Author Spotlight: Big Doings in Christmas Town!
We have a winner! Mary Morgan, congratulations! You are Liz’s winner! She will be in touch! Thanks for coming by — we love talking to our readers!! See y’all again soon!
My own bestie, Liz Flaherty, is here with the brand new Christmas Town Anthology, Lights, Camera, Christmas Town! She and seven other authors have brought the Christmas cheer again this year with a fun holiday story!
Liz has spent the past several years enjoying not working a day job, making terrible crafts, and writing stories in which the people aren’t young, brilliant, or even beautiful. She’s decided (and has to re-decide most every day) that the definition of success is having a good time. Along with her husband of lo, these many years, kids, grands, friends, and the occasional cat, she’s doing just that. Find her on Facebook or her blog, Window Over the Sink. A girl just can’t have too many friends!
I’m going to let Liz tell you all about Christmas Town 2023…
Lights, Camera, Christmas Town!
Hi, everyone! Thanks to my bestie for having me here. Nan has so wonderfully not told anyone I have a broken wrist and stitches in my face or that she had to be my Florence Nightingale after I took a header on the porch of our VRBO where we went on retreat. It was a spectacularly bad ending to a great week. However, I have found out the internet does indeed go on without my regular input, it’s easier to lose weight if it’s a lot of work to eat, and you can get bored with ice cream. (I’m really sorry to have learned that last one.)
Oh. Yes. The reason I’m here.
Christmas stories. Oh, I love them. Although I mourn the sameness of some newer Christmas movies, I still revel in the joy of them. I don’t like that new movies have made the stories entirely without faith or entirely evangelical, but that seems to be the way of it. I go to church, I believe, and I still swear and do dumb things and am frequently wrong. (Witness my flyer on the VRBO porch as it was related above.)
So I’m glad to be back in Christmas Town, where there’s room for everyone. Where my people go to church (usually) but not everyone’s do. Where there is hope and love and the occasional miracle. That’s what I wish for you all as we go into the holiday season—yes, I do make it last a long time: hope and love and a small miracle if you need it.
Eight present and former Harlequin Heartwarming authors are back in Christmas Town, Maine, where they’re making a Hallmark-esque movie based on a novella from an earlier year, A Christmas Carousel Proposal, available by clicking the link if you have a free Book Funnel account. We have stories about cast, crew, Christmas Town residents, and everyone in between. The Knotty Elves and Elmer, the Elf play prominent parts. So does a dog named Jolly, the gazebo on the green, and that little bit of magic that sprinkles stardust wherever it’s needed in the wonderful little town.
Giveaway!
Thanks for coming to visit. If you care to leave a comment telling me about something you love during the holidays, you’ll be entered to win a Christmas ornament and a Starbucks card—basically a stocking-stuffer, my favorite gift to receive and to give.
The collection released yesterday and is available in both e-book and paperback at the online retailer of your choice.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
28 Comments
Roseann McGrath Brooks
Oh, dear. I’m so sorry about your fall. Ugh! I love what you said about Christmas movies being all or nothing with faith. Many of us are somewhere in between. In addition to all those things mentioned above (family, cookies, lights, church, and so on), I love that Christmastime is a reminder of all the things that are good in our lives.
Liz Flaherty
Oh, me, too, Roseann! A reminder we all need, I think.
Debra Pruss
I love to have a day of baking cookies and pumpkin bread that we can share with family and friends.
Liz Flaherty
It’s a great mental health day, isn’t it?
Cherie J
Sorry to hear about your injuries. I will keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery. What I live most is spending time with my family and making memories. We have favorite traditions like baking cookies, going to see the light displays, and our annual family Christmas tea party.
Liz Flaherty
Oh, a tea party sounds like so much fun! I’m doing better all the time. Thanks for coming by!
Latesha B.
Hugs to you on your wrist and stitches. Hope you heal quickly.
I loved taking my younger siblings out to see the Christmas lights.
Liz Flaherty
Thank you! Doing better every day. I still love Christmas lights!
K. A Bylsma
I’m sorry to hear of your injuries! Ughhh! Falling is the bane of our existence…
Christmas is not complete without listening to “A Christmas Carol” while decorating the tree, followed by Midnight Mass.
Liz Flaherty
I love Christmas Eve services. You’re right about falling, that’s for sure!
Janine
That’s a terrible way to end the retreat. I hope you’re on the mend and feeling better quick. I honestly don’t know if I could get bored eating ice cream.
My favorite thing to do at Christmas is drive around and look at the lights on houses.
Liz Flaherty
Ditto on the lights. I was surprised to be bored. I got sherbet yesterday and am enjoying it.
Mary Morgan
Each Christmas, I look forward to going to the Nutcracker with my mom. And don’t even get me started on my collection of nutcrackers, lol! If we can’t make a performance to the theater, then we watch one of our dvd’s in our collection. It’s always a highlight of our holiday season, plus all the wonderful baking.
Liz Flaherty
Oh, I love nutcrackers! I start well with baking, then fizzle out early. Sigh.
Beth Reimer
I love being with family we drive around looking at the lights we just started listening to Christmas music 🙂
Liz Flaherty
We used to do that with our kids. It was so neat. It was the one time of year I didn’t mind my long drive to work (and sometimes home from work) in the dark. I loved seeing all the lights in the country.
Tena Stetler
I love all the twinking, chasing multicolor lights!
Liz Flaherty
Oh, me, too! I never mastered the chasing part, though. 🙂
Joannie Sico
I love that most people are nicer that time of year, watching snow fall it’s so peaceful, watching & reading Christmas movies, seeing all the pretty decorations/lights, & baking.
Liz Flaherty
They are nicer, aren’t they? More patient, I think. Thanks, Joannie!
Liz Flaherty
Thanks for showcasing Christmas Town today, Nan. I always love coming here!
Nan
It is always my pleasure to have you drop by! Besides being a bestie, you are one of my very favorite writers! Hugs!!
bn100
decorating
Liz Flaherty
I enjoy other people’s decorating. Once I get the tree up, I pretty much relax and watch Christmas movies. Thanks for stopping in.
Doris H Lankford
I love Christmas and I love to read Christmas books and watch the movies all year long. I have bought a paperback version of the newest Christmas Town book and look forward to reading it soon.
I was sorry to hear of your accident, Liz. I hope you are healing well.
Thank you for the chance to win.
Liz Flaherty
Thanks for stopping, Doris. I’m healing better, although not so quickly as I used to! I hope you enjoy the book! We have so much fun writing the stories.
Patty Fontenot Duplechin
I love spending time with my family, celebrating the birth of the Lord. The Christmas music, movies, lights and decorations.
Liz Flaherty
Right there with you, Patty, on all counts. Thanks for stopping!