It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Reads) GIVEAWAY: Christmas Up In Flames (+ guest post)

today’s book: Christmas Up in Flames

Welcome to another post in my annual blog series spotlighting new and recently-released Christmas reads! (Over 50 this year – And I’m SO EXCITED about it!)

Christmas is only FOUR DAYS away – and only two days left of the Christmas Reads Giveaway after today. I hope y’all have enjoyed this year’s book spotlights and guest posts! And we’re not quite done yet! So… snuggle in, grab your fave hot beverage and comfiest blanket, turn on some Christmas tunes and start your bookish Christmas list! Oh… and did I mention there are GIVEAWAYS with EACH POST in this series??!! (Because authors are awesome!)

Today’s book is a riveting romantic suspense with a firefighter hero (yes please!) – plus author Lisa Harris shares about her suspense writing journey.

CHRISTMAS UP IN FLAMES
SERIES: O’Callaghan series #4
GENRE: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
PUBLISHER: Love Inspired Suspense
RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2020
PAGES: 180

Targeted by an arsonist…

Can she survive the holidays?

Back in her ex’s hometown to investigate an arson, fire inspector Claire Holiday plans to do her job and be home by Christmas…until her B&B is set on fire while she’s sleeping. She escapes only with the help of firefighter Reid O’Callaghan—her secret son’s father. As Claire and Reid team up to catch a serial arsonist, will Claire’s lie be the blaze that destroys them both?

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by Lisa Harris, author of Christmas Up in Flames

When I started writing my first novel, I remember imagining what it would be like to spend my days writing full time in a secluded cabin in the mountains. That was going to be my life one day. I’d be surrounded by mountain air, thick evergreen forests, and a trickling stream, where there’d be no distractions in the quiet, picturesque space where I worked. I’d have nothing to do beyond penning one bestseller after another. I have no idea who I thought would do the cooking and keeping up with the laundry, but all I’d do was spend my days dreaming up characters and writing witty dialogue.

In reality—yes, you guessed it—that day still hasn’t come, and I’m pretty sure it never will.

Instead, I somehow managed to finish that first novel while I was a new mom juggling middle of the night feedings and running a home daycare that kept me on the go at least twelve hours a day. I wrote whenever I could, squeezing time to write early in the morning, late at night, and every minute of the kids’ naptime. Snippets of time somehow became scenes, and those scenes became chapters and eventually complete stories.

That was two decades ago. My kids are older and pretty much on their own, but there is no secluded cabin in the mountains next to a trickling stream. Shoot. . .I don’t even have an office.

Which is okay, because one of the first things I learned on this writing journey is that I can’t wait for that perfect setting or right moment to be inspired to write. If I’d done that, I’d probably still be writing chapter one of that first book. Instead, I’ve had to learn to use the time I do have to the very best of my ability. And while I still struggle with this, I’ve learned to set reasonable goals I can manage to meet everyday—or at least most days. It’s amazing how fast writing only a thousand words a day can add up even while juggling other responsibilities.

In the end, I’ve learned that my writing career is so much more than simply putting words to a page. It truly is a journey. A journey that’s been full of ups and downs, rejections and contracts. There have been seasons when my creativity has dried up and other times when the well has seemed to be overflowing. There have been times when I had to put a story aside for family reasons, and times when I’ve had to lock myself away for awhile to get back on track with a deadline. I’ve felt isolated and challenged. I’ve made life-long friends, and have been given the chance to travel and research fascinating places and time periods. Writing has stretched me, given me reasons to celebrate, and sometimes even brought me to my knees.

I’ve always loved writing suspense for a number of reasons. I love the fight for justice and the assurance that the good guys will win. I love taking a real-world situation, and then show men and women taking risks to make a difference in the lives of people. In a world where there are not always happy endings, I also love the ability to create that happy ending for my characters.

Christmas Up in Flames is book four in my O’Callaghan series. I loved creating this series that follows four brother who definitely are in the fight for justice in each story. Reid is a local fireman from Timber Falls, Colorado, who works to hide his fractured heart after the woman he planned to marry him walked out on him. Fire inspector Claire Holiday is back in her ex’s hometown to investigate an arson. She plans to do her job and be home by Christmas…until her B&B is set on fire while she’s sleeping, and she escapes only with the help of firefighter Reid O’Callaghan—her secret son’s father.

As Claire and Reid team up to catch a serial arsonist, will Claire’s lie be the blaze that destroys them both?

You can jump into book four, or start back at the beginning of the series with Sheltered by the Soldier. And as always, happy reading!

Lisa Harris

LISA HARRIS is a best-selling author, a Christy Award, and two time winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel from Romantic Times. She and her family have spent fourteen years working as missionaries in Africa. She loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush. Visit her website at lisaharriswrites.com

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Lisa Harris is offering a print copy of Christmas Up in Flames to TWO of my readers! (US only for print. Ebook if international winners. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What makes you want to read Christmas Up in Flames by Lisa Harris?