Kelly Goshorn: Christmas, Virginia, History, a Giveaway & More
What a joy to chat with my friend and fellow ACFW Virginia board member, Kelly Goshorn. In this Zoom interview, Kelly shares about her novella, The Christmas Carving, which is part of the Chiseled on the Heart Christmas Legacy Novella Collection.
Kelly is offering a paperback or Kindle version of the book to a US winner. Simply comment below by October 10 for a chance to win!
Comment on this interview with @kellygoshorn by 10/10 for a chance to win a copy of #ChiseledontheHeart, A Christmas Legacy Novella Collection. US winner only. #amreading #giveaway
TweetJoin the conversation. Do you like reading Christmas books? Does Kelly’s novella in this collection spark your interest? What questions or comments do you have for Kelly?
Be sure to comment below by October 10 for a chance to win your choice of a Kindle or paperback copy of Chiseled on the Heart! (US winner only)
Chiseled on the Heart – A Christmas Legacy Novella Collection
Click book cover for purchase link
The Gift of a Lamb by Elaine Cooper
In 1776, 14-year-old Charlotte Hawkins and her brother, 10-year-old Elias, are still grieving the death of their parents. Their parents left instructions to be sent from their home state of Virginia to live with relatives they barely know, in Connecticut. The trip was dangerous, as war raged between the Redcoats and the Americans. To make matters worse, the churches in Connecticut don’t celebrate Christmas at all. Will this be the orphans’ worst Christmas ever?
A Lasting Legacy by Cynthia Roemer
Loudoun County, Virginia, 1814. After a disabling injury sends Daniel Hawkins home from war, he struggles how to provide for his young wife, Maggie and the child she’s carrying. As Christmas approaches, he finds a sheep his grandfather carved and attempts to carve a nativity set for Maggie. When she goes into labor during a Christmas Eve blizzard, Daniel is forced to face his feelings of inadequacy. And perhaps learn that God has a plan for his life after all.
Healing within the Pieces by Candace West
Prison shackles haunt Nathaniel Hawkins upon his return home only to discover it occupied by a woman in hiding. Bad men are no strangers to Delia Evans, but the intruder who barged into the farmhouse shrinks from her. With no other refuge, they must endure each other. But have they misjudged? When the past shadows their doorstep, is a grudge worth the price of a man’s life?
The Christmas Carving by Kelly Goshorn
Wyatt Hawkins dreads Christmas. Memories from the fatal shooting of his childhood friend on Christmas Eve, 1864, has left a bitter taste in Wyatt’s mouth toward God, the holiday season, and his former fiancée, Madelyn Cunningham. As Christmas draws near, can the star he’s carving for his family’s heirloom nativity point Wyatt back to the woman he’s never forgotten and the faith he’s left behind?
Kelly Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into inspiring stories of love, faith, and family set in America’s vibrant past. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, won the Director’s Choice Award for Adult/YA fiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in 2019, and earned recognition as both a Selah Award finalist in the Historical Romance category and as a Maggie Award Finalist for Inspirational Fiction.
When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys, binge-watching BBC period dramas, board-gaming with her family, exploring historical sights, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi.
Connect with Kelly: Website / Newsletter signup / Facebook / Goodreads / BookBub / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest / Amazon
Please share Kelly’s interview on social media to help spread the word about her Christmas novella!
Check out the interviews with Mary Pat Johns, DiAnn Mills, and Paula Peckham.
Deena Adams
As a Jesus girl for more than thirty years, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life, which fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true to life stories. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and is a multi-award-winning writer, an active ACFW member, and ACFW Virginia president. Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
32 Comments
Lynn Moore
Hi there! Deena…I’m running a little behind on your blog & just watched you’re interview with Kelly. And I loved it! Kelly…. you are so gifted! I cannot wait to read “Chiseled On The Heart!” What a beautiful concept to take “4” different authors who weave their individual stories with a generational story line. And a Christmas theme makes me wanna read it all the more!
Deena…Kelly…blessings to you both as you follow your passion for writing and for Jesus!
Deena Adams
Thanks so much for watching and sharing your thoughts, Lynn. I really want to read it too! Bring on Christmas!
Deena Adams
Congratulations to Mary Felkins, the winner of Kelly’s book! Check your email.
Barb Seregi
This series sounds wonderful!
Deena Adams
I agreee, Barb! Thanks for stopping by.
Vera Day
Virginia is beautiful. We lived in Bedford Co for 20 years. It was interesting to hear about Kelly’s writing journey. I have Chiseled on the Heart coming up next on my TBR!
p.s. Happy birthday, Deena!
Deena Adams
Hi, Vera. I agree, Virginia is beautiful. My husband and I lived in lots of places during his 20 year Navy career and Virginia is my favorite. Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Lexi
I enjoy reading Christmas books in the winter when it’s cold and snowy. I don’t read them year-round. I save them for winter.
