TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS: Release day blog post featuring Charlee James!

Twelve Fun Facts About Twelve Dates of Christmas

  1. The idea for this book was born at Walmart. I ran into a man searching for a particular doll for Christmas, and I couldn’t let him go it alone. We braved the holiday madness and found it! That experience two years ago is the basis for how the two main characters meet. 
  2. The hero, Owen Ellis, shares a likeness to Mr. James. Shy. Super smart. Adorable introvert. 
  3. Grace McGovern is an extrovert like me. Opposites attract! I can talk, and talk, and talk…
  4. After Owen and Grace’s chance meeting at a local toy store, they grab hot cocoa together. The date turns into a whole hot chocolate tasting. I was kicking myself for weeks after writing this scene because there was not a hot chocolate in the entire state of Massachusetts that was safe from me. 
  5. One very special Christmas, my parents got my sister and I a horse. We both loved to ride, and they made some sacrifices to give us this wonderful wish. Holly was a beautiful mare that only did things on her terms. She was the boss and never let any of us forget it. My sister wanted Holly to be part of a Colonial throw-back video for a school project, but the horse was having none of it. She escaped and ran through the streets of our town until we caught up to her. I had fun developing a horse-drawn sleigh scene for this book and showing Grace’s perspective of the experience (magical) versus Owen’s (horrified.)
  6. One of the dates in this story is a glass-blowing class. This is on my bucket list! 
  7. Grace and Owen visit a European-inspired Christmas Market in the book. This scene was the most difficult to write because I kept going back to scale down all the treats the characters ate, so there would be room for actual romance. 
  8. Before the start of this series, we took a family road trip to the city of Northampton so that I could refresh my memory on all the sights, the downtown area, and the architecture. 
  9. One of Grace’s holiday traditions is caroling. I’ve only gone once when I was very young, but I remember the memory of snow-filled streets, dozens of handheld candles, and the happiness of the season. 
  10. When my parents were dating, my father told my mother that he also skied like she did,  never expecting to hit the slopes with my mom. Of course, he didn’t know what he was doing. He went straight down the hill, through the fence at the bottom, and out into the road beyond. That story was in my head while writing the tubing scene in this book. 
  11. Twelve Dates of Christmas marks my fifth book with Tule Publishing, a wonderful group of professionals who believed in my writing from the start—thank you for your mentorship! 
  12. Sending everyone lots of love this holiday season! 

 

xoxo, 

Charlee  

 

About the Author

Contemporary Romance Author Charlee James was introduced to a life-long love of reading listening to her parents recite nightly stories to her and her older sister. Inspired by the incredible imaginations of authors like Bill Peet, Charlee could often be found crafting her own tales. As a teenager, she got her hands on a romance novel and was instantly hooked by the genre.

After graduating from Johnson & Wales University, her early career as a wedding planner gave her first-hand experience with couples who had gone the distance for love. Always fascinated by family dynamics, Charlee began writing heartwarming novels with happily-ever-afters.

Charlee is a New England native who lives with her husband, daughters, two rambunctious dogs, a cat, and numerous reptiles. When she’s not spending time with her tight-knit family, she enjoys curling up with a book, practicing yoga, and collecting Boston Terrier knick-knacks.

1 Comment

Post a Comment

Your email is never published or shared.


*


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

By posting a comment, you consent to have your personally identifiable information collected and used in accordance with our privacy policy.