Say hello to debut author Jessica Wakefield! Jessica has been a supportive reader of Christian fiction for years, an aspiring writer, and now she’s adding “published author” to her resume with the release of The Christmas Box (a collection of three sweet romance novellas). “Christmas in July” isn’t over yet so be sure to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win Jessica’s festive book! -Becky
I’ve been asked where the idea for The Christmas Box came from. And in truth there wasn’t just one thing. But if you add in a dash of a movie, throw in a pinch of an Australian cold winter, add a splash of nostalgia and a large dose of ‘I personally need a win’ then you’ve got The Christmas Box. I’ll address each of my ingredients.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was written by Ann Brashares. I’ve never read the book, but it was made into a movie in 2005 staring Alexis Bledel from Gilmore Girls (and other notable young stars, but Rory was my pull into this movie). I loved the idea of pants that fit all the girls with their various shapes, sizes and how there was fun and great lessons to be learned. I guess the idea has been percolating in my head for about 18 years or so then.
Many Aussies love the idea of a white Christmas—I’m not really sure we actually want one, but we like the idea. And when we’re toughing out our cold to us winter (June/July/August) we dream of a snowy Christmas. That was me last year. And it had to be romance, because, well it always must be romance.
And right now, isn’t the 90s back in a big way? I am a proud Millennial. I remember when Clueless came out at the cinemas (I was in Year 6 at school). The vernacular from that movie still makes its way into my everyday language. And Clueless was the birth of Paul Rudd, who by the way, I’m sure still hasn’t aged! I wore the leggings with the long jumpers (sweaters to my lovely US readers and friends), with the chunky boots. I listened to Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, and The Back Street Boys. I watched Friends and wanted but thankfully never got ‘The Rachel’ cut. I thought, what if the Christmas box doesn’t just stay in 1995? What it if finds its way to other decades? Then the stories for 2005 and 2015 were born.
And finally, the last ingredient of ‘I really need a win.’ When I sat sown to write the first story, I had an aim of writing a 10K word story. Why? For months I sat in front of my computer, staring at the screen, knowing full well that I had a 90K word book to finish and I could not do it. I was still getting my anxiety under control and my kids were having their own issues that compounded with mine and I was sitting on the very edge of burn out. So, I thought, 10K is manageable. I got a lovely author friend to help me plan it and then I wrote it.
It turns out that I loved my little story and I was excited to write another one. The whole idea for the collection grew from there. I had finally given myself a win. I changed my then impossible goal posts and moved them to something that wasn’t going to break me. God walked me through it, slowly and carefully allowing me to find my footing in what was at the time a very uncertain world. And that’s the story of The Christmas Box and why I’m so proud to call it mine and why I love it so much.
Jessica will be gifting one of you with an ebook of The Christmas Box! Please leave a comment below to enter to win. Open internationally. Winner will be chosen on Monday.
Do you have a favorite 90s movie, hair style, clothing trend, or TV show?
As a kid, Jessica Wakefield penned really bad Anne of Green Gables fan fiction. Nowadays, she lives in Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia with her husband and two daughters.
Jessica has a lifelong love of Sweet Valley High books and is a recovering Gilmore Girls addict. When she’s not fawning over a fluffy dog you’ll find her baking in her kitchen.
Connect with Jessica on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
Becky Wade
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I love hearing how your book came together! I am looking forward to reading it.
Oh wonderful! I hope you enjoy it. 😀
I’ve had the pleasure of reading these pre-release and you don’t want to miss these. Quick easy reads with lasting impact is how I’d describe the 3 stories. As far as 90s styles go – I did the legwarmers, but little else. I wasn’t really a trendy teen at the time since I was “a bit” older by then. Still, it’s always interesting to look back and see how the past continues to revolve and become the present.
I’m so glad you got to be part of the before process.
I was 12 in 1995 so I was very much a 90s and early 2000s fashion girl. It’s fun to see it coming back though and kind of strange at the same time. 😂
Jessica!!! I’m so thrilled to see your book come to fruition. I remember talking about it in the Uber we shared in St. Louis. 🙂 What a joy!
I have to admit that I had to Google TV shows in the 90’s to bring some old favorites to mind. My husband and I were married in 1992, so most of these were shows we watched together: Hercules, Xena, The Highlander, Due South (loved the Mountie!), JAG, and the Star Treks – Voyager and Deep Space Nine. I did get a few of my own shows in there like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and The Young Riders. 🙂
Fun walk down memory lane!
Oh I forgot Due South (and JAG)! Thank you for memory lane.
Thank you Karen! I remember talking about this book in the uber ride with you. You were the first person talked to that was a non airline personal after I arrived in the US. And you made this exhausted, perfect stranger feel at ease. I’ll always remember that and I’m so thankful God put us together.
