An optimist and opportunist, Strife is a self-made author, cover designer, and editor. Best known as Elysia Strife, who writes primarily sweet holiday romance, she most loves writing dystopian science fiction fantasy novels under the pseudonym variation E. L. Strife. She is an upcoming author of young adult fantasy as Elysia Lumen and looks forward to diving deeper into the world of magic.
Strife has toured castles, haunted houses, frozen caves, lava tubes, and concentration camps. She’s a hopeless empath who needs the quiescence of hiking in the Cascades, camping, and snowboarding to recharge. She also enjoys reading on rainy and snowy mornings with a fire going, even if it’s just the fake one in her RV. She craves learning new things, like how to work on her 1981 Corvette, her jeep, and the four-wheeler that just won’t budge.
Strife lives with an amazing man who can build anything he puts his mind to and a rescued dog that steals socks and chases the vacuum. Together, they travel the country—from the golden plains of North Dakota to the warm ocean of the southern Texas coast and back to the green valleys and vineyards of Oregon. Anywhere is home as long as they’re together.
If you’d like to know when Strife’s next books will be out, and to ensure you hear about her giveaways, visit her website: elstrife.com and subscribe via the links on her homepage.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: http://www.elstrife.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElysiaLStrife
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElysiaStrife
It actually started out as a rough sketch of a story set in the Montana mountains. I came up with Claire’s character first. I think it was a Veterans’ widow support group ad that made me begin. This book has been in the works for a couple years but didn’t really fall into place until this year.
I meet a lot of interesting people in the RV parks we stay at. Their stories are diverse and often inspiring. So many have struggled to make ends meet this year with the pandemic that I finally found ideas for Zach’s character and really dialed him in.
Can you tell us a little about the main characters of your book?
Claire is an Army widow, fighting to save the log mansion her husband built for them. She hosts weddings, birthdays, and New Years parties. She’s also a former journalist, but quit her job to start a family with her late husband. Claire and Stanly moved to Montana to get away from the rush of the city life they were used to but tired of. Now Claire’s alone and hanging onto her home by a thread. She never ventured out much to make friends as she lives outside of town. But she makes the weekly trek in for church because church was Stanly’s thing. She’ll do anything to hang on to his memory.
Zach is the oldest of three boys with an older half-brother. He’s a former Marine, tough and relentless when it comes to work, but as tender-hearted as they get. Zach grew up poor and got into some trouble in his youth that their small town can’t let go of. He knows what it feels like to be constantly judged, but he doesn’t complain.
Zach is Claire’s new hired help, and jumps at the second chance. The longer he works on the venue, the more he uncovers about its shaky future. Claire won’t ask for help. Finally finding someone who can understand his battles, a woman who also bakes delicious cookies and always puts him first, Zach realizes he’s got himself into quite a predicament. Falling for her means breaking the contract and losing his job. Neither one of them can afford that. But Zach can’t fight his feelings forever.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would that be?
It’s not impossible. Start writing now. You’ve been making up stories since you were little. Stop caring what everyone will think of you and spend that energy taking writing classes and joining critique groups. Everyone has a story to tell.
What would you say is one of your interesting writing quirks?
I love fragmented sentences. I imagine it’s hard for some people to get used to. I believe, when done to reflect the character’s emotional status or mood of the scene, it can be effective.
Do you hear from your readers? What do they say?
On occasion, I’ll get an email from someone who has reviewed my book somewhere and they wanted me to know, which is really kind of them and always makes my day!
I recently did a paperback drawing for The Kiss that Saved Christmas. I always do one for my subscribers with each new publication. The winner this time was a woman who’d been reading since she was a young child, now 76 (I won’t mention her name), and she’d never had a signed copy of a book before! I feel so honored to be the one who gets to send her, her first signed copy. What an amazing feeling!
What is the toughest criticism given to you as an author?
Ah yes, the “ouch” button…
There’s a post on Amazon from a customer that haunts my reviews. It’s on my first holiday romance novel, A Christmas in Montana. She’s upset because I left so many loose ends that she’d have to buy the next book to see what happened next. It’s a book series with book 3 publishing May, 2021. I’m certain this is how a series works, a few little threads and questions left to encourage the reader on into the story…but my integrity won’t let me say anything. As an author, I can’t rightly contest what she believes is “too many.” I really leave one loose end in regard to the character, Boone, who stashes a bullet in the main character, Orion’s, pocket. But that book isn’t about him, it’s about Orion and Matt falling in love. Book 2 is more about Boone. Book 3, well, I’m not going to spoil it for anyone, but I prefer happily-ever-after endings.
