Why I wrote the twelve gifts of christmas

Christmas is one of my favourite holidays. I love the gatherings, the comfort foods and seasonal treats- pumpkin pie, anyone? The way my children’s faces light up when they see someone they love or open a gift they’ll treasure. The pure joy and anticipation become a live wire, and I’m here for it. Knowing it’s a limited time for celebrating, cramming all the to-dos—visiting friends, attending sports games and parties, into a few weeks is what adds to the excitement.
It’s what got me thinking about writing a holiday romance. I wanted to write a story with mystery, time constraints, and make it as sweet as butter tarts. Stir it together for a quick read and you’ve got yourself a holiday novella.

The Twelve Gifts of Christmas is not just for the sweet romance; it’s for the kindness and joy of giving I wanted to portray. I love featuring characters with heart and humour. I hope you enjoy Olivia Parker’s story.

If you’re wondering, this character wasn’t created in a spur of the moment. Rewind, a year ago, Kobo had an open call for authors to submit their holiday romance novellas. I hadn’t written a holiday romance before but wanted it, so it was the perfect way to brainstorm and push myself to write something new. I started plotting. It needed to be a Canadian setting, and I wanted to write about what I know, so I set it in Vancouver, BC. With the looming high cost of living, I knew it would be a good plot point. As it started with the heroine living in a shabby old apartment building. I wanted her to be jolly and grateful for what she has, even though she dreams of something more; she has hope. I asked the question: What would make a happy, hopeful person who loves Christmas more joyful? Giving, of course! I already knew my heroine, Oliva Parker, was a personal shopper and she loved buying and wrapping gifts, so what if she delivered a gift to a grumpy guy and was taken aback by his curtness and unrelatable personality? 
Once I started writing about Olivia’s gift delivery, I had to get her and Mr. Grumpy to keep meeting multiple times until they became friends. The letters were a sure way to keep them together. 
​
I considered making this story a full novel, but sometimes a quick read is all we can manage and still get the holiday romance vibe we’re craving. 
I hope you enjoy The Twelve Gifts of Christmas. 
Whatever your plans are this season, I hope it’s filled with good food, hope and the people you love. Happy Holidays!