Category: Roundup

It Takes All Types
Roundup · Story Inspiration

It Takes All Types

Jaycee Weaver39 Comments

it takes all typesOne of my favorite things about reading is that fictional characters are every bit as individual as people in real life. When they’re written well, anyway. It’s fascinating to me that in a world of tropes, we may find similarities but never the same story, same heroine, same hero. It takes all types of authors to write these characters, but it takes all types of characters to keep readers devouring those books, am I right?!

In college, I was tied between career options. Much like Brynn, the heroine of my debut novel, I began pursuing a teaching degree but then freaked out and switched programs halfway through. Unlike her, I couldn’t decide what else to study, so I went to the career center and they signed me up for a little testing to help me pinpoint my strengths and potential careers. One of those tests was the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

I was fascinated by what I read about the different personality types and how creepily accurate the description for my type was (ENFP at the time, though now I get ESFP as often as I get ENFP, and both are freakishly accurate). If you have absolutely no clue what I’m jabbering on about, you can learn more at 16personalities.com.

Essentially, there are 16 basic personality types, 32 if you look at the subtypes Assertive vs Turbulent. Understanding personality types as an author helps me to gain insight into what makes my character tick. It’s funny, though, because I do very little character research before I begin writing. Some authors complete entire character worksheets, brainstorming everything from their favorite color, book, or movie to giving them a birthday. Some do full personality profiles with their MBTI, Enneagram, birth order, and even love languages. Which I think is really awesome, but—and maybe it’s my ADHD brain wiring—I simply can’t sit and focus long enough to do. I wait until my characters start talking to me at random times throughout the day as I’m going about my regular business. It can be a bit disconcerting at times, but I’ve learned to just roll with it and keep the Notes app handy on my phone. But it’s still fun to type them after the fact just to see if the results fit!

Some people don’t buy in to personality types or tests, and I totally respect that opinion. But an increasing number of employers and even churches are using tests like these to help people figure out how they work best and with whom.

My daughters, husband, and even mom have taken the MBTI recently for different reasons, so it’s been a frequent topic of conversation around here. Reading the various descriptions got me thinking about people I know, which of course got me thinking about my characters. So I went and asked a few of my author friends if they type their characters, and I found some surprising and fun responses.

Some of you long-term IR blog readers may remember Valerie Comer’s post from late 2021, in which she revealed the personality types of her Urban Farm Fresh heroines. It takes some serious wizardry to manage covering that many different personality types in one book series! LOL!

Liwen Y. Ho sent me the types of her hero and heroine from Love at Second Sight, one of the books in the Fab Forties rom-com series (which I LOVE and you should totally read if you haven’t yet). Movie star hero Brad is and ESFP-A, which totally explains why I related to him so well. He’s a total people person, and the way he makes Cassie feel good about herself is the best. Ironically, Cassie is an ISFJ-A, a defender who cares for people as well as Brad does only from an introverted perspective. My husband is an ISFJ-T, so it cracked me up to discover a fictional pairing that matched me and my husband so well!

Have you read Teresa Tysinger’s Laurel Cover series? You absolutely should!! She writes the most beautiful word pictures. Suddenly Forever‘s Cora and Luke are the same same as my hubby and me too! Remember how I said I’m and ENFP as often as ESFP (maybe more)? Well, here we have photojournalist Luke, a fellow ENFP-A, and Cora, an ISFJ-T. Cora is an inward processor, especially after a traumatic loss, but she’s quick to empathize and care for others who also ache. Luke is creative, curious, adaptive, and intuitive, which makes seeing and meeting Cora’s needs a natural part of who he is. The highest value we ENFP-As have is authenticity, and I can say from firsthand experience Teresa NAILED this with Luke.