This same novel received criticism from a contest I applied to. I was told all of my characters had Multiple Personality Disorder and I needed to invest in some psychology classes. Trouble is, both of my Bachelor’s Degrees are in Public Health and Human sciences. I’ve had psychology, physiology, interpersonal communication, housing studies, sociology… you name it. The critique attacked me more as a person (apparently I’m uneducated) and not the work as much itself. I took it hard, but A Christmas in Montana has many 4 and 5 star reviews.
I try to let these things go now. We’re always going to get a few readers who don’t click with every book we write. I’ve had bad reviews from reviewers whose average is a one or two star review on everything. What does that tell me? That they don’t get enough hugs in their lives. It doesn’t necessarily mean the writing or the story is bad, just that maybe the audience needs to be refined. Bad reviews always catch in my throat a little bit. But I take a breath, learn what I can, and focus on improving the next publication.
What has been your best accomplishment?
With each book, I set out to make one person’s life better. Just one. If I can inspire one person, take them away for a short vacation, and make them happy for a few hours, my goal is complete. Any time I get feedback from readers, I consider that my greatest accomplishment. It means my writing has stuck with them enough that they felt compelled to share their thoughts with me and/or others. Making my readers happy is everything.
Do you Google yourself?
I do not. I suppose if I ever get around to studying SEO and implementing it on my website I might just to research if the tactics are working. But my goal isn’t to be number one or even number 1000. I just want to write stories with meaning that my readers enjoy.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Pfah… oh I’ve got just under 100 lined out, some half-written. But they’re a mix of holiday romance, dark romance, children’s books, science fiction, and fantasy. Oh and I’ve got a five-book mystery collection I’m working on too. We’ll see how many I get done! I should’ve started writing much earlier, but I was more concerned with making other people happy and paying rent than chasing my dreams when I was younger. Silly me. What was I thinking?
My husband is the reason I can do this now. I hope someday to return his favor with what I make writing. I can just hear his ratchets and pneumatic tools thundering and whirring in the garage as future-me writes for a living! (Fingers crossed.)
Fun question – if you were princess or prince, what’s one thing you would do to make your kingdom a better place?
Ooh, tough question. I have too many ideas!
I think I’d skip the fancy garb, train as a warrior/knight, and then patrol the streets as I gather the children for story time. I would read books to them, bring snacks, teach them self-defense, and talk about emotions. I think the best way to ensure a better future for a kingdom is to teach children understanding, acceptance of others, emotional intelligence, and how to protect themselves and their neighbors. They need to know they’re important, their decisions matter, and that we can only build a strong kingdom if we do it together.
Do you have anything specific that you would like to say to your readers?
Thank you so much for your support. You make continuing this journey possible. As much as I love writing and publishing, it isn’t feasible or worthwhile without you.
I appreciate this opportunity to share with you bits about The Kiss that Saved Christmas and my writing in general. I hope you have a wonderful day!
Love,
Elysia
Title: THE KISS THAT SAVED CHRISTMAS
Author: Elysia Strife
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 310
Genre: Holiday Romance
Claire’s husband passed away two years ago this Christmas, leaving her alone and in charge of a beautiful and overwhelming cabin venue in the Montana mountains. She’s low on cash, the truck won’t start, and fewer people are calling in event requests.
Every past assistant has been problematic and disappointing. With one final wedding scheduled for the year, Claire is desperate to make a good impression and needs the property in top shape. Only one candidate remains: Zach.
Zach is prior service, down on his luck, and shamed by the town for the actions of his youth. Even after a decade of service, he can’t escape the gossip.
Claire has no option but to entrust him with the future of Briar Ridge—her future. She just wished he didn’t have to remind her so much of her late husband. Yet Zach is different, bringing with his burdens an unexpectedly sweet side.
Zach is full of surprises.
She doesn’t want to fall for him.
He can’t help but fall for her.
A sweet holiday romance with a few curses and some violence.
PRAISE
“A beautiful, gentle story with believable characters that have heart, feelings & Christian values.” – Danica McMahon (Goodreads Review) 5 Stars
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