Jessica Williams's Blog

for Christmas Exodus

1. Kiera talks about feeling like she’s part of a sisterhood—how do you think readers who haven’t been in the military can still connect with that feeling and her experiences?

2. What aspects of women in military were you surprised to discover?

3. How does Kiera’s military experience shape the big decisions she makes in her life? Do you agree with some of the choices she makes? What would you have done differently?

4. Kiera reflects on how friendships in the military can be pretty temporary—what is it about her friendship with Tanya that gives it real staying power?

5. What were your first impressions of the men in Kiera’s life? Her father? Alan? Her co-workers? Scott?

6. Discuss the books, music, and films enjoyed by the main characters in this story. What does Scott’s taste in books, music, and film say about him? What do Kiera’s say about her?

7. In this friends-to-lovers romance, what impact does Kiera and Scott’s friendship have on their romantic relationship?

8. Astrid and Kiera’s friendship forms quickly—why do you think Astrid decides to trust Kiera with her secret? Did Scott already know?

9. How is Kiera’s fear of the unknown conquered at different parts of the story? Does her strength come from within or from the support of others? Where does your strength and support come from?

10. Parenthood shows up as a subtle sub-theme—how do Kiera’s thoughts about the new foal and the Love Tree tie into that? Do you agree with the choice Scott and Dee’s mother made? Why do you suppose the author decided not to name Dee’s mother?

The Testament by John Grisham
The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
• The Gunslinger (1982)
• The Drawing of the Three (1987)
• The Waste Lands (1991)
• Wizard and Glass (1997)
• The Little Sisters of Eluria (1998)
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
A Time to Kill by John Grisham
The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
Love Story by Erich Segal
One Writer's Beginnings by Eudora Welty
Love, Lucy by Lucielle Ball
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller
How Stella Got Her Groove Back by Terry McMillan

Playlist for Christmas Exodus

Not a Moment Too Soon – Tim McGraw
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack
Rocket Man - Elton John
Neon Moon – Brooks & Dunn
John Deere Green – Joe Diffie
Chattahoochee – Alan Jackson
You’re Still the One – Shania Twain
Bizarre Love Triangle – New Order
My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
White Christmas – Bing Crosby
Autofahrer unterwegs – Oberkrainer, Polka
The Christmas Song – Frank Sinatra
Heat Wave – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
I Can’t Help Myself – Four Tops
For Once in My Life – Stevie Wonder
You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
Auld Lang Syne – Guy Lombardo
Promises – Basia
Everlong – Foo Fighters
Chains of Love – Erasure
Wonder – Natalie Merchant
Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe – Barry White
You Were Meant for Me – Jewel
Look What You’ve Done to Me – Boz Scaggs

Thank you for taking the time to read and support indie authors like me! :)

If you're interested in an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Christmas Exodus please message me. As an early reader, your honest feedback means so much and helps other readers discover the story!

Christmas Exodus is cross genre book: Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction (1999), and Holiday Romance (heat level 3 - sensual). It’s a quick read at under 250 pages.

Add Christmas Exodus to your "want to read" list :)

This friends-to-lovers / coworkers-to-lovers festive romance explores women’s role in the military, the power of friendship, and the value of knowing yourself.

Proud to announce my debut novel Christmas Exodus

I craft relatable stories where Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, and sensual Romance beautifully collide. My novels explore women’s lives with emotional depth, historical authenticity, and just enough sizzle to keep your heart racing—without being explicit. Set against richly drawn backdrops of 20th and early 21st century California, Chicago, and Georgia, my books feature bold, resilient women on journeys of transformation, love, and self-discovery. If you enjoy the heartwarming charm of Katherine Center or the drama of Marie Bostwick, you’ve just found your next go-to author.

www.jessicawilliamsbooks123.com

With no less than 150 rejected queries over an 18 month period on https://querytracker.net I didn't think this day would every get here. But, after taking a class on https://savvyauthors.com and connecting with Laurie Cooper at https://www.pub-craft.com I gained courage enough to dive into self publication. https://www.dawnalexanderbooks.com Dawn Alexander helped with editing and today my book Christmas Exodus is available on muliple platforms including Amazon and Apple Books.

Beyond that, you may be wondering why I wrote this book. And, I suppose you’re looking for something more complex than “to be published”.

In a single word: Passion. It is a passion project because it is a love letter to my children.

For years, I envisioned a day when my children, grown and curious, would turn to me for wisdom and guidance. But that day never came. Instead, the Internet—fast and brimming with every possible answer—took on the role I had imagined for myself.

So, I decided to do something different. I've crafted my life’s lessons into stories—parables, really—hoping that one day, they might read them and find the meaning behind the words.

Check out what other books I have in the pipeline at https://www.jessicawilliamsbooks123.com