Toni Shiloh shared three characters from different books! I haven’t yet read her newest release, Winning His Trust, but after learning we have ANOTHER ISFJ-T—this time in Declan, the male lead like my awesome hubby—you can bet I’m looking forward to reading this one. Introverted Declan doesn’t need a lot of friends, but ISFJ-T men are steady, dependable heroes who love deeply in practical ways, even if it takes a while to get them to open up.
One of my favorite Toni Shiloh heroines is Holiday Brown from The Trouble With Love in the Faith and Fortune series. You may be expecting Holiday to be another Entertainer ESFP, but she’s not! She’s an ESTJ-A who judges people quickly because life has taught her not to trust those around her, yet she can’t stop wondering why people behave the way they do.
My absolute FAVORITE heroine of all Toni’s books is Iris Blakely from To Win a Prince. I totally get Iris since she’s an ESFP. Except she’s a Turbulent who wears her heart on her sleeve and never met a person that could make her shy. She’s often the life of the party but completely down to earth.
I just typed Gina Hernandez (Bennett), my most frequently recurring character. She pops up in nearly half of my books somewhere. Her romance is told in Whatever Comes Our Way, and I’m laughing SO HARD right now. Why? Because we have another ISFJ-T, my friends. LOL! I know. Too funny. But it makes sense, knowing she’s a protective mama bear defender who will do anything for those in her circle. Her hero, Jaydon Bennett, is an ESFJ-A, which actually fits pretty well since Consuls are caring, community-minded, social people ready to help others. He’s highly observant and reads people easily.
I also typed Caleb March from What Makes a Home. He’s one of my unsung heroes, to be honest, but he’s a lot like my engineer husband in some ways. Except Caleb is even more rigid, which makes sense now that I know he’s and ISTJ-T. When my hubby first did the test, I thought for sure this would be his type. It’s nice to see that after more than two decades together, I don’t know everything about him! LOL! Caleb is a computer engineer, so being a Logistician personality type is spot on. The test results say, “Logisticians are practical and fact-minded individuals, whose reliability cannot be doubted.” 100% accurate!
The one that does surprise me, however, is USAF Tech Sgt Dyson from Whatever Happens Next. He’s a reader favorite, but ironically got the same result as Caleb! But where Caleb is a Turbulent, Dyson is absolutely Assertive. ISTJ-As are highly observant, down-to-earth types who live in the moment while planning for the future. Dyson rarely talks, but he’s constantly thinking and processing what he observes. He feels deeply, but is also a fierce protector and steady comforter.
Now that you’ve been introduced to a number of characters and their personality types, what do you think? Have you ever taken the MBTI or the shorter, free version on 16personalities.com? I’d love to read your type in the comments and if you’ve found anything in common with some of the personalities I’ve mentioned in today’s post!
If you don’t want to take the test for yourself, or are interested in reading more on the various personality types, check out this rundown here: https://www.16personalities.com/personality-types.
Until next time,
It’s Complicated: How Authors Really Feel About Their First Book
Roundup · Writing Process

It’s Complicated: How Authors Really Feel About Their First Book

Jaycee Weaver39 Comments

It's Complicated title imageConfession: I don’t like my first book. I’m actually pretty embarrassed by it.

Back in 2017 when I first wrote What Could Be, I was like a proud new first-time mama. My book baby was perfect. Beautiful. And certain to make its mark on the world.

Aaaaaaand then I read it again months after I’d released it into the world. My face burned with embarrassment and regret. I wanted to immediately unpublish it and hide it away for eternity. The pacing was slow. The heroine was annoyingly perfect. The chemistry fell flat. And wow, I really should have hired an editor. Instead, I’d already turned it into a series! Ever the problem solver, I got a team together and put that book through more editing, proofreading, critiquing, and then launched a second edition.

And it’s still not a great book.

Each book in the series is an improvement over the one before, but not everyone gives them a chance because there are still so many problems with that first book. Now, while I try to love the book that made me a published author, my feelings toward it are…complicated. As it turns out, I’m not alone in feeling this way.

Here’s what some of our own InspyRomance authors had to say about their first books:

“I recently revisited the manuscript of my first book, Holding on to Someday, and it makes me cringe at some of the errors I made. I wish I had time to go back and rewrite some of it, but then it wouldn’t be a first book, would it? lol!“ – K Leah

Teresa Tysinger says, “When I set out to write my first book, I knew a lot about storytelling — I had been an avid reader and studied literature for a long time. But I knew very little about the craft of writing a novel as a sellable product. I’m so incredibly proud of my first book, Someplace Familiar. It represents a courage I didn’t think I had. When I look over it, however, it is easy to find things I’d change. No matter your career or hobby, though, shouldn’t we look back and see growth since the beginning?“

“Authors aren’t supposed to publish the first book they ever wrote. But I didn’t hear that advice until after I’d already released Falling for the Foe. It has a flabby middle and I wish I’d known then how to ratchet up the dramatic tension. I was so shy about writing kisses that the lead characters only manage a hug at the end! Despite that, I’m proud of what this book stands for. It’s a signpost of how God brought to fruition my desire to share stories, and it’s introduced the country of my birth to many readers.” – Milla Holt

Merrillee Whren was a lot smarter than I was. Ha ha! She said, “The first and the second books I wrote never came close to seeing publication. My first sale to Love Inspired was the 9th book I wrote. I eventually sold them the fourth and fifth books, after I went back and revised them. A good portion of my sixth book became part of my Pinecrest series. The eighth book was my RWA Golden Heart winner and my first indie book. I eventually indie published the third book by cutting a lot of it and turning it into a novella.”

Liwen Y. Ho’s remarks sum up my own feelings so well! “I’m grateful that I was able to start my author journey with Taking a Chance on the Heartbreaker, but am I proud of the book? Not exactly. Lol. It is what it is though—a story (based on my own love story) of God’s grace and redemption and how He took something broken and made it beautiful. It’s also very much a reminder of how much I’ve grown as an author since then and how God can take something so imperfect and use it for good. I had to start somewhere as an author and I’m thankful it was with that book.”

Regarding her debut novel, Elizabeth Maddrey says, “I still love the story of my first book, Wisdom to Know, but it’s also one of those situations where I didn’t know how much I didn’t know (despite having read a lot of craft books.) Readers generally still have positive things to say about it, and there’s a part of me that isn’t sure I’d be able to write the story today with out that optimistic ignorance that comes with being a debut author.”

