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My Christmas Look Back Tree and how it inspired my holiday novel by Jina Bacarr

August 11, 2019 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as Christmas, Christmas romance, holidays, World War 2, writing

Christmas Historical romance novel My WW 2 time travel romance back to 1943

I’ve spent Christmas where it snows . . . where it doesn’t . . . and where it’s truly a winter wonderland in the German Alps. The magic only gets stronger over the years for me because each Christmas I have another memory to hang on my tree.

Not a real tree, of course. But what I call my Christmas Look Back Tree.

I can pull up fun memories, funny moments, heartfelt goodbyes, and most of all the true spirit of the season. The star at the top of the tree shines year after year to give me hope.

For there’s nothing like the warm goodness and comforting embrace of family and friends to experience the real joy of the season. Like a cup of hot cocoa with cinnamon sticks that never gets empty.

So, why am I telling you this in August? It’s back to school time, vacation days lingering, time to BBQ and eat burgers and messy corn on the cob. Because I’ve been spending a lot of time recently in a little town in Pennsylvania called Posey Creek.

At Christmastime — during World War 2 in 1943.

I found that in order to create a time and place that existed only in my heart, I relived my own Christmases Pasts far removed from that time, but the sentiment, the hopes, dreams, and needs of my heroine come from a place within me. That I went back to my Christmas Look Back Tree to dig deep into my feelings to mold my heroine.

More on my story next time, but for this post I wanted to write about that even when we write about a time and place we never knew, it still comes from the heart, from our passion to tell a story that reflects a bit of us, even if we don’t know it at the time.

For me, it was Ma. My heroine’s mother. Her strong bond with her mother, her need to see her again (she goes back in time to reconnect with her mother who’s gone when the book opens), also reflects my desire to do the same.

You see, my mother passed away a few days before Christmas many years ago…

So, when we talk about my upcoming release, CHRISTMAS ONCE AGAIN, you’ll understand how joyous I felt writing those scenes when my heroine reconnects with her mother once again…if only for a little while.

Travel back in time to 1943…

NEXT TIME:

News about Christmas Once Again release in October now up for pre-order:

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V1QT9Z6

UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Once-Again-Jina-Bacarr-ebook/dp/B07V1QT9Z6

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Trains, Planes, and my new Boldwood Adventure by Jina Bacarr

July 11, 2019 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as Boldwood, books, giveaway, romance, Summer, time travel, trains

I have a long history with trains.

Ever since I rode with my mom in a fancy private train compartment overnight (my dad’s company was paying for it) when I was a kid, I’ve loved train travel. The mystery, intrigue, the lulling clackety-clack of the train rolling down the tracks, taking you to a new adventure.

This time my love of trains is taking me on an adventure with BOLDWOOD Books. You’ll be hearing more about this fabulous opportunity in the coming months. Here’s my Author Page at Boldwood.

I’ve ridden on fast trains, slow trains, subways here and abroad, always enjoying the journey itself. So it’s no wonder I wrote a time travel where the heroine goes back in time aboard a train.

Travel back in time on the “Mistletoe Flyer”

I’m in the middle of finishing up the edits, so time is a bit scrunched this month, but I wanted to share with you this “blast from the past.” I believe I was on a Swiss train in the picture, but the only old train ticket I could find quickly was a ticket to Paris when I lived in Pisa.

Here is an Instagram post I thought you might enjoy.

View this post on Instagram

I'm doing my edits for Christmas Once Again Diving into my coffee to get them done #boldwoodbooks #amwritingromance????? #amediting☕ #coffee #amwriting

A post shared by Jina Bacarr (@jinabacarr) on Jul 5, 2019 at 3:49pm PDT

And I’m participating in a promotion this month with Aileen Harwood’s Bookwrapt promos. Here’s where the planes come in: my novella in the book fair is COME FLY WITH ME about a girl who meets a guy at 30,000 feet on New Year’s Eve and sparks fly! Just 99 cents. Some fabulous prizes! CLICK HERE for info and to enter.

