Local authors celebrate new Oregon-based novels

Sisters authors Kit Tosello and Melody Carlson will celebrate the release of their new novels at Paulina Springs Books, on Thursday, December 12, at 6:30 p.m. Tosello will present her debut novel, "The Color of Home," set in a small Central Oregon mountain town inspired by Sisters. Carlson will present her latest novel, "The Christmas Tree Farm," a holiday story set in Oregon.

"The Color of Home," is a heartwarming tale set in a small Central Oregon mountain town much like Sisters. Bay Area interior designer to the rich and pretentious, Audrey Needham, returns to Charity Falls, Oregon, to help her great-aunt and great-uncle get settled in assisted living. Although resolved to get back to her demanding career, the friendly community and the chance to learn the truth about a family tragedy tug at her heart - as does a handsome local do-gooder.

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Kit Tosello.

Kit Tosello is an award-winning writer of small-town contemporary fiction with a big heart, as well as inspirational essays and devotionals. With her eye trained on the beauty hiding in plain sight all around us, she arranges words with tenderness, humor, and hope. When not writing, Tosello can be found in Suttle Tea, the loose-tea shop she operates in Sisters, Oregon, with her husband, exploring the great Pacific Northwest, or enjoying the "great indoors" - bookstores and libraries - usually with a matcha latte in hand.

In "The Christmas Tree Farm," Madison McDowell returns from several years teaching overseas. She has high hopes of picking up where she left off at her family's Christmas tree farm in Oregon. But between damage from a recent wildfire, and the neglect due to her sister Addie's unwillingness to invest, the farm is in sad shape. And Addie is intent on selling the property. With the odds stacked against her, Madison decides to double down on her dreams. It will take a ton of hard work - and some help from an unlikely ally - to save the farm she so dearly loves. But it may take a miracle to restore her relationship with her sister.

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Melody Carlson.

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 7.5 million) for teens, women, and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia ("Finding Alice") to lighter topics (like "The Happy Camper," also a film), but much of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels ("Diary of a Teenage Girl," "TrueColors," etc.) appeal to teens around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of national awards (including Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, the Rita, and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been made into TV movies.

Paulina Springs Books is located at 252 W. Hood Ave.