I very much understand what she means. Writing—or pursuing any creative endeavor, really—requires revealing a part of ourselves to the world. That’s a very vulnerable position to find ourselves in. Without that “optimistic ignorance,” I imagine few creatives would have the guts to put their work into the world. But what a tragedy that would be!

“I published the very first book I ever wrote, Love on Ice, last year just in time for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Even after loads of editing, there are still things I’d tweak. But do I love it? Absolutely! (And I’m thankful readers like it too!)” – Carolyn Miller

Like Merrillee Whren, Lindi Peterson didn’t publish her first book. “There are two things I remember about my first manuscript. At the end of every chapter my heroine went to sleep–and when I actually wrote the end, I printed it, (which took ages back then!) and set it on the kitchen table, declared to my husband, ‘I wrote a book. I wrote The End!’ He asked what I was going to do with it. I said ‘I have no idea!’ That book will never be published. 🙂“

I especially admire Shannon Taylor Vannatter’s frankness in her confession: “Ugh!! I have 2. Both published by small print on demand publishers (when it was a new thing) and completely unedited. I want readers to know that anything published before 2010 is badly written. There were only 2 of them, but they were really bad. 2010 and after, I had an editor. And boy did I need one. I still need one.“

Veteran author Valerie Comer shares her own reflection on what it was like to reread her early books. “About a year ago, I decided to set a new series in the world of my first published series, so I reread all six books and made copious notes. My first book, Raspberries and Vinegar, made me cringe so many times! It feels so clunky to me now, but I couldn’t think of any way to make it better without a total rewrite that would change the essence of the story. The readers who found me through that first book… and loved it… are still my most avid fans. But boy, do I feel like my writing is so much stronger 40-some books later!“

“I still love the story I told in Falling on Main Street, but I cringe when I see the writing itself… so much narration, not a lot of emotional impact, and a lot of cliches. But – it was the story of my heart and God has been faithful to use it and readers still seem to enjoy it!” – Tara Grace Ericson

Angela Ruth Strong says, “Finding Love in Sun Valley makes me cringe, but I’m so thankful for it. I wrote it during the most difficult year of my life, so I basically went through aversion therapy. I also don’t think my work was ready to be published yet, but at the same time, it was a gift from God. It was released in hardback, sold in Costco, and optioned for film, which likely will never happen again. God was pretty much saying, ‘You can do this. Don’t give up. Your life story is just getting started.’“

InspyRomance alum Janet W. Ferguson shared her candid thoughts as well. “I read and rewrote Leaving Oxford so many times, it makes me crazy to try to look at it for any reason. I’ve thought about adding a 5th book to that series, but that would mean I might have to, so I have put it off indefinitely.”

The truth is, “it’s complicated,” defines the relationship every author has with their first book. Whether or not that book was ever published, there’s a mix of pride and embarrassment whenever we consider that early work. And that makes sense. After all, we’re supposed to grow with experience and get better with practice, no matter what we put our hands to. Ball players don’t reach the pros if they remain at their high school level. James Beard awarded chefs don’t cook the way they did their first time in the kitchen. Lucky for them, their first dish is nothing more than a memory, while authors’ early works continue to line shelves for anyone to pick up and judge.

So as you’re reading those backlist books from your favorite (or even new) authors, please consider them with grace and know that we’re improving our craft little by little as flawed humans who have to learn and grow like anyone else. Try not to judge our early efforts too harshly. Because we know those books are a little rough, but we’re not the same anymore. And if you’ve ever given an author a try, only to DNF a book for its flaws, maybe give one of their later books a chance. You may just find they’ve come into their own and figured out a thing or two about storytelling.

My dear friend Toni Shiloh had this to say to her author friends recently, and it’s such a wonderful perspective that I have to share. “A LIFE TO LIVE is the very first book I ever wrote and published. But for so many years I have looked at it in shame. Cringing at the “bad writing”, “broken rules” writers aren’t supposed to do, and remembering what that very first cover looked like… But I don’t want to look at my efforts any longer and be a harsh critic who holds no grace. … This book gave my first good reviews, got me readers who wanted to know when I’d publish another book. This book led me to the wonderful Christian fiction author community and the many talented authors I’ve met along the way. This book gave me fans who are still reading every book I publish and cheering for me without prompt. This book is a sign of growth as a writer and turning dreams into reality. I’m proud of this story and proud of where I am today.”

Thanks for joining me today! Have you read any of these authors’ debut novels? What made you love that book or decide to keep reading their work even if that one wasn’t your favorite? Are you more likely to give them grace if you’ve read their later books? Share your thoughts in the comments!

And because I’m working toward loving my first book again, I’m giving the Everyday Love series a facelift. They’ll get new covers next month, and there’s a new series order! I’m sharing the images with YOU first. 😊 What do you think?

