25 Days of Christmas Stories: Interview with Valerie Comer, author of Merry Kisses

Merry Kisses is A Riverbend Romance Novella written by Valerie Comer. 

Merry Kisses will be available to you, my dear readers, for free on Amazon.com from December 19-23, 2015! So there's no book giveaway contest today because you can order it for free during those dates. Here's what the cover of Valerie's book looks like:

Valerie is here today for an interview about her lovely Christmas story. I hope you will enjoy learning about Valerie as an author and you may find out why she calls this book "Merry Kisses" instead of "Merry Christmas"! 

*Words by Alexis are in bold, words from Valerie are not in bold...

~*~
Alexis: Hi Valerie! Thanks for agreeing to another author interview. I am delighted to feature your Christmas story Merry Kisses on my blog today! Let’s jump right in with those interview questions…Merry Kisses is such a wonderful and unique story! Tell us the “story behind the story.” How did you imagine that title?

Valerie: I'll credit my daughter with coming up with the title and opening premise several months before I began writing the story. "Merry Kisses" sounded fun and definitely Christmassy! I love starting with a title then working it into the narrative. Almost all of the Riverbend romance novellas were written with the title as inspiration.

Let’s talk about your leading lady, Sonya Simmons. What does she look like? Why does her boss not want her saying “Merry Christmas” to customers?

In the opening scene, we find Sonya wearing a bright green uniform with a screen printed giraffe peering over her shoulder. She works at a toy store, after all! Her boss is very anti-Christmas and anti-religion and is doing the socially correct thing of not allowing the traditional greeting in her store. It's somewhat ironic that she's in a business where Christmas purchases keep things afloat for the rest of the year.

Early on in your story, Sonya gets fired when she tells a good-looking man, “Merry Kisses” as a holiday greeting while she is at work in the store. I found it interesting how that man (Heath Collins) is the hero of your story. Tell us about him. What does he do for fun? What were his first thoughts and reaction when Sonya told him “Merry Kisses”?

Heath is a fun-loving and hard-working guy who owns his own landscaping and snow-removal business. Add the mall Santa gig to his life, and December is a busy time, but he sticks with it because he loves making a difference in kids' lives. When he heard Sonya's words, they made him laugh and take a second look. It pleased him that he'd flustered her so much…at least until it became apparent that her boss believed she'd said the forbidden words.

What is it about Heath that causes Sonya to fluster and blush?

The direct, warm look in his eyes. His compassion for her and others. And the fact that he's perfectly willing to gently tease her.

What is it about Sonya that makes Heath want to kiss her?

She's so endearing when she gets flustered, yet she seems to carry a heavy load. He wants her to keep her chin up, but when she does, her lips are right there.

Why do Sonya’s parents disdain Santa Claus? Did you have a particular audience in mind when you wrote that part of the storyline?

I didn't have an audience in mind, actually. I don't plan much of a story out in advance, so much of what happened — even this type of backstory — didn't become clear to me until I was writing it.

What did you love the most about telling Sonya and Heath’s story? 

Is it shallow to say the kisses? How about watching Sonya blossom? How about the fun of letting readers catch another glimpse of Elena and Sophie, the two little girls who "matchmaked" their parents in Pinky Promise?

What was the most challenging part of writing Merry Kisses?

Getting into Sonya's head and figuring out what lines she drew over Christmas, and why. And writing about snowstorms on hot summer days!

What’s the moral of the story? 

Hmm. Don't make a snap judgment about cultural things without examining them and their history.

Complete this sentence: If someone told me “Merry Kisses” instead of “Merry Christmas” this year, I would _____________________.

If someone told me “Merry Kisses” instead of “Merry Christmas” this year, I would pretend not to notice because I'm shy like that! 

Thanks for the interview, Valerie! God bless you and Merry Christmas!

~*~
Author bio: 

Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. 

Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. 

She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her award-winning Farm Fresh Romance stories. 

~*~

Book blurb for Merry Kisses: Fired from her retail position for saying Merry Christmas to a customer, Sonya Simmons chafes at the over-commercialization of the season and the difficulties of finding a new job. If only she’d actually SAID Merry Christmas instead of Merry Kisses to the tall, good-looking man buying enough toys for at least a dozen children. How embarrassing!

