The idea . . .

In December of 2022, I was enjoying a weekend in the moutains with my daughter, Jordan. It was the first weekend in December, and after we spent a little time at the annual Forest City Winter Market, meeting readers and signing books, we ventured out and about. Forest City was illuminated in holidy decorations, and the carriage rides throughout downtown and the fudge and hot cocoa and holiday cheer was infectious! Then, we spent the evening in Chimney Rock, where we stayed in the lovely Broad River Inn Bed and Breakfast and woke up to a freezing morning with the Broad River rushing by not far away.

And over breakfast, I turned to my daughter and said . . .

“I’m going to write a Christmas novel.”

The very next day, in the middle of the afternoon, I wrote the first chapter of what is now “Upon the Highest Bough”.

My inspirations . . .

First and foremost, my inspiration is my own relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my own faith. I decided early on that my Christmas novel would steer away from the “hallmark” stories of so many Christmas novels, although I have nothing against those types of genres. I love them, in fact. But something deep inside told me to write something a little more raw. A little more “truthful”.

And so, I wrestled with what would be the themes of this particular fictional story . . .

The “meaning” of Christmas . . .

The understanding that not all prayers are answered in this life, although some most certainly are . . .

The truth that God’s faithfulness most assuredly is great (thus, I worked in “Great is Thy Faithfulness” into one of the chapters) . . .

And the recognition that there are many hardships in this life. Mariah was just one articulation of the hardships that many must face, and still, somehow, find a way to love Jesus, despite it all . . .

This was the story I wished to tell. My hope is that the journey through this novel will mean something different for each reader, but also something universally the same.

Merry Christmas to you all, and feel free to reach out through the website and let me know what the novel meant to you, personally, as you readied for the Christmas season once more.