Until next time,

Summer Love and Cookouts
Reader Input Request · Roundup

Summer Love and Cookouts

Jaycee Weaver18 Comments

It’s a gazillion degrees outside here in New Mexico. We’ve spent weekends in Arizona, Colorado, and Kansas in the past two months, and it’s been H-O-T hot there too. I know it’s not summer for half the world right now, but many of you still know the sticky, sweaty, blazing sun, furnace-blast-to-the-face feeling of a hotter than normal summer.

If you’re from outside the US, I’d love to hear what people in your region do to beat the heat. Across the US, the consensus seems to be a lot of indoor activities, retreats into the mountains, trips to the pool, and cookouts.

Now, if this were any other kind of blog, I could tell you all about the differences between a cookout and a barbecue, but I’ll let you Google that instead so we can chat about what we DO talk about here: romance books.

Food is an integral part of the human experience, so it only makes sense that those common elements of summer would feature heavily in fiction as well. Family cookouts, church picnics, barbecues, and other outdoor dining experiences bring us together and thus make a perfect setting for moving a story’s plot forward. My mind immediately thinks of all the potential for creating a little drama or tension, opportunities for busybody side characters to drop their nuggets of wisdom or insight, or even a great place for our hero and heroine to meet or reunite. Where better to stir up some trouble that forces a couple to face something they’ve been avoiding? So. Much. Potential.

Virtual Cookout MenuToday, in honor of the outrageous summer heat here in the US, I have compiled a list of must-bring dishes submitted by friends and readers, as well as a list of recommended reads that feature cookouts, picnics, barbecues, or other pivotal summer meal scenes.

Here’s our virtual cookout menu for today before we get to the books:

Meats: smoked brisket, grilled chicken, pulled pork, plus hamburgers and hot dogs

Sides: potato salad, macaroni or pasta salad, corn on the cob (or my preferred variation, elote), baked beans, and deviled eggs (I’m adding a veggie tray with ranch!)

Sweets: ice cream, ice pops, summer fruits, marshmallow fluff salad (AKA ambrosia, the one thing on this list I won’t touch), and glorious fruit pies

Cold Drinks: sweet tea, unsweet iced tea, aguas frescas (lightly sweetened fruit waters)

And now for the books (I haven’t read all of these, but they’ve all come recommended by CF readers):

… so many scenes from other books come to mind, but I’m blanking out on titles. If any come to mind for you, I’d love to see them in your comments! And while you’re in the comments, share what must-have foods you’d bring or want to see on the table if we hosted a virtual summer cookout. I love talking books and food, so I can’t wait to chat with you about both!

Childhood Sweethearts (+giveaway)
Giveaway · Romance Tropes · Roundup

Childhood Sweethearts (+giveaway)

Jaycee Weaver36 Comments

Childhood Sweethearts + giveawayWhat’s your favorite trope within CCR? I see this question asked a lot, and I have to admit I am one of those people who can’t choose a favorite ANYTHING to save her life. I mean, in all the breadth of the whole world, why would I limit myself? I do find myself drawn to some more than others, however, and one of my top ten favorites is childhood sweethearts.

Here’s how I’ll define childhood sweethearts, in case you’re wondering: a couple who knew each other as children/young teens and either one or both experienced a strong affinity for the other.

Best friends? Counts. Childhood crush? Definitely counts. Next door neighbors sweet on each other? Totally counts.

As you can see, I might be a little liberal in my definition of childhood sweethearts. But considering a little quick research (thanks to DuckDuckGo) reveals that only about 2% of the population marries their childhood first love and the numbers aren’t much higher for marrying a high school sweetheart, there’s got to be more to the story than two kids who’ve loved only each other most of their lives.

Perhaps that’s what makes childhood sweethearts such a wonderful trope—how well it pairs with others. Think about it. Second chance romances, reunion romances, marriage of convenience, friends to lovers… and that’s not even factoring in the various subgenres like cowboy romance, Southern romance, etc. The options are fairly limitless and equally appealing.

I’ve written a number of friends-to-lovers type books (and read a gazillion more), but childhood sweethearts is something I’ve only played with a couple times in the past year or two. I have to say, though, it’s a lot of fun keeping each story unique!

For example, in This and Every Christmas (which released individually on Oct 1), Noah and Clari met several times as kids. It was fun crafting vignettes in which their annual meetings were memorable enough they’d recognize each other years later. I got to pair this novella with the single dad trope, throw in a tree farm and a music teacher, all under the umbrella of the Christmas romance subgenre.

The sequel to this tale is coming up at the end of the month in the 2021 Christmas Lights collection Home for Christmas (eBook) and individually (paperback) October 26. Now and Forever Christmas is technically a friends-to-more/second chance romance, but since they were young teen sweethearts, I think it sort of counts.

I’m kind of loving this trope right now, if you can’t tell. The third sister will get her HEA in 2022 with Not Another Christmas, but for that one I’m twisting the childhood sweethearts into childhood enemies who gradually discover more. I’ve never done enemies-to-lovers, but that is one of my top five favorite tropes, so I’m kind of excited to finally write one.

