Cheryl St. John

 Over my career, I’ve written several Christmas novels and novellas, among them Christmas Gold, Snowflakes and Stetsons, A Western Winter Wonderland, The Magic of Christmas and Stowaway Angel. It’s appropriate that I’ve done so many holiday-themed stories, because I love everything associated with Christmas.

I especially love Christmas decorations. We have an entire storage room filled with only Christmas decorations, including four trees and a 40+ piece Dickens Village. One of our pre-lit trees is enormous and revolves. It's incredible. We can do trees in many styles:

* By color - purple; blue & green; red & green; gold; or multi.
* Entirely Santa, including concrete sleigh base.
* Victorian - I do this one every year because it's my favorite.
* Old-fashion toys and dolls
* Handcrafted
* Vintage ornaments

The boxes of bead garland in all colors and varieties weigh a TON. One year we had an enormous tree and made the mistake of using the large old-fashion bulbs. I had to remember to turn it off before I blow-dried my hair! And just walking past it, we felt a wave of heat. We disposed of those light sets once the season passed. My husband's favorites are the bubble lights, and we've built our collection so that we can do an entire tree. It goes really well with the vintage Santa theme.

Yet with all those trees and decorations, this year I made a trip to Home Depot for screws and came home with a real tree for my kitchen. My husband looked at me as I was carrying it in from the garage as though I’d lost my mind. I let it fall out for a day and then scoured my drawers and shelves to decorate it with vintage utensils, small cream pitchers, oil cruets, cookie cutters, etc.. It’s charming.

Our village is a masterpiece of electrical ingenuity each set up. At one time my collection was small, and could be displayed on a piece of plywood covered with cotton snow. Then it grew to the proportions of covering the tops of seven bookcases and two china hutches. Since we moved and downsized—what were we thinking?—it doesn’t fit anywhere in its entirely. Only about half of the houses come out at a time now—still more than the average person would display.

I have a Santa mug collection, you know those old-fashion heads? It takes up a few shelves now, and includes a teapot and creamer and sugar. Years ago, my husband bought me the most beautiful holly teapot and creamer and sugar set—now one of my favorite things. I have enough dishes to change out my kitchen china hutch, too, so this year I packed away my Blue Willow collection and filled the cabinet with my Christopher Radko set. I have collectable candles from the 50s: angels, reindeer, trees, igloos, choir boys & girls.  We also have several Nativities, my favorite being a large porcelain Home Interior set, including a stable and accessories.

Every year I hold The Great Christmas Tree Tour on my blog, From the Heart. Readers, writers and even editors send me photos of their Christmas trees and special decorations. It’s my most popular event of the year and extends from the day after Thanksgiving until New Years.

My December book, Stowaway Angel is a contemporary story about a lady truck driver stranded with a single dad and his daughter for the holiday. I would love to give a Kindle copy to one reader who leaves a comment with their email address today.

Merry Christmas!

email Cheryl at: SaintJohn@aol.com.
Visit her on the web: http://www.cherylstjohn.net/
Read her blog, From the Heart: http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.com/
Like her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/CherylStJ
She's a Pinterest junkie! http://pinterest.com/cheryl_stjohn/

In describing her stories of second chances and redemption, readers and reviewers use words like, "emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters and real life situations."

Blurb:

Charlie McGraw never should have bought the angel book for his precocious daughter. Because then Meredith wouldn't be convinced that getting a new mommy was as simple as having an "angel" sprinkle him with her "miracle dust." And she never would have believed the beautiful blond-haired woman who drove a truck called the "Silver Angel" was some treetop angel come to life.

Starla Richards was no angel. But try telling that to a five-year-old who was so starved for a mother's love that she'd stowed away on Starla's rig. Or convincing herself that miracles just didn't happen to ordinary people when Starla found herself snowbound with a handsome, caring widower and his adorable daughter…. 

Link to buy 

I'm holding a drawing for one copy each of Stowaway Angel and Colorado Courtship, either for Kindle or a print copy, the winner's preference. Please leave your email address to be entered in the drawing.