I love stories where friendship turns into something more (one of my favourite movies is When Harry Met Sally!). In Maybe This Christmas the hero and heroine have been friends for most of their whole lives. When a sudden flurry of winter visitors descend on the beautiful winter wonderland of Snow Crystal Resort, Vermont, single dad Tyler and his best friend Brenna find the constraints of their friendship tested to the limits.
Please tell us about the characters of Tyler and Brenna.
Tyler is a medal winning downhill ski racer, used to risking his neck on near vertical icy slopes. Despite his fearless approach to physical challenges, relationships scare him. Brenna is too important to Tyler for him to want to risk their friendship. He’s afraid of crossing that line and threatening everything.
Local ski instructor Brenna has loved Tyler for as long as she can remember, but she knows he doesn’t see her that way. Brenna is one of the few people who can keep up with him on the ski slopes and she shares his passion for the outdoors. She is an unofficial member of his family, her history closely entwined with his. I love the relationship between these two.
You have been praised for putting the magic back into Christmas- so how do you do it?
In my stories I try and create that magical Christmas feeling that people often crave at this time of year. For many, the reality of Christmas falls short of the ideal. By the time the day arrives, they are often stressed and exhausted. A Christmas story should deliver the warmth, sense of community, festive sparkle and feeling of hope that many would love to experience in real life. Setting does play a part in that, and it’s fun to create a pretty winter wonderland (with none of the traffic jams or frostbite!).
Brenna is a skier, so is this something you have tried and tested for the book?
I have skied, although I’m nowhere near as proficient as Brenna. I love mountains, but I’m as happy hiking as I am skiing.
Why is this the perfect book to curl up with this Christmas?
It’s a snowy, warm, uplifting read that will hopefully leave the reader smiling. It could be just what you need if you have hoards of relatives descending, a broken boiler and a turkey that’s too big for your oven!
You have been called a 'magician with words' so how did it take you to perfect this?
That quote came from a reviewer and, flattering though it is to read, I don’t feel writing is something that any author ever perfects. I’ve been published for over a decade and I’m constantly striving to make the next book better than the last.
You have a husband and children, so how do you juggle writing life with family life?
In many ways writing blends perfectly with family life because it allows for flexible working hours. I am my own boss so can take time off during the day if I need to. The downside is that I might then be working in the evening and weekends. I have deadlines so I’m very disciplined about how I spend my time.
What is next for you?
I have a new series coming in 2015. Three books, about three close friends, Brittany, Emily and Skylar. Friendship has always been important to me and I wanted to explore the way these friends support each other through the ups and downs of life. The series is called Puffin Island and is set on a fictitious island off the beautiful Maine coast in the USA. These books have all the elements I love to write about - a warm close community, beautiful scenery, sexy men and strong independent women. The first book is Emily’s story and is called First Time in Forever. It will be out in March.