Cinder Bella was a really fun story to write and the concept for the novel emerged through layers of ideas and inspiration. The first iteration came when I wrote something I refer to as a Tiny Story. I share these little literary snippets online or as part of collections like the book called Holly and the Christmas Tree. They give me the chance to play with characters and plots that I don't think of as seeds for book-length works at first. These slender bits also give my readers something new to enjoy in between bigger projects. But Bella Darling and her chickens were first inspired by a TikTok friend of mine, Cinda Kukas, who refers to people as her chickens. It always tickled me when she used that term.
That was in my head when I bought an antique postcard of a young woman with an armful of chickens and the tiny tale of Bella saving a wealthy man's life (circa 19th century) was born. When it came time for me to write my yearly holiday book I'd been researching about Christmas in the old days. I came across articles that reported that people knitted mittens and emptied eggs and slipped messages inside of them to send halfway across the country. They even received replies and sometimes gifts. What an amazing concept! Those articles, my tiny story of Bella, the man she saved, and the postcard sparked an idea. Turns out Bella Darling was book-length worthy! Bella and the odd historical facts were perfect to build a holiday book around.
One thing I love about storytelling—books and movies—is a raucous ensemble cast of characters. It gives the main characters so many opportunities to develop and be seen by "others" in various ways. This provides the reader with a robust view of who they truly are. I knew I would set Bella's story in Pittsburgh during the Gilded Age. At that time the Steel City was home to more millionaires than anywhere else in the country including New York City. Shadyside, a suburb of Pittsburgh was where many of the steel, glass, iron, and engineering magnates built their homes to enjoy fresher air than was available in the city center. 1893 brought a bank collapse, panic, and a depression that destroyed the lives of many. This was the perfect time and place to set a Christmas miracle!
I can't remember exactly what inspired Bartholomew Baines' character but it didn't take long before I was writing a debonair man who'd lost it all in the collapse, into the story. Though this is historical fiction it does have a romantic thread (it won a Next Generation Indie Book Award for romance) that somewhat draws on classic Cinderella elements. However, I didn't want Bella to be rescued, just scooped out of the ashes because she was beautiful. She's resourceful, funny, kind, and her wide-open friendliness (think golden retriever energy) compliments the magic she shares with all. That doesn't mean everything comes easy for her, but she is absolutely loveable, especially in the face of someone like Bartholomew (who she insists on calling Bart) who until he lost it all, had everything. She's got nothing compared to him, yet she's the teacher.
When the boarding house where Bartholomew is forced to stay after losing his money burns down, Bella brings all the tenants to stay at the estate where she's been living since she saved the owner's life. This found family scrapes together money and food (the wealthy owners are overseas, escaping their own financial losses) and more than that, they create a holiday season that exceeds expectations. As one reviewer said, "Enchanting and uplifting, Cinder Bella is big screen-worthy while filled with lyrical prose at the same time." –Lisa McCombs.
Christmas markets, a homemade ice skating rink, "magic" eggs, unexpected deliveries, a cameo by Henry Heinz, and a blend of softness and grit, Bella's story will put you in the Christmas spirit. It's amazing how much of the past is relevant in current times and bringing this story to life was so much fun. So far readers have felt that joy in this warm-hearted tale. Get yours now and let me know what you think!
Author: Kathleen Shoop
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 228
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle / FREE on Kindle Unlimited
She never had anything.
He lost everything.
Together they create a Christmas to remember.
December, 1893–Shadyside, Pennsylvania
Bella Darling lives in a cozy barn at Maple Grove, an estate owned by industrialist Archibald Westminster. The Westminster family is stranded overseas and have sent word to relieve all employees of their duties except Margaret, the pregnant maid, James the butler, and Bella. Content with borrowed books and a toasty home festooned with pine boughs and cinnamon sticks, she coaxes the old hens to lay eggs–extraordinary eggs. Bella yearns for just one thing—someone to share her life with. Always inventive, she has a plan for that. She just needs the right egg into the hands of the right man.
Bartholomew Baines, a Harvard-educated banker, is reeling in the aftermath of his bank’s collapse. With his friends and fiancĂ© ostracizing him for what he thought was an act of generosity, he is penniless and alone. A kind woman welcomes him into her boarding house under conditions that he reluctantly accepts. Completely undone by his current, lowly position, and by the motley crew of fellow boarders who view him as one of them, Bartholomew wrestles with how to rebuild.
With the special eggs as the impetus, the first meeting between Bella and Bartholomew gives each the wrong idea about the other. And when the boarding house burns down a week before Christmas it’s Bella who is there to lend a hand. She, Margaret, and James invite the homeless group to stay at the estate through the holidays. But as Christmas draws closer, eviction papers arrive. Maple Grove is being foreclosed upon. Can Bella work her magic and save their Christmas? Is the growing attraction between Bella and Bartholomew enough for them to see past their differences?
Read a sample.
Cinder Bella is available at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble & Kobo.
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Cinder Bella is available at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble & Kobo.
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