Before she started writing about those things, she wrote music (still does), was in a band, and—are you ready for this? —She owned a singing telegram business. Yep, she was the perky person who sang them to you. I’m not sure if she wore costumes or not, but kudos to her. I can sing to you and no problems from a stage, but in person and at your door, restaurant, or in your office? Um, that would be no.
Sheila sent me an Arc of Snow Globe (did I mention I love this woman?) and it was my first (but certainly not my last) introduction to her writing. I reviewed the book here and on Night Owl Reviews.
Sheila says she originally wanted to create a story that would become a Christmas Classic, “serious and heartwarming and a real tearjerker.” But I’ll let her tell you about that.
Don’t you love snow globes? I sure do! There is something peaceful about that charming scene frozen under glass that simply fascinates me. And I’m not the only one. These pretty ornaments are highly collectible (especially some of the Disney ones) and can go for a small fortune on eBay. I understand how that bidding fever can take over a girl, believe me.
Last year at a girlfriend party I got, well, let’s just say highly competitive over a gorgeous snow globe that someone had brought to our annual Christmas party. We were playing the old steal-each-other’s- presents game and, wouldn’t you know? I was the first to pick the package with the gorgeous globe. Needless to say, I didn’t hang onto it long. I tried every sneaky strategy I could think of to get it back. And failed. And complained loudly. All to no avail. There SHOULD NOT be a limit on how many times you can snitch a gift when you’re playing that game, and that’s all I’m going to say about that. Oh, except that I actually found an even prettier one at TJ Max on the way home from the party. My reward for (almost) being a good sport! :-)
Not only do I enjoy snow globes, I also love Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday. And I wanted to write a book that could become a Christmas classic, something people could read and enjoy every year. I wanted it to be serious and heartwarming and a real tear-jerker, like The Christmas Box. And I had a big, dark, tear-jerker plot all figured out. Well, somehow the book morphed from big, dark, and tear-jerking to sweet and funny. But also, I hope, encouraging. And I’m very happy with it.
Maybe someday I’ll write Snow Globe 2 and get to write my deep, sad, story. But for now I’ll simply be happy with the tale I’ve told and celebrate the season of miracles. And bring out my snow globe!
- Snow Globes do seem to make me think of winter and Christmas. What makes you think of Christmas?
Snow Globe:
On a blustery afternoon, Kylie Gray wanders into an antique shop and buys an enchanting snow globe. “There’s a story behind that snow globe,” the antique dealer tells her. The original owner, he explains, was a German toymaker who lost his wife and son right before Christmas. When the grieving widower received the handcrafted snow globe as a Christmas gift, he saw the image of a beautiful woman beneath the glass—a woman who would come into his life, mend his broken heart and bring him back to the world of the living. For years, the snow globe has passed from generation to generation, somehow always landing in the hands of a person in special need of a Christmas miracle.
Kiley could use a miracle herself. This year, all she wants for Christmas is someone to love. A hopeful shake leads her on an adventure that makes a believer out of her. When Kylie shares the story of the snow globe with her best friends—two women with problems of their own—they don’t believe it. But they’re about to discover that at Christmastime, sometimes the impossible becomes possible and miracles really do come true. Excerpt
Discover an unforgettable holiday treasure in Sheila Roberts’ heartwarming tale of love and laughter, magic and miracles, friendship and coming home…
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Sheila Roberts lives on a lake in the Pacific Northwest. She’s happily married and has three children. She’s been writing since 1989, but she did lots of things before settling in to her writing career, including owning a singing telegram company and playing in a band. Her band days are over, but she still enjoys writing songs. When she’s not speaking to women’s groups or at conferences or hanging out with her girlfriends she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends, and chocolate.
Be sure to check out Sheila's Contests, Blog (she talks about MAKING snow globes) Facebook.
