A Novel Kind of Christmas
Kimberly Carlson Aesara’s New Book Inspires…
Sometimes, the path we have in mind for ourselves doesn’t deliver us to our intended location. Sometimes, that path takes the circuitous route to the life we were meant to have. Kimberly Carlson Aesara once had dreams of becoming a country western singer. She began writing songs and went to live in Nashville, where she discovered a new love: reading.
“My love for reading came before my love of writing. Reading novels has always been my greatest teacher. Novels teach me about myself and my world, but I also get to experience the life of others different from me,” says Carlson Aesara.
Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening” was the book that changed it all for Carlson Aesara, shifting her focus from country western singer to novelist: “I wanted to write books and move people the way books change me. I still desire to create beauty. Beauty to me encompasses all of our lives – not just the pretty parts, but the depths of our pain, loneliness and ignorance, and how we work our way to feel love again.”
Shasta County became home for Carlson Aesara when she was in fourth grade, when her mother moved her and her three siblings from Southern California to Northern California. The Central Valley High School graduate attended Shasta College before leaving for Nashville and ultimately Humboldt State University, where she earned a master’s degree in English. Carlson Aesara has returned to Shasta College – this time as a teacher. The mother of two children, Elias and Anika, has published three books to date, the most recent of which is “Unwrapping Christmas,” released in late October.
“Unwrapping Christmas” follows the story of Josiah, a 12-year-old boy who becomes lost in the mountains near Leavenworth, Wash., in subfreezing temperatures. Josiah’s father, desperate to find his son, simultaneously questions his own ability to save him. A famous classical guitar player, Gabriel, weaves together the stories of community members in this holiday tale that is sure to endure in the hearts of readers long after the season. It’s a modern take on the original Christmas story, without being preachy, and is inspired by the romantic comedy “Love Actually.”
“We hunger for community, love and meaning, and sometimes we have to search inward to obtain these things,” says Carlson Aesara. “In a novel, you want something to happen, but more than that, you want people to learn and grow. And I think the characters do learn something about themselves and their neighbors by the end of the novel.”
Carlson Aesara has wondered if the original Christmas story could still hold up in the modern world, something she considers a lofty notion. The first draft of “Unwrapping Christmas” was written a few Christmases ago, but Carlson Aesara thinks it’s even more relevant today than it was then.
“In the novel, there are characters from different backgrounds, different races, different socioeconomic backgrounds, but they are yearning for the same things – community, love, meaning and hope,” says Carlson Aesara.
The Seattle Book Review had high praises for “Unwrapping Christmas”: “Sweeping, unforgettable, a story that celebrates love, faith and the ties that hold us together. It’s destined to become a cherished favorite.”
Kirkus Reviews seconded the notion, saying, “There is undeniable music in Carlson Aesara’s writing, resonating both in her themes and prose… they strike just the right note in this enchanting tale.”
Writing a novel is no easy feat. It takes dedication, focus, patience, grit and a steady rhythm to get through the process. Three books later, Carlson Aesara has found her workflow.
“I create first thing in the morning and then come back to my manuscripts in the evening when I revise,” says Carlson Aesara. “Sometimes I can write much of the day, but with teaching and mothering, it doesn’t happen that often. I have trained myself to not answer phones or look at social media or emails until I get my work done. It takes years to write a novel – and hours and hours alone. To sustain this discipline takes a lot of self-talk.”
While plenty of quotes have helped motivate Carlson Aesara throughout her writing career, words of wisdom from a couple of fellow writers continue to resonate: “I write to discover what I know” by Flannery O’Connor, American novelist and short story writer, speaks to Carlson Aesara’s sense of wonder and curiosity. Carlson Aesara’s desire to make a beautiful impact is best sufficed by words from Maya Angelou, American memoirist and poet: “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.” •
www.kimberlycarlsonaesara.com
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