Focus on Christmas with Trish Perry and Debby Mayne.

Please welcome Trish Perry and Debby Mayne co-authors of Love finds you on Christmas Morning. Today I am starting my Focus On Christmas series and come December there will be two posts a week. Thanks for being on my blog today and I hope my readers enjoy reading about your experiences.

1.   What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?

Trish: My family members are always so busy all year and simply don’t get enough time together. But at Christmas we drop everything to be together. Those who need to fly home, do. Even at my age, I’ve only experienced one Christmas when a sibling couldn’t join us. So I associate Christmas with family time—and never enough of it!

Debby: Like Trish, I associate Christmas with family, no matter where I live. We've had some additions to the family over the past few years with my daughters getting married and grandchildren coming on to the scene, so the joy is compounded.

2.   Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?

Trish: My immediate family always tries to attend the evening Christmas Eve worship service at church, after which we go out for dinner at a lovely restaurant. And on Christmas morning, up until recently my father has always played “Santa,” in that he handed out each present under the tree, one at a time, with great fanfare about who was giving the gift to whom. A few years ago, my son took up that mantle, which I assume he’ll wear for years to come. And not a single gift is given without the receiver getting up and giving a hug and a thank you to the giver. (We really know how to spread out the event.)

(Jenny here My dad use to give out the gifts under the tree also and when he died my brother took over)

Debby: My family attends Christmas Eve services, and then we go home and have pizza. Most of the time we open at least one gift before bedtime. It's getting increasingly difficult to maintain traditions with one of my daughters living so far away and the other likely to move soon.  

3.   Do you have a favourite Christmas Carol and if so do you know why?

Trish: “O Holy Night” makes me want to cry every time I hear it or sing it. The emotion and drama at that first chorus—“Fall on your knees”—just blows me away. Such a perfect image of how best to react to the birth of Christ.

(Jenny again this is one of my favourites also ever since I first heard it on Young and The Restless many years ago)

Debby: I love "Silent Night" because it's such a peaceful song.

 (Jenny again I love this song also its special)

4.   If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you celebrate?

Trish: On a selfish level, it might be fun to relax and be catered to by a full kitchen staff, freeing me and my siblings up from dashing about preparing food and trying to time everything well. On a more philanthropic level, I remember a few decades ago when I belonged to a young professionals civic group. We raised funds from local businesses to give toy-shopping certificates to kids whose fathers and/or mothers were in prison—they wouldn’t otherwise receive anything at all for Christmas. I’d love to do that again, to get a chance to watch their excitement on Christmas Day.

Debby: I would have all my family together in a secluded cabin or on a cruise, without the distractions of work or anything else that pulls people's attention from what's really important.

5.   Do you have any special memories of Christmas?

Trish: I had a sister who passed away nearly 24 years ago. As a child she had a lot of physical health issues, and when she was nine (and I was six), she had a serious surgical operation shortly before Christmas. We thought she would spend Christmas in the hospital, but they let her come home just for the day. She was so frail, but she was so happy, as were we. When she passed away as a young adult, it was mere days before Christmas—she had even bought us gifts. Those two Christmases are my most memorable and poignant ones.

Debby: My favorite memories are those from when my children were small and with my granddaughter who was one and a half last year.

6.   What is a typical Christmas Eve and or Christmas day for you.

Trish: My parents still live in the house they bought when I was an adolescent. We all gather there, most of us bearings not only gifts but partially prepared contributions to the big meal, as well as fun hors d’oeuvres we’ve each experimented in making (or, for the cheaters, in buying). Both of my kids have other places they need to be after our celebration, so our tradition has become a late-morning celebration that stretches into the late afternoon, followed by a relaxed unwinding while people slowly depart for their other obligations. I’m always amazed at how quickly it’s over!

Debby: We attend church on Christmas Eve and eat without worrying about diets. The children play with their toys, and we watch Christmas specials on TV.

7.         Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see

or read each year?

Trish: I’m still a sucker for It’s a Wonderful Life. Considering how lonely people can get on holidays, I think that movie’s message—about the importance of every individual in the lives of others—is very uplifting. And my church’s Christmas Eve service usually involves a reading of parts of Luke’s gospel to retell the story of Christ’s birth through scripture. That, of course, is my favorite Christmas “book.”

Debby: I'm with Trish on It's a Wonderful Life, which has always been a favorite in our household. I also like to pick up the latest Christmas books and novellas to relax before I go to bed.

