NORTHERN HEARTS is a Christmas novella which is a cozy mystery without the dead body. The heroine inherits a hotel/restaurant in a small town in Canada’s northern wilderness. She and the chef have 30 days to work together to decide who stays, or who goes, or can they work together to continue her aunt’s legacy? It’s set in the real-life town of Churchill, Manitoba which is the Polar Bear Capitol of the world. And yes, there’s a polar bear in the story!
Excerpt from Northern Hearts:
“He stopped himself from knocking on the closed office door, and entered, letting the door bang on the wall. Just enough to get Kali’s attention. Tripod settled into his corduroy dog bed under his desk.
Kali, however, was chattering away on the phone, her right hand bouncing up and down on the desk blotter, her entire body vibrating with excitement. When she hung up, she leaned back in the swivel chair and crowed out loud.
“Woot! I just made an order for one hundred pounds of veal and pork for Friday, November 30th!”
“Veal and pork? From where? And why?” Jake walked to the coffeemaker by the window and put in a dark roast pod, slamming down the lid. “Those are two of the most expensive meats you can buy, especially this time of year.”
Visions of their red balance sheet for December’s year end danced in front of his eyes.
“I know,” Kali smiled up at the ceiling, swiveling her chair side to side. “We’re going to make old-fashioned French tourtières – I have a fantastic Québécoise recipe – and if it’s too expensive, we’ll just cut the boar sausages from the menu. And the elk meatloaf.” She tapped her pen on her teeth. “I think we’ll add some Beef Wellington, too. Or, what do you think about using salmon instead?”
“You’re actually asking me for input?” He knew he sounded beyond irritated, but he’d never see her so wound up. Okay, she looked pretty this morning, like a cross between a princess and a New York power executive, with her dazzling blue eyes, blonde hair, and the new icy-blue fleece top she’d bought from Ruby’s. For the life of him, he’d never seen such a small woman with so much kinetic energy.
“I want to add avocados to the salade du l’hiver, as well.” She scribbled on a piece of paper.
“Avocados? We can’t afford avocados…Listen, first we need to talk about the Nativity sets.”
Her head bent over her work, she said, “What about them?”
He muttered a prayer under his breath and took a swig of scalding coffee. He noted the can of diet pop beside her computer. Huh. She’d given in to her caffeine addiction and coughed up the twenty-six dollars for a case of pop.
“Those Nativity sets are a Great Northern Lodge Christmas tradition. We have to put them out.”
“Why?” She kept writing, head down.
“Because, that’s what Cora did every year for the past forty-odd years, and people expect to see them. They were special to her. Little kids love coming to see them and touch them – some of them, anyway – and the staff is upset.”
“The staff is upset? Whatever for?” Now, her head was up, those dazzling blue eyes staring at him.
“I believe you used some fighting words, such as old-fashioned, and tacky, and too religious.” He took another sip of hot coffee. Those eyes were killers. He wondered if she knew how attractive she was, or if someone with all her resources had known it since she was ten.”
Laurie Wood lives in Central Canada and writes inspirational romantic suspense with an edge of danger. She’s also a military wife who’s raised two wonderful special needs children to adulthood. They’ve lived all over Canada and are still on that journey. When she’s not writing she can be found at her spinning wheel, knitting, or hanging out with her dogs in the garden. She loves to hear from readers and always replies so feel free to get in touch with her below.
Today I am interviewing Jennifer Chastain, author of the Christian novella, The Mistletoe Contract. Jennifer, thank you for joining me today. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Ever since I was a little girl, living in my small town in New York State, I have been a voracious reader. During the summer months, I would ride my bike to our library and return with a basketful of books. My dad’s job moved our family to Charlotte, NC in my teen years, but the memories of growing up in a small community have stayed with me. A Yankee transplant, I’ve grown to love the grace and charm of the South. In fact, I even married a native Charlottean.
