Rachael Bloome is a hopeful romantic. Joyfully living in her very own love story, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two rescue dogs, Finley and Monkey. When she’s not writing, helping to run the family coffee roasting business, or getting together with friends, she’s busy planning their next big adventure. Torn between her small-town roots and her passion for traveling the world, she weaves both into her stories ~ and her life. Rachael was recently featured in the December issue of Welcome Home. She generously answered a few questions about becoming a writer and what’s next for her!

1. Why did you become a writer?
My reason for becoming a writer is two-fold. Firstly, I absolutely love telling stories. Being an author is truly the best job in the world. Secondly, as an avid romance reader, I saw a need for the kind of stories I wanted to tell—romances centered around love as described in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. “Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” As someone who went through a time of hopelessness, those words were incredibly healing. And when someone reads one of my stories, I want them to believe with all their heart that those words are true.

2. What inspired your current book?

My current book was inspired by my ardent love of Christmas. To me, the magic of the season is rooted in hope. And I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate my favorite holiday than creating a heartbroken character who doesn’t like Christmas and taking her on a journey of discovering hope, love, and a place to call home.

3. What is next for you?

After falling madly in love with the setting and characters I created for my current novel, The Clause in Christmas, I’ve planned an entire series centered around the quaint, charming town of Poppy Creek and its quirky, kind-hearted residents. The second book, The Truth in Tiramisu, will be released in the spring, and I’m so excited readers will be able to revisit Poppy Creek. Since the town is loosely based on the area where I grew up, sitting down to write these stories feels like coming home. In many ways, my writing journey has just begun. And I can’t wait to see where it takes me.