**Blurb**
Magic. Myth. Miracles. They say there's truth in legends.
The real Santa Claus is nothing like you’ve imagined. Get ready for the Christmas love story of a lifetime.
Last Christmas, Erin came home to be with her dying mother. This Christmas will be a year, and Erin still can’t move on. Fortunately, everything in her life is about to change. A behemoth dog named Klaus and Reason-the-handsome-realtor enter the picture, and together they turn Erin's life upside down...in a good way.
Reason offers to help Erin sell her mother’s house, an effort that turns into a circus of fiascos. Just when it seems her luck can't get any worse, Erin finds herself falling in love with Reason, the man of chaos himself. But he’s more than he seems, and now Erin is immersed in the clandestine world of the Santa Society, a centuries old secret organization that protects the truth behind Christmas.
Could
you share a little about yourself and what led you to become a writer?
I was born and raised in Georgia. I was the shy kid
who spent most of her time reading and stocking up on books at the local
library. By the age of nine or ten, I
knew I wanted to be a writer. I remember scrawling out the start of a novel on
notebook paper, but I abandoned it when I realized I didn't know enough about
subways or life as a runaway in New York City to write it.
I grew up, studied religion, and became a wife and
mother. And I continued to dream of writing a novel, until a New Year's
resolution in 2012 resulted in my first novel. Life deepened me and gave me something to say, something I
couldn't have said when I first daydreamed of writing as a little girl.
Do you
write full time? How much of your life is set aside for writing?
I do most of my writing in the mornings. That's when
I'm at my best.
Could
you tell us a little about your novel?
The Santa Society is a love story that takes place at
Christmas. It offers romantic comedy, suspense, a touch of fantasy, and an
original retelling of the Santa Claus legend that will totally surprise you
with the way it weaves folk tradition with Christian themes.
Would
you take us on a brief tour of your novel and the world you’ve created?
The story takes place in the fictitious town of
Christmasville, Idaho where Christmas is the focal point year round, the
community depends largely on holiday tourism, and The Santa Society is a global
secret organization that is headquartered there. I don't want to give away too
much, though :)
Where
does the inspiration for you main character and story come from?
I was inspired to write this novel while driving
cross-country with my kids in the middle of December back in 2011. The trip
took five days, and we passed the hours by singing Christmas songs. It was such
an amazing thing to experience this beautiful country out on the road during
winter and to follow the landscape as it changed from day to day and hour to
hour. And above it all was this magical starry sky. It was a special trip,
being with the kids and feeling the excitement in the air. It was the first
time since I was a a little girl who wanted to b a writer that I'd felt so much
was possible. I decided I would write a novel that brought back that magic.
What
is the message behind the story? Was it something you specifically wrote a
story around or did it develop as your characters came to life?
I didn't sit down to write a specific message, only to
communicate a feeling--the one I experienced during that road trip, which was
similar to what I remembered from my childhood back when I believed in Santa
Claus. The message of faith, hope, and love emerged as the story unfolded and
revealed itself of me.
Do you
work from an outline or just go with the flow? If you use an outline, how
detailed is it?
I don't work from an outline. I hold in my mind only
an idea of the journey of the story, which usually changes so much it doesn't
turn out anything like I expected. I like to write this way because it lets me
experience the surprises in an organic way, similar to the way my readers will.
Could
you tell us how you go about your research, how you ‘catalogue’
information to make it all work?
I write on my iPad, and I try to do it fast enough
that I hold all the plot details in my head without extensive notes. I do keep
a notebook where I make notes for things I need to remember to check or fix
later in my editing for factual accuracy, consistency, or deepening of the
story.
How
does this book differ from what you have written in the past?
My first book, Outrunning Josephine Finch, was as
serious as the first day of school. It was written in the spirit of Southern
literary tales, focusing on family relationships, female belief systems,
purpose, and the meanings we place in our mother/daughter roles.
In contrast, The Santa Society is my second book, and
it was like the last day of school before summer or Christmas Break. It was
just a lot of fun. It thrilled me to write it and when it ended, I felt that
same bittersweet satisfaction as though I'd just finished reading a favorite
novel.
How
have the changes in present day publishing impacted your schedule as a writer?
They haven't impacted me except that I no longer think
years must pass between releases. I realize my career as an author is in my own
hands, and I think readers today want to feel some sense of interaction with
their favorite authors. So I think the changes we've seen and the whirlwind of
social media all point to an emphasis on authors as real people.
Do you
have any advice for aspiring authors?
The two best pieces of advice i can give are: Don't
give up. And make sure you join a critique group.