For the past five years, my husband and I have been host parents to several international high school students. We have experienced the joy of seeing these students blossom into young adulthood. I am a hopeful romantic and love dark chocolate, Diet Coke and good romantic movie, whether it’s new release or a classic. My husband and I have been married for over twenty-five years and are permitted to coexist with our black rescue cat.
What is The Mistletoe Contract about?
Nathan Rutledge is acting CEO of his family’s company, Tar Heel Enterprises, and his grandfather’s will states that he must be married before he assumes the CEO position. However, someone is embezzling funds from his company which adds another level of stress. Meredith Mitchell is the forensic accountant sent to investigate Nate’s company’s finances. He desperately needs a wife, and she needs fund to pay for her mother’s life-saving transplant. Nate proposes a modern-day marriage of convenience, but old hurts and wounds stand in the way of their happily ever after.
What is the inspiration behind The Mistletoe Contract?
The inspiration for my story came from a combination of watching Hallmark Christmas movies and Married at First Sight (a reality show where couples are matched and they don’t meet until their wedding day). I’ve also read a lot of fake fiancé and fake boyfriend/girlfriend books and I thought what if my two main characters actually did get married? But with all their history/backstory, it wasn’t going to be an easy path to their happily ever after. Christmas is my favorite holiday so I thought what better way to combine the things I love than a story that takes place during Christmas?
What was the catalyst for your interest in writing?
I’ve always been a voracious reader. When I was younger, I would ride my bike down to our small town’s library, browse the shelves and then come home with a basketful of books. I loved to make up stories for my Barbie and Ken dolls too. Within the past ten years, God has placed the desire to write on my heart. Six years ago, I signed up for the Story Crafter Program with Novel Academy and led by Susan May Warren. It took me three years to finish that first novel but after finishing the course work
Do you have a day job? If so, how do you find time in your day to write?
Finding time to write, to carve out those blocks of time that are so needed for a writing career has been one of my biggest challenges. I have a demanding job, but I knew that if God called me to write, then I would need to make time. I typically write 1-2 hours a night, Monday through Thursday and then 4-5 hours on Saturdays and Sundays.
Are you a night owl or morning person?
I am a night owl, which is not a good thing since I work a full-time job outside the home. I normally get my second wind around 8 at night. I could sit and write (or read!) another 2-3 hours. And if I do this, then I’m dragging the next day.
Are you a plotter or a panster?
Oh, I am definitely a plotter! I have to have a roadmap of where the story is headed. Sometimes, the characters take a detour, but that’s okay, that only makes the story more interesting.
What’s next for you as an author?
Right now, I have several stories I’m working on. First, I’m trying to finish edits on another completed manuscript. This one is a longer novel and I hope to send it off to the acquisitions editor in the next couple of weeks. This story is also set in the small fictional town of Providence, NC and is part of a trilogy – The Jamison family. I would like to finish another story I’ve been working on. It kind of stalled out and I need to go back and look at what I’ve written. I only have 7 more chapters to write, so I’m very close to finishing. And finally, I’m planning on writing 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo in November. But first, I need to plot it out. Once that is done and I know where the story is going, I can crank out a first draft.
Excerpt from The Mistletoe Contract:
Meredith closed the door with a soft click and propped herself against the wall. Tilting her head up, she released a huge sigh. She hated lying to her mother. Weariness settled deep in her bones. Her to-do list for the wedding grew with each passing hour. She had a lot to accomplish between now and Friday morning.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
Meredith’s eyes popped open. “Nate! You scared me!” Facing off with her fiancé, she straightened her spine. “What’re you doing here?”
His back against the wall, he crossed his ankles. Even after working all day, Nate still appeared fresh. When she glanced at her gray dress pants, the red sauce stain from her rushed dinner glared at her. She was wrinkly… and frumpy.
Nate frowned, his gaze roving over her.
Meredith moved her purse from her shoulder and held it in front of the stain. “I’m sorry. That was unkind.”