And of course, I can’t forget to talk about Braver With You, which is in the upcoming Save the Date collection. I’m sure you’re tired of hearing me talk about this one (LOL! we’re in the home stretch, people!), but I’m really attached to Ashlyn and Conrad. This is the purest (as in, closest to the definition of) childhood sweethearts story I’ve written… or read for that matter, now that I think of it. They’ve only ever loved or dated each other and never faced a potential breakup. From their first pretend wedding as kids to the one they’re stressed over now, there’s never been a doubt in either of their minds that this was forever. These guys are the 2% statistic who defy the odds, and I adore them. Just because they’re sweet, though, doesn’t mean there isn’t trauma or chaos on the horizon they have to work through!

Have I enticed you to check out more of this fun trope? I hope so. And because I love contributing to your already out-of-control TBR pile, I’ve got a great list of other titles in CCR for you to choose from!

Starting with a randomly assembled list from several Inspy Romance authors and a couple others just because I can:

Okay, I’m letting the list get away from me. I know many more of our IR authors and CCR favorites have titles that fall under the “childhood sweethearts” heading, so I will leave the rest to YOU to put in the comments so I can add to my own out-of-control TBR. Influence away, my friends. Tell me why the title you’re commenting with qualifies! At the end of the week, one lucky commenter will be selected at random to win an eBook of their choice between This and Every Christmas or Braver With You (an ARC). Looking forward to reading your comments!

*As an Amazon associate, I may receive a small commission from any links clicked in the lists above.
Unkissable (and other unconventional titles)
Author Thoughts · Roundup

Unkissable (and other unconventional titles)

Jaycee Weaver33 Comments

The cover is unarguably the single biggest draw to a reader in deciding whether or not to choose a book. A close second, though, is often the title. Just the other day, I read a comment online from a woman who couldn’t bring herself to read a friend’s book simply because the single-word title was off-putting. (Of course, my brain immediately pondered the likelihood of a novel titled Moist.)

It got me wondering, though, like poor lovesick Juliet—what’s in a name? Would a book by any other title be just as sweet?

From an author standpoint, titling is hard, especially if you’re an indie without the benefit of a marketing team of experts who understand both genre expectations and what sells. Sometimes a title will simply come naturally as we’re writing. Sometimes it takes as much brainstorming as the book itself. And realistically, without that panel of professionals, how do we know what single word or short string of words is going to lure in the reader while conveying everything it must?

After all, not every romance can follow that old formula of The _____’s  _______ or Her/His ________ ________, right? They’d all start to feel a little Mad-Libs-like after awhile. I thought it would be fun for today if a few of our Inspy Romance authors shared one of their titles that at first glance might not make sense for contemporary Christian romance!

To kick things off, I’d like to share the title of my upcoming fairy tale twist on The Frog Prince, which will be releasing May 25th as part of the Once Upon a Summer collection. Writing this tale was a bit of a challenge for several reasons. To start, the original Grimm’s fairy tale is only about a page and a half long. There’s a spoiled princess, an enchanted frog who’s really a prince, a pond and a golden ball, a broken promise, a ridiculous hissy fit, and a loyal servant whose heart had been banded with iron so it wouldn’t break. Disney’s recent Princess and the Frog was no help since it isn’t based on that fairy tale at all, but is instead their loose twist of a different tale, The Frog Princess (E.D. Baker).

What struck me while writing was how very unlikable the princess was in the Grimm’s story. Why did the prince fall in love with her? Why would my frog prince want a kiss from such a snotty diva?

And why would I name my fairy tale—the very tale we get our pop-culture fascination with kissing frogs from—Unkissable?

Weird choice, I know, but the title came when I set out to give Charlotte a redemption story. I made her a Hollywood reality star with a reputation for throwing fits. Her prince is Jaime Reyes, the younger brother of Derek, the hero of A Splash of Love, my Little Mermaid retelling in 2019’s Once Upon a Christmas. I wanted to focus on retelling the story with as many elements of the original tale (sparse as they were) as possible, but as Christian fiction, bring her redemption and grace and restoration. The reader deserves to know why the frog prince wants to help her, befriend her, and ultimately be kissed by her.

Enough about my tale, let’s look at a few of my awesome Inspy Romance friends’ titles (don’t worry, I have their permission and it’s all in the spirit of camaraderie and fun). While they may not make sense for a romance at first, when we step back at examine the series they’re part of or read the story itself, the titles work.

First up, Laurie Larsen’s Pawleys Island Paradise book 5, Path to Discovery. At first glance, we might assume it’s a self help book. But in the scope of the series, we notice the other titles follow the same format of ___ to ____ (the way to a state of being). Clever, right?

Or how about Valerie Comer’s Dandelions for Dinner? The fourth installment in her Farm Fresh Romance series seems a little odd, but every book has a title with an edible (who knew dandelions were edible?!) fresh food. BTW, this series is really cute.

Janet W. Ferguson’s Going Up South doesn’t exactly scream romance either. However, when you realize the bad-boy hero has no where to go but up (while having to go South!), it totally makes sense.

