Showing posts with label Christmas Angles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas Angles. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Interview with USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle



Hey, everybody, it's time for another . . .

. . . and I'm pleased to share a special interview with USA Today bestselling author 
Nancy Naigle!



USA Today bestselling author NANCY NAIGLE whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she currently calls North Carolina home. You may have seen some of her books in movie format on the Hallmark channels. Some of her other titles include The Secret Ingredient, Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa, and Sand Dollar Cove.



Welcome, Nancy! Thank you so much for joining us today and letting us have a chance to get to know you a little better. (Oh, yeah, Nancy is offering a nice little Christmas gift package to one of this post's readers. Details below.)

Okay, let's talk for a while . . . About Your Writing

How long have you been at this writing gig?  

A lot of authors will tell you that they knew from a very young age they wanted to write. I wasn’t one of those. It wasn’t until I was 40 that I even thought about writing a book. I was a Senior Vice President with Bank of America at the time. I was working a lot of hours and flying coast-to-coast. I was tired and stressed. I think 40 is one of those ages that makes you pause and take a look at your life and what you’ve done so far with it anyway, but for me, …my job had shifted and I was doing some things I wasn’t feeling good about personally. As I thought about it, I thought about how I handled stress. I read. All the time.

 I still have shelves and shelves of those books that got me through bad days, divorce, worries and stress. It occurred to me if I can write one book, to make one woman feel better after one bad day…wow, that would really be something. I started writing my book that day. It took nine years of learning the craft and piles of rejections before my first novel was published. The feedback I got from that story let me know I accomplished that goal, and I couldn’t wait to do it all again. That same goal continues to drive me forward on every project.

That's great! Reading and escaping into a good book got me through a lot of bad stuff, too. How do you go about finding names for your characters?

I used to change the names of my characters so many times until the right name finally fit who they were. It was so important to me. However, when I had over twenty books, I realized I was struggling and I was reusing names without even realizing it. I also found that by the time a book comes out, I’ve already written a couple more. I was struggling to remember who was in which book.

So, now…I name the couples in my books after people I know. The characters don’t match the people at all, it’s still completely fiction, but it’s really helped me remember the names. In THE CHRISTMAS SHOP the hero and heroine are named after my fiancé’s sister and brother-in-law Angela and Geoff. CHRISTMAS ANGELS hero and heroine are named after our friends Matt and Liz.

Interesting solution! Good for you. Now, let's talk . . . About you. When reading, what is your favorite genre? 

Women’s Fiction, Cozy Mystery and Romance (the sweet kind!!) Pretty much the same kind of stories I write. A few of my favorite authors include Debbie Macomber, Mary Alice Monroe, Nicholas Sparks, and Robyn Carr.

What is your typical writing day like? 

I have an office, but I generally write in my favorite recliner in front of the windows. I love to have lots of light, and a dog at my feet and I’m usually in my pajamas.

Sounds perfect, especially the pajamas part. Moving on, it's time to talk about . . . Your Book!

Back-cover copy

Growing up, Liz Westmoreland dreamed of taking over her grandparents’ inn located in the small mountain town of Antler Creek only for it to be sold before she ever got the chance. While browsing the internet, she stumbles upon a listing for what looks to be the picturesque inn and it’s set to go to auction. Liz places a bid, and by a miracle, wins the auction. But when she gets there, she finds the property in significant disrepair.
When Matt Hardy narrowly lost the inn and property that butted his land, he just hoped it wasn't another city slicker coming to make matters worse after the previous owners gutted the place for an art gallery. But the minute he recognized the sweet, freckle-faced girl from his childhood and heard her plans to reopen the inn, he jumps at the chance to help his childhood crush restore a place where he made so many fond memories.
While working on repairs, Liz and Matt discover her grandmother’s collection of angels in one of the cabins. When the angels start mysteriously showing up all over the inn, she begins to look at them as reassurance—that restoring the inn is what she's meant to do. But when an accident leaves Liz feeling like she made a mistake, will Matt—and the residents of Antler Creek—be able to show Liz that she's found a home? And possibly true love as well?


What take-away value do you want readers to gain from your novel? 

You know, I really just want to give my readers and lovely story of hope and second chances that makes them close the book after that last page and smile.

What can we expect to see from you in the future? 

I have two Christmas novels already slated for 2020. They are A Promise at Christmas for St. Martin’s Griffin, and a third Hallmark Movie Original novelization of Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy which will premiere on November 29th. I’m also hard at work on a wonderfully endearing beach book. I can’t wait to share more details on that one.

Readers can stay up-to-date on my latest book releases, free downloads, and upcoming movies through my newsletter at www.NancyNaigle.com.

Goodness, girlfriend. You're going to be busy! Where can we get a copy of Christmas Angels today?



Social Media Links



Finally, it's time to talk about . . . Nancy's Giveaway.
As mentioned above, Nancy has put together a sweet little Christmas gift package for one of the readers of this post. To enter, just leave a comment below with your name and contact information (so we can contact you if you're the winner) by Midnight O'Clock CST one week from today on November 13.

Nancy, thanks for being my guest today and granting us this interview . . . and for the surprise Christmas gift!

** This is an Amazon affiliate link, meaning a commission will be earned.

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