Gotta go back to editing…exciting times ahead!

Jina

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Christmas in June…seriously? by Jina Bacarr UPDATED

June 11, 2019 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as Boldwood, Boldwood Books, books, England, London, romance, time travel, women's fiction, writing, WW2

Can’t wait to tell you about my exciting new adventure with this fab publisher!

I’m sitting here at my computer with thoughts of sugar plum fairies dancing in my head…

Hearing jingle bells as I type.

And drinking hot coffee with a cinnamon stick.

No, I’m not lost in the Twilight Zone. I’m traveling back in time to the holiday season during WW 2…

I can’t reveal all…yet.

More as it happens…

Jina

PS I’ll update the page as I get more news.

UPDATE: Tuesday June 18, 2019 is the day the publisher will be making a formal announcement re: their upcoming books!!

I’ll be able to reveal my story then…stay tuned.

2nd UPDATE:***************June 18, 2019 PDT

I’ve been on London Time for days and this is my first chance to update my post…Yes, London. Like in William and Kate, Harry and Megan — because I feel like an American royal! My new publisher is London-based BOLDWOOD Books.

It’s so exciting to be a part of this new adventure.

So hold tight and I’ll give you all the fab details.

————-

Here’s the scoop about Boldwood Books with all t heir wonderful authors…including me!

Amazing…

I feel like an American royal!

My first book with Boldwood is a WW 2 Christmas story about love lost and time travel…what if you could go back in time and save the man you love from being killed on a secret mission in France?

My heroine, Kate Arden, gets that chance.’

Kate travels back in time aboard a magic Christmas train

More on “Christmas Once Again” and the amazing Boldwood Books next month!

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Eat . . . I mean, Write What You Want Day by Jina Bacarr

May 11, 2019 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as pizza, romance, writing

Pizza…lollipops…ice cream…and write what you want too!

Ever want to indulge in a pepperoni pizza and then chocolate gelato? A splurge to celebrate a book deal or soothe a broken heart when your online date turns out not to be your dream guy (that’s another story).

You had me with pizza and gelato.

So the same can be true with your writing. On this Eat What You Want Day, let’s take a look at Write What You Want Day.

Suppose you’ve been cranking out hot contemporary romance until your bleary-eyed and drinking hot, black coffee for what seems like forever. You’re good at it, readers like it…your editor likes it.

But you’ve had it. Up to here. The ole mojo ain’t working.

Pizza and gelato time.

In other words, don’t abandon your shirtless hunks and sassy heroines. Just give them a day off. Write something different. Taste the honey on the next beehive by trying something different with your magic pen.

Your imagination.

So, what shall it be? Prince Charming or history?

Why not have both in a sizzling historical romance.

Love mystery or crime shows? Dark fantasy? Write a scene about a female knight solving a mystery in a dystopian world while trying to save her little sister from the underworld creatures making slaves of her people. And the avenging superstar from the future who steals her heart.

Okay, a bit over the top. But you get the idea. Let your mind run free for a day and write whatever comes to you.

It’s like sorbet for the mind.

You may find that your contemporary romances have a fresh spin on them the next time you sit down at the computer.

And always, always write from the heart…

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Valentine’s Day is for my Instagram short story “Virgin Kiss” by Jina Bacarr

February 11, 2019 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as Chekhov, kiss, romance, Valentine, Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is Thursday — a time for romance, chocolate and . . . kissing.

But what if your first kiss was just plain awful?

Meet Riley Murphy. She’s a kissing virgin, waiting for the right guy to come along. Until she joins the Drama Club at Holywell High and has to kiss the class dweeb on stage in front of the whole school on Valentine’s Day.

Virgin Kiss is a short story I wrote that I’m serializing in 1-minute segments.

I’m inserting my video intro here and Parts 1-5 of my story (which will be completed on Valentine’s Day). Check back for the entire story as I update this post every day including V-Day!

Virgin Kiss Instagram 1-minute posts (text on audio is included in IG comments). I hope you enjoy my time travel trip back to high school!