I began writing what I loved most; heroic, science, and fantasy fiction based on African/African Diaspora cultures and traditions. For many years it sustained my imagination, the results being almost 30 novels and numerous anthologies that have been enjoyed by thousands of readers and recognized in the industry and academia. The only requirement of anything that I write is that I enjoy doing it. Beyond that, anything is open.
But the pandemic shifted my interests. I was already contemplating writing historical fiction because history is my first love. I’d also been contemplating a few contemporary fiction books, although nothing really spoke to me at the time.
During the pandemic, I continued to go to work even during the lockdown because the company I work for provides what was considered essential services. I spend weeks driving back and forth on almost empty streets. And then there was the attrition. People I knew personally succumbed to Covid, losing their lives before the appearance of the vaccines. It was a mentally and physically stressful time.
It was during this time that I found some solace in what is known was cozy entertainment. My wife was already a fan of the Hallmark channel, and I found myself sitting beside her watching these predictable yet entertaining movies. There was something soothing about viewing these movies during such a stressful time. For me it was that whatever the situation, everything was going to turn out okay. Some would argue that that’s unrealistic, but during that time I didn’t need realism. I needed escapism. Even after we all went back ‘outside,’ I found myself continuing to not only watch them but think about writing my own stories.
There’s a formula to these tales that’s obvious if you watch enough. And while I made fun of them, I didn’t hide the fact that I enjoyed them. Of course, like most things mainstream entertainment, there was a noticeable lack of Black centered movies, which was another incentive for me to write. But the most fascinating thing was that when I finally began writing my novel, that solace I found in watching was stronger when writing. I found myself weaving in personal settings and experiences, as well as scenes that happen in places I’ve never visited but always wanted to. The result is a novel that has been as cathartic to read as it was to write.
A Palmetto Christmas takes place in a part of the country I’ve vacationed for decades, the Low Country of South Carolina and Georgia. Just the setting alone reduces the stress for me. Telling a story based on the bonds of a family that despite their differences truly love and care for each other takes me the rest of the way. It’s a novel that I hope will leave a smile on a reader’s face as they read the final words.
I promised my wife that I would write a holiday story and a romance story, and now the holiday story is complete. Unlike some of my other forays into unfamiliar genres, I think writing cozy fiction will be a permanent fixture in my creative expression. It’s my hope that those who read my books will experience the same feelings I do when writing them.
Facing Christmas in an empty nest, Laura and Stanley Jacobs decide to do something they’ve always dreamed of— rent a massive beach home on Sea Island, South Carolina, their favorite vacation destination. However, a series of unexpected circumstances, finds them with a house full when youngest daughter Shelly shows up from Germany with her new boyfriend Darian, recently divorced middle son Bryce arrives jobless with his twins, and estranged eldest child Terry finally decides to come home after five years with her celebrity chef boyfriend João. The result is a heartwarming holiday among the swaying palmettos of the Low Country.
A Palmetto Christmas will be available for preorder in June.
