Merry Friggin' Christimas By K.R. Hall

 

Merry Friggin’ Christmas

By K.R. Hall

 

I was drawn to this book because it had Christmas in the title, I knew the author and I loved the cover. It was when I opened it and read the dedication and the note to the reader that it started gripping my interests further.

Then as I read, the word cancer came into the story. This is something I have problems dealing with and this sometimes causes me to slam books shut, turn off movies and become agitated. It has nothing to do with what I am reading or watching or even listening to. I have my own personal issues whereas that word point blank ticks me off.

For some reason I didn’t put the book down. I think it was because of the letter to the reader and dreams. Because I too, have seen people who have passed over in my dreams. I also used to enjoy Christmas when there was family to share it with. Once you get older and there isn’t any more family- dealing with that specific holiday brings up its own heart ache.

Christmas is a time for happiness and family. Something many long for, especially if they had it once.

I couldn’t help but chuckle with Nick and Anne. My parents did the exact same thing, promising not to get married right away, and joking about it. Even though it tugged on their own heart strings. This is when this book brought back my own memories of my parents and how they dealt with the word cancer. And the part that truly destroys everything and everyone is timing. And sadly, there is nothing we can do about that.

Reading about Lainey and her family made me smile. I can see her in my head. Reading about her makes you smile. You will enjoy her character. Having children around always makes the world a better place.

At Thanksgiving, I too made my children list what they were thankful for. I enjoyed that in this book, they were made to list five things. I wish I had thought of that. I made my kids list one. I think all families should do that. My husband and I still do it to this day.

Another thing that hits home with me is home repairs. I couldn’t even fathom having to get everything done in time for the holidays. Again, this is a timing thing. And as I read there were a lot of things I could relate to too. Especially contractors who like to railroad women. But the hard part is doing home repairs on your own, with you or your family member as the person repairing the home. Finances can get in the way, as well as timing.

All in all, I enjoyed the book, being that a lot of it hit home with me. Relating to a writer in their work, helps you to visualize what it is you are reading. This is one thing I like when I read.

If you want to read a book that will grip your heart strings and even cause you to relate to events, then this book is for you. I will not reveal much more of this book, as it is not my goal to unearth events and ruin the book for you, the reader. Reading this will also help you realize that although you are going through something, so are a lot more people. And sometimes we don’t even know what someone is going through, because they don’t make it known. That is one reason why we need to think before we speak and stop assuming. (Just a forewarning there that we all need reminded about.)

I give this book five stars because it was truly gripping and enjoyable. Remembering the Holidays is a bonus, and dealing with the family is the icing on the cake. Being a survivor or traumatic events isn’t easy on anyone. This book helps you to see from the outside in. Trust me, you need to read it.

 

Here is the interview with the author Karen Hall:

1. What made you write this book, and how long did it take you?

I saw the photo of Chase posted by Furious Fotog and thought the part of the pants I could see looked Christmassy. I thought he looked like a Christmas Grump, so I had to have it. I hadn’t planned on writing the book then, but I had a little time between books.

This was the fastest book I wrote. It took me just over two months.

Merry Friggin’ Christmas is dedicated to my husband. Our early relationship inspired this story.

My husband lost two wives to cancer around Christmas. He also lost his grandpa at Christmas.

When we had our first Christmas together, he was not happy to decorate. I promised just to put up a tree, nativity, and stockings. Over the years, I added more decorations. When we moved into our new house, he was very excited to decorate. He bought me a village, hung balls from the ceiling, hung up two extra large wreaths, and put up outdoor decorations. I have added at least one new blow mold each year.

As I wrote this story, I asked him about his feelings. I asked him why he had changed his mind about liking Christmas. He said that his love for me grew more than the grief he held onto for years.

 

2. Which of the characters are your favorite?

Lanie is adorable. I wanted to capture her pure joy and belief in the magic of the holiday. Natalie is basically me. I haven’t lost a husband, but I took what I knew about how my husband felt to write how she handled her loss. She is stronger than she thinks and stronger than I am.

 

3. How long have you been an author?

I published my first book, Black Bears of Independence Corbin, in December 2017. I chose my initials, K.R. Hall.

 

4. What made you choose to be an author when you grew up?

I wanted to be a writer in the third grade, but my dad told me I needed a job with a guaranteed income. In 2016, I attended a reader convention in Denver, CO, and met my favorite author, V.A. Dold.

As she signed my paperbacks over lunch, I told her about my idea for a book. She encouraged me to write it myself. She helped me get started and answered all my questions. She even had her editor edit my first few books.

 

5. Who designed that gorgeous cover?

I did. The only change I made to the photo I purchased from Furious Fotog was the windows. He was looking out at a brick building. I removed the images and added the winter scene. I also wrote the title and my pen name on the cover.

 

6. What are your hobbies?

I love to read and bake.

 

7. Who is your favorite author?

Oh my, I have many. V. A. Dold no longer writes. I love Suzanne Wright, C. Rochelle, Lily

Mayne, Jade Marshall, and many more.

 

8. Do you have any pet peeves with reading and writing? (Example spelling errors)

I always breeze over typos, but recently, I have noticed several books have had multiple typos per page. I read one book where the author wrote that the character ‘dropped the floor’ instead of ‘dropped the phone.’ I read another where the other mixed up character names multiple times on a single page. There were only two characters on the page.

Over the years, I have taken photos of the errors and sent messages to the author to inform them.

Some authors thanked me, and others ignored me. Since 2012, I have written two 1-star reviews and one 2-star review.

 

9. Are you working on another book at this moment?

I’m currently writing the final book in the Black Bears of Independence series. Galena has taken a few turns that I hadn’t planned. Sometimes, my characters take me on a wild adventure as I write.

Galena is expected to be published in July.

 

10. Please provide links to your books, websites, and social media:

Website: krhauthor.wixsite.com/krhall

Reader Group: www.facebook.com/groups/261658027665746/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/krhall_author/

Twitter: twitter.com/K_R_Hall_author

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/15930105.K_R_Hall

BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/k-r-hall

Allauthor: http://krhall.allauthor.com/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@krhall_author