Welcome back, Ginger.
Tell us about your salvation experience.
When I was twelve, my family and I went to a denominational church.
I remember going forward to profess my faith and was baptized in a cold, dirty
baptismal. But I was so excited that I went to school the next day to share
with my friends. They didn’t care. And life for me didn’t change.
When I went to college, at eighteen, I was already
disillusioned with religion. My mom and I had changed churches, to a different
denominational church. I heard the words but didn’t really have a relationship.
Though I wanted one. I just didn’t know how.
I met my husband, and he showed me what it truly meant to lean
into Jesus and make Him my best friend, to study the Word, and learn more. ’Cuz
when you have a relationship with someone, you always want to learn more about
them, have fellowship with them, and spend time together.
That is so true. You’re
planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who
would they be and why?
Oh, goodness. So many great authors that I would love to meet
and hang with. But I’d have to say, if I could only have four that I would pull
together some of the authors from the team I’ve worked with at InspyRomance—Valerie
Comer, Elizabeth Maddrey, and Narelle Atkins. I think the fourth author would
be ... oh, so many to choose from ... Ronie Kendig.
I’d love to be at
that retreat. I love all five of you authors. Do you have a speaking ministry?
If so, tell us about that.
No. As of yet, God has not called me to take that step.
What is the most
embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?
Oh, goodness. When my husband and I were dating, I had an “accident”
and made a VERY large mess of my pants. I had to borrow a pair from his much
smaller sister. All she had was a pair of sweats. Not fun. I’m pretty sure he
took me home after that. I don’t remember.
People are always
telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you,
too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?
Write it. The words don’t appear on paper by themselves. If
you have a story to tell, tell it. No one else can say it like you can.
Tell us about the
featured book.
The Heart of Christmas is a novella collection born out of a
random conversation at our local writers’ meeting. I mentioned how fun it would
be if several of us got together and did a boxed set for Christmas. We played
around with ideas, and here it is. We have taken a slightly irreverent look at The
Nativity. Each of us, Bonita McCoy, Darcy Fornier, Leah Fornier, Janie Winsell
and myself, chose an element–from the angels to the wise men–and wrote a story.
Because we have one member who writes nonfiction, she wrote poems for each of
the stories and one for the whole set.
That sounds like fun.
Please give us the first page of the book.
The first page ... well, that would be a poem.
Our Savior is Born
There is a stillness
in the night
A star above the
midnight sky
Shone bright and
steady over a manger
Joseph and Mary
looked upon
A babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes
Suddenly angels
appeared out of nowhere
To give glory to our
newborn Savior
Out of the east came
magi from foreign lands
To pay Him homage
Gold, frankincense,
and myrrh were bestowed
For the King of Kings
and the Lord of Lords,
Jesus, the ultimate
gift to the world.
~~ Betty Boyd
And then, the first story is mine, so this is what comes
next.
Chapter One
Nothing seemed right.
Every song on the radio fell flat.
The twinkling Christmas lights she hung around her bakery
lightened the room but darkened her mood.
Alone was not how anyone should spend Thanksgiving. But
alone she was. Orphaned at twenty-three with no living relatives that she knew
about. Every invitation she'd received for the holiday seemed as if they'd been
given grudgingly. She'd rather be alone than pitied.
A knock sounded at the door.
"We're not open." Her yell bounced around the
inside of the bakery.
"I know. Open the door, Jenna."
Thomas Hayes. The last person she wanted to see.
She stepped down from the ladder, leaving the last string of
lights dangling from the hook, and opened the door. He looked good. Too good.
He’d trimmed his strawberry-blond beard and mustache, and it made him looked
distinguished and sexy. Her increased heart rate because of his appearance made
her even more surly. "What do you need?"
"Mom sent me to get you for dinner. I was supposed to
invite you but forgot."
"I've made other arrangements." She didn't lie.
Her other
I know my blog
readers are as eager to see what comes next as I am. How can readers find you
on the Internet?
Thank you, Ginger,
for sharing this Christmas collection with us. So many readers love having
novella collections to read in this busy season, and I’m one of them.
Readers, here’s a link to the book.
The Heart of Christmas: A Romantic Christmas Novella Collection
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