Paperback : 326 pages
ISBN-10 : 1645480496
ISBN-13 : 978-1645480495
Publisher : Rosewind Books (December 1, 2020)
Language: : English
“This heartwarming fantasy from Hutson updates a favorite Christmas trope as a Scrooge-like woman is given the magical gift of a new perspective on her life. Christmas enthusiasts will find this hits the spot.” —Publishers Weekly
“… a blend of romance and fantasy in A Christmas Carol style of writing. An outstanding inspirational
read for the holidays.” —Midwest Book Review
“A story of second chances, Write Christmas will make you believe in the magic of the season again.” —The Nerd Daily
Abby Nicholson used to love Christmas. Until she didn’t.
After leaving Winter Glen, the small town famous for its Christmas celebration and her family’s greeting card company, Abby is forced to return to the home she left behind when the unexpected passing of her father thrusts the business into her hands.
Turning her back on the magic of the holiday beloved by her father and the town, she decides to sell the business. Signing the paperwork with the very pen her father used to create it, she is shocked to discover her hometown has become a whole new world.
One where Christmas has vanished!
Now stuck in a place devoid of hope, joy, and the spirit of the season, Abby sees family and friends altered in the most terrible of ways.
Determined to set things right, though unsure how, Abby takes out her father’s pen and begins to draw. When she realizes her art is coming to life, she sets out to recreate the holiday and bring back the most wonderful time of the year.
But some are determined to keep an iron grip on the town and will do anything in their power to stop her.
MY REVIEW
I received a copy for an honest review. What follows is my opinion and mine alone. There was no compensation for this review.
Write Christmas is a holiday book about a small town and the consequences of their actions leading to a hopeful revelation. It is written by Thommy Hutson, author of another book I reviewed, Jinx.
I was pulled into Write Christmas for its holiday magic feel blurb, but stayed for the character dynamics. I honestly would have to say that the blurb is slightly misleading. The book itself weaves different narratives and for the first quarter, we are introduced to the main cast. I’m not generally a big fan of books where the main storyline doesn’t get moving until after the 30% mark, but this book wasn’t bad.
The writing is well done and each character feels like their own. The magic of the story is strong as well. Winter Glen felt like a real town. Its people felt real. The overall book though, can best be described as a melting pot of multiple Hallmark holiday movies mixed in a blender. All with their own mini storyline culminating into a beautiful Christmas narrative.
Honestly, it didn’t bother me, but I feel the blurb could be written differently to reflect the more core of the story: its town and the people residing in it. It is a good book for the holiday reader. Not preachy, but filled with that fluffy snow goodness and hot cocoa warmth.
Thommy Hutson is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, director, and best-selling author.
A graduate of UCLA, he launched his career co-writing the story for the Warner Bros. animated hit SCOOBY-DOO IN WHERE’S MY MUMMY? He followed that with co-writing the concept and additional material for CHILL OUT, SCOOBY-DOO!
His career took a thrilling turn writing and producing several definitive genre film retrospectives for television and home entertainment: SCREAM: THE INSIDE STORY (Bio Channel), NEVER SLEEP AGAIN: THE ELM STREET LEGACY (Bio Channel), CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF FRIDAY THE 13th (RLJ/Image), MORE BRAINS! A RETURN TO THE LIVING DEAD (Chiller) and HIS NAME WAS JASON: 30 YEARS OF FRIDAY THE 13th (Starz/Anchor Bay).
He was also a staff writer on the Hulu daily web series “The Morning After,” a smart, witty, pop culture program aimed at getting viewers up-to-date on the latest entertainment news and celebrity interviews.
Thommy produced the critically acclaimed feature THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH, an insightful relationship drama starring Lea Thompson and John Shea. He also produced DREAMWORLD, a quirky, romantic dramedy.
He co-wrote and produced ANIMAL for Chiller Films and Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films. The project debuted in iTunes’ top ten horror films (reaching #1) and became the network’s highest-rated original movie.
He produced and made his feature directorial debut with THE ID, an independent psychological drama/thriller. The film won Best Thriller at The Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival and Filmmaker Magazine stated it was “a deeply unsettling thriller that’s as moving as it is frightening … with skillful, provocative direction that has echoes of early Polanski.”
Thommy also wrote the screenplay for Syfy Channel’s supernatural horror film TRUTH OR DARE, which was a trending topic on social media the night of its premiere and continues to rank high on Netflix.
As a best-selling author Thommy crafted a limited-edition coffee table book detailing the making and legacy of horror icon Wes Craven’s 1984 classic A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. A trade version (Permuted Press/Simon & Schuster) was also released. His latest novel, the teen thriller “Jinxed,” (Vesuvian Media) is the first book of a trilogy and has been called “A must-read for classic horror fans…Inevitable and shocking. Homage and originality…Hutson could easily take on the mantle as the next Lois Duncan.” The book reached #1 in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia and was the winner for Best Horror at the International Book Awards and Best YA Horror in the Readers’ Choice Awards.
He wrote the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original film A CHRISTMAS FOR THE BOOKS, which was the highest-rated scripted program the night it premiered, produced THE FINAL WISH (Cinedigm) written by Final Destination creator Jeffrey Reddick and starring Lin Shaye and Tony Todd, and co-scripted the teen thriller INSTAFAME (Lifetime).
Thommy recently wrote the screenplay for an audiobook holiday project, is in development on a family feature, and is hard at work on “Cursed,” the second installment of the “Jinxed” trilogy.
A member of the Producers Guild of America and Horror Writers Association, a Saturn and Home Media Magazine award-winner, and an aficionado of horror and teen movies from the 80s and 90s, Thommy continues to develop unique, compelling, and provocative projects across multiple genres for film, television, publishing, and home entertainment.
Casia's Corner 