And I loved JAG and Dr Quinn! I watched Hercules and Xena as well. Man, what a great decade of TV that was.
I can’t wait to read your book!!! The 90’s were high school and college for me so I love reading books set then!
Hi, I hope I can do it justice. I was in high back in the 90s and very early 00s. I hope you enjoy reading the book 🙂
Love this! I think your book is going to be a wonderful read! I’m more of an 80s girl, and I so wanted straight hair! But curls is me. I never even dreamed of having a cute shag cut or Rachel cut. The curls would make it go crazy. Congratulations on your book, Jessica!
I have curly hair too and as a teenager I had no idea what to do with it except brush it and wonder why it was so fuzzy. 🤦🏽♀️😂
So yes, the Rachel cut was never going to work for me either.
I got you enjoy the book too. 😀
Friends…though I never got the haircut, either, haha.
Congratulations, Jessica🥳
Friends came out when I was 11 and though I did watch it, I don’t think I really appreciated the humour until I got a bit older. I’m glad I never got the Rachel cut too.
My favorite 90s show was Boy Meets World.
Oh I watched that show too! Being in Australia, a lot of shows popular in the US would almost air a season later here. And sometimes they would be sporadic. So I never got to watch all of that show.
I LOVED the Sweet Valley High books! Every month I read the new one. And the Special Editions! So fun!
Ahh, we’re the same! I loved, loved Sweet Valley everything. I read lots of sweet valley Middle school, high school and I read lots of sweet valley University. I might’ve started a name with Jessica but I always wanted to be Elizabeth. 😂
I loved the movie Little Women that came out in 1994 with Winona Ryder. I also enjoyed the cartoon “Garfield”, the plaid, flannel oversized shirts we wore, too.
Your book sounds like so much fun! I’m excited to read it. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jen,
So many of the Little Women movies have been really good over the decades. I enjoyed the 1994 version but I never found Winona Ryder convincing enough as Jo, but then I’d read the book so many times and was heavily influenced by June Allyson’s portrayal that no one else in my head could work in the role but her. But the 1994 was a great update to movies.
And yes I was a plaid and flannel girl as well. With jeans and my boots. I mean I look back now and cringe but it was the look for a time. 🤷🏻♀️😂😀
This sounds like a fun novella collection! I wasn’t a really fashion forward teen, as parochial school uniforms took care of any fashion sense I may have had. Plus, I’m probably a bit older than Becky, but I do remember the leg warmers. The question is “WHY did we wear them?” They actually had no function, LOL.
Hi, I had lots of fun writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it.
Here is Australia, school uniforms are mandatory so no one was fashion forward at school either. But you still got to express yourself outside of school so that was still fun. 😀
When you think about, lots of fashion has no function, but it’s there to look good, even if it doesn’t. 😂
I’m not sure that leg warmers were all that attractive. 🤣😊🤣
Well, no they weren’t, but the things we did for fashion 🙂
This book sounds like it needs to be on my list to add to my Kindle App. Thank you for the information about it.
No problems! I’m glad you like the sound of it and want to read it. That makes this author a happy girl. 😀
Sounds like a fun read!
Thank you Leah! It was fun to write and I hope that comes across through the stories.
I think it is always fun to hear how a book idea is formed. Congratulations on your first published book! I can’t imagine the excitement you feel at the thought of a published book. Woohoo!
Thank you Amy! I love hearing how book ideas are formed as well. It’s always a fascinating process that never looks the same way twice. 😀
How interesting to read about how your book ideas grew into a published book for us to enjoy reading.
Thank you Donna. If you asked me 18 years ago if I’d write a book that impacts coupes across decades I would have laughed you out the door. The turns life takes, hey? 🙂 But I like this turn.
My favorite things from the 1990’s are my daughter (’90), son (’96) and several nieces and nephews. I guess I was too busy with them to remember much about the other stuff. Your book sounds like it will be fun to read.
Thanks! And family is often always the nicest things to think about from any era. 🙂
It seems appropriate that your name is Jessica Wakefield and you love Sweet Valley High! 😉 I loved all things Sweet Valley Twins and High and also Beverly Hills, 90210. Congrats on the book!
I know! I always thought it was so cool that I shared a name with her. and if memory serves me right, Sweet Valley high books came out in 1983, which was the year I was born. So even better! And yes I loved BH 90210 too.
I LOVED JAG! What a great show. Looking forward to reading your stories.
Yes I loved JAG too. I watched it so much. I’d love to re-watch it but can’t find it anywhere on streaming services.
I hope you enjoy my stories too. 😀
Twister
I loved Twister too. It’s one of my favourite movies. I have it on DVD so I can always watch it when I want to. 🙂
Congratulations on the release of your book!
Thank you!
Congratulations Jessica! The stories sound so good!
Thank you! 🙂