I asked Tabitha Bouldin about her upcoming island romance, Stealing the First Mate. We laughed over it sounding like a historical pirate romance. In reality, it’s about unrequited love and a boat tour! It sounds super fun and I look forward to checking it out when it releases the end of the month.

My good friend Toni Shiloh’s short A Proxy Wedding made me scratch my head at first. What in the world did it mean? Turns out, two people agree to stand in as proxy so their two friends serving in the military could get married, and they discover feelings of their own along the way.

As you can see, in the end, these titles do make sense (and they’re some pretty fun stories, too). I’m sure we could talk unconventional titles for romances a good long while, so why don’t you share a few you’ve come across in the comments. What made you decide to read the book? Do you think Unkissable is an odd choice for a fairy tale retelling?

A Month of Christmas Books! + Giveaway
Giveaway · Roundup

A Month of Christmas Books! + Giveaway

Jaycee Weaver61 Comments

I have a thing for calendars. There, I’ve admitted it. I love them.

I remember buying my grandmother one for Christmas every year, taking care to choose one with pictures sure to put a smile on her face (usually filled with lots of cats). As an adult, I buy a wide-box calendar for my fridge at the start of a new school year to help manage the family, but I also buy one every December for the upcoming year and hang it in my office. I love to fill it up with ideas and plans and imagine all the things that lie in wait for me.

I like Bible verse flip calendars and funny-quote calendars. We have at least three advent calendars. Then this year, my daughters introduced me to dot journaling (aka bullet journaling). All their pretty Pinterest pins filled with calendars and record keepers and mood trackers, well, bless my calendar loving heart!

So as my holiday gift to you, I’m giving you a calendar of a very different sort—a new Christmas book to read for every day of the month for December 2020! I read a TON of Christmas books every December, so I’m giving you some of my favorites as well as a few new ones on my TBR list. If I haven’t yet read one of the titles on this list, I’ve at least read another (or more) by that author so that you know I’m only recommending titles that meet our Inspy Romance standards.

I hope you enjoy this list of new books, older books, multi-author collections, and more! And above all, I wish you and yours a very blessed holiday season. May the love of Christ be with you, may His life and light infiltrate into the deepest, toughest parts of where you are and bring you joy, peace, and grace in abundance.

And without further ado, I give you:

