Guest Blog: Heidi Gray McGill and her Christmas Novellas *Free Book to All

Dear Readers,

I'm thankful for you! Thank you for reading this blog and hanging out with me on this journey. I am so grateful for this community. Now, to our repeat guest who has a lot to share!

Introduce yourself — name, where you're from, and something people notice when they meet you.

Thank you for having me again, Christina! For readers who missed my September post, I'm Heidi Gray McGill. I live in a small town just below Charlotte, NC. One thing people might not expect about me? I write these tender, sentimental Christmas stories for a living, and yet I'm honestly not a very sentimental person myself. I have a few scrapbooks I’ve created, but other than that, I keep very little else…much to my husband’s dismay. If it doesn’t immediately have a place or value in the moment, it usually gets thrown out.

Tell us about your books — title and back cover blurb.

I'm sharing three Christmas stories from my Discerning God's Best series with you today, and they actually connect in a way I love.

Before We Belong is the Christmas prequel, set in 1851 Edgefield, South Carolina. Mary Rogers and Melvin Trexler grew up as neighbors but see the world completely differently. When Melvin reluctantly attends the Rogers family's simple Nativity celebration, held in a barn instead of beneath his family's chandeliers, it stirs up questions about justice and faith he's spent his whole life avoiding. It's the story of where the series began, and it's the book I'm giving away free to anyone reading this blog.

Stitched on My Heart (Book 2.5) picks up the story of Mary’s house slave, Delphina, in a roundabout way. Delphina, a young widow, arrives in Shumard Oak Bend after losing her husband on the trail west, carrying their baby girl and a secret about who she really is. By the time a Christmas blizzard traps a good man named Moses out in the snow, she realizes just how much room her heart has made for him.

A Place to Belong (Book 5.5) jumps ahead to Christmas 1878. Josephine Blake arrives in Shumard Oak Bend pregnant, alone, and certain she doesn't deserve a place at anyone's table. Jeremiah Remington, a man who trusts his gut more than most people's word, isn't so sure about that. Christmas morning brings her a gift she never expected, one small enough to fold into a pocket and hold on to for good.

Share one thing you found difficult or challenging about writing this book.

Writing three different Christmases across three different decades and asking each one to stand completely on its own, while still tying back to the same family, was harder than I expected. Keeping each Christmas emotionally whole for a first-time reader, while rewarding the ones who've been with this family since 1851, took a lot more care than I originally planned for.

As an aside, Aimee Lilly, my audiobook narrator makes all my books come to life, but my favorite is Stitched on My Heart. She captured every character, emotion, and tense moment with exceptional skill and made this story come to life! That book, and others, are available on most major retailers and for free on YouTube.

Ask the blog reader a quirky question or two?

Confession time. I don't actually enjoy decorating for Christmas. Don’t get me wrong…I love seeing decorations, and I love the lights as much as anyone, but putting them up and taking them down always felt like it stole time away from the people I actually wanted to be with during the season. I'm not big on keeping mementos either. My girls' handmade ornaments? I gave every one of them back to them so they could hang them on their trees.

Tell me, what's the one thing about Christmas you'd keep if you couldn’t carry on with your normal holiday To Do list? The decorations, the traditions, all of it? Drop your answer in the comments. I'd love to know what Christmas looks like when it's stripped down to just what matters to you.

Share your social media and buy links!

Before We Belong is free right now when you sign up for my newsletter, and I'd love for you to grab it. You'll find many of my books already available in audiobook format on most major retailers, or you can listen for free on YouTube where a comment, like, and subscribe are always appreciated. You can see all of my books on my website. You can also find me on Amazon, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Bluesky, Goodreads, and BookBub. I’d love to connect with you wherever you hang out.

Christina, thank you for the opportunity to spend time with your readers. You are a blessing!

You are welcome, and thank you so much, Heidi! Blessings to you and our readers!