It is the most wonderful time of the year… for reading! Curled up by a fire, warm drink at your side, your favorite reading blanket (we all have one) and a great holiday book in front of you. We’re so fortunate to celebrate this season with a holiday romance great in 2025. Debbie Macomber is the #1 New York Times bestseller of over 150 books, many, many of which are holiday reads. This year, she brings us A Ferry Merry Christmas and we got the chance to interview the prolific author about the new novel, her holiday favorites and much more.

She Reads: Thank you so much, and congratulations on A Ferry Merry Christmas! To start, can you tell readers a little bit about this new story and what you loved most about it?

Debbie Macomber: The story is about a group of passengers who get stuck in the middle of Puget Sound on a ferry. When you hear “fairy merry Christmas,” people might think of a magical fairy, but it’s actually a ferry boat. All of these people are trying to get to Seattle for different reasons, and when the boat breaks down, they’re stranded together. They all have different personalities—most of them grumpy and unhappy about the situation—and then everything changes because of one specific event. It’s a very heartwarming story about Christmas and human connection.

SR: What drew you to the idea of a delayed ferry? What made you want to confine everyone to that space?

Debbie: My husband and I were in Arizona when my daughter sent me a news article about a ferry boat getting stuck in the middle of Puget Sound. Immediately, my mind started rolling: What if this happened at Christmastime? What if these people were all trying to get to Seattle but couldn’t? That’s how it all started.

SR: Let’s talk about Avery and Reed, the siblings in your story. This is their first Christmas without their grandmother. So many people experience grief and sadness around the holidays—why was it important for you to include that element?

Debbie: For exactly that reason. Some people really struggle during the holidays, and they need to be recognized too. It’s hard when you’ve lost someone.

SR: Holiday novels tend to have a particular rhythm—do you approach writing a Christmas book differently than you do a spring or summer novel?

Debbie: I was going to say no, but then my daughter reminded me of something. She once did an event for QVC—Christmas in July—and when I got into that atmosphere with the trees, ornaments, and decorations, I was immediately inspired with several new ideas. So yes, it does feel different. There’s something very magical about the Christmas season, and even when you’re exposed to it in July, you catch that feeling and that magic.

SR: You’ve written many holiday books. Is there one that readers return to again and again? Or any characters you still think about?

Debbie: Mrs. Miracle seems to be the most popular. I think there have been four movies now based on that character. Another book people often mention is Starry Night, which takes place in Alaska. Readers have asked if I’ll ever write a sequel to it, but once a story is told, it’s hard to go back and create more.

SR: What’s one real-life Christmas tradition in your home that you never skip?

Debbie: Especially now that our children are grown and the grandchildren are older, we’ve had many traditions over the years. One thing that always remains the same is baking—Christmas cookies, candies, and Chex Mix. My husband and I make big bowls of Chex Mix for everyone in the family. We used to put up five different trees in our house—one for each of our four children’s families—so when the grandkids came over, they could run to their tree and see their gifts.

SR: Is there anything you do to set the scene for writing a Christmas novel, especially if you’re writing outside of the holiday season?

Debbie: Sometimes I’ll play Christmas songs to help me catch that magic. But usually, I’m writing the book in the summer since publishing takes about a year. I like to give my editor and myself plenty of time for revisions—which I always have!

SR: What do you think a holiday book should do for readers? What feelings or experiences are you trying to create?

Debbie: When I first started writing Christmas novels, it was because the holidays can be stressful—everyone tries to do too much.

I wanted to give readers a book that would let them sit back, relax, smile, and feel the joy of Christmas without all the stress.

So often we put pressure on ourselves to bake, decorate, and make everything perfect. My daughter once said something that really stuck with me. She was taking on too much, and I told her, “Your plate is full.” She said, “Yes, but this fills my cup.” I think a Christmas book fills the reader’s cup.

SR: That’s such a lovely way to put it. It’s hard to slow down during the holidays—especially for moms and grandmas, since we’re in charge of the Christmas magic.

Debbie: Yes, we are!

Quick-Fire Holiday Questions

SR: Okay, just a few quick-fire fun questions!

Eggnog—yes or no?

Debbie: Yes.

Real tree or artificial?

Debbie: Artificial now.

Favorite holiday cookie?

Debbie: The traditional family favorite—date bars. They’ve been passed down for generations.

If readers could give you one stocking stuffer question at every signing, what would you love to be asked?

Debbie: “What’s the title of your next book?”

SR: Perfect! So, what is your next book?

Debbie: It’s called Chasing the Clouds Away, and I believe it will be available in July.

SR: So more of a summer-set novel?

Debbie: Yes, exactly.

Bonus Story

Debbie: Oh, you want to hear a funny story? I don’t even remember the original title of one of my books, but marketing didn’t like it. They called me and said they wanted to title it Susanna’s Garden. I said, “That’s a nice title, but there are two problems—there’s no one named Susanna in the book, and there’s no garden!” So I had to change my heroine’s name and add a garden!

A Ferry Merry Christmas by Debbie Macomber

Siblings Avery and Reed Bond plan to spend their first Christmas without their beloved grandmother together, but when Avery’s ferry stalls in Puget Sound, their holiday takes an unexpected turn. Stranded among frustrated passengers, Avery encounters a charming sailor and a touch of Christmas magic, while Reed finds an unexpected connection of his own onshore. In this heartwarming tale, both discover that the best gifts often arrive when plans go awry.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon