It’s book release day!! (So of course, there’s a giveaway…more info below!)

Royally Yours—a collection including stories by me, Betsy St. Amant, Liz Johnson and Ashley Clark—is available in paperback and ebook (and in Kindle Unlimited too!) and oh my goodness, this snuck up on me so quickly.

Like, whoa! It feels like it was just summer and I was joyfully typing away, imagining snow-capped mountains and cobblestone streets, getting all caught up in the wintry, Christmasy feel of Jonah and Rowan’s story and racing toward The End…

…and then squealing out loud and floating on air when I reached those two beautiful words.

You know, usually I try to have something poignant to say on the release day for each book. But today, all I can really think about is how much giddy-like joy went into the writing of One Royal Christmas (which is the title of my installment in this Christmas collection*). Truly, I just had a blast writing it. I giggled and swooned and absolutely delighted in the process.

And God surprised me time and again as I got to know my hero—who is both a king and a bookworm, be still my heart—and my heroine, a librarian who I relate to so deeply. Writing about Jonah temporarily abdicating his throne and Rowan trying to save her little cottage library felt like a fun little adventure to me, complete with those unexpected moments of personal poignancy.

One of my dear author friends, Rachel Hauck (She’s a New York Times Bestselling Author! Read her books, guys! They will blow you away!) was one of the earliest readers of this story. She told me that one particular spot in the story made her weep.

And when I read that text from her, I wanted to weep. I thought, “This!! This is why I write!” Because even a Christmas novella—something a little shorter, a little sweeter—has the power to touch hearts. To reveal spiritual truths. To point to a Father’s love that’s truly the greatest gift we’ll ever receive…at Christmas and anytime. That’s what writing One Royal Christmas did for me.

And I’m praying, as it goes out into the world today, it does the same for you.

I hope, like Jonah, you’re reminded that you’re not alone…that the wonderfulness that is Emmanuel, God with Us, sinks into your bones and fills you with the truth of your worth and value.

I hope, like Rowan, you’re reminded that your hopes and dreams matter…and that you’re never too stuck for God to surprise and use you. After all, a new adventure might be right around the next corner…

By the way, I’ve got a pretty snazzy release day giveaway going on over at my website! Prizes include a paperback copy of the collection, a $15 Target (aka my home away from home) gift card, a Christmas decoration and ornament! The giveaway is open for one week, so enter away using the form below!

Thankyouthankyouthankyou for reading!

Many blessings,

*Ummm, if you’ve paid any attention to the titles of my past Christmas books, you may thinking to yourself that this title is super similar to those older ones. You may be thinking I don’t have all that much creativity left when it comes to titles. You may be…entirely correct.