(Jenny again Debby I love reading the Christmas novellas also.)

8.         Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?

Trish: Answering your other questions has brought my mind in this direction: I pray that you all enjoy a blessed, beautiful Christmas, surrounded by loving family and friends. But I know all of us have times in our lives when holidays remind us of whom we miss; sometimes we can even feel alone. I pray that this Christmas you feel a strong, deep connection with our loving Savior who was born on this day. And I pray you know you are always loved, forever precious, and never alone.

Debby: I also pray for a blessed Christmas for all of you. Cherish your family and enjoy your children. Never take anything or anyone for granted, and stay focused on the Gospel as you enjoy this Christmas season.

Bios:

Award-winning novelist Trish Perry has written six inspirational romantic-comedy novels for Harvest House Publishers, as well as two devotionals and a nostalgic romance novel for Summerside Press. She has served as a columnist and as a newsletter editor over the years, as well as a 1980s stockbroker and a board member of the Capital Christian Writers organization in Washington, D.C. She holds a degree in Psychology. Trish lives in Northern Virginia. She invites you to visit her at www.TrishPerry.com

Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for HSN, a creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years, she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby’s books have been top ten favorites by the Heartsong Presents book club. Love Finds You in Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from Romantic Times Magazine, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July 2009.

Blurb for Love Finds You on Christmas Morning: 

Deck the Halls (Debby Mayne): In 1925, the wealthy William Tronnier becomes smitten with the lovely but penniless Lillian Pickard. Not one to give up easily, William pursues Lillian even though she does everything in her power to resist falling in love with a man from a completely different social class. As Christmas descends on the picturesque town of Cary, North Carolina, William plans to make Lillian a proposal she can’t refuse.

‘Tis the Season (Trish Perry): When personal chef Nikki Tronnier moves back home to Cary, North Carolina, she plans to fulfill a lifelong dream and buy back the family home built by her great-grandfather for his bride. But before she is able to make an offer, someone else buys the house. Just as she prepares for a fight, she learns that the very person who stole her dream is the man who has also stolen her heart. Unaware, handsome new owner, Drew Cornell, seeks Nikki’s help in restoring the home to its historic beauty in time for Christmas.

(Jenny again I have this book on order and can't wait to read it. I think it would be a great book to give away as a Christmas gift.)

Other books by Trish and Debby.

Focus on Christmas with Trish Perry

Please welcome Trish Perry back to my blog for focus on Christmas. Check our Trish's book Sunshine Beach at the end of the post. It would make a wonderful Christmas gift.

Firstly thanks for coming back to my blog this time we are focusing on Christmas.
What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?

Although we don’t always get a white Christmas, that’s what I think of when I think of Christmas day here in Northern Virginia. I am NOT a cold-weather gal, but I do love the quiet elegance of that blanket of snow, a warm fire, and family time together.

2. Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?
My son and I started a tradition when he was very young, and we continue it today, even though he’s a teen now. Usually I get him several individual gifts, rather than a big blowout gift. On Christmas morning when he gets up, I hand him a clue, which I’ve written as a silly little rhyme. He solves the clue to find his first gift and the next clue. He travels all over the house solving clues and collecting gifts. I love stretching it out like that.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas Carol and if so do you know why?
“O Holy Night” has been my favorite Christmas carol for years. When I had more free time, I used to sing on my church’s worship team. We were a small team, so often I was the only one harmonizing. The harmony on “O Holy Night” is lovely and dramatic. I fell in love with the emotion and worship of the line, “fall on your knees,” when the harmonies kick in. Wonderful. Makes me want to cry just thinking of it. (Jenny here I love this song also)

4. If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you celebrate?
There are so many family members who are no longer with us. For me they evoke the innocent joy of Christmas gatherings from my childhood. I would love to be able to celebrate Christmas with those loved ones again. Maybe in Heaven . . .

5. Do you have any special memories of Christmas?
A very special Christmas was when I was six. My nine-year-old sister was allowed to come home from the hospital to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with us. She had physical struggles all her life, and about a month before Christmas they amputated one of her legs. But the hospital went to great lengths to keep her from having to spend Christmas in the hospital. My siblings and I were thrilled. My sister passed away 22 years ago, and that Christmas will always stick in my mind as one of my most cherished memories.

