Christmas Fiction: Sophie Claire
Everyone loves an enchanting and romantic read in the run-up to Christmas, so we’re sharing a series of newly-released books we’d recommend. The authors have their own special reasons for writing about the festivities, and this time it’s the turn of Sophie Claire to reveal more about her new novel…
Can you tell our readers about your latest book?
This Christmas in Paris is the perfect festive romance for fans of You’ve Got Mail, and it’s set in the snow-covered streets of Paris. Carys was a minor character in my previous book, A Winter’s Dream (although all my books are standalone, so you don’t need to have read it) and this is her story.
When Carys is offered the opportunity to run a French café, she leaps at the chance to discover an exciting city where she can dream big.
Meanwhile, struggling journalist Mat lives in the City of Love – but he’s never found romance himself.
Then, a chance encounter changes everything, and it feels like the start of something wonderful. But Carys and Mat are both keeping secrets…
Can they open their hearts to one another – and maybe even find love, just in time for Christmas?
Why do you enjoy writing about the festive season?
I’ve written three Christmas books and I enjoy it because it’s such a cosy time of year. I love all the lights, decorations and the fairs and markets: they add colour to my books. Christmas is also about family and community, which are both strong themes in all my books, so it fits perfectly with the kind of stories I like to write. The festive period can also be a time of heightened emotions, so it’s great for increasing tension in the story. A lot of us also have time off work, and I love to use the opportunity to take my characters away – usually to the south of France – where exciting things happen!
And finally, I’m a foodie so I enjoy writing about (and researching!) all the cooking and seasonal treats, both British and French.
Why do you think readers enjoy reading Christmas-themed novels so much?
I put this question to my readers and they told me they love the comfort and cosiness of the stories themselves, but also of curling up by the fire to read them. Some read them to get in the mood for Christmas, and some have favourite books they reread each year. The best description I was given was that these books portray the ideal Christmas we’d all love, where families and friends are united, there’s a Christmas spirit of kindness and giving, magic is in the air, and it always snows.
What inspired you to first start writing about Christmas?
Early in my career, I had written two summer books (A Forget-Me-Not Summer and Summer at the French Olive Grove), and I fancied a change. I hadn’t read many Christmas books, but I was keen to write a story set in a sewing shop in the Cotswolds at winter in the snow. I started writing, and the festive season just wove its way into it – or didn’t, in a way, because the story is about Jake and Evie who both want to escape the emotional pressures of Christmas! That book became The Christmas Holiday, and when I signed with Hodder they liked it so much they asked me to write another Christmas book for the following year.
What books or authors (Christmas or non-Christmassy) are some of your influences?
I love all Jojo Moyes’s books and recently I’ve been enjoying Emily Henry. For Christmas reads, there are so many writers producing wonderful books that it’s difficult to narrow it down. Trisha Ashley is the queen of this genre, in my opinion, and I really enjoy Sue Moorcroft, Sarah Morgan and US writer Jane Porter’s books. They’re all so good at their craft that I know their stories are guaranteed to deliver on festive setting and a strong emotional story.
If you’re writing about Christmas during the spring or summer months, is there anything in particular you do to get into the spirit?
I often light a candle when I’m writing – it’s one of the things that helps me get in the zone. Sometimes I listen to Christmas music, but other than that, I simply use my imagination. I know some writers decorate their offices or bake mince pies, but it’s probably better for my waistline that I don’t need to!
When the world is particularly tough, do you think there’s more of a need for these kinds of novels?
They are certainly comforting, and I often get messages from readers telling me my books helped them get through difficult times. Romance novels are uplifting. Although they deal with real-world issues, it’s nice, when you sit down to read, to feel certain that the fictional world you’re entering is going to be better than reality, and that the story will have a happy ending. As a writer, I feel I’ve made an unspoken promise to readers that my work will transport them, whether that’s through an exciting plot, characters, a beautiful setting or – ideally – all three.
How do Christmas novels fit in with the rest of the literary world – what is their place and how do you think they can maintain it?
Looking back in literary history, I wonder if Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol laid the groundwork for the genre. Dickens doesn’t shy away from poverty and hardship, but the story also romanticises Christmas as a magical time when the values of kindness and generosity are paramount, and the community of characters come together in an uplifting ending. It’s a favourite of mine. In the modern world, there’s certainly great demand for them, and I’ve noticed some readers are hungry for them all year round. I’m especially intrigued by the “Christmas in July” trend where people read and review them in July! Personally, I prefer to wait until the nights get darker and I’m ready to curl up by the fire. That week between Christmas and New Year is the perfect time for reading.
What do you take away from writing festive stories?
I love the variety they offer. My books are mostly set in France, so it’s nice to switch from writing stories set in a summer heatwave, to a snowy Christmas setting. It means writing never gets old, and I have plenty of scope to write different stories.
This Christmas In Paris by Sophie Claire is out now (Hodder & Stoughton, PB, £9.99) and available from Amazon.
Also in the series…
Bestselling author Sarah Morgan
