Christmas Angels Blog Tour: Author Interview + Giveaway

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Christmas Angels by Nancy Naigle, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Christmas Angels
Author: Nancy Naigle
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Christmas
Release Date: October 15, 2019

A heartwarming Christmas story filled with the magic and miracles of the holiday season by USA Today Bestselling author, Nancy Naigle.

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?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BAM | Book Depository | IndieBound | iBooks | Kobo | Audio 

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photo credit: Adam Sanner

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. DOWNLOAD free book list with series order: HERE

CONNECT WITH NANCY: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | BookBub  

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Hi Nancy! First of all, I want to thank you for taking the time to answer these questions and allowing my readers the chance to get to know you and your newest holiday romance- Christmas Angels- a little bit better. I always like to start these interviews with something fun… tell us 5 random facts about yourself that we WON’T find in your bio!

1.      I can’t swim. Nope. Not a lick. My daddy paid a ton of money for summers for swim lessons, but I just can’t do it. I have a big swimming pool in my backyard, but all I do is walk around the shallow end.

2.      I’m widowed. My life has changed a lot since January 2014 when I lost my husband.

3.      After I lost my husband, I moved my momma in with me. I cherish every day with her. Coffee in the morning together starts my day off just right. She’s also a great word count enforcer which is quite handy with my deadlines.

4.      I broke my first bone when I was thirty. I had a plaster cast from elbow to fingers from 4^th of July to Labor Day that year. How did it happen? Well, my step-children wanted to play Punch Buggy. You know the game where you see a VW Bug and you slug your opponent. Seeing that as a real possibility of tears and injury, I enforced a slap rule. They were fine. Me on the other hand went to slap my opponent at the same time he came for me, twisting my little finger all the way back to my wrist and snapping it in a twist like a chicken bone. That was a long summer.

5.      I’m a pajama addict. (There is no 12-step program.) I have more pajamas than most people have daily clothes. Soma Intimates Cool Nights Pajamas are my favorite, but I am drawn to the nightie section everywhere I shop.

Let’s talk writing! You started your first series while working in the financial industry years ago. During your time in that career, did you always know that you were meant to be a writer? When did that passion begin?

Well, it went more like this. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a business woman. I never thought of writing as a career opportunity. It wasn’t until I was 40 and my job was shipping technology positions offshore that I reexamined my goals. I understood the business reasons and I did a good job executing it, but it made me feel bad. A lot of those folks had worked for me at one time, or lived in my town. I didn’t want that to be what I was remembered for. I thought about what really had the biggest impact on my life. Something good. I came to the conclusion that it was books. Books got me through divorce, bad days, illness, long trips. You name it. I read voraciously to get through the tough times.

I thought right then that if I could write one book, to help one gal get through one lousy day, then I would really have achieved something. I sat down and started trying to write a book. I didn’t know the craft. I had no idea how hard it was. Nine years later Sweet Tea and Secrets was released and I loved the feedback that I got. People that were reading that book with their friends. It was the last book one woman’s mom read before she passed. So many comments that people had strength or good memories because of that story. I’d achieved that goal. I never knew I had that gift.

Bringing hope, memories, strength and balance to a stranger’s life is the best gift I could ever hope to be a part of. I’m so thankful God has given me this gift to share.

Christmas Angels has been my favorite holiday read so far this year. It had everything I love in a good Christmas story. Where did you get the inspiration for this book? What do you hope readers will take away from it? 

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It was kind of a braid of ideas and thoughts that built this story, but the first line in the book is:

Everything happens according to the timing of our life,

and no two lives are the same.

In this world of social media and seamless communication to anyone anywhere we get so much unsolicited advice. Folks who don’t even know our circumstances are happy to lavish their opinion on us. I believe too that we often work too hard to get things that we think we want just because someone else has one…it could be big or small. A house, car, boat, job, political opinion, you get the idea. But we need to turn our hearts and faith to God to really know what our journey should be.  In this book, Liz’s friends are not all that supportive of her chasing the dream of the old mountain lodge in Antler Creek, but Liz knew where she was supposed to be. Sure, she was scared, but the right people happened into her path at the right time and I love how that community pulled together.

My hope for Christmas Angels is that readers will desire to be a good citizen like those in this story. To spread cheer, and believe in second chances and simple pleasures like making snow angels on a cold night. I just want a smile in their heart when they turn the last page.

One thing I loved about Christmas Angels was the references to Hallmark movies throughout. That made this Hallmark fan smile (and seemed so appropriate as this story had the makings of another great film)! You have had the opportunity to have FOUR fantastic Hallmark movies made based on your books so far. What has that experience been like? Is it surreal to see your characters on the small screen?

