posted on January 26, 2021 by Christina Hovland

Behind the Scenes With Christina Hovland

Thanks so much for having me here at Writerspace today! I am so excited to talk about my new romantic momedy, Rachel, Out of Office.

This is the story of a single mom trying to be all the things to everybody in her life, while leaving no time for the things she really needs. Enter Travis Frank, her ex-brother-in-law and the man who is ready to teach her a few, ahem, of these life lessons.

As a recovering overachieving-perfectionist and mother myself, so much of Rachel’s character hits very close to home for me. A lot of the lessons she learns in her story are the same lessons I have learned (and am still learning) myself.

Here are some fun tidbits about the drafting of this book:

1. “I know above the clouds the sun is shining.” – Jason Mraz, 3 Things

Music is a big part of my life. Each book I write ends up with its own playlist that I use as inspiration as I draft. For Rachel, she also had a song that became something of an anthem for her book: 3 Things by Jason Mraz. I love this song. It’s so perfect for Rachel’s story because it’s all about what to do when life falls apart. And, for Rachel, life seems to fall apart a whole lot.

You can find Rachel’s entire playlist here: https://christinahovland.com/rachel-playlist

2. Puppies!

Sometimes, as an author, it’s a good idea to fully immerse myself in the experience of the characters I’m drafting. I like to say that’s why I adopted a puppy while I was working on Rachel’s book. (But truly, we were simply ready for a puppy.)

We have two dogs in our house now.

And four kids.

And two adults.

And a Yaya who comes by to visit.

Needless to say, it’s a very busy place!

Below is a photo of my pups. I bribed them with a bite of hamburger so they would stay still long enough to pose for a photo:

Chloe is the golden girl and is just over a year old. (We have no idea what blend of dog she is. It seems like she’s a little bit of everything.) She enjoys long walks, chewing up her collars, and rotisserie chicken leftovers.

Lucy (I call her Lulu) is part black lab, and part golden retriever. She’s five months old and a total bundle of energy and snuggles. She enjoys everything and would very much like you to pet her please-and-thank-you.

3. Welcome! Did you bring margaritas?

I may have *cough* also tested margarita recipes for Travis to make for Rachel early in the book. (But trust me, writing a novel is not all puppies and margaritas. It’s just one of the perks.)In any case, I determined that Travis’ Famous Margarita recipe is:2 oz Premium Tequila
1 oz Grand Marnier
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 dash Agave Nectar (to taste)

Shake well with ice. Serve on the rocks in a salt-rimmed glass with a lime wedge.

4. Happily Ever After All Around!

The idea to write mom com came from my single mom friends who talked to me about their dating mis-adventures. I realized that moms get to have fun, too! And every woman—no matter where she’s at in life—deserves a happily ever after.

5. Just ask Mom.

One of my favorite parts of the books in this series is the real-life mom advice included at the beginning of each chapter. If you have a mom, are a mom, or know a mom, I’d love to hear some motherly advice in the comments below! I’ll award one commenter an e-copy of the book on release day. You can also submit your knowledge for consideration in future romantic momedies here: https://christinahovland.com/momknowledge

Giveaway Details: Contest open internationally. Must be 18 or older to enter. Winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize after they are notified on January 29, 2021. One entry per comment. Multiple comments are allowed.

Christina Hovland

Christina Hovland

Christina Hovland lives her own version of a fairy tale—an artisan chocolatier by day and romance writer by night. Born in Colorado, Christina received a degree in journalism from Colorado State University. Before opening her chocolate company, Christina’s career spanned from the television newsroom to managing an award-winning public relations firm. She’s a recovering overachiever and perfectionist with a love of cupcakes and dinner she doesn’t have to cook herself. A 2017 Golden Heart® finalist, she lives in Colorado with her first-boyfriend-turned-husband, four children, and the sweetest dog around.

3 thoughts on “Behind the Scenes With Christina Hovland”

  1. bn100 says:

    Trust your instincts

  2. AuntySuzany says:

    Never fails to always follow your instincts! If it doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t! Thank you for sharing!

    1. Hi there! I used a random generator to pick a winner and it chose you! Congrats! E-mail me at [email protected] and I will get you your copy of Rachel, Out of Office!
      xoxo
      Christina

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Latest from our Blog

Have Your Heard About Mookies?

Discover “Mookies,” a delightful cross between cookies and muffins. These heart-healthy treats have all the ingredients of a yummy oatmeal breakfast in a to-go form. It is not only perfect for a morning boost but also doubles as a convenient snack for family gatherings and spontaneous social events. A few years back, I decided to… Read More

Read More