It was fun to fluster the pretty toy store clerk, but Heath Collins, the mall’s volunteer Santa Claus, hadn’t meant to get her fired. When his elf assistant comes down with a bad cold, Heath offers Sonya a few days’ work, only to discover she believes Santa is nothing but a liar and a fraud instead of an opportunity to make a difference in children’s lives.

Can Sonya and Heath embrace each other — opinions, traditions, and all — in time to share merry kisses for Christmas?

~*~
Buy Valerie's book:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1QmZlEP
~*~
Connect with Valerie:
Website - http://valeriecomer.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/valeriecomer.author
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/valeriecomer/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/valeriecomer
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/valerierco

*New* Author Interview with Valerie Comer

Today's featured author Valerie Comer, agreed to give away one e-book copy of her book, Dandelions for Dinner. If you'd like to win that copy, answer the questions in the Rafflecopter box at the end of this interview.

So without further ado, please welcome back an old friend of this blog (she's been featured several times before), Valerie Comer! 

Questions from Alexis are in bold. Answers from Valerie are not in bold. 

~*~
Alexis: Dandelions for Dinner is quite the creative title! Tell me about it. Is it literal or figurative? Why did you choose this title for your latest book?

Valerie: It's both literal and figurative, which is a lot of fun. I was able to work actual dandelions into discussions and meals into the story, as well as more general themes of the weeds we have in our lives, and how they affect us. 

I brainstormed the title with a friend before the story was written or even planned. It had to be three words, catchy, and go with the existing titles in the series. Once I had the title, it wasn't hard to see how it could help shape themes.

Where is the setting for this story? How did you decide on it?

The entire Farm Fresh Romance series takes place on Green Acres Farm in a redrawn northern Idaho. Okay, they go into the town of Galena Landing occasionally. ;) When I wrote the first two novels, I was aiming for traditional publication which did not want Canadian settings. I live in Canada quite close to the Idaho border, so I just slid my imaginary farm south a few miles, so I'd still understand the climate and growing season.

We (the readers) meet Allison Hart on the first page of Chapter 1. What can we expect from Allison throughout your book? Share her motivations, desires and conflict.

Allison isn't a very nice person at the beginning of the book. She detests men, putting up with them as little as possible and always with distrust. She's hiding something, and the reader won't know what for many pages (unless they're smarter than Allison's author, which is possible.)

She's drawn to the farm because of the three women who started it. It's a place where Allison can sink her inheritance, make a difference, and safeguard herself. Where she can live alone (yet in community) and get herself a big guard dog.

It didn't take a lot of imagination to see Allison in conflict. When she walked in at Green Acres Farm on page one, she was a human porcupine ready to spring her barbs in every direction and with little notice.

Creating situations where she could learn to trust and where she could change, little by little, was a joy. I'm hoping readers will see Allison's journey as a realistic one, that they will root for her from the beginning and come to understand her as they continue on.

As the story starts after page one, Allison meets Brent Callahan. She seems to be surprised by his Irish name. Why?

She sees a man of Asian descent, who introduces himself as a Callahan. It does make her do a little double-take!

What can you tell us about Brent? What are his dreams and quirks? How would you describe his personality?

Allison isn't the only one hiding things in her past. Brent is, too. He's determined to stay single because "he wouldn't inflict his issues on a God-fearing woman, and he was done with the other kind."

He's a contractor, hardworking and meticulous in the finest details. He respects Allison as his client for whom he is building a timber-framed house. He's patient with her even when she doesn't really deserve it.

I like Brent a lot. I think a romance author has to fall in love with the hero in her story, or it will show to the reader, and they won't root for the couple to get together!

At the start of Dandelions for Dinner, the reader may think that romance may bloom between Allison and Brent. What can you tell us about those two without giving away your story?

It's a romance novel in Allison's and Brent's point-of-views so, yes, the reader will expect them to get together. But we don't read romance novels for the destination; we read them for the journey. Several conflicts between and around Allison and Brent make things rocky in the middle, and I truly hope the reader enjoys the twists and turns and finds the story sticking with her after she closes the cover.

What would you say is the climax of your story? Why?