Goodness gracious, YES!

Working with Hallmark has been a real dream come true. I have loved Hallmark since the only movies were those Hallmark Hall of Fame movies and they had more commercials—I called them two-hanky commercials because they made me cry—than they had movies!

People sometimes tease me about those mentions of the Hallmark Channel in my books, but it’s not meant to be a marketing ploy. I know that Hallmark viewers will understand exactly what I mean by those comments. Fingers crossed CHRISTMAS ANGELS will be a movie in the future, but at this point that is still an unknown.

It’s a little confusing, but CHRISTMAS JOY came out on the Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas in 2018, and so did HOPE AT CHRISTMAS which aired on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries that same year. Both of those movies are based on my novels published by St. Martin’s Press. The CHRISTMAS IN EVERGEEN movies were Hallmark Original Movies first. They asked me to write the novelization for those movie-favorites. I was thrilled to do it. (Who doesn’t adore that red truck!) I’ve also been asked to write the third one in that series, Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy.

The experience has been lovely. Working with Hallmark with the movie side, publishing arm and on set have been consistent. Everyone lives that brand, and I admire that and love being a part of it. People are thankful, grateful, hardworking and humble.

It is so surreal to be on set and see the movements I’d imagined, and the words and emotions I’d described in the books come alive in front of me. I felt like I was being swept away into a dream the first time I sat in a director’s chair in Video Village on the set of Christmas Joy in British Columbia. They had the snow machines going, and Jill was holding that special green ornament. When it broke, I felt exactly what Joy did just like the day I’d written it. I cried so many tears of delight that the producer came over and asked if I was okay! When I told her that I loved the scene she gave me an unlimited tear pass as long as they were happy tears, and boy were they ever!

It’s not all fun and games. The cast and team producing Hope at Christmas had to work through the rainiest cold weather. They were such troopers.

I’ve watched all of those movies so many times and I never tire of it. I still cry when the ornament breaks in Christmas Joy, and when the locals all gather to help Joy bake the rest of the cookies, oh and that closing shot of Joy and Ben in the backyard of that gorgeous log home looking into the sky. I am so blessed to have had my stories made into Hallmark movies for the very same reason I write. To make people smile. Tickle a memory. Inspire hope and good.

I must admit I watch every single Christmas movie Hallmark puts out, and Christmas in Evergreen and Hope at Christmas happen to be a few of my favorites. Aside from your own, what are your favorites from previous years or which are you looking forward to most this year?

My very, very favorite is THE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT. I’m sure you remember this one. Kellie Martin and Cameron Mathison star in it. She’s a recent widow and is struggling to keep the business she and her husband had started together. He has a dream of owning this amazing Christmas tree farm and…oh gosh. I’m already tearing up thinking about that mitten wreath he made for her. When I was on Home & Family, Debbie had Cameron do the “I LOVE CHRISTMAS” shout for me. Squeeee!

I have found that writers are so often some of the best readers. What might we find if we were to take a look at your ‘to read’ pile?

I try to only keep four books on my nightstand. (The TBR pile…is a bookshelf. lol)

1.    My bible.

2.    Time Is A River by Mary Alice Monroe. It’s my all-time favorite novel, and I have the hard cover with the blue rocky stream and a single golden leaf on it. It’s so serene. It’s face out on my bookshelf when it’s not on the nightstand. I sometimes just need to revisit that story.

3.      I always have one writer friend book there. It varies month-to-month. Today, it’s RaeAnne Thayne’s Coming Home for Christmas in hardcover. It came out in September, that’s how far behind I am.

4.      The most recent Nicholas Sparks novel.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions. Before we go, what can we expect next from you? Any upcoming projects that you are able to share?

The very next thing you’ll see from me is my 2019 release of THE SECRET INGREDIENT coming out as a Hallmark Valentine’s movie. I’m not at liberty to share casting or anything right now, but Hallmark fans can join my newsletter to be the first for updates on that. (Psst. There’s a second Hallmark movie in the works for 2020, too!)

I just turned in my October 2020 Christmas novel. Originally titled A PROMISE AT CHRISMAS, we’re in the process of retitling so stay tuned for details in 1^st quarter. I’ve seen the cover. It’s awesome. You can’t help but smile as soon as you lay eyes on it.

I’ve been asked to write that third CHRISTMAS IN EVERGREEN: Tidings of Joy novelization so I’ll be getting down to work on that soon.

Everything you’ll see from me will be uplifting, hope-filled and most likely set in a small town, because I just love the dynamics of them, and the beautiful patchwork of the locals.

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(1) winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight December 17, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on December 24, 2019. US only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

 

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