Christmas Under Construction: A
Heartwarming, Feel Good, Second Chance Christmas Romance (McKenna Sisters Book
2) Kindle Edition
How does one go from socializing at the country club with the
perfect family, living in a mansion and driving a Lexus—to wrestling
salamanders and tutus with two feuding daughters, living in a rundown ski lodge
and driving a demonic minivan?
Megan's post-divorce life has proven more difficult than
binge eating fruitcake. With no particular skill set, and the dating pool
thinner than a piece of tinsel, she considers giving in to sweatpants, carbs,
and bottomless mugs of eggnog. However, when her sisters ask her to renovate
the old Mistletoe Lodge, she optimistically accepts.
Stone Reynolds has sworn off work and women. However, upon
hearing about a rustic ski lodge in desperate need of remodeling, the handsome,
rugged handyman can’t help but want in.
Megan is modern luxe, white fur, and chandeliers. Stone is
rustic elements, vintage accents, and weathered wood. Megan is modern luxe,
white fur, and chandeliers. Stone is rustic elements, vintage accents, and
weathered wood. The last thing Megan needs is a flannel-wearing, country music
loving, know it all contractor. The one thing Stone can’t afford is a
beautiful, complicated distraction. As sleigh rides and mistletoe swirl around
them, an unexpected kiss nearly melts the snow off their boots. As the old lodge
gets a fresh start, will they discover that second chances aren’t just for
fixer-uppers?
Presents
"Christmas Under Construction"
Tell your readers a little about yourself, where you
grew up, where you live now, where you went to school etc. Let them get to know
the personal you.
Fun
Facts About Me
I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Statistics from The
College of New Jersey but wish I would have been an Architect or studied
Fashion or Interior Design.
I’m the author of Abby’s Adventures, a children’s series written to promote
self-esteem, which earned recognition from Jess Weiner and the Dove Real Beauty
Campaign.
Currently, I’m working on the finishing touches of Book Three in the McKenna
Series and have three finished books waiting in the wings!
I am the recipient of the prestigious Award for Excellence in Writing given to
me by Mrs. Uble, in second grade. (It still counts)
My very patient husband Joe and I live in a small town in New Jersey thirty
minutes North of Philadelphia and an hour from my beloved Jersey Shore. We run
a bed and breakfast of sorts, our home has a revolving door with three adult
children, and one sweet grandson dropping in, some for extended stays.
On any given day you can find me fulfilling my interior design dreams by
rearranging furniture at the expense of my husband’s bum. (After thirty years
together, he should know to look before he sits.)
What
inspired you to author this book?
Christmas
Under Construction is the second book in the McKenna
Sisters Series, which is, of course, inspired in part by my love of Christmas
and all it represents. Megan McKenna’s story is the next in the series and
picks up where Molly’s story, Mistletoe, Mayhem & Mr. Right leaves off,
with the beginning Christmas Village. My inspiration for this story is to share
the messy, chaotic, yet wonderful side of second chances. I try to create characters
that are instantly identifiable, who by the book’s end will feel like old
friends. Megan’s story is created to reach all the women who have struggled
with the arduous task of rebuilding their life, only to realize their own
strength and ultimately learn that happily ever after starts with you. I hope
to inspire women to believe in themselves, through this heartwarming romance
filled with a sleigh full of laughs.
Where
did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
This
cover was designed to transcend the reader into the setting of the book,
Mistletoe Lodge at Christmas. I want my readers to look at the cover and feel
the magic of the season. Another important role of this cover is to show the
complicated yet humorous side of romance by including Megan’s two daughters and
a pug who wears pearls.
Who
has been the most significant influence on you personally and as a writer?
The
most significant person to influence my writing has been my mother, Lee Duffy.