Ah, now that's a question I can't answer without giving away the biggest twists in the tale! All I'll say is it involves a small boy named Finnley.

Did the ending to Dandelions for Dinner play out the way you originally planned when the story idea was in your head? Or did your characters have other plans?

LOL, my characters always have other plans, so I've stopped planning my stories in advance. I know the couple will get together in the end, but the "black moment" and actual resolution are pieces that come to me over time as I'm writing.

What did you love the most about writing this book? Why?

I loved watching Allison unfurl from a hard, tight knot into someone who could reach out and help other people.

What was your go-to food or drink when you were on deadline for this book?

It's always a homemade mocha or two (or three, but don't tell) that fuels my writing mornings!

Now that your book is on the market, tell us about your next work in progress.
As always, I have several stories on the go right now, in various stages. Pinky Promise, the second Riverbend Romance releases in April, so I'm doing the final edits and tweaks to the story these days… and loving the pint-sized matchmakers in this fun novella.

I'm also writing Plum Upside Down, the fifth Farm Fresh Romance, planning for a summer release.

Complete this sentence: After my readers read “the end,” to Dandelions for Dinner, I want them to______________because______________.

After my readers read “the end,” to Dandelions for Dinner, I want them to cry because they can't get the fifth book in the series yet.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Valerie! Please leave a question for my readers to answer which will qualify them to enter the book giveaway contest.

Valerie's question for the readers: Have you ever wished you could live in a community setting, sharing property with other families? How do you think that would work for you?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*~

Author bio:

Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her award-winning Farm Fresh Romance stories.

Connect with Valerie: 
http://valeriecomer.com
http://valeriecomer.com/blog
http://twitter.com/valeriecomer
http://pinterest.com/valeriecomer

Buy Valerie's books: 
Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Wild Mint Tea: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Sweetened with Honey: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Snowflake Tiara: 2-in-1 Christmas Collection by Angela Breidenbach, Valerie Comer

Author interview with Valerie Comer, Valentine’s Day edition

The holiday that celebrates love and romance is soon approaching! What better way to celebrate than by hosting an author on my blog who wrote a book just for this occasion and is willing to give a free, Kindle e-book copy of her book away?

Secretly Yours is Valerie Comer's latest book and it promises to be a delight for readers of romance and people who love a good Valentine's Day story! :)

Ready to read about Valerie's book? Here's the interview (questions by Alexis in bold, answers from Valerie not in bold)...

~*~
Alexis: Tell me about your latest novella, Secretly Yours.

Valerie: Chef Lindsey Solberg agrees to cater the church's Valentine's Day fundraising banquet as a favor to her teen sister, but she's shocked to discover the bad boy from her high school days is now Riverbend's youth pastor. Seriously? How could he have changed that much? Nick Harrison has prayed for years for an opportunity to make amends. Now Lindsey's back in Riverbend and won't give him the time of day. What's a guy to do except leave a trail of gifts from a secret admirer?

Lindsey's heart takes a beating when she realizes the boy who was never good enough is now a far better man than she deserves.

Secretly Yours is A Riverbend Romance Novella 1. What is the Riverbend Romance series all about? How many books will be in the series? When is the release date for each book?

The Riverbend series is intended to include 20-25K Christian contemporary romance novellas. At the moment, I am planning five stories for 2015, one for each season plus Christmas. Secretly Yours takes place from early January through mid-February, so it is the winter novella. Pinky Promise takes place from mid-March through mid-May, covering the spring season. It's already written, and I plan to release it in early April. I don't have titles for the other three yet, but I'm aiming for June, September, and November. I'm fitting three full-length Farm Fresh Romance novels into 2015 as well, so things are still a bit fluid after the next couple of months.

When and why did you write Secretly Yours?

I started this story in early December, then set it aside to complete my March Farm Fresh Romance release, Dandelions for Dinner. I wrote most of Secretly Yours in the first two weeks of January…and wrote Pinky Promise in the remainder of the month!

Part of the "why" has to do with needing a bit of a break from all the togetherness on Green Acres Farm as featured in the Farm Fresh Romance series. It was time to create a new world and play with some new characters—ones with fewer connections to the characters in all the other Riverbend stories. The novellas will be more of a collection than a series.