6. What is a typical Christmas eve and or Christmas day for you.
Christmas Eve is different every year for me. I’ve spent it singing at church services, going out to dinner with family, and just getting cozy at home with a fun movie. But on Christmas Day all of my family members traditionally gather for a relaxed afternoon of snacking on hors d’oeuvres, opening presents, and enjoying a big afternoon meal. At my age I’m blessed that so much of my family is still able to gather in one place.
And I’m always surprised when I settle back in at home afterward and decide I actually want to eat dinner. Crazy!

7. Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year?

I hate to be trite, but the message in It’s a Wonderful Life would be relevant regardless of the Christmas setting. As a Christian I love the idea of impressing upon everyone that no life is disposable, that we may not always know how we touch the lives of others, but we do. We were each put here for a purpose. Capra did a lovely job of showing that in this film, and I enjoy it every time I see it.

8. Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?
I pray that all of your readers will find blessings in whatever their circumstances are this Christmas. I hope they are all vividly aware of how much they are loved. We’re all recipients of the only Christmas gift that really matters—how great is that?

Product Description
In the popular Beach House series (more than 60,000 copies sold), a worn and comfortable coastal home in San Diego intersects with charming, contemporary stories—Sally John’s The Beach House and Castles in the Sand followed by Trish Perry’s Beach Dreams. In Sunset Beach, Perry delights fans by returning to the beloved backdrop where women gather and lives change.

Meet Sonny Miller, a recent college graduate with plans to get her master’s degree in psychology. With the intention of resolving some family drama and putting her academic interests to the test, Sonny cleverly invites her mother, Teresa, and her mother’s estranged twin, Aunt Melanie, to the quiet and quirky beach house. They both show up...and with surprises of their own. Teresa, a successful classical singer, brings her latest protégé, Irina, and Melanie brings along secrets about Teresa and the identity of Sonny’s long–gone father.

The strong personalities cause some big waves, and Sonny is in over her head. Soon she is drawn to Irina and Irina’s charming brother, Grigori. Her faith is strengthened by their story of being adopted as children from a Russian orphanage by a Christian couple from America.

Readers will love being a guest alongside these characters. Between each sunrise and sunset is another day for healing, laughter, rediscovering the importance of family, and embracing the hope of God’s care.

Getting to know you Thursday with Trish Perry

Please welcome Trish Perry to Getting to know you Thursdays.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’ve been writing seriously for about 15 years and publishing books for the past four. Before I started writing, I worked for attorneys in Washington, D.C. and then for the Securities and Exchange Commission. I was also a stockbroker for four agonizing years; I really hated that job. I’m much happier operating through the right side of my brain! I live in Northern Virginia with my teenaged son, who constantly makes me laugh. I have a lovely adult daughter who will be remarrying in a few months to a terrific guy with whom she’s been friends for years. And I have a fantastic six-year-old grandson.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

My British grandparents gave me a book called Beryl the Peril, about a real troublemaker of a girl. I loved that book. She was so bad! And then My Father’s Dragon was a huge favorite of mine. I so wanted my kids to embrace it as I did, but it never rang their chimes the same way. Ah, well, different books for different generations, right?

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

Certainly as far as writing is concerned, I’m most drawn to contemporary romance with a humorous twist. I’ve dabbled in writing historical, but I find myself stilted with it. My heroine can’t take a step without my feeling I need to research that step to death, to make sure every facet of it fits with the time period. Yeesh. It’s like trying to play basketball while wearing a corset—very confining. And I’ve written a supernatural thriller that I actually like very much, but I don’t think the market is very strong in that regard right now. Maybe someday.
As far as reading is concerned, I’m wide open. I vary genre from one book to the next, so if I read an inspirational romance I’ll follow with maybe a mainstream historical, followed by something speculative or otherwise off the wall.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

I think “influenced” would be too strong a word. Maybe a touch here and there, so I suppose I’m a bit of a mutt in that regard. Before I became a Christian, I read plenty of yearning-heaving-type romances until they became too predictable. They didn’t seem particularly romantic to me, just sexual. Then I read a lot of thrillers, a la Ken Follet, James Grady, and Robert Ludlam, until they started to blend into one big ball of espionage, and I wanted a change. Finally, I started reading more classical fare: Hemingway, Austen, Fitzgerald, Hurston, Faulkner, George Eliot. And after becoming a Christian, I added inspirational fiction to my reading list. You see? Mutt.

