Destination Christmases

November 30, 2022 Jaycee Weaver15 Comments

Do you travel for Christmas?

It’s been years since my crew has been away from home on Christmas. We have a lot of family we’re close to, which used to mean a lot of obligations over the holidays. As much as we loved everyone, it was exhausting. My husband and I decided early on that we wanted to keep Christmas Eve and the early morning of Christmas Day limited to us and the kids, and since then it’s become a sacred tradition we all look forward to. In a season that’s often as filled with anxiety as it is with wonder, that slice of time we carve out and safeguard gives my crew of introverts some breathing room between bouts of being “on” for our extended loved ones.

However, we do regularly travel around the holidays to see family in the Midwest, and there’s something special about celebrating the holidays with loved ones away from home. Whether traveling ” back home” or, as in my case, to family who moved away, family traditions feel different when you don’t live with your family of origin anymore. Sweeter somehow, even when the relationships might be complicated or strained. And then there’s exploring the local traditions of the place you’re visiting, indulging in local culture and flavors…

It’s no wonder why holiday travel is a common element in many Christmas romance books.

But then there’s an actual destination Christmas—essentially a vacation or road trip to a locale that isn’t and never has been home. Ski trips, sunny beaches, a private getaway…

I’ve never done a destination Christmas, and with a close knit family and three daughters, I honestly can’t imagine making this a reality. It certainly is fun to dream about, though! I’d love to whisk my crew off to Disney one year. It sounds fun (though I know it will probably never happen LOL).

Maybe that’s why I enjoy the concept of destination Christmases in fiction so much. It gives life to impractical dreams alongside the joy of reading romance and new love. I can revel in exploring complicated family dynamics and need for second chances in someone else’s life on the pages. There are new holiday traditions to vicariously experience, new places to discover and local flavors that inspire my imagination.

How about you? Do you enjoy traveling for the holidays? Do you go “home”? Visit family? Or have you ever taken a destination holiday to somewhere new and exciting?

If virtually experiencing a destination Christmas is more your thing, here’s a short list of suggestions I’m happy to share with you to fill your December TBR and get you into the holiday spirit!

Merry Ex-Mas (returning home) and A Cross-Country Christmas (roadtrip home) by Courtney Walsh
Nowhere for Christmas by IR author Heather Gray (roadtrip destination)
IR author Amy Anguish’s Mistletoe Make-Believe within the Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams collection
The Sleigh Bells Chalet by Jennifer Griffith (vacation for hero)
Muskoka Christmas by IR author Caroline Miller (destination for heroine)
Several of our IR authors (among others) have characters traveling to Freedom Ridge for the holidays in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series
And of course, Destination Christmas from IR authors Sarah Monzon and myself as well as Chautona Havig and Cathe Swanson, with 4 stories of destination Christmases.

I’m sure there are TONS more, but of course I never want to inundate you with too many. LOL! If you’ve read any contemporary Christian or inspirational holiday travel/road trip/destination Christmas stories recently that left an impression, I’d LOVE to hear your suggestions in the comments. And be sure to answer my questions above. I so enjoy chatting with you all every month!

Until next time,

Tragedy and Romance (+giveaway)

August 9, 2021 Jaycee Weaver44 Comments

I’ll be the first to admit I tend to lean toward uncomplicated, happy romances by default. Like bacon and cheese, such books make up the majority of my dietary preferences, literarily speaking. However, these aren’t the books I savor. They aren’t the ones to win awards and acclaim and get talked about nonstop.

I could be way off base, but it seems to me those spaces in our hearts tend to be reserved for the tragic tales. Now, since we here at Inspy Romance focus on CCR, we’ll stick to that genre, which means certain rules apply to our tragedies. They still require romantic love that ends happily and threads of faith (whether overt or subtle) that lead to characters overcoming whatever tragedy or trauma stands in the way of that happy romantic ending.

Now that the parameters are in place, let’s talk about why we love sad stories. We could get technical and talk about catharsis and endorphins and bio-chemical responses, but that might bore you to tears. Instead, let’s talk about it purely from a human experience standpoint.

As readers, we all know how books make us feel things, how reading makes us more empathetic. There’s no avoiding tragedy as part of the human experience. We all experience it on some level at some point in our lives. Considering we were created for connection, it makes sense that reading others’ experiences builds that connection as it allows us to see through someone else’s point of view.

Why am I thinking about all of this?

A few reasons. If you’re part of my email list, you’ll know we’ve faced several losses recently both in my family and in the reading community (including the heartbreaking loss of fellow author and former IR blogger Marion Ueckermann). I also read a few posts recently comparing people’s reading tastes pre-covid, height of covid, to now. It’s been interesting to see how many chose primarily comedies versus how many actually preferred tragic stories. I read one person’s comment that she walked away from tragic stories, specifically romances with an HEA, with a fresh outlook and appreciation for life.

