dangers, so that was an issue standing between them. Overall, she was happy but conflicted about her career.

Alexis: Liam Prescott is the hero of this story. What is he like? Describe his looks, personality and tell us what defines his outlook on life.

Belle: Liam is very handsome. He’s tall with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He is probably the quietest Prescott. He’s a doctor who cares deeply about the world around him and his patients. He looks at life as an opportunity to care for others and show compassion and love. It takes a lot to anger or upset him. He’s a loving husband and devoted father.

Alexis: Ruby and Liam have a son. Tell us about him. How old is he? Who does he look like the most, his Mom or Dad? What is his favorite hobby?

Belle: Their son is named Aidan. He’s a really cool kid. He’s five years old. He looks like a sweet combination with dark hair and light brown skin. He’s biracial and beautiful. His favorite hobby is sledding. He loves the Alaskan outdoors and spending time in nature. He also loves pizza. 

Alexis: How did Liam and his son react when Ruby’s avalanche accident happened?

Belle: They were both devastated by her death. Liam had to hold it together so he could raise Aidan as a single father, but he was really messed up emotionally by losing Ruby, the love of his life. One of the beautiful aspects of this story is how Liam and Aidan had to band together in the absence of Ruby so that their little family didn’t fall apart at the seams.

Alexis: Why does Ruby have amnesia? What are her husband and son doing to help her regain her memory?

Belle: Because of the fall she sustained during the avalanche, Ruby suffered a head trauma. She does have spurts and flashes of memory, which lead her back to her hometown of Love. Through the course of the story we see that Ruby begins to remember things. The hope is that she will get back most of her memories, although it is quite possible some things will be forever lost to her. I think Liam and Aidan’s role is to be quietly supportive. Their very presence helps Ruby remember her past. 

Alexis: The cover models for your book are beautiful! What race are Ruby and her husband? Why did you choose to write about an interracial romance?

Belle: Yes, they really are gorgeous. Ruby is African American. Liam is Caucasian. Aidan is both. I wanted to write about an interracial couple because that reflects my reality. I myself am biracial and it is something very natural for me to see in my environment. My ancestry is diverse. I am African, Irish and have many other European ties. I think it is realistic in this day and age to show a loving, devoted couple who are interracial.

Alexis: What were the challenges of writing this book? What were the rewards?

Belle: It was challenging to write an amnesiac because I had to reconcile her new personality with her old personality. In essence, Ruby was born after the head injury. She’s the same person, but different. So I had to remind myself of that fact. Also, I had to portray amnesia in a realistic manner. I didn’t want to have Ruby suddenly remember everything. I think flashes of memory is more realistic. And also, I had to show that she may never regain those memories because that is what happens with real life individuals who suffer from amnesia.

Alexis: If you could spend this Christmas with The Prescott Family, what would you all do?

Belle: If I could spend Christmas with the Prescott Family I would ask them to take me sledding with them on the mountain. It would be so much fun to sled in Alaska and share fun times with this incredible family. I would also love to meet Mayor Jasper Prescott because he is the center of this quaint town and quite a character. He would definitely make me laugh out loud.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Belle! God bless you and Merry Christmas!

Belle: Thanks for having me on your blog. Merry Christmas to you as well. Blessings!

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Author bio: 

Belle Calhoune grew up in a small town in Massachusetts as one of five children. 

Although her mother was a doctor and her father a biologist, Belle never gravitated toward science. Growing up across the street from a public library was a huge influence on her life and fueled her love of romance novels. 

Belle is the author of nine Harlequin Love Inspired novels with a tenth hitting the shelves in March of 2018. She has Indie published the popular and best-selling inspirational romance series, Seven Brides, Seven Brothers. The Secrets of Savannah and Pelican Bay are both spin-offs of her debut series. 

Belle loves writing romance and crafting happily-ever-afters. When she’s not wrangling her two high maintenance dogs or spending time with her husband and two daughters, Belle enjoys travel and exploring new places. 

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Blurb for Belle's book, Reunited at Christmas:

A Season to Remember 

Two years after the avalanche everyone thought had claimed her life, Ruby Prescott returns to the remote Alaskan town of Love. And no one is more ecstatic than her husband, Liam, and their young son. 

Even if amnesia has robbed Ruby of her memories, she's soon woven back into the fabric of their lives. As they celebrate the holiday season, Ruby is falling head over heels for the man she's told was the love of her life. But she can't escape the feeling that there's something Liam is keeping a secret. 

Will the return of her memories tear them apart for good—or will this be a Christmas she'll never forget?

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Connect with Belle:
Website - http://www.bellecalhoune.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/BelleCalhoune
Facebook - http://bit.ly/2yTdF4v

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Book Review for Litfuse Publicity Group, featuring Deborah Raney

Book: Home At Last: A Chicory Inn Novel ― Book 5
Author: Deborah Raney
Review written by: Alexis A. Goring

The incidents of race-related drama, which are portrayed in this book, is heartbreaking. But the author, Deborah Raney, weaves a story that’s rich in beauty, strong in scenarios that are true to real life, and sweet on the romance between the hero and heroine.