Who is your leading lady? What are her desires and flaws?

Lindsey Solberg is a young professional chef. She'd been part of an innovative start-up restaurant, but left when her mother died so that she could return to Riverbend and spend time with her teenage half-sister, Madison. Her primary goal at the beginning is to buffer Madison from her dad, who's not an exemplary father. She plans to stay in Riverbend only until Madison graduates from high school in a year and a half.

One of her flaws is that she doesn't truly believe people can change. She has her step-dad in a box, but there's also room in the box for Nick Harrison, who was a suave jock in high school.

Who is your leading man? What are his strengths and weaknesses?

Lindsey isn't wrong about Nick Harrison. A decade ago, he was a complete jerk. Even he has painful memories about those days! But God got hold of his life during college and rerouted him to seminary. He's now Madison's youth pastor with a passion for introducing people, especially teens, to Jesus.

He's never forgotten how he treated Lindsey years ago. God has forgiven him, but it's not easy to convince her to give him another chance.

Your leading lady is a chef! What is her specialty?

Lindsey is a chef at a farm-to-table restaurant. Even in the short novella length, I was able to include a fun scene with her boss, Antonio, as they discuss the menu for the church Valentine's Day banquet. This event is a youth group fundraiser for an upcoming missions trip Madison will be going on… and which Nick is coordinating as the youth pastor.

If you could order and eat a meal by Chef Lindsey, what would it be and why?

I would love to enjoy the lamb chops she hoped to prepare for the banquet before the realities of her budget caught up with her!

Nick Harrison used to be a bad boy when Lindsey knew him. How is he different when he re-enters her life? Or is he (different)?

He's just as devastatingly hot as he'd been a decade before, but his rude cockiness has been replaced with a mature self-confidence. The biggest difference, though, is that he is now a believer on fire for God.

Tell me about your story world of Riverbend. Is it a town, city, suburb or country? What does it look like, smell like, feel like? Is it fictional or found in real-life and if so, where?

Ah, Riverbend! It is the quaint Canadian town you wish you were from, where everyone knows everyone, seasons are celebrated, and love is in the air. It's also a fictional community in southeastern British Columbia, where I live. Except where I live is real.

Riverbend is a long, skinny town beside the Sandon River with a riverside park and bike path (good for snowshoeing, too!). The downtown is filled with unique shops and eateries, helping create an idyllic setting.

It smells like glacier-fed streams, sunshine on wildflowers, and fragrant forests…but maybe I'm getting ahead of Secretly Yours. The aromas for the winter novella are more along the line of "snow is in the air!"

Why did you choose Riverbend as the setting for your story?

I knew I wanted a place readers and I would all enjoy revisiting many times. Fans and friends on my Facebook author page have had a hand in suggesting businesses and features. Riverbend was created for just this moment.

What do you hope readers will cherish the most about Secretly Yours?

I truly hope readers will catch a glimpse of the passionate love God has for them through this story.

What is the significance of including Valentine’s Day in this story?

I daydreamed a set of seasonal stories, knowing I wanted a bonus for Christmas. Thus, the winter novella was not Christmas—I was always good at those deductive puzzles. But Valentine's Day is firmly in winter, so it seemed a good angle for a crispy, snowy tale.

Should readers buy this book before Valentine’s Day or after? Why or why not?

Valentine's Day is the finale for the story. Sorry if that is a spoiler, lol. But the focus on the novella isn't February fourteenth per se. It's a romance that takes place in winter, and happens to include that date. Read the story anytime of year where you'd like a heartwarming tale with the scent of falling snow.

How will you spend Valentine’s Day this year (in real-life)?

Interestingly enough, our church youth group is hosting a fundraiser banquet, and my husband and I expect to attend. I'll be surprised if the menu and presentations are similar to the ones in Secretly Yours, though!

Thanks for the interview, Val! Thank you for offering a free, Kindle e-book copy of your book Secretly Yours! Please leave a question for my readers which will automatically enter their names in the random drawing after they answer your question in the comment section. In order to qualify, the readers must leave their e-mail address with their comment so Valerie can contact the winner and send their e-book. The contest starts Feb. 15 and ends at 11:00 p.m. EST on Feb. 22. The winner will be announced on  Feb. 23 and will receive the e-book from Valerie soon after.

