Christmas Cove
by Sarah Dressler
GENRE: Romance
BLURB:
With
only three weeks left in December, travel editor, America Greene,
arrives in the idyllic Christmas Cove to find it...
Christmasless!
America
needs a story, and fast, so she teams up with the town’s
good-looking (and eligible) mayor, Leo, to light up Main Street and
salvage her chance at being a full-time writer. The connection
between them heats up, halls are decked, sleigh bells ring, and
lights twinkle. Just when she thinks the holiday is saved, a nearby
city threatens the future of Christmas Cove. With her heart, and
career, hanging in the balance, she must learn that Christmas is much
more than just a place on a map before time runs out.
Purchase Christmas Cove on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Google Play, 5PP, and Goodreads
Excerpt:
Leo watched as America’s eyes lit up. The space was a winter wonderland, complete with dozens of flocked and lit trees. Soft glowing faux candles dotted the room, a live band played at one end, and there was more punch and hot cocoa than one could drink.
“This is beautiful,” America said as she took in the atmosphere.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered. Though he couldn’t see if she heard him, her shoulder moved ever so slightly as though she did. “Is this the Christmas you were hoping for?”
“Close,” she said and took a turn around him while delighting in the moment.
America looked like the queen of the ball as they walked to the center of the space, and pride swelled inside Leo that she was on his arm. The crowd hushed and, as though they were witnessing something special, cleared room on the dancefloor.
Though they didn’t know who she was, her confident and relaxed posture commanded attention from everyone in the room. She sent Leo a knowing side glance as he twirled her around before catching her in his arm.
He took her left hand in his and her waist in his right. The room stood still in the breath just before the music began. A Christmas waltz. Leo knew this one well. He took her through the steps, and she followed his lead like a pro.
As the music swelled and diminished to a close, he captured her gaze. She radiated happiness.
“Where did you learn to dance like that?” America said breathlessly.
“YouTube.”
America whacked him in the belly as she laughed. “You did not!”
He liked teasing her. “Of course, I didn’t. My Aunt June insisted on weekly cotillion classes.”
“You surprise me.”
“I try,” Leo said and held her close.
Her arms draped over his shoulders and her head rested near his neck. “Thank you,” she whispered. “This is exactly what I imagined before I came here.”
“You imagined dancing with a dashing, yet approachable public servant in a snow-themed pavilion with a hundred eyes trained on you while your favorite song is played by a live band, while wearing a stunning gown and falling madly in—”
Interview with Author Sarah Dressler
How many books have you written and which is your favorite?
To date, I have written five complete novels. Christmas Cove, my debut, is the fourth book that I completed and the first to be published. The story will always hold a special place in my heart, as I hope it does for my readers as well.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
I’m thrilled to share the news that my next novel, Spring Showers, will be released in mid-2024. Spring Showers is a standalone sequel to Christmas Cove. It features a brand-new cast of main characters. While some of the original cast makes guest appearances, Spring Showers follows the healing journey of two strangers who are desperately running from their pasts. When they collide at a rained-out wellness retreat, their lives change forever.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
The Christmas Cove series will have a total of four stories that take place in one of the four seasons. Each book stands on its own, but when read consecutively, will provide additional dimension to the characters and events.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
Christmas Cove is named for the town at the center of the story. When America Greene arrives in the town, known for its holiday traditions, a couple weeks before Christmas, she finds it Christmasless. How can a town with Christmas in its name get its holiday cheer back?
How long did it take you to write this book?
It took me 70 days to write the first draft of Christmas Cove, which at the time was the fastest I'd ever written a whole book. The sequel was even quicker at only 35 days. Publishing is never a fast process though. From initial idea to the publishing day, Christmas Cove took sixteen months. The book was fast tracked through the process so that the Christmas Cove could be released in 2023 and not have to wait another whole year. Holiday books are one of the only genres that people expect to be published at a certain time of year. I’m happy that my readers will have it sooner rather than later.
What did you learn when writing the book?
When I wrote Christmas Cove, I had to completely change the way I organized my writing. The whole story takes place in the span of about two weeks. Other novels I had written took place over years. The condensed time frame, while allowing the reader to get closer to the characters’ daily lives, made my job as the storyteller harder. How many details do I include? How much does the reader really care about the day-to-day? The answer came in the form of storyboarding and editing the days down to the essentials.
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
I’ve always been fascinated by how people think and why they act in a certain way. When I begin a new story, I find it easiest to start on the surface. What does the character look like, and how do these characteristics impact their personality? I work backwards from there and dive into the character’s likes, dislikes, insecurities, and desires. Sometimes these details shift as the story takes shape, and that’s okay.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Sarah Dressler, originally from Florida, now calls the mountains of Colorado home. Beginning her writing career as an award winning fashion blogger, Sarah now writes fiction full time. She has spent her life traveling the world, first as the daughter of a US Air Force officer, and later as a military spouse. She enjoys sunset walks with her husband of nearly twenty years, and raising two very busy teenagers.
Connect with Sarah Dressler
6 comments:
I enjoyed the post. Sounds really good.
How do you celebrate when you publish a book?
This sounds like a good book and I really like the cover.
Thank you for sharing your interview, bio and the book details. If given the chance, would you like to see Christmas Cove made into a movie, and if so, who would you like to see in the starring roles?
Thank you all for your interest in my new book, Christmas Cove. To answer your questions: I celebrated my publishing a few days before publishing day with a huge formal party for family and friends. I would love to see Christmas Cove on the big screen, but I have no idea who would play the main characters.
looks like a fun one
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