If I hadn't done the latter, I'd probably never have
had the guts to put my stories out there for others to read. Critique groups
really help you learn to look at your writing critically and figure out how it
make it better.
Could
you tell us what you’re
working on now?
Right now I am working on an inspirational
contemporary romance. I can't talk too much about it yet, but look for it in
early 2014.
About Kristine McCord
I’m
currently a stay at home author/weathered mom living in Idaho. I grew up in the
South among the tall Georgia pines. I miss the South and Southern culture a
lot, but I’m really blessed to be surrounded by the wide open spaces, rugged
beauty, and wonderful people I’ve met here in the Northwest.
I spent
a lot of time in school figuring out what I wanted to do when I grew up. I
wanted to be a writer since I was a kid, but I didn’t dream big enough to
really commit to it, and instead, tried to pursue more practical things, like
science and IT. I’m more of a creative, abstract thinker (read: scattered) so
many of those practical things didn’t really feel like a good fit. Instead, I changed to things I wanted to know
about that interested me. I completed a B.A. in religion and went on to study
Marriage and Family Therapy. And of course there was all that life learning I
did. Finally, I made a New Year’s in 2012 and completed the rough draft of my
first novel that February, followed by my second in November of that same year.
I sometimes wish I would’ve done dreamed bigger much earlier and wonder about
all the books I had in my head and never wrote, but mostly I try not to think
that, because in the end, I wouldn’t be able to write the books I can write
today—the ones that will be shaped by all that learning and living I did in
between.
The
Santa Society is my second novel. I first decided to write a Santa Claus novel
after traveling cross-country in December with the kids, singing Christmas
songs and feeling like we were on an adventure. We had so much fun being
together, seeing the beautiful countryside. It put me back in touch with what
it felt like to be a kid, while seeing God’s signature in creation through my
adult eyes. Winter seemed more beautiful than I’d ever seen it, especially
beneath the starry sky. I wanted to write something that captured that feeling and the magic we leave behind in
childhood.
So a
year later, I brainstormed The Santa Society with my writer’s group and began
writing about a real life Santa Claus. I think they thought I was a little
crazy at first. I didn’t have an outline, but from scene to scene I just “knew”
what needed to happen next, and I discovered a lot of surprises along the way.
It was published in October 2013, and has been an Amazon bestseller in
Inspiration Romance and Christian Romance. And recently, The Santa Society was
awarded a 2013 Idaho Top 10 Book Award. It’s been a really exciting way to
start off the Christmas season this year.
**Excerpt**
WE SIT
AT A TABLE near the back, in a private corner of the North Star Inn’s upscale
restaurant. I would have been quite content with a barbecue sandwich or an
all-you-can-eat buffet, but I’m in heaven as I take my last bite of elk filet
dipped in béarnaise sauce.
I chew
with abandon, wondering why I’m not taking delicate bites and worrying about
how I look while I’m eating. My disastrous dating history tells me I shouldn’t
neglect this particular female tradition, but my frame of mind takes his
relaxed, easy manner to heart. I’m not in New York sitting across from Don the
stockbroker guy, or Thomas the international trade expert, or even Trevor the
plastic surgeon. He’s not telling me about his last bad date, his first failed
marriage, or how wealthy he’ll be in seven years with his diversified
investments and eye for opportunity.
He lifts
his wine glass with enormous fingers and takes a sip like he’s plucked a tiny
flower. He still wears his red and black plaid flannel jacket, reminding me of
a giant lumberjack with a child’s tea set. No, this is not New York, and he’s
not like anyone I’ve dined with before—thank the Lord.
“The
wine is excellent.” He closes his eyes and swirls the liquid beneath his nose.
It’s not pretentious, just appreciative.
“Would
you like another glass, sir?” The waitress tucks a strand of hair behind her
ear and lowers her lashes as she offers him a demur smile.
“No,
thank you.” He returns a polite half-glance in her direction.
Rick the
hairdresser probably would’ve offered her a coupon to be his for an hour. Not
Reason. He doesn’t care that she keeps flirting with him.
Instead,
he looks at me with a grin that twists on one side in a way that makes me
flush. “Are you sure you don’t want a glass?”
“Sure.
I’ll try it.” Or maybe I’m just showing off in front of the waitress, who
hasn’t looked at me once.
“Please
bring the lady a glass.” He looks in my eyes with a steady gaze.
“Of
course, right away.” Disappointment flattens her voice.
He’s
definitely a handsome man. Not just when you first meet him. With each
encounter, he grows even more magnetic. She’s probably visited this table, all
together, as many times as I’ve seen him since I first met him. I wonder if the
effect is similar for her. He doesn’t seem to notice this about himself at all,
which is probably the essence of his magic.
