Carla's Book Crush

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Christmas Wishes by Carmen Peone, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

CB: Hello, Carmen! I really appreciate you taking the time for this interview. It’s always fun when we get to discover more about writers and get behind-the-scenes looks into their books. We’re excited to talk with you today about Christmas Wishes.

CP: Thank you for hosting me on your blog!  

CB: What part of the writing process brings you the most joy as an author, and why?  

CP: I love research. I learn new things, and find myself brainstorming as I go. I learn about the characters and what they are passionate about.  

CB: How does your faith influence your writing?  

CP: Before I write, I ask God to come into my day and my stories. To give me creativity and inspiration. I surrender my stories to Him, knowing He equips me to write. We created together, which is a huge blessing. I can’t write a book without Him in it. He transforms my characters and their lives and love for one another. Me make a pretty good team. 

CB: On your website, you offer reader resources that focus on domestic violence and other forms of abuse. It was an unexpected but powerful discovery. Could you share how this passion for supporting those who are hurting has shaped your writing?  

CP: Christmas Wishes is a spin-off of the Seven Tine Ranch Romance series, which features three Indigenous women who escape their abusers and find their happily-ever-afters. (Christmas Wishes has no abuse or domestic violence in it. The story features the guest ranch’s cook and her dreams to become an event planner.) My writing has included abuse to help victims and their families heal and have hope, and to advocate for boundaries and healthy choices. Also, to bring awareness to abuse and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.  

CB: You have a tagline of “Healing, Hope & Horses Lead to Happily Ever After.” Could you tell us a little bit more about the story behind the horses?  

CP: I would love to. Until this past spring, horses have been a huge part of my life. They are in every one of my books as I write contemporary Western romance. I married a cowboy, competed horseback, and love them, their smell, their eyes, their bond with me. My sons have ridden our horses, some more than others; two of them rodeoed; and one ranched for a while. My grandkids have ridden our horses too. Now that I’m horseless, I’m committed to keeping them in my books because they will always live in my heart.  

CB: We know that Mandi has taken a position at Seven Tine Ranch. Will horses play a role in her story?  

CP: Horses play a small role in this story. Twice, they are featured, but in powerful ways.  

CB: I like that this story is about a love that has already started, and we get to see how it stands a trial. Do we need to read (I know we should!) any of the other Seven Tine Ranch books first?  

CP: No, you don’t. This book stands on its own and is quite different from the other three, which needed a happy ending of their own. I created the happy ending through Mandie and Hudson’s story. Abuse is a hard topic to read, even in fiction. I’m glad a reader wanted more of Mandie, so those who have read the first three in the series could see my heroines thriving in their new lives.  

CB: Both Mandi and Hudson have opportunities to catch their earthly dreams. Did anything inspire this pull in two directions and locations?  

CP: Yes. Mandie and Hudson are in a mixed marriage—Native American and non-Native—as my husband and I are. I drew this thread from my own longing to one day return home to the greater Spokane area. But even if that never happens, it’s alright. I’ll go where God leads, and Hudson learns that same truth. 

My life is with my husband, and God is the trail boss. Sometimes we’re called to stand firm in our beliefs, our roots, and the things that matter most—just as Mandie does. Other times, love asks us to set ourselves aside and choose selflessness—as Hudson learns to do. 

Together, they are home.  

CB: Are there any holiday traditions baked into the book that are based on your own?  

CP: Yes. Baking and singing or playing Christmas music (on the piano) are huge traditions in my family. I have a few Christmas sweaters, but not like in the story. I thought Mandie’s sweaters fit her personality and were super fun.  

CB: Mandi is a single mother to a daughter. What draws readers into this type of character, especially for those who may not have experienced this themselves? 

CP: I think there are more single mothers out there than we know about. Even mothers who are married to, say, a military man, can feel single and lonely during the holidays. This type of character draws on our heartstrings. We want to help. We want to give. We’re pulled to her need to love and be loved.  

CB: Hudson is not happy in his current position as a lawyer. What themes were you hoping to explore through his journey?  

CP: Hudson settled and became unhappy because he often has to deliver bad news to hardworking folks. Not fun. I once heard, “Pick something you love to do and find a way to make money at it, then you’ll never go to work a day in your life.”  

Good advice. God wants us to be happy, even with worldly struggles. Joy equals peace, and vice versa. I’ve worked jobs I didn’t like and was miserable. It’s wise to choose a career, with God’s guidance, that will help us thrive. It goes back to the verse, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3 NIV. 

It’s always a good idea to ask God what road He wants us to take before we take a step. We all have to learn this. I had to. And so does Hudson. 

CB: What do you hope readers carry with them after finishing Christmas Wishes?   

CP: I hope readers see God’s love, hope, and faithfulness, and make Christmas Wishes of their own.  

CB:  Thank you again, Carmen, for sharing more about you and Christmas Wishes. We wish you the best this holiday season! 

CP:Thank you so much!