December 2020

  1.  Mistletoe Kiss by Andrea Boyd. One world record, two best friends, and a ten second kiss that changes everything. A perfect intro to her Spencer family books! (This one on sale and book 2 coming soon!)
  2. A (Kinda) Country Christmas by Krista Phillips. Two (sorta) opposites attract when small-town Christmas shop owner meets a crabby globe trotter. This whole series is a lot of quirky fun!
  3. Nowhere for Christmas by Heather Gray.Two virtual strangers, one teen, and the worst rental car in the history of mankind. Let the road trip begin. I loved this unusual premise!
  4. Something Borrowed by Toni Shiloh, Andrea Boyd, Jaycee Weaver, Mikal Dawn, and Teresa Tysinger. Six friends, five weddings, and one borrowed tiara. Five interconnected stories and SO much wedding fun! (Plus, only 99¢!)
  5. Operation Mistletoe by Elizabeth Maddrey. He raises funds for troops overseas by transforming his acreage into a wonderland and ministry opportunity. Why can’t she trust his intentions are honorable?
  6. Deck the Shelves by Toni Shiloh. Can two people hesitant on second chances find love as they Deck the Shelves? A bookshop owner heroine is just the start of what makes this one a delight.
  7. Ordinary Snowflakes by Jennifer Rodewald. A single mom, a snowy Christmas, and a Secret Santa gift. Perhaps her romance days aren’t over after all. This one’s hero is unlikely but swoony.
  8. Once Upon a Christmas (Christmas Card Series 3) by Amanda Tru. I very much enjoyed all 3 in this series!
    A once upon a Christmas inspires her story. Her ever after changes the world.
  9. A Christmas Romance Collection by Angela Ruth Strong, Kimberly Rose Johnson, Miralee Ferrell, and Vickie McDonough. Six heart-warming holiday romances from best-selling, award-winning authors.
  10. Not Until Christmas Morning by Valerie M. Bodden. She’s a fixer… He’s about as broken as they come… Can they learn to turn to God for healing and hope this Christmas? Again, I ADORE this whole series.
  11. Hearts Aglow (Christmas Lights 2020) by Chautona Havig, Cathe Swanson, Toni Shiloh, and Jaycee Weaver. Okay, so yes, I have a book in this collection. But the other three are worth recommending because they are so very excellent! Trust me. Tons of fun packed into these pages!
  12. Merry Kisses by Valerie Comer. Disillusioned by the over-commercialization of Christmas, the last new job she expects to find is as a mall elf working for the guy who got her fired from the last one.
  13. Second Chance Christmas by Merrillee Wren. I’m a sucker for a second chance marriage romance! This one sounds great (hang on while I add it to my TBR).
  14. A Match Made at Christmas by Courtney Walsh. This one is still on my TBR, but I love Courtney Walsh’s books! So much emotion packed into her pages. In this, years of friendship deepen into something more (squee!).
  15. Enchanted by Melissa Tagg. No one, and I mean NO one writes a novella like Melissa Tagg. And this trio is my FAVORITE. I could read them every year (and I hardly ever re-read anything).
  16. Restoring Christmas by Julie Arduini. Her last name might be Christmas, but she’s not the best example of holiday cheer to his students. Does he have what it takes to help her restore a town legacy and find her Christmas spirit?
  17. Beautiful Storm by Mandi Blake. I haven’t yet read Inspy newcomer Mandi Blake, but I plan to rectify that this Christmas! Two lonely, wounded hearts in need of healing in Christ PLUS that intriguing cover? You betcha!
  18. When Snowflakes Never Cease by Hallee Bridgeman, Amanda Tru, Alana Terry, Chautona Havig, and Jaycee Weaver. Five interconnected stories during a record breaking snowstorm as two doctors risk everything to find a dying girl’s father in this tear-jerker collection from 2019. I also recommend the other Crossroads collections!
  19. Tropical Kiss and Tell by Liwen Y. Ho. After two snowy days, I thought you might appreciate this tropical treat for a reprieve! They’ve been lifelong friends. This Christmas, does he let her marry another man or break up her engagement to make this the most memorable one of their lives?
  20. Seaside Christmas by Narelle Atkins. After a visit to the tropics, let’s head to Sydney, Australia for a little more Christmas-on-the-beach fun in this heart-warming novella.
  21. A Husband for Holly by Marion Ueckermann. While we’re traveling, let’s pop over to the UK and hang out with the Blume sisters, all of whom are delightful!
  22. Holiday Town by Jenn Faulk. We’ll continue our travels to Namibia and join a missionary family as they adapt to a whole new culture. I’ve read ALL of Jenn’s books and can’t recommend them enough.
  23. First Class Christmas by Katy Eeten. Let’s fly back to the USA with two strangers who find an instant connection on their flight home. This one’s up high on my December TBR list. I always enjoy Katy’s books!
  24. Love, Laughter, and Luminarias by Jaycee Weaver. Yeah, yeah, I’m promoting my own book on your calendar. But seriously, I LOVE these two so much that I made it only 99¢ for the whole month and the paperback’s new this year for only $6.99. It’s so much fun, I would love it even if someone else had written it.
  25. Once Upon a Silent Night by Kimberly Rae Jordan. I haven’t read her in a while, but I do love a good KRJ book. Out of reach dreams, sacrifices, a mob family, and two people trying to build a new life? Sign me up!
  26. Honey For the Holidays by Jessica R. Patch. Again, I LOVE this whole series! He’s got a plan but it requires the help of his ex, who despises him for all the wrong reasons.
  27. Better Than First by Kari Trumbo. I liked this 2018 release a lot! She’s too driven to see past her ice dreams, but her best friend plans to prove there’s more to life…including love.
  28. Winter Wishes by Tara Grace Ericson. Secrets, dreams, and insecurities keep these two friends from seeking more. Can’t wait to dive into this one, either! I just loved the first in the series.
  29. A Merry Miracle in Romance by Melanie Snitker. Haven’t read a book of hers that I haven’t loved. This whole series, each book a different author, looks totally awesome and is connected by their town!
  30. Love and Harmony by Sally Bayless. She’s got something to prove, he just wants to keep his job. There’s a whole lot packed into this one, and I really enjoyed it!
  31. Melodies of Christmas Love by numerous authors. Okay, so there are a LOT of authors I like in this one set. Plus, I mean, Christmas AND music? Definitely in my TBR for this year. At only 99¢ for 7 books, this one is a steal.

Aaaaaand, last but not least, just for fun, here’s one for New Year’s Day, January 1, 2021. A New Year’s Kiss by Delaney Cameron. I liked all of the clean, inspirational books in the Finding Love series. This one was wonderful, with two people coming to terms with life not turning out how they’d envisioned.

Well, there you have it! Thirty two titles that easily work out to closer to 50 actual books. And since it’s Christmas and I feel like giving a few books away, I’m going to choose TWO winners from the comments to receive a copy of Love, Laughter, and Luminarias—WINNER’S CHOICE of format (eBook OR paperback!). What are YOUR favorite Christmas titles? Have you read any of the above (let us know what you thought!)? Winner will be chosen at random and announced in the Sunday edition later in December. Entries close on Friday 12/4 at 11:59pm MST.

Merry Christmas and many blessings!

It’s Complicated… (interesting characters usually are) + cover reveal
Covers · Roundup

It’s Complicated… (interesting characters usually are) + cover reveal

Jaycee Weaver19 Comments

If you’ve been on social media at any point in the last decade, you’ve probably noticed at least one of your “friends” with the relationship status It’s Complicated. The phrase has filtered its way into our culture in all sorts of ways—movie titles, song lyrics, book themes, mindsets.

