It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Susan Sleeman here! Looking like Christmas in October? Okay, so it's looking more like fall with leaves turning colors and falling from the trees, cooler temperatures, pumpkins and gourds and costume preparations, but I'm thinking Christmas.

This will be a very different Christmas for my husband and I. Both of our daughters are grown and live out of state. This year neither of them will be able to come home for the holidays. My husband is a church music director so Christmas is one of his busiest times of year and we are unable to travel at Christmas time to be with them. So it will be our first Christmas in thirty-one years without children. A first I'm not sure I'm ready for.

But I also have another first this Christmas that I am eagerly awaiting. I have a Christmas themed book, The Christmas Witness releasing at the end of November. As I prepare interviews for various blogs, press releases, etc, my mind has already traveled to the wonderful time of year.

The Christmas Witness is not your typical Christmas book. Here's the back cover copy.

When a criminal threatened to kill Megan Cash if she testified against him, she didn’t back down. Years later, he’s out of jail and ready for revenge against Megan and her daughter. The only one who can protect them is the former FBI agent who broke Megan’s heart.

But Reid Morgan isn’t the same man—he’s now a widowed father with a harrowing past. . .and a heart more guarded than ever. Still, he’s the only one who believes Megan when she says she’s in danger. Because someone wants to make this a Christmas she won’t live long enough to forget.

As you can see it's a suspense novel with kidnapping, ransom and a revenge plot, things I don't ever think of when I think of Christmas. But under all of the suspense and romance, The Christmas Witness is a story of finding hope in God's promises when life looks the bleakest. And what better time of the year to celebrate hope than at Christmas.

Even though my daughters are thousands of mile away, I can celebrate with my church family and embrace the season for all the joy it brings. So what about you? Have you started thinking about Christmas yet? What will you do this Christmas? Will you be with family?

SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of romantic suspense and mystery novels. She grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into writing romantic suspense and mystery novels and hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com.

Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Sign up for her newsletter to learn about her latest releases and monthly contests. And if you’re on Facebook be sure to stop by Susan Sleeman Books, too, where you can find out what Susan is up to.