Valerie’s question: In what way has God revealed His passionate and personal love to you?

~*~
Author bio:

Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters. 

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her award-winning Farm Fresh Romance stories.

Connect with Valerie:
http://valeriecomer.com
http://valeriecomer.com/blog
http://twitter.com/valeriecomer
http://pinterest.com/valeriecomer

Buy Valerie's books:
Secretly Yours: A Christian Valentine's Day Romance (Riverbend Romance Novella Book 1)
Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Wild Mint Tea: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Sweetened with Honey: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Snowflake Tiara: 2-in-1 Christmas Collection by Angela Breidenbach, Valerie Comer

Holiday author interview with Valerie Comer of Snowflake Tiara

"Whether you have already seen the first of the season's snow or are still awaiting its arrival, you'll want to curl up with a cup of cocoa as you enjoy these two sweet tales." ~Sarah, 4-star customer review on Amazon.com.

If you haven't already guessed from Sarah's review on Amazon.com, today we're talking about Christmas stories! Actually, two Christmas stories in one book called Snowflake Tiara written by Angela Breidenbach and Valerie Comer.

We're going to focus on Valerie's novella called More than A Tiara. Valerie will share information about the writing process, the Christmastime story setting, the characters and she will also talk about collaborating with Angela to write this book.

Most fun of all is the news of what's in it for you-- a free book! :) Valerie is willing to give away one free e-book of Snowflake Tiara to the lucky winner! Here's how you can qualify to win: After reading Valerie's interview, answer her question at the end. You must include your e-mail address with your answer in the comment section in order to enter the contest because we need to contact you if you're the winner so you can receive your free e-book! :) 

The contest starts today, Dec. 7 and will end Sunday, Dec. 21. I will announce the winner on Monday, Dec. 22 so if you're the winner, you'll have time to read your book before Christmas Day! :)

Now read on to Valerie's holiday author interview (questions from Alexis in bold, answers by Valerie not in bold)...

~*~
Alexis: Why is your latest release (2014) titled Snowflake Tiara, Two Christmas Romances 125 Years Apart? What type of book is it—a novel or novella or another category?

Valerie: The title is Snowflake Tiara, and the remainder is a quick description of the contents. It is a collection of two long novellas.

Who is Angela Breidenbach? Did you two write this book together? Or are there two separate stories, one written by each of you, in Snowflake Tiara?

I should be really good at introducing Angela by now! She visited recently and we did several events together at which she was the main speaker and I was her sidekick. She is pretty awesome, frankly! She's Mrs. Montana 2009, a sought-after speaker, and an author as well as a pageant and life coach.

Can you speak for Angela and tell my readers why she wrote The Debutante Queen which is the first story in Snowflake Tiara?

Angela is passionate about volunteering and believes we can make the world a better place by pitching in. She's a pageant queen herself and knows how much light pageantry can shine on worthy organizations, so the combination is a natural one for her. She set her main character, Calista, on a quest to help the children abandoned at the last stop of the Orphan Train in Helena, Montana, in 1889.

Who is your favorite character in your story? Explain why and include details on their character traits.

I protest. This isn't a fair question! I like all the characters. Well, except for the one who… Never mind. Hmm. I'll go with Bren Haddock. She's a good friend of the heroine, a single mom who's been kicked in the teeth by life, but she's determined to make a better life for her two young kids. I loved her spirit and was thrilled to find I could help in her quest in some small ways.

Are your leading ladies in both stories related? Is there any connection between the first story by Angela and the second story by you? If so, please explain.

There's a lot of connection between the tales. My heroine, Marisa, is the triple-great granddaughter of Angela's heroine, Calista. They have a similar passion for helping children. Angie and I had a great time working back and forth while planning, writing, and editing, to tie the two stories together on numerous levels. The most obvious is that both of them compete in the Miss Snowflake Pageant in their time periods.

Why did you write More Than a Tiara? What is it about and how does it tie in with Angela’s story? Explain the concept.

