A VERY RETRO CHRISTMAS
Pamela Spradlin Mahajan
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GENRE: Holiday Romance
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BLURB:
What if the future you always dreamed of, was actually in the past?
Social worker Cat has no intention of falling in love or getting married—much to her mother’s chagrin. While mourning her paternal grandmother’s passing, Cat opens an heirloom left by the matriarch—a coveted Christmas ornament—and finds herself transported to December 1936.
Handyman Eli spends his days doing odd jobs around town and his nights hammering away on his house—whatever it takes to keep his mind off the awful year he’s had. When a mysterious young woman drops into his life seemingly overnight and wants to rent his guest house, he is at first annoyed and then more than a little intrigued
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Excerpt One:
Cat stared into the young face of what was certainly her Grandma Lana. How was this possible? Minutes ago, Cat had been unpacking the contents of what remained of her grandmother’s Christmas decorations—the grandmother who passed away a few months ago.
And now here she was sitting in what was supposedly her hometown with a young version of Lana—a version who looked to be in her late teens.
Had Cat finally lost her mind? Was that the explanation for all this? Had her grandmother’s death been too much for her to bear? Or had she contracted some sort of virus that a sturdy dose of pills could fix?
“Won’t your mother and daddy be expecting you home soon?” Maribel asked Lana.
“They’ll understand, once I explain what’s happened.”
Lana laid a hand on Cat’s shoulder and a feeling of warmth permeated Cat’s entire body. Cat studied her grandmother. She had clear, warm-toned skin without a wrinkle in sight. Her eyes were a clear blue, her cheeks were round, and her yellow-blonde hair was styled into a soft wave.
Lana’s dress was delightfully retro—a floral print number with a collar, buttons at the chest, and a matching fabric belt at her waist.
“What were you doing here with Eli earlier, Mar?” Lana said.
Maribel, who had vivid red lipstick and some kind of undergarment that made her chest look like two grenades ready to strike, pursed her lips. “Just trying to ease the man back into the dating pool.”
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An Interview with Pamela Spradlin Mahajan
1.Did you always want to be an author?
More or less, yes. When I was asked what I wanted to be as a child, I used to tell everyone I wanted to be a veterinarian. And I thought that was true because I loved animals (especially dogs!). However I didn’t love math and science.
I think I didn’t feel being a novelist was an option because I didn’t see anyone else around me doing that as a career. But I started writing stories as soon as I could hold a pencil.
2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.
My first novel SKYE, REVISED was published earlier this year in March 2024 from The Wild Rose Press. It was a dream realized! There were many steps along the way to make it happen. As I mentioned, I started writing stories young. As I got older, I continued to write but did not finish a lot of the stories I wrote. So learning the craft and commitment to complete a story was one step along the path.
Once I had completed my first manuscript, EXPERT PLAYERS, I learned the process of editing and then querying. I put aside that novel after many months of unsuccessfully querying agents. That was another part of my path.
I started writing SKYE, REVISED during that querying process. I decided pretty early on I wanted to go with a small press this time around. It took a year or two to write SKYE, REVISED. Once I felt it was ready, the acceptance from The Wild Rose Press came pretty fast. I was beyond excited.
3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?
My work straddles a variety of genres so pulling from a wide pool with many great authors, two I love are Alice Hoffman and Lisa Jewell.
I try to follow the advice doled out by many authors and read as much as I can as it is an essential ingredient to writing well. I am currently reading the moving YA novel IF THESE WINGS COULD FLY by Kyrie McCauley.
4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?
The best part of being an author is being able to follow where my intuition and imagination lead me. Another great thing is being able to share my stories with other people.
One of the worst parts of being an author is the amount of trudging along the path one has to do with very little feedback. Sometimes it can feel as if you are submitting your work into the void. And the waiting!!
Seeking writing mentors, joining writing groups, and being part of the writing community can help. As can just reminding yourself to focus on writing and creating the story, not thinking how it will be received.
5.What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a historical mystery that will likely be YA. It’s still in the drafting stages so that could change. I have researched a lot about self-publishing and plan to self-publish a series in the future as well.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Pamela Spradlin Mahajan is the author of women’s fiction and romance. Her debut novel, “Skye, Revised,” was released in early 2024. Pamela has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and creative writing from Missouri State University and a Masters from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Her recent short stories have appeared in the online literary journal "They Call Us" and she has been honored in the WOW! Women on Writing Flash Fiction Contest. A native of Springfield, Mo., Pamela lives with her family in Kansas City, where in addition to writing women's fiction and romance, she also works as a copywriter, journalist, and reseller.
Website: https://pamelamahajan.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelajsm/