When I was a child, she would always make up stories to tell me before bed each
night. I looked forward to the places we’d visit in our imagination and
continued the tradition with my kids. One night when I couldn’t sleep because
my mind was in worry mode, I decided to try my mom’s method on myself. I
started thinking up stories to help me fall asleep. Low and behold my first
book was born. The tradition has continued ever since.
The
person I am today is an unusual mix of three influential people. These three
people have influenced me intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. The
first person is Albert Einstein, for fostering my creativity and challenging me
intellectually with his unapologetic quest for answers, the ability to never
lose the childlike wonder of asking questions, along with his ferocious love of
creativity. “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” Albert Einstein
The second person who has had an influence on my views is Audrey Hepburn. She
has influenced my decisions on both poise and style, but for me, Audrey taught
me a very important life lesson. Her advice on true beauty was, “For beautiful
eyes look for the good in others, for beautiful lips speak in words of kindness
and for poise walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” In a world
where such heavy emphasis is placed on physical appearance, I’ve embraced her
words and always look for people’s true beauty on the inside.
The third person is Mother Theresa, and her quote which I strive to live by,
“Spread love wherever you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving
happier.” Regardless of your faith or beliefs, Mother Theresa understood the
one principle that connects us all is that the power of kindness and the
importance of love can change the world.
What
were your struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to get this book written?
The
struggles and obstacles a writer must overcome are endless. However, for me,
the struggle has never been in the writing process itself. Creating characters
and developing storylines invigorates me. It’s one of my greatest joys. The one
thing I struggle with is pulling myself away from my writing to handle the
business side of writing a book. When I first sat down at my computer years ago
to start writing, I had no idea that so many decisions were needed to make sure
your book finds its way to the right audience. However, this struggle has given
me the opportunity to work with people from all over the world.
Tell
your readers about your book.
Megan
McKenna’s life has been turned upside down since the day her husband left her
for a younger woman, taking with him her country club lifestyle and her
confidence. Megan finds herself living in the old Mistletoe Lodge, the final
project for the Christmas Village. She agrees to tackle the interior design of
the lodge. However, unbeknownst to her, her younger sister Molly has hired
Stone Reynolds, a rugged handyman to help with the renovation. Megan is modern
luxe, white fur, and chandeliers. Stone is rustic elements, vintage accents,
and weathered wood. With two dueling daughters, two meddling sisters, a dating
pool thinner than a piece of tinsel, and one impossible yet undeniably sexy
contractor, Megan realizes rebuilding her life has proven more difficult than
binge eating fruitcake. Megan and Stone are as different as their design
styles, however, for some reason against their better judgment, they keep
ending up in each other’s arms. Will they realize that second chances aren’t
just for lodges? Christmas Under Construction is filled with the joy of the
season, the love of family, and the promise of second chances. This
heartwarming, holiday romance brings readers along for one very merry ride with
the McKenna sisters as they build a magical Christmas Village.
Who
is your target audience, and why?
My
target audience consists of women who enjoy lighthearted romantic comedies. The
genre is Women’s Contemporary Romance or Chic Lit. My reader enjoys strong
character voices, feel-good endings, and laugh out loud stories filled with hope
and delightfully imperfect romance.
What
do you consider your greatest success in life?
Besides
raising my three wonderful children, the one thing I pride myself on is
spreading kindness and joy to as many people as I can. I consider my writing to
be a platform for me to provide laughter, hope, and inspiration to brighten my
reader’s world. My greatest success in life would be to bring happiness to
others through my writing.
What
one unique thing sets you apart from other writers in your genre?
One
thing that sets me apart from other authors is that all my books are inspired
by a music playlist that runs in my head. The songs set the mood for the
characters and the interactions they will encounter. For each book, I make a
sharable Spotify playlist for my readers to download and listen, so they feel
like they are actually in the story. Stop by my website @www.ryleeromance.com to
follow each book’s unique Spotify list and join in the fun.
fOLLOW THE AUTHOR
www.ryleeromance.com
Good Reads- Rylee Ridolfi
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