New interview with romance author Sylvie Kurtz

I’m so excited about today’s guest – she’s return romance author Sylvie Kurtz. Today we’re chatting about her new cozy contemporary, Christmas in Brigton, Love in Brighton Village Book 2.

I’m fangirling; I’ve loved Sylvie’s books since I first found them (she was one of my early guests when I started this blog!) and I have read every book. It’s so great to have her publishing again – AND back for another chat!

***Sylvie will be giving away an epub copy of Christmas by Candlelight to a lucky randomly chosen reader who comments within the next week. So, leave a comment below before the 14^th!***

Bio:  
Sylvie writes stories that celebrate family, friends, and food. She believes organic dark chocolate is an essential nutrient, likes to knit with soft wool, and justifies watching movies that require a box of tissues by knitting baby blankets. She has written 23 novels. Visit www.sylviekurtz.com for more information.

WELCOME BACK, Sylvie! Please tell us about your current release.
Christmas in Brighton, Love in Brighton Village Book 2 (on sale for $0.99 from Dec. 6 to Dec. 8).

Getting lost isn’t the best way to start an assignment, but travel writer Meredith Mills won’t let that get in the way of her job. She has one goal—capture New England Christmas charm in a series of blogs to help save her mother’s boutique travel agency. If her mother can’t get more bookings, Meredith fears another shuttered business and another move. And what Meredith longs for more than anything is roots and a normal life.

Spending the holidays stuck in the glittering decorations, twinkling lights and festive activities in the middle of nowhere in New Hampshire wasn’t part of her holiday plans.

Neither is falling for the laidback pop-up Christmas village’s designer assigned as her guide by the town. She’s used to following a plan and ticking off boxes. But her carefully laid out agenda keeps getting derailed. Especially when the chemistry between them lights up like a Christmas tree.

Then a nor’easter blows through, leaving her stranded in snow while, in Boston, her mother is falling apart. They’re the one constant in each other’s lives. Meredith can’t abandon her. To get the help her mother needs, Meredith must spill their long-kept secret.

What inspired you to write this book?
When the pandemic hit, I was working on a psychological suspense novel. The longer the pandemic dragged on, the harder it became to write this book. I found I couldn’t watch anything that had adrenaline-stirring music. I cut off the news. Instead, I found myself watching a lot of Hallmark movies and reading rom-coms. They were so fun and just what I needed to distract me from what felt like the world falling apart.

I know I’m not supposed to have favorite books, but A Little Christmas Magic has always held a special place in my heart. Writing it helped me find my Christmas spirit while away from the large family gatherings I was used to during the holidays.

The pandemic had me dealing with a lot of anxiety, and while looking for solutions, I came across therapy dogs. I got to talk to a therapy dog handler and watch Lilly, a beagle, work during a library program. I learned so much about what any dog, but especially therapy dogs, can do to calm the nervous system that I ended up getting a puppy of my own. She’s almost a year old now, and has changed my life for the better. Puppy snuggles are the best.

Meredith shares that anxiety. She has to put on an I’ve-got-my-act-together mask, pretend all is well to keep her mother’s mood even, while inside her emotions paddle like crazy. Shaking up her world and turning it upside down was fun. She had to learn to ditch her agenda and go with the flow. She learned what community felt like. And that made her re-examine her life and where it was going.

Although the story deals with some mental health issues, I hope I’ve steered away from easy answers. Neither Meredith or her mother’s problems disappear; they’ve simply learned that it’s better to deal with them as part of a community.

My wish for this book is that it offers the reader joy and hope.

 

Excerpt from Christmas in Brighton:
I tried to pull the door open. It protested with a series of creaks as if the planks would come unglued into a giant game of pick-up sticks, but it refused to budge. “Can you push from the outside?”

The knob rattled. He pushed on the door. Then came a thump as if he’d thrown his shoulder into the effort. “Is the door unlocked?”

“Of course.” What did he think I was, stupid?

He must have pushed at the same time I pulled because the door gave way. The hinges ripped off the frame, screws dangling, spraying mini spiked projectiles. I couldn’t hold back the weight of the door. It yawed from the top. The bottom of the door lifted and whacked into my shins in a way that would leave them black and blue and brought a sting to my eyes. Gravity took over so fast the door hauled me with it, plowed into him and knocked us both flat onto the small porch.

From beneath the wood came an “Oof.”

I rolled off the door. Only two well-used work boots and one gloved hand showed from under the heavy wooden door.

I managed to lift the door partially off him. “Are you all right?”

The face beneath the door had one cheek still beet-red from being pepper sprayed. I gasped and nearly dropped the thing back on him. “You! What are you doing here?”

 

What exciting story are you working on next?
Christmas by Candlelight, Love in Brighton Village Book 1 came out November 8^th. This Christmas story takes place during the same time frame and in the same place as Christmas in Brighton.
I’m working on Book 3 of the series. This one is set in summer during a Strawberry Festival. It features Maeve Carpenter, a secondary character from Books 1 and 2, as the main character.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I was a kid, I used to think writers were magicians, so it took a long while, even after I sold my first book, to consider myself a “real” writer. When I held that first published book in my hands, that’s when it started to feel real.

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?
A work day consists mainly of sitting in my office and writing. I do my best new writing in the morning. Afternoons are for revisions, research, or marketing. I drink a lot of tea. I eat too much dark chocolate. When I get blocked, I take the dog for a walk. Fresh air always helps.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
A lot of writers say they like to write in cafes, but I can’t. I need quiet. I need to hear the voices in my head.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
So many things. A dog trainer. A horse trainer. An RCMP, not for the policing, but to ride in the musical ride. A horse vet. A TV host like the ones on Chronicle, who get to go on a lot of safe adventures. A pilot.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Here are a few fun facts:
–  I don’t have a dining room; I have a library instead (with five bulging bookcases).
–  I justify watching sappy movies by knitting soft baby blankets I give away or donate.
–  I believe dark chocolate is an essential nutrient.
–  I trained as a pilot, but have never used the skill. I hoped it would allow me to travel. It didn’t.
–  I’m a certified yoga teacher. I don’t teach, but I still do practice.
–  I love learning new things and always try to include something new-to-me in my stories.
–  I carry a notebook and mechanical pencil just about everywhere. You never know when inspiration will strike.

Thanks, Lisa!

Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Buy links for Christmas in Brighton

Thanks for coming back for a visit, Sylvie! Happy writing, and Merry Christmas!

***Readers! Remember to comment, especially if you want a chance at winning a free epub copy of the book!***