Interview with Kimberly Rose Johnson featuring Island Christmas

We're visiting with a very familiar author today, Kimberly Rose Johnson returns to the blog to talk about her new novel, Island Christmas!

Kimberly would like to give away one Kindle copy of her book to the person who wins the book giveaway contest! :)

Contest rules: In order to enter the book giveaway contest, leave a comment for Kimberly saying why you want to read her book Island Christmas. The contest starts today (Nov. 8) and will end on Sunday, Nov. 22. You must leave your e-mail address with your comment so that if you are the winner, we can contact you and make arrangements for you to receive your prize. The winner will be selected via an old-fashioned drawing conducted by me (Alexis) and the winner will be announced on this blog post on Monday, Nov. 23. 

It's just in time for the holiday season, wouldn't you agree? I hope you enjoy your time with Kimberly today! :)

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Congrats on the third installment to your Wildflower B&B Romance series! What is Island Christmas about and why did you write it? 

Island Christmas features a strong secondary character from the first book in the series who returns to Wildflower Island with her three-year-old son. Here is the back cover blurb.

Should Rachel take a risk, or play it safe and possibly lose the man who could help fulfill her dreams?

Sous Chef Rachel Narrelli returns to Wildflower Island looking for a fresh start for herself and her young son, but discovers that life has a lot of bumps in the road even on idyllic Wildflower Island. She is grateful when new friend Chris Campbell offers support as she faces obstacles with her new job and new life. She cares for the Chris but must decide if she is willing to risk her heart to a man with an uncertain future.

A self-proclaimed workaholic, Chris Campbell comes to Wildflower Island hoping to take life at a slower pace. When a new guest at the Wildflower B&B catches his eye, he is drawn to her. But how will a woman and her young son fit into his future—a future that’s uncertain at best? And most of all, how can he reconcile her lack of faith in God with his strong religious beliefs.

Tell me about your leading lady Rachel. Who is she? What is her role in the story? What is her Christmas dream? What makes her special?

As I mentioned above Rachel was originally in Island Refuge, at that time she was pregnant and recently widowed. It is now a little more than three years later and she has returned to Wildflower Island to pursue a career as a chef. She is the new sous chef at the resort restaurant (also new, since book one).

Although never stated, I believe her Christmas dream is to find love. Rachel is special to me because she played such a big role in the first book in this series, and now we are inside her head. I loved getting to know Rachel better. She has a lot of baggage she is carrying around, but she doesn’t let that stop her—don’t want to say anymore and risk spoiling the story for readers.

Tell me about your main man Chris. Who is he? What is his role in the story? What is his Christmas dream? What makes him special?

Chris is a software and web designer. He’s a driven man, he loves the Lord, and practices his faith. The men in his family have all died young from heart issues. His doctor warned him that he needed to slow down and cut the stress from his life, or he would end up like his dad and grandfather, so he moved to Wildflower Island to invest in a property and take advantage of the slower pace of the island. Chris is special because he has a huge heart and he lives his faith.

Why is Rachel torn between taking a risk and playing it safe? 

Risks can lead to hurt and she’s been hurt enough to know, she doesn’t want that. On the other hand she could miss out on a lot by playing it safe.

What is one of the hurdles Rachel must overcome in this story?

Poor Rachel does not have an easy time of it when she first arrives on the island. One of the things she must understand is that her past does not determine her future.

What is the greatest challenge Chris will face in this story? 

Chris thought he had come to terms with his medical history, but in reality, he hadn’t. For lack of a better explanation at this moment, Chris needs to trust that the Lord is always in control and not try to play God

Rachel has a young son. Is the father of her son in the picture? What happened?

Rachel’s husband died two weeks after they were married of a cancerous brain tumor that he didn’t know he had.

How does Chris help Rachel and how does she help him?

Chris is a great friend to Rachel. He is there for her time and again when she needs someone. Rachel opens his heart to a future.

As the author, what did you most enjoy about creating Chris and Rachel? 

I loved being able to drop them into a Christmas setting and I especially enjoyed writing Rachel’s character. There is so much more to her than I had realized when she was originally in Island Refuge.

What role does faith in God play in this storyline?

It’s huge! Here’s a little behind the scenes tidbit: I had written half of the story, when it I found out I had an issue with my editors schedule and the only time she could fit me in was two weeks from that date, or I’d have to find someone else. I LOVE my editor and have worked with her on every book I’ve had published, so I wrote the rest of the book in two weeks time.

That being said, I relied heavily on the Lord to guide my writing and guide it He did! Wow. This story took a turn I didn’t expect and looking back I see His hand in it.

What’s the moral of the story?

I think there is so much to this story, that each reader may find a different moral. For me it was you are not defined by your past. An online reviewers thought it was faith and another forgiveness.

If you could attend a Christmas party with Rachel or Chris, who would you choose and why?

Oh my goodness! That’s like asking which one of my children I’d rather spend Christmas with. How can I choose? I guess if forced to choose I’d go with Rachel because I wouldn’t want to make my husband jealous. LOL!

Thanks for the interview, Kimberly! Do you have any final comments?

Thanks for hosting me! It’s been a pleasure visiting you and your blog once again. Finally for the readers, if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited all of the books in this series are included, so you may read them for free.

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Author bio:

Kimberly Rose Johnson, soon to be empty-nester, lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their yellow lab.


Island Refuge is her sixth published book and the first in a series of three.


Kimberly enjoys long walks, chocolate, and mochas, not necessarily in that order.

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Book blurb for Island Christmas:

Should Rachel take a risk, or play it safe and possibly lose the man who could help fulfill her dreams? 

Sous Chef Rachel Narrelli returns to Wildflower Island looking for a fresh start for herself and her young son, but discovers that life has a lot of bumps in the road even on idyllic Wildflower Island. She is grateful when new friend Chris Campbell offers support as she faces obstacles with her new job and new life. She cares for the Chris but must decide if she is willing to risk her heart to a man with an uncertain future. 

A self-proclaimed workaholic, Chris Campbell comes to Wildflower Island hoping to take life at a slower pace. When a new guest at the Wildflower B&B catches his eye, he is drawn to her. But how will a woman and her young son fit into his future—a future that’s uncertain at best? And most of all, how can he reconcile her lack of faith in God with his strong religious beliefs.

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Buy Island Christmas:

Amazon - http://amzn.to/20zGcmr

Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1iHwCvt
Books-A-Million - http://bit.ly/1Qj1S1r

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Connect with Kimberly:
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/krose1990/
Twitter link - https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh
Website - http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/