“I didn’t mean to intrude.”
She pulled herself up to her full height. “You didn’t. It’s… I didn’t expect to see you.”
At least, not until their wedding day, giving her a couple of days to steel her emotions against his all-American boy-next-door charm. Why did he have to ruin her well-thought out plan? His nearness sent her pulse into overdrive.
Nate turned toward her and rested one hand on the wall above her head. He was so close she saw the golden flecks ringing his pupils. “Can’t a guy see his fiancée before the wedding?” The low timbre of Nate’s voice raised goose bumps on her arms, and her heart rate kicked up another notch.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and she licked her dry lips before her gaze settled on his mouth. “Yeah, sure.”
Nate’s free hand came up and traced a line down her cheek. Meredith closed her eyes. She had to stop this flood of emotion. Why was he doing this to her? His spicy cologne wafted between them. Comforted her. Shoot. Nate smelled good.
“Nate… please… someone will see us.” Meredith swallowed hard, and her breaths came in short gasps.
“So?”
“This is supposed to be a business relationship. No funny business. You promised.” Meredith scooted out from under his arm and hurried down the tiled hallway, her steps echoing in the empty space. She needed air. And personal space. “Is there a reason you stopped by?”
Nate fell in step beside Meredith. She scampered down the hall to the elevator bank. Nate touched her arm, and they stood facing each other in front of the elevator. “Have a cup of coffee with me?” His blue eyes held a glimmer of amusement.
Shock or maybe desire rooted Meredith’s feet to the floor.
The elevator door opened, and two nurses in scrubs emerged. Meredith entered and jabbed the first-floor button. When she looked up into the polished steel doors, she met Nate’s steady gaze. Turning to face him, she crossed her arms. “Why, Nate? What are you trying to do to me? We have an agreement.”
Nate matched her stance, a smirk on his face. “I have no clue what you’re talking
about.”
Meredith snorted, and her lips stretched into a sneer. “Oh, come on. You cannot
seriously be this clueless.”
He stepped closer, his hands in his pockets, causing her to back up a couple of steps. “This attraction—you’re not immune to it, either, are you?”
Shaking her head, Meredith braced her back against the elevator car. “No, you’re
wrong. This isn’t the type of relationship you’re thinking about.” She bit her lower lip.
Nate’s warm breath whispered against her ear, and chill bumps raced up and down her arms. “But it could be. Think of how much fun we’d have.”
His nearness muddled her mind. But she was older now. Wiser. Fool me once and all that. She’d be doggoned if he’d fool her again with his sweet talk. Before she answered, the elevator doors opened with a whoosh. Saved by the bell.
Meredith darted into the parking deck. “I don’t think so,” she said over her shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow at 4:00 to finalize the details.”
Today’s Featured Book is one of my favorite Christmas stories
About the book:
Claudia, a shopkeeper with two little sisters, is trapped in a tough neighborhood. She reluctantly falls for Nick, a naïve young pastor; he thought he’d come to save the neighborhood, but he’s watching his mission fail. When a terrible crime threatens Claudia and her sisters, she and Nick work together to protect each other and her family. They rediscover hope and embrace the future together.
Excerpt from Season of Hope:
Here’s the first meeting between Claudia and Nick, and it’s definitely not “meet cute.” In this scene, Claudia thinks her abusive stepfather Tomas has returned, and with water in her eyes, she can’t quite make out who is bending over the children…
“Take your hands off those kids.” Claudia gripped the broom handle, swung, and connected with the figure’s shoulder. The crouched figure straightened, much too tall and thin for Tomas. She swept her sleeve across her face, clearing her vision.
Nick spun to face her as she dropped the broom.