Home At Last: A Chicory Inn Novel is a book about differences. Differences in background, class status and race. It focuses on the differences between the hero (Link Whitman) and heroine (Shayla Michaels).

Link is the most eligible bachelor in town. He’s the type of guy who you never see without a date. But beneath his good looks is a good heart and his heart loves Shayla.

Shayla is a beautiful, independent woman who is raising her niece while her brother is serving his prison sentence. She helps her dad run their family-owned bakery Coffee's On which is a hotspot in town.

As the only sibling in his family who is not yet married, Link is feeling the pressure from his family to settle down and marry a wonderful woman. At first, he stays above the pressure but when Shayla enters the picture, he wants to move forward to the altar.

The scenes in this book are well described. The author paints a very vivid and beautiful picture of Coffee’s On—so much so that it makes you want to go to your nearest bakery in real-life and treat yourself to their food. Chicory Inn, Link’s family business, is a lovely place that often smells good because of the bread and sweet treats that Link’s parents order from Shayla’s bakery.

But despite the lovely settings and romantic overtures, the differences between Shayla and Link provide a strong core conflict for most of the story.

Shayla’s Mom is White and her Dad is Black. It’s a mix that’s caused her heart much pain because of the negative ways she and her brother were treated in a world that does not always accept nor is nice to mixed race families. So when Link enters the story of her life and expresses interest in pursuing her heart, Shayla’s guards go up. She builds walls so high that Link has to practically perform acrobatics just to get near her heart and win her over. Discouraged by the incidents of racism that her family has faced for most of their life and knowing what a cultural conflict being in a mixed race relationship would bring, Shayla shies away from Link and continues to fiercely guard her heart. She focuses on raising her niece Portia and bringing good business to the family bakery.

Faith in God plays a role in this story. The author uses faith elements along with interesting situations to challenge stereotypes and push the hero and heroine together. Since Shayla and Link are believers and forward-thinking people, there is hope for this couple. But their road to a happy, healthy romance is filled with roadblocks and at the core of those roadblocks are race-related attacks.

The author handles the race-related situations with tact and believability. She doesn’t allow the cruel behavior of those antagonists to go unchecked. Unlike some situations in the real world, the people who did wrong do pay for it. But she doesn’t do this with vengeance. She proves to, as the author, be a fair judge in those situations.

Aside from addressing heavy topics like racism and interracial romance, the author puts her best foot forward in telling Shayla and Link’s story. It’s a story that’s very deserving of a five-star review!

*I (Alexis A. Goring) received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book, Home At Last: A Chicory Inn Novel ― Book 5, in exchange for an honest review.

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About the author: .

Deborah Raney's novels have won numerous awards including the RITA, National Readers' Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, the Carol Award, and have three times been Christy Award finalists. 

She and her husband, Ken Raney have traded small-town life in Kansas-the setting of many of Deb's novels-for life in the city of Wichita.

Find out more about Deborah at http://deborahraney.com.
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About the book: Why did their differences matter so much?

Link Whitman has settled into the role of bachelor without ever intending to. Now he's stuck in a dead-end job and, as the next Whitman wedding fast approaches, he is the last one standing. The pressure from his sisters' efforts to play matchmaker is getting hard to bear as Link pulls extra shifts at work, and helps his parents at the Chicory Inn.

All her life, Shayla Michaels has felt as if she straddled two worlds. Her mother's white family labeled her African American father with names Shayla didn't repeat in polite-well, in any company. Her father's family disapproved as well, though they eventually embraced Shayla as their own. After the death of her mother, and her brother Jerry's incarceration, life has left Shayla's father bitter, her niece, Portia, an orphan, and Shayla responsible for them all. She knows God loves them all, but why couldn't people accept each other for what was on the inside? For their hearts?

Everything changes one icy morning when a child runs into the street and Link nearly hits her with his pickup. Soon he is falling in love with the little girl's aunt, Shayla, the beautiful woman who runs Coffee's On, the bakery in Langhorne. Can Shayla and Link overcome society's view of their differences and find true love? Is there hope of changing the sometimes-ugly world around them into something better for them all?

Learn more and purchase a copy. 

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A Message from Litfuse Publicity Group:

Conclude Deborah Raney's Chicory Inn novels with the final book, Home at Last, a story of acceptance, trying to overcome differences, and love. Everything changes for bachelor Link Whitman one icy morning when a child runs into the street and he nearly hits her with his pickup-and then the girl's aunt Shayla enters Link's life. Can Shayla and Link overcome society's view of their differences and find true love? Is there hope of changing the sometimes-ugly world around them into something better for them all?

Join Deborah on Thursday, March 23, for a live author chat party in her Facebook group with fun prizes to be won! Click the graphic below for more details and to RSVP. Hope to see you there-bring a friend or two who loves to read!

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