When the Christmas Heart Glows
An Interview with Queer Author J.P. Sheeran
My friend, J.P., is a very creative, queer indie author, so I thought it would be fun to interview him to help promote his newest book! From his website bio, “J.P. Sheeran writes humorous stories of self-compassion and love featuring queer and plus-size characters. When not writing, he’s dancing where no one’s watching (his basement), going on adventures with his BFF spouse, and snuggling with his pets.” You can follow J.P. on Instagram.
Q&A with Author J.P. Sheeran
Kim: Congrats on your newest book, When the Christmas Heart Glows! How would you sum up this story in 2 sentences?
JP: Thanks so much, Kim! Short summary: When a mysterious spirit called Grumpus wreaks holiday havoc, it’s up to grumpy baker Ben Schumacher to save Christmas. This is a massive inconvenience when all he wants to do is cuddle the cute prince of Mistelvia.
K: This book has a dash of horror to it, yet it still feels so cozy and sweet. What inspired such a fun take on a Christmas romance? Do you love mixing genres in unexpected ways?
JP: The story is loosely inspired by A Christmas Carol, which is a ghost story in a way, so it seemed like a natural fit to add some horror. I do love playing around and mixing things up. I think my ADHD likes to make things more complicated for myself.
K: Do you love cheesy Christmas movies, or was this an opportunity to poke fun at them?
JP: I LOVE cheesy Christmas movies. Genuinely, tears by the end. It’s always more fun, I think, to parody the things you love because you know it so well, the ins-and-outs, the structure, the common themes and tropes. And it comes from a place of genuine joy, which I think reflects in my story.
K: Tells us more about the main character, Ben. Do you relate to him at all?
JP: Ben is a grumpy asexual with poor boundaries. He’s a bit of a romantic, fiercely loyal, and throughout the story we see him gradually advocating for himself better. I think with him I was working through those feelings of being an adult but still feeling lost and not knowing my own voice. So I relate to him a lot in that way. I also relate to him as a sex-averse asexual. Speaking as a cis1 man, there’s a lot of shame and feelings of brokenness that come with trying to navigate a society that expects men to always want sex.
K: Your debut novel, The Potato Damsel, is a cute, Young Adult fairy tale. What made you decide to switch to adult romance?
JP: I had a particular story I wanted to tell, and adult romance was the best genre in which to tell it. Maybe I should be a bit more calculated in what stories I tell for my career, but for me that’s a one-way ticket to burnout.
K: As an ace person myself, I love the representation of asexuality2 in this story! There are a lot of mature adult scenes, but they are equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, not steamy. Did you feel any pressure to make it “spicy3” to be more like a “typical” adult romance novel?
JP: No, because it didn’t make sense for this story. Plus, I don’t think there is such a thing as “typical” adult romance. As a genre, it’s beautifully diverse in styles, sub-genres and authors (though there’s still a lot of room for improvement there), especially indie romances! There are plenty of romances that aren’t spicy. Spicy books are certainly more in demand, and I certainly do enjoy them myself, but at the end of the day, I have to do what’s best for the story.
K: What has been the biggest joy of being an indie author so far and what has been the biggest struggle?
JP: I’d say the biggest joy of being an indie author is the freedom to write about characters that aren’t “marketable.” I don’t think I’d be able to write a romance about a fat, sex-averse asexual if I were traditionally published, at least not without a few successful books under my belt first.
That freedom, I think, has also been the biggest struggle. I don’t have an agent or editor to hold me accountable for deadlines. As someone with ADHD, that can be extra tricky. 😅
K: What are you reading or watching right now to refill your creative cup?
JP: Christmas movies, of course! As for reading, unfortunately I am in the biggest reading slump of my life, which is frustrating because there are so many books on my TBR4. But I’m trying to be better about listening to my body and not forcing it, and right now my body is saying to rest in other ways.
K: What’s one thing you hope readers will gain from this story?
JP: I hope readers see another facet of asexuality. We are a beautifully diverse community with varied experiences. So this is just one more! I hope people who are Ace and sex-averse see a little of their experiences reflected honesty on the page and that helps them feel less alone.
K: What makes your Christmas heart glow?
JP: Queer people…and Christmas lights!
K: Aw, same! And sweet stories like yours. Thanks, J.P. This was fun!
I hope you all enjoyed learning more about my author friend. Please check out J.P.’s books for yourself or as gifts for others! If you prefer library books, let your public library know if you’d like them to purchase a copy or two.
Paperback links: When the Christmas Heart Glows & The Potato Damsel (Act 1)
Ebook links: When the Christmas Heart Glows & The Potato Damsel (Act 1)
Read more about J.P.’s first book The Potato Damsel from a review I wrote last year on my Substack:
Can't Go Wrong With Potatoes
I saved my ultimate favorite for last and I must admit that I am a bit biased about this one (more on that later). But if you love Disney musicals, fairy tales, and humorous characters, then you will love this story too!
Asexuality = a sexual orientation for those who experience little to no sexual attraction. It exists on a spectrum, so some asexuals are sex-favorable, sex-neutral, or sex-adverse, etc. You can learn more about Asexuality from Cody Daigle-Orians (Ace Dad) and here.
The term “spicy” refers to the level of sexual content in an adult book. This spice or steam rating can help you find what you prefer to read.
TBR = To Be Read [list].