More Than a Tiara is set 125 years after The Debutante Queen with ties back in numerous ways. I'd have to say I wrote it because God had things to teach me. I was born into a very traditional Mennonite family, and I can assure you beauty pageants were not on my radar growing up. Through knowing Angela and writing this story, God showed me how beautiful I am to Him. I think this little snippet from Jases's point-of-view may explain some of it:

How much time did you spend writing More Than a Tiara? How did you research for creating your holiday story world?

This story is about half the length of my other books, but it took at least as long to write. I struggled with the story line, and it took me a while to figure out what the problem was. I usually interview my characters, create a few notes and ideas for a story, and jump in. More Than a Tiara required a more rigid structure because the second half (about the spot where I usually swing out into no-man's-land as a seat-of-the-pants writer) took place during the beauty pageant with defined events and expectations. Once I realized the issue, I found ways to work through and around it, but I'd been stuck at that point for several weeks.

What was your favorite part of writing More Than a Tiara?

The children, hands down. I mentioned Bren earlier. Her kids are 8 and 6 and were a delight to write, especially once I'd added in the hero's niece (6) and nephew (4). There is nothing like child-like wonder at winter and Christmas!

Which character in More Than a Tiara do you relate to the most? Why?

That's a tough one. Because Marisa has been a super model and is now competing in a pageant, I identified with her less than I usually do with my heroines. Still, I gave her some of my passions to run with, and that helped a lot. She simply had a very different angle of pursuit of our mutual passions than I do as a middle-aged wife of a farmer and beekeeper!

Does Snowflake Tiara have a happy ending?

Definitely. It was fun to bring it all the way around to add a bonus closure to The Debutante Queen as well in the final scenes.

What do you hope your readers will take away from reading More Than a Tiara?

So many things! I hope they'll see again the wonder of Christmas. I hope they'll revel in their beauty and value in God's eyes. And I hope they'll consider the value of good, healthy food every day…and how to provide that for folks less fortunate.

Complete this sentence: My favorite Christmastime memory is _______________________because____________________.

My favorite Christmastime memory is spending the day after Christmas at my grandmother's house every year when I was growing up because my cousins and I had so much fun together.

Alexis: Thank you for the interview, Valerie! Please leave a question for my readers to answer which will qualify them to enter the book giveaway contest to win an e-book from you.

Valerie: What organization embodies your passions so much that you'll spend precious time volunteering to help them meet their agendas?

~*~
Author bio:

Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her award-winning Farm Fresh Romance stories.

Connect with Valerie: 
http://valeriecomer.com
http://valeriecomer.com/blog
http://twitter.com/valeriecomer
http://pinterest.com/valeriecomer

Info and buy links for Valerie's books at various online stores:
Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Wild Mint Tea: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Sweetened with Honey: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Snowflake Tiara: 2-in-1 Christmas Collection by Angela Breidenbach, Valerie Comer

Buy Snowflake Tiara: Amazon, Kindle, iBooks, Nook, Kobo

Author interview: Valerie Comer

What's so special and unique about today's featured author? She's not a U.S. citizen! Valerie lives on a small farm in a mountain valley in southeastern British Columbia, Canada.

It was wonderful to interview Valerie about her life on the farm and to learn about her love for writing stories that revolve around farmers and interesting characters who love food and tea. 

Now here's what's in it for you: Valerie will give a free Sweetened with Honey e-book to the winner of her book giveaway contest! The contest starts today (Sunday, Nov. 23) and will end on Sunday, Dec. 7. Alexis will announce the winners via an old-fashioned random drawing on Monday, Dec. 8. You can enter the contest by answering Valerie's question at the end of this author interview. Remember to include your e-mail address in your comment so Valerie can send your e-book to you if you win. 

So without further ado, let's proceed to the interview (questions by Alexis in bold, answers by Valerie not in bold)...

~*~
Alexis: A Farm Fresh Romance is the name of your book series. Tell me about it. Why did you choose that title for the series?

Valerie: The Farm Fresh Romance series follows the adventures, romantic and otherwise, of several young women who band together to buy a farm. Their goal is to grow their own food and live as sustainably as possible. They no longer expect to find romance, but it does indeed find them! So the reasons for the words "farm" and "romance" might be obvious. What I'm going for with the word "fresh" in the middle is that the setting isn't your everyday commercial farm, nor is it a historical farm, but one operated in a way relevant for this millennium.

