Today’s special guest is contemporary romance author Parker Fairchild and we’re chatting about her new holiday romantic comedy, Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship.
During her virtual book tour, Parker will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
Parker Fairchild is a social media copywriter, a freelance writer with multiple writing credits, and a model. A Virginia native, she and her husband have their own shipboard romance as they met on a cruise ship tender in Maui, and as her mom is fond of saying, “they haven’t stopped talking since.” When she’s not busy playing with words, she loves spending time with her husband and family in Arizona where she now resides.
Welcome, Parker. Please tell us about your current release.
Haven’t we all wished we could just dream up our perfect man? Well, our heroine, Olivia, in Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship does just that, and she meets him in person on a Caribbean cruise.
Check out the back cover blurb:
“Chemist and budding romance writer Olivia Chasen is on a cruise to avoid spending Christmas with her beautiful twin sister and new fiancé—Olivia’s ex. Now, thanks to her lonely, intoxicated ramblings on Santa’s lap, her fellow passengers think she’s in love with her fictional character.
Former Navy SEAL Commander Jace Morse has dealt with plenty of unusual
situations in his career, but he’s never had the honor, the pleasure, or the privilege of being a beautiful and intelligent woman’s fantasy hero come to life. While he’s never officially met the sexy chemist, he’s sure eager to explore the chemistry that’s sizzling between them.
Bringing the charming SEAL together with the skeptical Olivia is going to take more than just Christmas cookies and a little help from Mrs. Claus; it’s gonna take a heaping dose of Christmas magic.”
What inspired you to write this book?
Some years ago, while on a Caribbean cruise and watching all the couples gathered in and around the pool, I wondered what would happen if we could dream up our perfect man. What would he be like? This thought inspired me to weave this question into a story idea that would one day become Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship.
A few years later, my family and I were booked on a cruise to Hawaii. At the time, I wasn’t feeling my usual cruising excitement, but my mom encouraged me to go, saying I might even meet someone special. Well, fate led me to my husband, Jason, on that voyage. For us, it was love at first sight—just as it was for my heroine and hero Olivia and Jace.
Then, when COVID came, my mom encouraged me to use this quarantine time to focus on my fiction. A Christmas novel full of laughs, love, and holiday cheer seemed the perfect choice. I finished my book, and yes, Jace is a lot like my hubby, Jason.
Excerpt from Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship:
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He reached out to touch her cheek, but she swatted his hand away.
She was gettin’ good!
“Don’t you dare call me sweetheart, you lying scoundrel you!”
She shoved her phone in his face. “Explain this, Commander Casanova? Did you think you could get away without ever telling me? Sneak it past me that you were my sister’s ex-boyfriend?”
How satisfying it was to watch all the color drain from his face.
She stepped to him. “I trusted you. You act all so cool and collected. Perhaps, this will faze you,” she said pushing him back and into the pool.
Suddenly, everything spun out of control. Olivia had been so upset that she hadn’t seen Santa Claus approach Jace carrying a small Christmas tree full of decorations for the hospital in Grand Cayman.
As Jace stumbled back into the pool, he unfortunately carried Santa and the tree with him into the water. The last thing Olivia heard was Santa’s “Ho! Ho! Ho!” turn into “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” before they both took a splash.
Olivia literally bit her tongue to stop from laughing. This was so not funny, but yet it was hilarious. She, Olivia Chasen, had finally found her fun and excitement. She had a new groove.
And as she looked around and noticed all the phone cameras rolling, and most likely had been the entire time, she delicately took a curtsy as proper as one she’d give Queen Elizabeth herself. Thankfully, watching all those episodes of the The Crown had paid off big time.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I’m currently working on the sequel to Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship, which is the next book in The Perfect Pairings Series.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t a writer. As a history major, I always loved writing research papers. Of course, receiving my first paycheck for my first writing gig truly made all my efforts feel official. While I’d already accumulated multiple writing credits as a freelance writer and social media copywriter, publishing Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship made me feel like I had truly made it.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
As I stated in the above question, I’m a freelance writer and social media copywriter, so, yes, I’m always writing something for someone. I plan my time carefully to ensure that I have plenty of time to get my clients’ work completed as well as carving out time for me to work on my fiction.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I don’t know that I have an interesting writing quirk. I come to work at my desk everyday, and I strive to do my best by myself, my characters, and my craft.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a child, I wanted to be a lawyer; that’s all I remember ever wanting to do. Once in college, my goal was to be a lawyer in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), but due to my asthma, I was ineligible to join the military.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship will hopefully restore my readers’ belief in the power of true, everlasting love. My goal is for my fans to close my book with a smile on their face and joy in their heart. Then, text their girlfriends that they just read the best holiday romantic comedy—Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship. You gotta read it!
Links:
Website | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Google Play | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube
Thanks for hosting!
Thank you, Lisa, for hosting me and “Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship.”
I like the excerpt and cover.
Thank you Rita. I love the cover of “Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship,” too. Thank you for being here for me during my Book Tour.
This book sounds great!
“Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship” is a fun and festive holiday read that is full of laugh out loud moments throughout the book. Thank you, Sue G., for being part of my Book Tour.
I enjoyed the interview, Parker and your book sounds like a fun holiday read for me! Thanks for bringing it to my attention and have an awesome week!
Thank you, Eva, for participating in my Book Tour. Yes, “Christmas Cookies on a Cruise Ship” is a fun holiday read that will leave a smile on your face and joy in your heart. You have an awesome week, too.