The 12 Days of Christmas

The 12 Days of Christmas is a series of novellas releasing every two weeks as ebooks on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. An Unexpected Glory, by our very own Marcia Lee Laycock releases October 31st. Here is an interview with both Kathi and Marcia about this exciting series.

First of all, Kathi, please introduce yourself.

I’m Kathi Macias, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, author, abolitionist, former Harley-Davidson rider known as “Easy Writer,” and lover of chocolate anything.

How did the idea of the 12 Days of Christmas series come to be?

I’d actually been playing with the idea for several months when I mentioned it to Giovanni at Helping Hands. He jumped on it. We started chatting, and pretty soon I decided it would be a lot more fun to have 11 other writers come onboard and help me write this collection/series (one story each) than to try to do them all myself. I’m so glad I did because it’s turned into a really fun project!

Have you collaborated with other authors this way before?

Not exactly in the same way. I’ve been a part of similar ones Murray Pura put together, and I once co-compiled a women’s devotional with contributions from scores of women, but this one is the first of a fictional series I’ve launched—though more are in the works!

What did you enjoy about the process and what wasn’t so much fun?

So far I haven’t found anything that wasn’t fun, though the marketing aspect is always a bit stressful and time-consuming for me. Everything else has been a blast. The only downside was that the slots filled up so quickly I had to start turning people away.

Do you have plans to do it again?

Absolutely! When I found myself turning people away, I decided instead to add them to the list for future projects (two per year at this point—a Christmas series and a Mother’s Day series). We are currently filled all the way through 2015!

We’ll be watching for them. Where can readers go to find the stories in The 12 Days of Christmas series?

The first story (mine, titled “Rules of Engagement”) will launch the series on September 1st. It will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. Each new story will launch two weeks apart.

Thanks, Kathi.

Now let’s hear from Marcia. To begin, Marcia, please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m a pastor’s wife, mother of three beautiful grown daughters and two great sons-in-law. I’m also the caregiver of two loveable golden retrievers. <grin> I’ve had the privilege of living a short distance from the Arctic Circle, in Dawson City Yukon and two degrees off the equator in Papua New Guinea. I began writing at a young age and now have two novels and three devotional books in print, one of which, Abundant Rain, is a collection of some of the devotionals for writers I’ve done for Novel Rocket. I also love doing a lot of speaking for women’s groups. My heart is to see women encouraged and brought closer to Christ.

How did you become involved in this series of Christmas stories?

A friend who had been contacted by Kathi emailed me to see if I’d be interested. I jumped on it right away because I had a Christmas story that I’d really like to get out into the marketplace. But God had a different plan. Another idea popped into my head and once I got going on it I realized this was the one to put into this project. It became An Unexpected Glory.

Is this the first time you have contributed to a series like this?

Yes, although I have contributed to several anthologies in the past, the most recent of which is the Hot Apple Cider books, two collections of thirty-some Canadian Christian authors. I also recently contributed to The Story for Scripture Union Canada – a series of devotionals designed to be read on an iphone or ipad that take the reader through the Bible in one year. Working on The 12 Days project has been great because I’ve been in touch with the other writers. We’ve been reading and giving feedback on one another’s stories. It’s been a lot of fun and I’m excited that they are releasing as ebooks, which makes them accessible to so many.

Do you have other projects under way?

I’m always working on something. The third expanded edition of my devotional book, Spur of the Moment will release soon on Amazon so that’s been exciting. Right now I’m putting together the first three chapters of a mystery novel for an agent in the US. Hoping that evolves into a fiction series.

Thank you ladies for being with us on Novel Rocket. We wish you great success with this Christmas series.

Kathi Marcias’ 12 Days of Christmas novellas can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online distributors. An Unexpected Glory releases October 31st with a Thirsty Thursday party on the Helping Hands Press facebook page.

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Becoming a Successful Christian Writer By Kathi Macias

Our guest blogger for our Sunday devotional is award-winning novelist, Kathi Macias. Be sure to check out her books and website. I know you'll be blessed, :)Marcia


Becoming a Successful Christian Writer
By Kathi Macias

We talk about being “Christian writers,” but what does that mean? What distinguishes us from other writers? And what qualifies us as “successful”?

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to write—and I did, getting my first taste of success in elementary school when my story was turned into a play for the PTA. I went on to work on the school newspaper and won several awards in the annual writing contest in high school. Then, at the age of 26, I received Jesus as my Savior. Since I was now a Christian as well as a writer, did that make me a “Christian writer”?

Technically, I suppose so, but realistically…I had a long way to go.
I took several writing and editing classes and eventually landed a job at a newspaper and then a Christian publishing house, and also started doing freelance editing and writing. Did that mean I was finally a Christian writer? And how did I define “successful”?

Then, in the mid-1980’s when AIDS was becoming a household word, I sensed God wanted me to write a book about it. The problem was, I didn’t want to do so. I wrestled and argued awhile, but when I finally gave up and agreed, the storyline fell into place. All I needed was someone who knew about AIDS to serve as a resource.

One night, as I read the newspaper, I noticed a letter to the editor from an angry young man named Mark, who had AIDS and was blaming everyone on the planet except himself for his condition.

I frowned. Surely God didn’t expect me to work with someone like that! Grudgingly I looked up his name in the phonebook, hoping I wouldn’t find it. But there it was, standing out as if it were highlighted in chartreuse, so I called. When he answered and I told him why I was calling, he agreed to help. “I’ll do it for one reason—because I want to make sure you get it right.”

And so we began what was a very rocky relationship. He read everything I wrote, though he didn’t agree with much of it and told me so in no uncertain terms. Yet, at some point we crossed the line from controversial colleagues to friends.

By the time I finished the last chapter, Mark had moved back home with his mother and was failing fast. After reading the final pages of the manuscript, he called and asked, “Do you really believe all that Jesus stuff you wrote about in the book?” When I assured him I did, he said, “Then you have five minutes to convince me why I shouldn’t kill myself right now.”

It took longer than five minutes, but by the time we hung up, Mark had prayed to receive Jesus. Two weeks later, he went home to be with Him.

The story that Mark and I wrote was never published, at least not in its original form. But did God have a purpose in my writing it as I did and when I did? Absolutely. Not only do I now have a dear friend named Mark waiting for me in heaven, but I also know for certain that I am a successful Christian writer, thanks to what came out of a story I wrote that was never published.

God had to strip away a lot of “me” to make that happen, but it was necessary if I ever hoped to wear the title of “Christian writer” with integrity and humility. It is also the requirement we must meet to be considered “successful”—maybe not so much by our fans or colleagues, but by the One who called and equipped us for His purposes.
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Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored more than 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), as well as Novel of the Year (Red Ink) from Golden Scrolls and Carol Award Finalist (Red Ink as well). Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al.


Her newest book, A Christmas Journey Home has been receiving rave reviews. It would make a wonderful Christmas gift.



Deliver Me From Evil - a stirring book on a difficult issue. Again, reviews have been over the top.

Visit Kathi's website at www.kathimacias.com

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