Is there a personal connection between you and your characters in the book series A Farm Fresh Romance? If yes, explain.

There's always a connection between author and characters, I think. Bits of me, good and bad, are in all of my fictional people, but I identify most directly with Rosemary Nemesek, the mother of the hero in the first book, Raspberries and Vinegar. Rosemary is a tired fifty-something woman who has lived on the farm for years. (The series' heroines buy the land next door from the Nemesek family.)

Rosemary has gotten in a rut and forgotten what she loves about farm life. Now that her kids are raised and have moved on, she's lost her joy in gardening and canning. But like me, something came along and challenged her to look at her life through new eyes again.

For me, that was when my son and his wife were in university and became avid locavores (local food advocates). They decided to move back home after graduation so they could pour themselves into a food-production lifestyle. This from the boy who tried every excuse in the book not to help with chores when he was younger! But I was also surprised to find that many of their friends were jealous that they had a farm they could tap into.

I began to wonder what it would look like if a bunch of city-bred girls bought a farm together and tried to grow their own food. What kinds of challenges would they face? And the Farm Fresh Romance series was born!

By the way, my son and his wife have lived on our farm for 4 1/2 years now and have a toddler, one of my three young granddaughters. I love being in a position to help ensure healthy real food for these little treasures!

Give my readers insight into each of your books from A Farm Fresh Romance series (Raspberries and Vinegar, Wild Mint Tea and Sweetened with Honey).

Breaking ground with the Farm Fresh Romance series, Raspberries and Vinegar finds Josephine Shaw and her friends renovating a dilapidated farm with their sights set on more than just their own property. Transforming the town with their sustainable lifestyle and focus on local foods is met with more resistance than they expected, especially by temporary neighbor, Zachary Nemesek. Jo needs to learn that a little sweet makes the tart more tasty. 

The second tale, Wild Mint Tea, finds chef Claire Halford hosting weddings at Green Acres Farm, but the first bride comes with a globe-trotting brother. Noel Kenzie's reforestation company provides him the means to enjoy life. This is no time for him to settle down… or Claire to spread her wings.

Sweetened with Honey, the third story, finds beekeeper Sierra Riehl hopeful to catch the eye of widower Gabriel Rubachuk, knowing he must first face the past. Yet as he begins to embrace hope and fall in love with her, reality changes. Sierra begins to suspect she can't give Gabe what he deserves, and their budding romance fizzles. But how can she trust him with her devastating secret?

Tell me about your latest release, Sweetened with Honey. What exactly is “sweetened with honey”?

Sierra has become a beekeeper as part of the girls' focus on growing their own food. She has a sweet tooth and believes everything tastes better sweetened with honey. In Psalm 19 David claims that God's word is sweeter than honey. Honey and sweetness become metaphors for a variety of issues in Sierra and Gabe's lives through the course of this novel.

Why do you write “Farm Lit with a Christian worldview”? Is farm lit a book category of its own? If so, please explain.

FarmLit.com (which happens to be one of my sites!) describes farm lit as "any literature that embraces the life of modern-day 'new' farmers. These stories can be fiction or memoir, and most often include city-bred heroines who head for an idealized rural existence and (often) find the man of their dreams riding a tractor rather than a horse or a motorbike."

Farmers' markets, organic box programs, and vegetable gardening/processing have gone mainstream. My desire is to show "where food meets faith." I believe there are biblical reasons for choosing to care about where one's food comes from, and that story is a valuable tool in presenting the challenges and options.

Do you write full-time and does payment from that work cover all of your expenses or do you keep a day job too?

My job left me two years ago, and I've become a full-time writer since then, supplemented by some freelance work. I'm definitely not earning a living wage at this time and couldn't maintain this lifestyle if my husband didn't have a well-paying job. However, it's my goal to match my previous wages within the next two years.

Where do you live? What is your favorite feature of your hometown?

I live on a small farm in a mountain valley in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It's the perfect place for a family of locavores because we have a unique climate. We grow a large percentage of our vegetables, berries, honey, and meat on our own land. We have organic wheat and other grains available locally as well as a wide range of fruits. There isn't much we can't grow or source locally.

