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Nov 21, 2013
I'm excited today to interview Candice Patterson, author of the Christmas novella, Bright Copper Kettles.
Here's a bit about Candice:
Candice Sue Patterson
studied at The Institute of Children’s Literature and is an active member of
American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in southern Indiana with her
husband and three sons in a restored farmhouse overtaken by books. When she’s
not tending to her chickens, splitting wood or baking bread, she’s at her
computer working on a new story. Candice writes contemporary romance with
threads of nostalgia set in the east coast.
Here's a bit about Bright Copper Kettles:
Christmastown, Vermont: where it’s Christmas 365 days a year…
To Darcy Carr the holiday is depressing enough without reliving it every day. Her thriving wreath business and faithful cat are no longer enough to distract her from the pain of her past memories or her current loneliness. Is her frosty neighbor, the only man in town with no Christmas decorations, just another Scrooge, or could he be the one she’s been looking for?
Coppersmith Dean Whitfield hasn’t celebrated Christmas—or anything else—since the death of his wife and unborn child. And he certainly has no desire to carry on the family tradition of crafting a star for the town’s Christmas tree, even if it will benefit a charity. Can Darcy and the joy of the season thaw his frozen heart and help him love again?
To Darcy Carr the holiday is depressing enough without reliving it every day. Her thriving wreath business and faithful cat are no longer enough to distract her from the pain of her past memories or her current loneliness. Is her frosty neighbor, the only man in town with no Christmas decorations, just another Scrooge, or could he be the one she’s been looking for?
Coppersmith Dean Whitfield hasn’t celebrated Christmas—or anything else—since the death of his wife and unborn child. And he certainly has no desire to carry on the family tradition of crafting a star for the town’s Christmas tree, even if it will benefit a charity. Can Darcy and the joy of the season thaw his frozen heart and help him love again?
And now the interview! I love the title Bright Copper
Kettles. A line from one of my favorite
songs. Which came first, the title or
the story?
The title came first, as it
does with all of my stories. It all started with an article I read about the D.
Picking Company in Ohio who still makes copper kettles by hand after over 140
years in business. I love all things nostalgic and knew I wanted to include
that in my story. The picture that accompanied the article showed a gleaming
copper kettle that reflected images of the room. That sparked the faith message
of the story. And the title is part of a very famous song, so with that I
figured I couldn’t go wrong.
What is Darcy’s biggest fear?
Darcy’s biggest fear is never
finding Mr. Right, growing old in a big house with no one but her cat for
company.
What do you like most about Dean?
I
love his heart. He’s a warm, giving person who let grief bury him so deep he
forgot who he was. I love his transformation back to the man God created him to
be.
Why is the setting important to this
story?
Many of us love Christmas so
much that we want it to be Christmas every day. In Christmastown, Vermont, it
is. In a snowy village full of bed and breakfasts, candy stores, and craft
shops, there’s no better place for two business owners to fall in love.
Which Bible verse would you most ascribe
this story and why?
Jeremiah 18: 6—O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as
this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so
are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. (KJV)
Even though the story is about
copper kettles and not clay, the same principle applies. It takes work,
patience, molding, and sometimes fire to make a usable earthly vessel, the same
as it does for our lives as Christians to become usable vessels for Christ that
reflect Him.
What do you hope readers will take with
them from Bright Copper Kettles?
Sometimes
in the midst of tragedy, it feels like God isn’t there, even though He is. The
book’s theme is: The God on the mountain (good times) is still God in the
valley (hard times). The thing I want readers to take away most is that even
when we’re hurting or angry, we can tell God. He already knows what we’re going
through. If we tell Him how we feel, it keeps the door of communication with
Him open so he can speak to us. If we clam up and don’t pray, even when it’s
hard to, we close that door and can allow our emotions control us. Then we
become unusable vessels for Him.
What are you working on now?
Very soon, I will begin a new
Christmas story (book #2 of My Favorite Things series). I’m currently putting
the final touches on a novel that I’ve been working on all year.
Where can people connect with you?
I love meeting people through
my blog and Facebook page.
Candice is a member of the Quid Pro Quills, the American Christian Fiction Writers critique group I belong to. We've known each other for over a year now. Candice keeps me in line and helps my characters become "real." Her characters are very real and fresh. You'll enjoy Bright Copper Kettles.
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6 comments:
What a wonderful interview! Thanks for sharing. I'm delighted to know there are more Christmas stories on the way from Ms. Patterson. Thoroughly enjoyed Bright Copper Kettles!
Thanks, Jericha!
And thank you, Pegg, for having me on your blog!
Happy to have you here, Candice. I enjoyed Bright Copper Kettles and I know others will enjoy it as well.
Woo hoo!! Love this author and this book!
Wonderful interview. I had the privilege of reading Bright Copper Kettles before it was released, and it's a great story. Congrats, Candice!
Thank you all so much! I enjoyed writing it and pray that it's a blessing to others. :)
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