![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elizabethhollandauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Author-Photo-Sandy-Barker-249x300.jpeg\")
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Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She\u2019s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sandy lives in Melbourne Australia with her partner, Ben, who she met while travelling in Greece. Their real-life love story inspired Sandy\u2019s debut novel One Summer in Santorini<\/i>, the first in the Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The series continues in That Night in Paris <\/i>and A Sunset in Sydney <\/i>and there are two more to come in 2022. Her standalone novel The Christmas Swap<\/i> celebrates her favourite time of the year, and next up is The Dating Game<\/i>, a laugh-out-loud romcom set in the world of Reality TV.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I really wanted to write a Christmas book as it\u2019s my favourite holiday and I started thinking back over the Christmases I\u2019ve had, particularly those in the US and the UK, which are quite different from the hot Christmases we enjoy here in Australia. Once I had the spark of the idea, that three friends who live in three different countries would swap Christmases, the characters started forming in my head \u2015 each distinct and each with a different feeling about the holiday. Lucy from the UK is desperate for a proper white Christmas, so is enticed by a trip to Colorado. Jules from Colorado is over the freezing winters and jumps at the chance of a hot Christmas in Melbourne, and Chloe is keen to swap her orphans\u2019 \u2015\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n her parents are going on a cruise \u2015 for a traditional British Christmas in a sleepy English village. And, of course, as I write romcoms, hilarity and romance follow.<\/p>\n Lucy and Will (Jules\u2019 hot brother) are in a traffic jam because of a snowstorm and they are both desperate for a wee. It\u2019s awkward and funny and sweet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We always put up a tree, even if we\u2019re going to be travelling for Christmas. It\u2019s usually just the two of us on Christmas morning, and we play carols and eat Christmas cookies while we open stocking presents. We love to have people over for a formal Christmas lunch \u2013 which here in Australia might be baked salmon, gourmet salads and a pavlova. We dress up \u2013 nice to have a reason to dress up! \u2013 and drink (lots of) sparkling wine. After lunch we\u2019ll exchange gifts and maybe play some silly Christmas trivia game or watch a Christmas movie.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019ve had two Christmases with my nephew, Alexander, (and his parents) \u2013 once when he was 3 and the second time when he was 7. They live in the UK so we haven\u2019t seen them for 3 years, so those are especially fond memories. He loves<\/i> all things Christmas and we did the all the fun things you get to do with kids \u2013 cookies out for Santa, food out for the reindeer, the glee of opening presents on Christmas morning. I will always cherish those memories.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019d buy Jules something \u2018techie\u2019 like the latest earbuds. For Chloe, she\u2019d love a gorgeous robe \u2013 something in silk. And for Lucy, I\u2019d ask her favourite romcom author to sign copies of their books \u2013 a complete set for her bookshelf.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019ve read so many that I\u2019ve loved. Two that out this year that I LOVED \u2013 I got to be an early reader \u2013 are Jessica Redland\u2019s Snowflakes Over the Starfish Caf\u00e9<\/i> and Katie Ginger\u2019s The Perfect Christmas Present.<\/i> Last year, I absolutely loved Annie O\u2019Neil\u2019s Miracle on Christmas Street<\/i>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Probably Cat from the Holiday Romance series, as she is (heavily) inspired by my sister and I really miss her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Publishing my latest book The Dating Game<\/i> while writing two more books \u2013 all while in the longest and strictest lockdown in the world. (I live in Melbourne). Accomplishing those milestones and keeping creatively buoyant were challenging.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am just about to dive into edits for book 4 in the Holiday Romance series, A Sunrise Over Bali<\/i>. I have just sent across the manuscript for book 5, A Wedding in Tuscany<\/i>, and I have also co-authored a completely different type of book \u2013 a contemporary drama\/crime thriller \u2013 with Fiona Leitch. We\u2019re wrapping up edits and soon our agent will be sending it to publishing houses. And after I send across Bali edits, I will start writing The May Ladies\u2019 Christmas<\/i>, which is the sequel to The Christmas Swap<\/i>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Prefer real but we have a fake one.<\/p>\n Prefer no tinsel<\/p>\n Mince pies \u2013 yum!<\/p>\n Both!<\/p>\n Christmas Day! That\u2019s when we open presents!<\/p>\n Christmas music on replay for at least two weeks leading up to Christmas!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Where can you find Sandy?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/sandybarker<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sandybarkerauthor<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elizabethhollandauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/The-Christmas-Swap-197x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat was your inspiration behind a book set at Christmas?<\/b><\/h3>\n
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What\u2019s your favourite scene in your book?<\/b><\/h3>\n
What does Christmas Day in your household look like?<\/b><\/h3>\n
What\u2019s your most cherished Christmas memory?<\/b><\/h3>\n
If you had to buy your MC a Christmas present what would it be?<\/b><\/h3>\n
What\u2019s your favourite book set at Christmas?<\/b><\/h3>\n
If you could spend Christmas Day with any of your characters who would it be and why?<\/b><\/h3>\n
What has been your biggest achievement in 2021?<\/b><\/h3>\n
What are you working on for 2022?<\/b><\/h3>\n
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This or that:<\/b><\/h3>\n
Real Christmas Tree or False Christmas Trees?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Tinsel or No Tinsel?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Mince Pies or No Mince Pies?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Christmas books or Christmas films?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?<\/b><\/h3>\n
Christmas Tunes or Silence?<\/b><\/h3>\n