Remembering Holly and Ivy by Kathleen Lawless

Reading has been a part of my life since I could first sound out words and turn the pages of a book. One Christmas when I was around five or six, The Story of Holly and Ivy appeared under the Christmas tree, my first hardcover book. My name is still on the inside cover in childish letters. I cherished it always and still do.

During those early years, my mother read it aloud to me and my brothers and sister. After she passed, I continued to read it over and over through the years, graciously loaning it to my siblings. When I had children of my own, it became part of our pre-Christmas tradition. We read a few pages every night until we were finished.

Once my younger siblings caught up in the baby department, the book got passed from family to family in November and December. Each family got it for a week. Eventually I got tired of policing its return. That was the year I bought each family their own copy, including my own children, who were nearing adulthood. I hope one day to hear them reading that story to their own children.

What’s not to love about a timeless classic tale involving an orphaned little girl, a Christmas doll, and the power of wishing? Holly has adventures unheard of in these days, sent off by herself on a train to stay with strangers over the holiday. Of course she gets off at the wrong town, which in her case, turns out to be the right town for her happy ending. Everyone’s favorite part was always when the characters got poked by either a piece of holly, a price tag, or a safety pin, just as they were poised to make the wrong choice. We’d go around quoting, “Wish, said the prickle, wish.”

All those memories came back to me as I wrote my Christmas Novella, Holly’s Wish. It’s a sweet, second-chance romance inspired in part by my first Christmas book, with a heroine who can’t stop wishing. As in the original, there are scenes where one of the characters gets a gentle poke. I think most writers will agree. Sometimes our unruly characters need a little help to figure things out.

Do you have a favorite Christmas story from your childhood?

How about a Christmas film you must watch year after year?

If you’re in the mood for a little Christmas magic, you can pick up Holly’s Wish here for only 99cents. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HN6J8RF

USA Today Bestselling Author Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes. With nearly 50 published novels to her credit, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional romance into historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction. She makes her home in the Pacific Northwest and loves to hear from her readers. www.kathleenlawless.com Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb