Beauty in the Binding: Author Interview: Christmas Wishes by Carmen Peone

Monday, December 8, 2025

Author Interview: Christmas Wishes by Carmen Peone

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Christmas Wishes by Carmen Peone, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Christmas Wishes
Series: Seven Tine Ranch Romance
Author: Carmen Peone
Publisher: Iron Stream Media
Release Date: December 2, 2025
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Western Romance

One dream wedding. Two uncertain futures. A season of decisions that could change everything….

At Seven Tine Guest Ranch, Mandie Sellars serves guests as a cook, but her aspiration is to be the ranch’s event planner. When a surprise Christmas Eve wedding lands in her lap, Mandie sees this as her chance to shine—if she can handle the pressure.

Her fiancé, Hudson Piccolo, just took the call of his his dream legal job. There’s just one catch—the job is in Seattle, clear across the state. Accepting it means leaving the ranch and upending Mandie’s and her daughter’s lives.

Can their love withstand the tension between their ambitions and their commitment?

Book Excerpt

“The electrician should be here any time.” Trey gazed at her. “Why don’t you go to the lodge, and I’ll let you know when everything’s fixed.”

“You think an hour? Or two? What are we looking at?” With his headlamp aimed past Mandie, she squinted at her to-do lists. Good gracious. What else could go wrong? Without any lights, this would be the darkest Winter Wonderland ever.

Trey dropped the cords and turned his head, erasing her light. “I’m not sure. It might only take an hour, but there are no guarantees.”

Mandie sighed, then gathered a box containing her notebooks and Holly’s party favors. Her cell phone rang. The time read 11 a.m., and the bright screen revealed Holly’s DJ’s name and number. Oh good. She welcomed his confirmation and appreciated his timeliness. She answered the call.

“Hey. I hate to do this, but I have to cancel working Holly’s wedding. We have a family emergency.” Shock choked the air out of her. She blinked several times. Had she heard him correctly?

About the Author

Carmen Peone is an award-winning author of Young Adult and Inspirational Western Romantic Suspense. With the love of history and the Western woman’s lifestyle, she weaves healing, hope, and horses into her stories. With a thread of romance. She lives with her husband in Northeast Washington on the Colville Confederated Indian Reservation.

Connect with Carmen by visiting carmenpeone.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

Author Interview

Q: What inspired you to write Christmas Wishes?

Carmen: A reader friend wanted Mandie to have her own story. Great idea! She’s the spunky guest ranch cook in the Seven Tine Ranch Romance series who has a Christmas wish.

Q: How long did it take to write this book?

Carmen: It took me about a month. Then, of course, another one for rewrites, because all writing is rewriting. 😊

Q: What surprised you while researching/writing this novel?

Carmen: What surprised me the most was Mandie’s transition from broken woman to one who gets it all together. I love her desire to be the ranch's event planner. She’d got talent! She’s a go-getter. And her love for her culture is inspiring.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from Christmas Wishes?

Carmen: My favorite quote is “No matter where we live, I want to feel this way for the rest of my life.” ~ Mandie Sellars. I took this quote and made a postcard that readers can color. On the back is info about the book and where to buy it.

Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Carmen: When I moved to my husband’s reservation, and wrote my first book as a young mother. I wrote historical YA adventure stories featuring Native American characters before I added contemporary Western romance to the mix.

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Carmen: I struggle with food allergies and have to bring my own food when I travel. It’s a pain, but I am pretty healthy because I have to eat very clean, limited food. I carry Benadryl and an EpiPen wherever I go. Thankfully, I’ve never had to use the EpiPen, but I have to use the Benadryl roll-on often.

Q: What are you currently reading?

Carmen: Meet Me on Blueberry Hill by Lisa Jordan. It’s a super cute book. Tropes include: A grumpy/sunshine, boy-next-door, wounded hero, small town romance.

Q: What is your favorite genre to read?
Carmen: Contemporary romance, but I do like a good historical now and then.

Q: What is your favorite hobby?

Carmen:I love to ride horses, play with my grandkids, and take photos.

Q: What is your favorite season and why?

Carmen: I love the season of June. It’s the end of spring and the beginning of summer. Everything is green, flowers are blooming, and the temperatures in my area are in the low to mid-80s.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of Christmas Wishes and some other Christmas-related goodies!

(3) additional winners will each receive a signed copy of Christmas Wishes!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight December 8, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on December 15, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!