It’s complicated isn’t always a response we’d like to accept, but it’s often the easiest response to most of those nosy questions we can’t completely answer without either revealing more than we’re comfortable with or shocking the inquisitor with an unavoidably long, drawn out response. It’s more polite than telling them none of your business, right? Ha ha!

But when it comes to characters, I have to admit, I LOVE complicated. The more complex their backstory, the more I want to read. Neat and tidy characters are fine on occasion, but let’s face it. Real people are pretty complicated. And as readers, we tend to be more fascinated by humanity than non-readers. I read an article a while back that frequent readers tend to be more empathetic. Perhaps this is why complicated characters are so interesting.

I’m a reader first. Becoming an author flowed naturally from that love, but always, first, a reader. I’ll list a few that stick out in my mind, then I’ll tell you about some I’ve written. After that, I’ll share with you the cover of my latest book and why I loved writing the characters in it. 🙂

From IR’s own Elizabeth Maddrey, comes Lydia Brown in Wisdom to Know. She’s a pastor’s daughter caught up in a binding chain of bad choices. I read this a few years ago, but she’s a heroine who has stuck with me.  Another that stands out is Jen Andrews in A Handful of Hope. Her struggle with depression is thoroughly true-to-life and so well presented.

Toni Shiloh, another IR author, does complicated characters very well. Some of my favorites are Belle Peterson and Nikki Gordon from her Maple Run series. Evan Carter from Returning Home is also a wonderfully complex hero. Toni tackles characters who’ve suffered abuse, assault, missing limbs, parental abandonment, infidelity, and more with finesse and sensitivity.

Then there’s Janet Ferguson. Oh my goodness, I just love her characters. Raw emotion, depth, intensity, tragedy, internal struggles, wars against sin and pain and fear…and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve loved them all, but my favorite is still The Art of Rivers.

Oh! And while I’m thinking of other IR authors (and can I just say, there are a lot of amazing ladies in this bunch, so I’m only picking a couple real quickly) I have to include Valerie M. Bodden. The entire Hope Springs series is wonderful—with a plethora of complex characters—but none more complicated than bad girl Jade in Not Until Us.

Melissa Tagg also has a way with complicated characters. I’d have to say my favorite is Now and Then and Always. Marshall and Mara both have painful stories they’re working through as they build a relationship while restoring an old B&B.

No list would be complete without Lea Sim’s two highly emotional novels, Running From Monday and Waiting on Tuesday. Lea tackles some difficult topics, and her characters have endured severe abuse, infidelity, loss, and more. Readers are put a bit through the wringer on these, but it’s their richness and authenticity of emotion that make them such memorable reads.

T.I. Lowe’s Until I Do—and her whole backlist, actually—is another perfect example. A marriage in shambles, readers get an inside look at a couple’s struggle with becoming empty-nesters and their floundering relationship. Other books by TI Lowe feature characters running from dark, violent secrets, human trafficking, and other trauma.

Several friends I asked reminded me of Tammy L. Gray. I’ve read quite a few of her books, but Mercy’s Flight is definitely one that stands out. Violent pasts, betrayal, children in need, secrets, and a journey to trust and find courage barely scratch the surface of Matt and Grace’s story.

I absolutely HAVE to include one of my very favorites, Jennifer Rodewald. I need to take a break between her books because I can pretty much guarantee I’ll be gutted afterward. Her Grace Revealed trilogy is ripe with intense, complicated characters with highly charged emotions and very real issues, but my personal favorite is still The Carpenter’s Daughter.

Whew! That ended up being a rather long list, so I’ll cut myself off there. Hopefully I’ve introduced you to some new-to-you authors, titles, or characters you’ll enjoy as much as I have.

Since I’ve already gone on long enough, I’ll summarize what kind of complicated characters I enjoy writing. In Whatever Comes Our Way, the hero and heroine face traumatic pasts, grief, guilt, anxiety attacks, and the aftermath of loved ones’ drug use. In What Makes a Home, prickly Jobie’s colorful lifestyle catches up to her as we come to understand why she chooses to live the way she does (until she meets Jesus!). In Adrift, (which is always free) Erin still experiences grief after losing her husband too young. Now, not all of my characters are over-complicated. Some have it pretty easy, so I like to put them in challenging situations instead. My heart is to create realistic characters who are flawed and, yes, complicated but eventually figure out what it is God wants to work out in their lives.

So there you have it. Probably should have narrowed it down and maybe dug a little deeper into each character, but I’m a more-is-better kind of girl. Ha ha!

For the last part of my post, I’d like to reveal the cover to my newest book out this week, which just so happens to be FREE to all subscribers to my email newsletter. It’s a bit different from my usual contemporary Christian romance fare, as it’s a dual-POV in first person with two heroines. Each has her own story line with her own love interest/romance, but their friendship takes center stage in this novelette. Lauren’s a steady presence for Kimbrye, who just might be one of the most hurting of all the heroines I’ve written so far.

I can’t wait to read in your comments below any recommendations YOU have for favorite complicated characters. I’m always on the lookout for my newest book bestie! Take care and enjoy the rest of your week, especially with our upcoming BIRTHDAY BASH!!