Image by JenniferWebb from Pixabay

So Long, Summer

Yep, it’s that time. I’ve packed away the pool towels and bathing suits, and will be storing the patio umbrellas and furniture away. The Halloween decorations are out. As soon as it’s November 1st, down they come and the Thanksgiving decorations go up. Then it’s only three weeks before the winter holidays are here.

For those of you who don’t know, I play handbells in my church. (See above- those are handbells and chimes.) Our church and the local synagogue did a Thanksgiving service every year for over 40 years. Now, members of the Sikh temple and the Islamic mosque have joined in this tradition. Because I’m a sucker for holiday stories and I’m expanding into writing romances, I’m currently revising my holiday novel, “Christmas Bells and Hannukah Lights.” It tells the story of a missing bell and the attempts of bellringer Maren, with the help of dashing Hebrew teacher Joshua, to find the bell in time for Christmas Eve. I loved blending the two holiday rituals and traditions and throwing in a little romance.

Image by kevindvt from Pixabay

Getting It Right

In writing this story, I did my research, but enlisted a friend to fact check my story about how a synagogue works, and the people and their functions. (Thanks, Flora! I’ll name a character after you in a future book!) She did not only fact-checking, but sensitivity reading as well to make sure I didn’t write anything offensive. I like having sensitivity readers (Flora is Jewish) because if I’m ever accused of inaccuracy, I can point out that my story was checked by someone who would know better, someone with a vested connection.(This has happened to me; an editor pointed out what she felt was incorrect language, but I had an expert source.)

I don’t think this novel will be ready to submit to editors this year because it’s being critiqued by colleagues in the New Jersey Romance Writers and they are helping me hone my prose. Hopefully next year it will find a home with a publisher.

Stay tuned for more previews!