Christmas falls as the year comes to a close but it's a hopeful festival that celebrates new life. I have always found Christmas carols joyful and uplifting. They're a soothing remedy for the disappointments suffered during the year. A romance novel is like Christmas in that it's also hopeful, a story of overcoming difficulty and finding joy.
Being a romance writer I must have a story of hope to write. It must solve the characters' problems through a journey that heals and brings lasting happiness to their lives. It must show love growing and sacrifices being made for that love.
While I don't think romance novels faithfully represent people's reality, in my life there has been struggle and my romantic nature and attitude has paid off. I never gave up hope of finding a loving partner after my divorce. I remember when I was lonely on my own, imagining a loving man holding me as I fell asleep, then one day it became a reality.
This year my dear Sam and I moved into a home we bought together. Decorating and settling into this home has been a labor of love and also represents a new start in my life. It's my first official home with my Italian heritage hero. I've learned to make espresso coffee just how he likes it and he still holds my hand when we go out together. As a couple we're very happy and have great hope for our future. So perhaps there's a bit of reality in the novels I write.
This year I released the second book in the Baxter sister series and I updated the title of the first book in the series to "The Scottish Billionaires Secret Lover". A Scottish lord and an Australian event organizer plan a fundraising ball for third world orphans. They also desperately wish a home is found for a sweet little boy who needs a family in Scotland. There's a Christmas scene at the end of this book to make anyone feel hopeful for the future.
To inspire me I even have a hope sign on the bookcase in my study and the Father Christmas I placed there sits quite comfortably next to it. I've signed up to be part of a Christmas anthology for next year so the picture at the top of this blog will come in handy as inspiration while I'm working on it.
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