But anyone who has read my stuff is probably scratching her head at the above author list. Despite what I read, I found when I wrote that my voice was more a romantic, humorous one. I began reading authors like Helen Fielding, Marian Keyes, and Jennifer Weiner. Surely, I thought, there was a market out there for a similar style, but with cleaner plotlines. After writing my first two published books, I learned there were a few other authors out there who wrote humorous contemporary romance for the inspirational reader. And our numbers are growing!

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I was working on my Psychology degree (as an adult college student). I was sure the Lord wanted me to become a counselor. But in the process of completing the degree, I realized how much I enjoyed the writing assignments given me, especially in English classes that required creativity. I got wonderful encouragement from my professors, so I took as many creative writing courses as I could and absolutely loved them. By the time I finished my degree, I had decided to write for a couple of years before deciding whether or not to go to grad school for Psychological Counseling. I never went back!

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

Besides those classes, I joined a local writers’ group, and I read everything I could about writing fiction. I joined Writers Digest Book Club and went nuts. I still haven’t finished reading all of the books I ordered. I started submitting small pieces before I finished college, and my first acceptance letter—for a poem in the Salvation Army’s War Cry magazine—arrived in the mail a few days after I graduated. I wrote several short stories and published a few of those, as well as some personal essays and such. I entered several writing contests and won a few accolades. Finally I decided to try a novel. The first one took me years. That’s the supernatural novel, and it may very well have simply been a learning experience, never to be published. I met my fabulous agent when she spoke to my local writers’ group, and she eventually brought my next two books to publication. They sold together (The Guy I’m Not Dating and Too Good to Be True).

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

Everything I would like to be, if not a writer, is artistic and low paying—isn’t that just the way? I’d like to sing professionally or be a professional photographer. However, I’m actually training right now to become a courtroom reporter—which will be interesting enough—just to make sure the bills get paid. But what I find most attractive about that career is the flexible hours, which will enable me to continue to write and to keep the all-important electricity flowing to my computer!

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I love to sing, and before my writing schedule got so busy I served on the worship team at my church for years. I enjoy getting together with girlfriends just to hang out, eat, laugh, and go to shows and to the movies and such. I treasure my time with my kids, and I pray they’ll always be near enough for us to get together once in awhile—that’s difficult enough with my daughter living only an hour away! I would definitely enjoy traveling more often than I do, but only if I could teleport. Airports and flying are such pains! But when I’m wealthy enough for my own jet, I’ll be all over the world, honey!

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

I’m a homebody at heart and moved into my townhome a couple of years ago—I love my cozy home. I’ve only been overseas once, to Italy. I’d like to return. And I’d love to tour all of Europe. A few of my girlfriends and I talk about that on occasion, our eyes getting all dreamy. Once all of our kids are off at college, we just might go. Again, that’s going to be so much easier once that jet of mine arrives.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?
Wow, I could come up with so many different combinations, depending upon my mood of the time. If I have to give you just one combination, I’ll give you a group I’d choose for a laugh-out-loud dinner: Steve Carell, Ricky Gervais, and Ellen DeGeneres.

11. Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will be coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

My most recent release is Sunset Beach. It’s about a curious young woman about to enter grad school who decides to orchestrate a meeting between her enigmatic mother and long-lost aunt at a funky little beach house in San Diego, California. Many family secrets unfold, and a juicy romance happens along, as well. The book is all about identity.

And by the time you post this, the ink should be dry on a brand new contract I’ve just received, so I’m probably safe to mention it. I’m very excited about a new series I’m doing for Harvest House Publishers, called The Tea Shop Series. The books are set in beautiful Middleburg, Virginia, a small-but-diverse town in Northern Virginia, about an hour outside Washington, D.C. The connecting point of the stories is a tea shop run by a British woman who has lived in America for years. None of the stories are hers—she is simply the person in common with the various groups featured in each installment.

The first book, The Perfect Blend, is about a young woman who burns all of her bridges, leaves her family, job, and hometown, to elope with her dashing attorney boyfriend. The problem? She arrives in Middleburg, ready to wed, and dashing boyfriend is nowhere to be found. What happens after that is great fun. And very romantic! The book won’t release until sometime in early 2011, but I suspect the next installment, Water Hot Enough, may follow within the same year. That book will involve an entirely new cast of characters, other than our tea shop owner.
You can find me at my web site: http://www.trishperry.com/

And read my monthly column: http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/berzerk_stranger.html

My Facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=145

My Twitter page is: twitter.com/TrishPerryBooks

And my Shoutlife page is: http://www.shoutlife.com/profile_view.cfm?uid=12222