Describe your writing space. What makes it special to you?

My office is in a small west-facing room upstairs, perfect for morning writing. My laptop sits under a window through which I can see my garden, several farms, and the trees and mountains beyond. I find the long view very restful. I also have the requisite bookcases as well as a large whiteboard and a large inspiration board. Everything needs to be portable because the room doubles as my preschool granddaughters' bedroom when they visit… and they are curious little monkeys!

Where do you want to take your writing in the next five to ten years?

I'm so thankful to be an indie author! In 2015 I expect to write and publish three novels and a novella to complete my Farm Fresh Romance series. I believe I can continue this pace until my husband retires in ten years, so that will be a lot of books in several series. I hope to continue writing much longer than that, but experience tells me to expect a slower output when he's around more.

How does your faith in God play into your writing?

My beliefs are intrinsic to every part of my life. I don't know how to write without my worldview showing through one way or another… not that I try to block it! My passion in food and environmental issues isn't mainstream Christian, though. Rather than "preach" my opinions on these topics, I tend to give my characters opposing viewpoints and let them duke it out on the page.

How often do you write every week and how do you overcome writer’s block?

My goal is to write an 80,000-word first draft every four months, which works out to about 5,000 words per week. The weekly goal is a great theory that hasn't quite worked for me, partly because I republished two novels and published three new (already written) ones in the past four months. First drafting got relegated to snatches of time, but I'm back on a roll lately and still expect to finish my current draft before Christmas.

As for writer's block, I have several solutions. Sometimes the story has gone astray and I need to delete the last scene or two and take a different direction. Sometimes I break out the wild-colored dry erase pens and mind-map on my three-by-four-foot whiteboard until a solution comes to mind. And then there's prayer, asking God to help me find the story He wants to deliver to my readers.

Do you have an agent and traditional publisher? If yes, please share the story of how this happened.

In January of 2011 I sold a novella to Barbour in a collection with three author friends. This netted me an agent and, for a time, I really believed I was on my way. Several of the proposals my agent shopped received solid praise and one went to pub board three times. But that wasn't the path God had for me.

In the spring of 2013 I let my agent go planning to go indie, but then accepted a small pub's contract offer on the three book Farm Fresh Romance. That small house shut to fiction just after the release of the second novel, and I regained my rights. Looking back, I'm thankful for each step of the journey and especially for where I have landed up, with all but one of my stories under my control. Being an indie author is the most amazing thing ever.

Are you married? Do you have kids? What do you and your family do for fun? Give my readers a glimpse into your personal life.

I've been married to the same guy for 34 years. Our two kids are married with children, and my three young granddaughters are the light of my life. I love hanging out with them, bouncing on the trampoline, reading stories, or letting them "help" me in the kitchen and garden.

Farming and gardening takes a lot of our time. When we get the chance, we like to pull our little holiday trailer up beside a mountain stream and spend a weekend fishing, hiking, reading, and soaking up nature.

What are you looking forward to the most about the Thanksgiving holiday? Do you have favorite holiday dessert? Please give details.

I'm Canadian, so I celebrated Thanksgiving the second Monday of October. I love the timing of our holiday because my girls and I try to make our entire feast with food from our farm, garden, and surrounding area, and so much is available in October! Pumpkin desserts rule. My daughter brought pumpkin pie, and my niece made both pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin macaroons. We enjoyed dessert for an entire week.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Valerie! Please provide a question for my readers to answer so they can enter the book giveaway and have a chance to win a digital copy of your book Sweetened with Honey.

Valerie: Sierra loves everything better if it's sweetened with honey, including her homemade coffee mocha. What do you think tastes better with honey?

~*~
Author bio:

Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her award-winning Farm Fresh Romance stories.

Connect with Valerie: 
http://valeriecomer.com
http://valeriecomer.com/blog
http://twitter.com/valeriecomer
http://pinterest.com/valeriecomer

Buy Valerie's books: 
Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Wild Mint Tea: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Sweetened with Honey: A Farm Fresh Romance (Farm Lit) by Valerie Comer
Snowflake Tiara: 2-in-1 Christmas Collection by Angela Breidenbach, Valerie Comer