Guest Post (and Giveaway Info!): Teresa Tysinger & Christmas in Mistletoe Square

I am delighted to have one of my faves – Teresa Tysinger – back on the blog today to talk about her new Christmas romance collection (with 3 other of my faves!), Christmas in Mistletoe Square, which releases today!

CHRISTMAS IN MISTLETOE SQUARE
AUTHORS: Teresa Tysinger, Pepper Basham, Cara Putman & Janine Rosche
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Christmas Romance collection
RELEASE DATE: October 1, 2021
PAGES: 375

Christmas is in the air in Kedgewick Creek, North Carolina, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Will romance find four couples in the month of December or will the pressure to keep the festivities Mistletoe Square is known for keep these couples apart? Find out in this collection of four novellas from inspirational authors Pepper Basham, Cara Putman, Janine Rosche, and Teresa Tysinger.

The Christmas Clue to Loving You by Pepper Basham
After five years away, Piper Dawson returns home to Kedgewick Creek and is pulled into a Christmas Scavenger Hunt that resurrects a heartbreak from Christmas past she’s not quite ready to mend. Will a matchmaking granny, a little Christmas magic, and a cute guy in a kilt make all the difference to her Christmas yet-to-come?

Silver Bell Secrets by Cara Putman
Growing up with dyslexia, Avery Blair didn’t love books, but the family-owned bookshop held her heart. She never expected her little business on the backside of nowhere to garner a New York City publishing house’s attention. Hunter Chase has lived an “always winter, never Christmas” existence, and spending the holidays in Christmas Town U.S.A. wasn’t exactly on his Christmas wish list, but he had no choice when his boss gave him an ultimatum. Can small town and big city discover a Christmas future that will last far beyond the page?

An Unscripted Christmas by Teresa Tysinger
Ellie and Oliver Larson face a Christmas full of uncertainty rather than festive cheer. Ellie is tired of playing a supporting role to Oliver’s passion of running the Kedgewick Creek Playhouse. Oliver can’t imagine his life without her. When things go off script, will their love story find its second act?

Dreams in Toyland by Janine Rosche
Toy shop owner Peyton Hammond knows a secret that could take down online giant Kiljoy Toyz and its owner, Joey Kiljoy. After the two adversaries spend Christmas Eve delivering gifts for charity, will the sun rise on newfound love, or will prejudice and lost dreams keep hope in the dark?

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by Teresa Tysinger, author of Christmas in Mistletoe Square

Today, the Christmas in Mistletoe Square collection releases! My novella, An Unscripted Christmas, includes a few firsts for me as an author. It’s the first novella I’ve written that includes main characters who are already married—my first try at this type of second-chance trope! In their late fifties, Ellie and Oliver are also the first more “mature” main characters I’ve created. I thought I’d share a little about why I was drawn to embracing both of these firsts.

Next July, my husband and I will celebrate our 20^th wedding anniversary. The milestone already has me reflecting on our marriage. I am beyond blessed that Eric is the one and only serious relationship I’ve had in my life. I knew just a few weeks in that he was the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Despite feeling as though we each found our soulmate in one another, it’s not always been easy.

So, I wanted to write a story about a couple that reflects the realistic imperfection of married life after the happily ever after moment at the altar. Many of the years Ellie and Oliver had spent together were good. Great even. But little choices eventually picked at a thread and unraveled what once had felt easy. Suddenly, the town’s most beloved couple—the epitome of romance and relationship everyone wanted—found themselves feeling underappreciated and wanting more.

I found an unexpected and refreshing vulnerability in writing an older couple who’d devoted their lives to each other only to find it wasn’t always fulfilling. There’s no guarantee that life simply gets easier with age. Tired from trying so long, do you give up? Or do you fight because there’s more at stake? More mature characters also bring wisdom and lessons learned, but it was important to me to show that we’re never done growing and changing. God, the gracious Potter of our messy clay-like lives, never stops molding us and smoothing away our rough edges. What a relief—and one I hope readers find comforting, too.

Lastly, romance does not have to take a back seat with each passing birthday. There can be flirting, passion, and heat at any age! (Can I get an ‘Amen’?!) Can Ellie and Oliver rediscover appreciation and attraction in their second act together? Find out under the mistletoe!

I do want to acknowledge that not all broken marriages get their happy ending. Sometimes the answer to our prayers isn’t what we desperately want. While I don’t understand why some marriages can be repaired and others can’t, I do know that God never leaves our side. He wants good for us, and at the center of that good is His love for us. So, if you’re in the messy middle of a relationship, I’m praying for you and remember God loves you!

Teresa Tysinger writes Southern contemporary romance inspired by grace on the fringes of being a wife, mom, and non-profit communications professional. She is a proud member of ACFW, the Association for Women in Communications, and Religion Communicators Council. Born in Hawaii, raised in Florida, and educated in North Carolina, she now resides in Texas with her husband, daughter, and dog. Visit her at https://teresatysinger.com/

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Other Authors in the Collection

To celebrate the release of their sweet, festive collection Christmas in Mistletoe Square, the authors are hosting a virtual scavenger hunt on their Instagram and Facebook pages. From October 1-8, they invite you to watch sneak peek readings from each of their novellas for the answers to questions about fun details in their stories.

Head HERE for the links & the entry form!

Make sure to like & comment on this post and enter my monthly giveaway for THREE books of your choice from my duplicates stash! After you’ve liked & commented, claim your entries HERE.

What about you? What makes you want to read Christmas in Mistletoe Square by Teresa Tysinger, Pepper Basham, Cara Putman, and Janine Rosche?