Meet Kaylie Newell

The Write Way Café welcomes Kaylie Newell, who enjoys writing Hallmark movie-esque sweet romances with her blind Doberman writing partner by her side.


When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book?
I knew I wanted to write as far back as I can remember! My dad was a copy writer, and I thought he was the bee’s knees. And then I discovered my mom’s Harlequins, and that was it. I knew exactly what I wanted to be.

What was your path to getting Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm written and published? What type of research did you do?
My inspiration for Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm was the Hallmark Channel. I love Christmas movies so much, and Hallmark movies just have a certain sweet feel to them. I knew I wanted this book to echo that sweetness. The research was really fun - a lot of movie watching!

Where did the idea for Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm come from?
I’m a podcast junkie, so I’ve always wanted to write a podcaster as a heroine. The idea blossomed from there. I wanted Rachel to hold a contest on her show, and for her to meet Lucky that way. She’s a sucker for romance and happy endings, and what better way to achieve those things than with a sexy, country boy next door?

Why did you pick the setting you did?
Marietta is where all the Elliott’s of Montana books will take place. It’s the most wonderful town, originally dreamed up by the founding authors of Tule. It’s so fun to write stories set in Marietta. It absolutely feels like a real place to me, full of flesh and blood people.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
All my characters have aspects of me or of people I know. I think when you’re inspired by real personalities or quirks, it really breathes life into your writing. Fun fact - the two donkeys in Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm are named after our neighbors, Dave and Betsy. ;) I’m not sure how they’d feel about that, but I just love those names together. True love!

Did you face any blocks while writing Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm, and if so, how did you handle them?
It’s always hardest when I get to the middle of a book. It was the same with this one. Sometimes I worry the story isn’t flowing, but the best thing to do is keep plowing forward, taking it day by day, and fix it during revisions!

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing Christmas at Sleigh Bell Farm and after?
Lucky, my hero, turned out to be much sweeter than I had originally seen him. I thought he was going to be a little hardened by life, but he’s actually very tender. I love that about him.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about family farms, the sleigh ride business, and podcasters?
I learned through my research how hard it is to keep a farm running, especially when there are so many animals to feed and keep healthy (yikes!). I learned about animal sanctuaries, and non-profits, and what it takes to run an operation like that. I also learned a lot about donkeys and their personalities, and that someday I want one. I haven’t broken this news to my husband yet.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
Trying to stay focused. There are so many distractions. It’s a daily struggle to turn those off and stay immersed in the story.

What are you working on now?
My next Elliott’s of Montana book! This one is about a bull rider who’s scared of nothing, and a funeral home director who’s scared of everything. An opposites attract story that I’m really loving so far. It’s called Buck Wild, and it’ll be out in April.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
I’m a very mobile writer. In the summers I usually like to write outside on our back porch. In the winters, on the couch underneath a blanket. My dog (a blind Doberman named Orion) is my writing buddy. He’s always right by my side helping me get the words down.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?  Which one and why?
I’ve written light paranormal in the past, and some romantic suspense. That’s always fun. I’m also thinking about trying a cozy mystery. I’m a huge Murder, She Wrote fan!

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
That’s a tough one. Writing is truly my dream job. But if I had to pick something else, maybe I’d be an editor. That’s not too far removed. 😊

It’s going to take more than luck to make his Christmas dreams come true.

Jim “Lucky” Elliott is the country boy next door – charismatic, handsome and charming. But when he has to drop out of vet school to try and rescue his grandparents’ Marietta-based sleigh ride business and family farm, Lucky faces his hardest struggle yet.

Podcaster Rachel O’Rourke is done with broken hearts, but she can still find joy in other people’s happily-ever-afters. When she holds a contest on her show for the best first kiss story, her bruised heart beats a little faster when she reads Lucky’s submission. He doesn’t have a story, but his grandparents do, and free advertising for the winner is just what he’s looking for.

As they start spending time on the farm, Rachel finds herself not only drawn to the sweet setting, but also to the man. But when a real estate developer sets his sights on the Elliott land, Lucky will have to decide if the money means security for his family, or if he’ll fight for Sleigh Bell with Rachel by his side.

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Kaylie Newell was born in the great state of Oregon, where she was raised alongside rivers and lakes and scruffy dogs that chased their tennis balls as far as Kaylie’s noodle arms could throw. As she grew, so did her imagination, and it didn’t take long to realize she was a romantic at heart. She began to fancy herself the future wife of a cowboy, the likes of which graced every paperback novel she could get her hands on. She decided to go to college in Oklahoma to snag herself one, but irony won over when she fell in love with a hippie in sheep’s clothing instead. Together, they came back to Oregon, started a family and watched their dreams unfold. Kaylie wrote her first book when her girls were toddlers, editing sex scenes with The Wiggles on in the background. She’s proud of many things in life, among them the fact that she can still recite her lines from Romeo and Juliet from her seventh grade play, the fact that she can set a grilled cheese sandwich on fire faster than most people can make one, but mostly she’s proud of the stories blossoming inside her noggin on a daily basis.

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