This books sounds fun. I like how each story is set in a slightly different time period.
Deena Adams
Hi, Lexi. Thanks so much for watching and joining the conversation!
Cherie J
I love Christmas books! These stories in the anthology sound wonderful. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Deena Adams
Best of luck in the giveaway, Cheri!
Roxanne C.
Many years I read mostly Christmas stories during the holiday season. Anthologies and story collections are among my favorites. I enjoy generational story collections such as Chiseled on the Heart.
Deena Adams
Sounds like this book is right up your alley, Roxanne! Best of luck in the giveaway.
Vickie
This novella collection sounds very beautiful and
Inspiring. Having a new piece added to the nativity in each story is a great idea.
Really enjoyed the interview. Thanks.
Deena Adams
Thanks for your comments, Vickie! I love nativity sets, so that aspect of this novella collection intrigues me.
Name Teresa Warner
I enjoyed the post today, I’m always looking for new authors to read and this sounds like a good one! I can read a Christmas book any time of the year!
Deena Adams
Thanks for chiming in, Teresa!
Maryann
I love how the nativity set is woven into and connected to each story. I love novellas and I think it’s wonderful when authors collaborate together.
Kelly Goshorn
Hi Laurel,
Working on collaborative project is a lot of fun, especially when brainstorming is needed. In the early days, we met via Zoom to hash out the names, ages, and descriptions of our characters, whose characters were carving which pieces, and how we would tie the stories together. I believe each one can be read independent of the others, but when read in succession there are little tidbits the readers will recognize from one story to the next. My co-authors were so willing to set the stories in Virginia so that my story, The Christmas Carving, would be historically accurate. Because I live in Loudoun County sometimes the author’s had questions about what Taylorstown was like in their era, what the weather is like here in certain months of the year, and what the landscape is like. I thought Cynthia Roemer’s idea to have an heirloom nativity that each generation added to, was unique and I was very excited to be a part of the project. I think I did claim the star pretty early in our conversations, as Candace did Joseph, because I knew I wanted the act of carving the star to lead my hero, Wyatt, back to his faith. Thanks for visiting today, Laurel. I hope I was able to answer your questions.
Kelly Goshorn
Thank you, Deena for having me on your blog! I enjoyed our conversation so much!
Deena Adams
The pleasure was all mine, Kelly!
Mary A. Felkins
Oh Kelly, I love that story! The nativity my parents had in their home growing up was a great visual for the reason for the season. Redemption at Christmas—kindness and forgiveness over bitterness. Amen to that!
Kelly Goshorn
Hi friend,
Wonderful to see you here! Nativities are a passion. It’s quite tempting to collect them but hubby would no doubt frown on that idea. On Christmas Eve, we would move the nativity to coffee table and let the children tell the story in their own words using the varying pieces as props.
Deena Adams
Thanks for watching and commenting, Mary! Good to see you here. 🙂
Penny McGinnis
Kelley-I love that you look back and see the God nudges. What a blessing. Thank you for sharing.
Deena Adams
Thanks for watching and commenting, Penny!
Kelly Goshorn
Hi Penny,
Aren’t God nudges somethin’? And those little seeds He plants not only encourages us to press forward, but helps us stay the course when the road gets challenging. When I can see His intent woven throughmy life, it makes it much harder to walk away when things get difficult. Thank you for commenting and watching the video interview!
Evelyn Foreman
Wow! A multi-talented lady! I grew up playing Candyland and Monopoly, played Skipbo a lot with my grandmother as an adult. I, too, lost my sister to cancer so am intrigued by the beginning of her writing career. Historical + Christmas = Win Win! And having the theme of the Gospel woven throughout is the real Win!
Deena Adams
Hi, Evelyn. Yes, any story that weaves in the Gospel is a winner in my book, too!
I played lots of Candyland as a child and then with my children and grandchildren. It’s a classic!
I’m so sorry about your sister. My husband also lost his sister to cancer when she was 54. That was about twelve years ago. It’s so hard.
Kelly Goshorn
Thank you for visiting and commenting today, Evelyn. And thank you for your sympathies for Sandy. She is dearly missed. She had two more grandchildren born in August and she is never far from any of our thoughts.
Laurel Whitney Whitney
It’s interesting to hear how the author took an historical event and weaves it into a Christmas tale, which is part of a series. It would be amazing to read how the other authors’ narratives fit into the whole story, referencing the characters in the other novellas.
#amreading #giveaway
If I had a chance, I’d be interested to know how their collaborative efforts went: were there differences of opinion on the direction? What were the good and bad moments? What was something unexpected that happened in this project.
Happy Birthday!
#amreading #giveaway
Deena Adams
Hi, Laurel. I love your questions for Kelly. Hopefully she’ll get a chance to answer them for you. Thanks so much for watching and joining the conversation!