#tuesdayteaser about…motivation

So, by now, you know A CHEF’S KISS CHRISTMAS finally released yesterday! I’ve been pretty obnoxious about it, posting continually, but that’s because I just love the story so much.

I’d like to share the motivation behind writing this story because it wasn’t the normal “let me just get two people together” mindset I usually have when I pen a new story.

For some time, I’ve wanted to write a post-Covid story.

There were so many losses during those horrible two years, losses of loved ones, careers, lifestyles, everyday freedoms, that I felt now we’ve had enough time since lockdown ended, and we could go on with our lives again, that a story about losing someone to the horrible disease wouldn’t be so raw.

I may have been wrong about that, because when I was writing this, I had to stop several times to cry and grieve along with the characters.

Suffice it to say, I was afraid I’d written a real downer of a holiday tale.

But the saying great stories are made in the editing process is true for a reason. To balance the sadness, I added humor and happy events. Humor that you’ve all come to expect from Amy Charles, her family, and the people of Dorrit’s Diner and Dickens.

And so, because trigger warnings are something many readers want put forth first and foremost now, here are the ones for this tale:

~ loss of a spouse/grief

~depression

~isolation

~aimlessness.

And here are the happy triggers:

~new babies

~new love affairs

~finding your center

~learning to love again

~friendship

And the happiest trigger of all: The residents of Dickens and Dorrit’s Diner.

Enjoy, my dear friends. And wherever you find yourself this holiday season, remember: Love is always in season in Dickens.