We chat with Kerry Winfrey about her new delightful, cosy rom-com Faking Christmas, which follows Laurel Grant who is playing house for the holidays–complete with a fake husband and kids.
Hi, Kerry! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m a rom-com connoisseur who lives in Columbus, Ohio with my family. I love reading, dogs, baking, and attempting new crafts that I’m not very good at.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
Before I even learned how to write! My love of reading made me want to be a writer from a very early age, and I used to dictate stories for my mom to write down.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: One of the American Girl books (I’m a Molly girl)
- The one that made you want to become an author: Superfudge by Judy Blume
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Your latest novel, Faking Christmas, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Wacky Christmas high-jinks with kissing.
What can readers expect?
Faking Christmas is the most fun book I’ve ever written. I wanted it to be a complete escape from real life, one that will make you laugh and forget about your problems. It’s super cozy, very over the top, and full of as much Christmas cheer as a Bath and Body Works full of seasonal candles or a TJ Maxx Christmas decoration display. There’s lots of Christmas music, sugar cookies, Christmas movies, and my favorite trope: just one bed.
Where did the inspiration for Faking Christmas come from?
Faking Christmas is inspired by one of my favorite classic Christmas movies, the 1945 screwball comedy Christmas in Connecticut. I took the basic idea of that story (a woman lying to her boss and pretending to own a farm) and made it modern (by using social media).
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing the almost-first-kiss between the main characters, Laurel and Max, because everything that could go wrong did.
This is your seventh published novel! What are some of the key lessons you have learned when it comes to writing and the publishing world?
The main lesson I’ve learned (and one that I have to learn over and over) is to keep your eyes on your own paper. It’s so easy to make yourself unhappy by focusing on what other authors have, or make yourself think you’re doing something wrong because other authors are doing things differently. But your career is yours! You’ll be a happier and better writer if you focus on yourself, your own strengths, and what you want to do.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on another Ohio-set book. J
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I recently loved The Nanny by Lana Ferguson…it’s not like my books at all because it’s very open-door, but I had the best time reading it. I also loved Amy Lea’s Woke Up Like This, which reads like a cross between 13 Going on 30 and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.
