In January and February, I enjoyed catching up on writing a Story Inspiration page to go with each of my books—and then sharing all of those pages here on my blog.

So for my upcoming new release, Robyn: A Christmas Bride, I thought I’d share its Story Inspiration page here BEFORE the story is released—in just a few days!

ROBYN: A CHRISTMAS BRIDE ~ STORY INSPIRATION PAGE

When I started pondering a plot for my Christmas story, my first question was, what should the theme be? Is there a classic Christmas tale with an uplifting theme that many people might recognize or at least relate to? The Gift of the Magi became my first inspiration when writing Robyn: A Christmas Bride.

The Gift of the Magi (written by O. Henry and published in 1905) features the themes of selfless gift giving and how the gift of love is priceless. In that story, a husband and wife each sell their most valuable possession, but they are items that can be grown again (hair) or can be bought back again (a watch). I wondered what if the thing you valued most was sustaining a way of life that you’d struggled a long time to create and that now defined your entire self-worth? Could you give that up if it meant ensuring the happiness of a loved one? That might be the ultimate selfless gift to give.

My next thought was having a heroine who was a trouser-wearing tomboy who loved driving wagons in a time, 1877, when society wasn’t very accommodating about women’s appearances and occupations that strayed from the norm. So…what if my heroine decided she needed to do something drastic to win the heart of the man she loved? Changing yourself to please another person (even if they haven’t asked you to) might be considered another selfless gift. So…what is a classic transformation story? My Fair Lady and its heroine Eliza Doolittle were my next inspiration.

My Fair Lady (released in 1964 as a movie starring Audrey Hepburn) focuses on speech lessons, but Eliza’s transform also includes her appearance—her clothing, hair, the way she carries herself, and more. It’s a life-changing transformation that is difficult for Eliza and takes hard work and sacrifice—for her own good (a chance at better job prospects) but also, as time goes on, to please her instructors.

So…selfless giving and self-sacrifice. Ready. Set. Go. Write a Christmas story.

I hope you enjoy Robyn: A Christmas Bride as much as I enjoyed not only writing the story but also giving Robyn Llewellyn and Max Peregrine their hard-won and well-deserved Christmas gifts.

A STORY QUOTE FROM ~ ROBYN: A CHRISTMAS BRIDE

Here’s a teaser from Robyn: A Christmas Bride about gift giving and friendship because the man whose heart Robyn wishes to win is her best friend, Max.

STORY INSPIRATION PAGES ~ FOR MY OTHER STORIES

If you missed reading the Inspiration Pages for my other stories, here’s one handy link to see them all.

When I next write to you on my blog, it will be to share that Robyn: A Christmas Bride has been released & is ready to read. So, stay tuned ❤ 

UPDATE: Robyn: A Christmas Bride is now on Amazon US | UK | CA | AUS