A Christmas Novella

When the
Candles Burn

What do you do when traditions are all you have left?

For Corrie Andrews, Christmas has always had a rhythm: family, tradition, and the people she loves.

But this year, everything is different.

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Cover of When the Candles Burn by JW Sweem

About the Story

CHRISTMAS NOVELLA · CONTEMPORARY FANTASY · LGBTQ+ FICTION

Sometimes coming home means discovering what home has become.

When her ex-wife and son leave town for the holiday, Corrie must spend Christmas alone for the first time in her life.

In the cold silence of winter, she must rediscover the wonder of the season as unexpected encounters stir old memories and fragile hopes. She finds herself facing an important question.

Can the magic she once believed in still be found or is it something that will remain lost?

What Readers Are Saying

“If you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, you probably know and love a Corrie...”

— Goodreads Reader

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Behind the Story

Some traditions mean more after everything changes.

At its heart, When the Candles Burn is a story about the strange emotional gravity of the holidays.

Born out my grief of losing my parents and the way life changed over the years, this story was my way of working through the melancholy that hangs onto the holiday season as an adult. It's a sad reality that Christmas changes for us lke this, but what I hope readers walk away with is this...

At its heart, Christmas will always be a season of family, whether kin or found, and hope.

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