What do you think? Do you ever go through phases where you just need to read something sad? Do you still want the tale to end happily?

I’m curious about your answers, truly!

Last week I reread one of my novellas from last year, This and Every Christmas, (which I’ll be releasing individually here in a couple of months) in preparation for writing its follow-on book for this year’s Christmas Lights Collection. I set out to write a story that was light and happy and Hallmark worthy, but as it progressed, I was hit with loss after loss for my poor hero. I never would’ve imagined readers would connect with a story in which three key people in his life die within the span of a few chapters, yet I’ve been hearing over and over again it’s one of their favorites. (You can’t see my shoulders shrugging, but trust me, they are.) It made me wonder.

And then there’s a major tragedy that sets the foundation for my entire novella Braver With You in the upcoming Save the Date collection. I had no idea when I started writing Ashlyn and Conrad’s childhood sweethearts story that such heartache would be the basis of not only her backstory, but his! I won’t spoil the details (though I do hope you’ll pre-order your copy of the collection for only 99¢ and then leave us a review with your thoughts) but writing the trauma she experienced as a little girl and understanding how it impacted every significant person in her life was eye-opening for me as a writer.

Life is hard, loss even harder. Perhaps that’s why we connect so well to characters who’ve faced things we have or worse. Maybe it’s finding hope for ourselves in the hard times, even when our only example of coming out the other side is a fictional character. I’m not exactly sure, but it’s definitely worth spending some time contemplating.

So I’ll let you contemplate, then you can leave a comment below to share about whether or not you connect best to characters who’ve faced tragedy or trauma and why you think that might be. I’d love to read your responses to my above questions. And then just to lighten things up, I’ll choose one random commenter to receive an advance review e-copy of Braver With You OR This and Every Christmas, winner’s choice. Also, if you have any great book suggestions for CCR titles in which characters face and overcome tragedy, I’ll give you an extra entry into the giveaway!

Until next time, happy reading (or not)!

Real Life · Real Life Romance

Where To Next?

April 8, 2021 Jaycee Weaver34 Comments

I find myself fantasizing about locations lately—specifically getaways. See, this August marks my twentieth wedding anniversary. We haven’t gone anywhere without the kids for longer than a weekend, but this year we decided to plan a *real* vacation, just the two of us. And after being cooped up for over a year with hardly more than a date or two, we’re beyond ready to see some sights beyond New Mexico and get a little *us* time.

We’ve been dreaming and searching and building a budget, reading blogs, oohing and ahhing over pictures. Trouble is, we have a few ideas where we don’t want to go (ahem, a cruise, no can do for this girl), we just haven’t been able to decide where we do.

I’m asking you to help us figure out where to go!

The options are limited to mainland USA (at least this year) and neither of us want to visit anywhere too people-y. I adore beach and mountain retreats equally, and while we want to spend some quality time relaxing sans kids, I know we’ll also want to do a little sightseeing. After all, this shutterbug just got a new phone with a ridiculously awesome camera, so you know I’ve got the itch to go somewhere Instagram-worthy LOL!

My research endeavors so far have filled up a bucket list it’ll take two lifetimes to complete (and you should see my outside-the-US list!). So far the top contenders are somewhere in the Florida Keys or the Couer d’Alene/Yellowstone area. We’ve also drooled over places such as Glacier National Park, islands off the coast of Georgia, Cannon Beach in Oregon (with a tour of the Goonies sites!), and of course, Hawaii (which is sadly out of budget ha ha). As you can see, our tastes are all over the map.

I’ve been traveling virtually the past year to some wonderful places via Christian and Inspy romances, but so far nothing has leapt off the page as a getaway locale I’m just dying to see. What about you? Have you traveled anywhere recently, either in reality or in fiction, that stands out as an ideal romantic getaway? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

You can bet I’ll be doing my research after I scour your comments for new ideas, and chances are very, very high that if I can’t visit in real life, I just might have to take a virtual trip. So be sure to leave the title if you suggest a spot you read about even if you haven’t been there in person! I might even send future characters off to a fantasy locale based on your suggestions! I mean, what else is a girl who writes supposed to do?

Thanks in advance for all the amazing suggestions I know you’re sure to come up with, I’ll be responding throughout the day. And though I’m limiting the number of giveaways I’ll be doing this year, I’ll make an exception if YOUR suggestion ends up being our anniversary getaway destination! Winner will be notified via email as soon as we make a reservation. You can follow me on Instagram to find out where we chose to go this summer! Are you planning to go anywhere exciting after the restrictions lift? I’d love to hear about your plans as well.

Giveaway · Roundup

A Month of Christmas Books! + Giveaway

December 2, 2020 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:

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!)
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!
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!
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¢!)
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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).
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!).
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).
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?
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!
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!
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?
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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!