“Oh, no, Pastor, I thought you were…”
About the author:
Laura Nelson Selinsky is a wife, mom, and multi-genre author. Currently, she writes and teaches from her home office, often with the help Graemalkyn, the world’s crankiest cat. She teaches British Literature to high school students with significant learning differences. She’s led second grade Sunday School for so long that the church’s Christian Ed professionals are the grown alumni of her ongoing class. When Laura’s not teaching or writing, she gardens in unlikely colors- yellow tomatoes, purple green beans, and edible pink flowers. In their rare-as-hen’s-teeth free hours, Laura and her husband of gazillion years are renovating their old house and their daughter’s older one. Writing contemporary romance for Anaiah has been a lovely ministry opportunity for Laura, her chance to lighten the hearts of other women through a medium she loves!
Sarah Laughlin left her big-city life and dead-end relationship behind for a fresh start as a fourth-grade teacher in the small Wisconsin town of Meadow Creek. And it feels like home, too, despite the persistent troublemaker in her class and the lack of familiar faces. But the holidays are going to be lonely this year. Until she meets firefighter Lincoln Thompson. Suddenly, the hope of spending Christmas with someone she cares about is within reach.
Lincoln loves his home town of Meadow Creek, but ever since his long-time girlfriend left him for a better life in the city, he wonders if he’ll ever find love in this small town where everyone knows everyone. Then he meets Sarah during her class’s field trip to his firehouse, and a spark is lit. But when they discover that Sarah’s troublemaking student is none other than Lincoln’s beloved nephew, their newfound relationship is put to the test. Can they navigate through the complexities of family dynamics to find a love that will last?
Excerpt from Christmas in Meadow Creek:
“Y’know, it’s kind of funny how we keep running into each other.” Lincoln leaned his elbow on the table with his head resting on his hand, as if blocking out anyone behind him, and focused solely on Sarah’s face.
She was suddenly ultra-conscious of her breathing, her blinking, her every move. And was it just her, or was it getting hot in here? “Yeah,” she finally managed to say. “Three days in a row now.”
Lincoln’s lips formed a slanted smile, and for the first time she noticed a dimple on his handsomely rugged cheek. He leaned in before speaking again, his voice extra low. “I was wondering if you wanted to make sure we saw each other again? Maybe tonight—for dinner?”
She prayed he didn’t notice how hard she swallowed upon hearing his question. And what was that noise—was that her heart beating? She hoped he couldn’t hear it. Why was it so hard to think straight all of a sudden? This was the first request for a date she’d received since moving. Well, since Todd had broken up with her, really. Thankfully, her brain was finally able to send her mouth the message to smile. “Sure. Yeah, I’d like that.”
Lincoln’s crooked smile turned into an all-out beam. “Great. Can I pick you up at seven? If you don’t mind giving me your address.”
Quickly nodding, Sarah got out her phone. “I can text it to you. What’s your number?”
She sent the text to the number he recited and put her phone away.
Lincoln’s eyes crinkled as he spoke. “Well, I better get back to serving.” He stood to leave, touching Sarah’s arm gently. “I’m glad I ran into you again. I’ll see you at seven.”
Sarah nodded. “Looking forward to it.”
As she watched Lincoln walk away, her heart raced. Did that just happen? She peered at the faces around her table and locked in on Jessica’s gaze. She was flashing Sarah an excited grin, and Sarah blushed. I know, she mouthed, making Jessica laugh. Thank goodness she’d changed her mind about coming to the breakfast. The excitement gurgling around in her stomach was more than she could ask for. She now had something to look forward to this holiday season after all.
About the author:
Katy Eeten is married to a Pastor of Student Ministries and is the mom of two boys, ages 12 and 9. She lives with her family in southeast Wisconsin, despite her dislike for cold weather. She works full time in corporate America, but her true passion is writing.
She has three Christian Romances available on Amazon and another Christmas novella coming out later this year (watch for “First Class Christmas” on December 1st!). When she’s not working or writing, she can be found taking walks or bike rides with her kids, baking goodies, playing the piano, or spending time with her family.
Inspirational Author 