Minutes
later, I take my first sip of wine—the first in years. At least since Benjamin
the banker thought two glasses of it would allow him to maul me in the theatre.
Since then I’ve abstained altogether.
He’s right. The wine is excellent.
“So, I
was thinking, would you like to be in the Christmas parade with me on Saturday?”
I almost
choke.
“The
Christmas parade?”
“Yes.”
His eyes twinkle.
“What
will you be doing in the parade?” I imagine his truck decorated with S & S
Realty banners hanging from the sides, with the two of us inside waving.
“I’ll be
Santa.” He leans forward and watches my reaction.
“I
didn’t expect that.” I totally didn’t. I try to imagine him in a Santa Suit.
“No?”
“No, I
wouldn’t have pegged you for Santa.” In my mind, I’m trying to make the image
of a big belly, Santa hair, and the whole white beard thing come together with
the man I see across the table.
“Not
jolly enough? Or maybe it’s the hair?” He scrubs his palm over the stubble on
his head then rubs his knuckles across his smooth jaw. He casts a sideways
glance at me while his face is tilted to the side, as though I am a mirror.
“Well,
it could be that, but I don’t know.” I can’t help but laugh, he looks so
endearing. “What part will I play? My mother kept a lot Christmas stuff, but I
don’t think I remember her having any elf suits. I just can’t really see myself
riding through downtown wearing a tunic and green tights.”
He
chuckles. “Elves always complain about that.”
“You
have a lot of elf friends?”
“Don’t
you?”
I take
another sip of wine and warmth spreads through my veins, relaxing me all over.
“No, just Klaus. He probably wouldn’t mind being an elf. But if you need a
reindeer, he’s your guy. I’m telling you that’s one strange dog. Somehow he
fits himself through a poodle sized dog door, if you can believe that. I never
catch him in action, but I’d love to see it. Maybe he flies too.”
Reason
laughs—a little too loudly. It bursts from his throat and startles the elderly
man at the next table. “The dog door, huh? What a clever guy.” He lowers his
eyes and leans forward on his elbows.
Just as I
wonder if it’s something I’ve said, he lifts his eyes and resumes his steady
gaze. I chalk it up to nothing. For all I know, the server winked at him over
my shoulder.
“Actually,
I don’t have a Mrs. Claus.” He has a sheepish look about him now, complete with
reddened cheeks. His face intrigues me. The expressiveness in it reminds me of
the colors of sunset spreading across the sky.
“No Mrs.
Claus? Well, that’s good news. You’d be in a lot of trouble right now, Mister.”
I use my hand to gesture at the interaction between him and me.
His
laughter rumbles like low thunder.
It lulls
me forward and I rest my chin on the heels of my palm, propped on my elbow. In
fact, we are sitting in exactly the same position. Out of the corner of my eye,
I see our reflections in the window. In profile, we form the shape of a
lopsided heart.
I forget
I haven’t answered him, until he says, “I think you’ll be much more comfortable
in the Mrs. Claus suit. It’s much warmer, and far less revealing. ”
“Okay.”
How can I turn down being married to Santa, especially this Santa, for a day?
“But I have to forewarn you, I’m very shy in front of crowds.”
“That’s
okay. I am too. We’ll be in this together.” He’s like a force of
nature—elemental and powerful. He watches me take another few sips of wine. As
I set the glass back on the table, our server returns to clear our plates.
When
she’s gone, he leans toward me like he wants to tell me a secret. Instead, he
asks, “Do you ice skate?”
“No, I
don’t. Sorry.” I wince as I remember the last time I tried.
“That
bad, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“I
promise I won’t let you fall.” He still leans forward.
I look
deep in his eyes...and I believe him.
This is what people are saying-
Amazon reviewer
Format:Kindle Edition
This novel completely
caught me off guard. I got swept up right away. The story had something in it
for everyone, and the reinvention of Christmas legends was so surprising. I
really enjoyed it from start to finish, and I doubt I will ever forget it.
Can't wait for this
author's next book!
Amazon reviewer
Format:Kindle Edition
A holiday story about a grieving
woman, a man with a "gift" and a whole lot of Christmas magic!
I LOVED how the author blended
the Santa legend with the more traditional baby Jesus in the manger and put a
truly new spin on the whole thing. And the dog pretty much has super powers :-)
There's also a little suspense
thrown in, a wedding, elves, mistletoe and a town all about Christmas.
This is your holiday version of a
"beach read". Highly enjoyable
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