I digitally met Indigo Wood on Instagram (you can also find her in all these places), and this is one of the beautiful things about the internet world–the ability to have many acquaintances and friends that you’ve never met in real life but you deeply appreciate anyway! Indigo Wood is one of those people in my life. When she reached out to me to ask me to read her Christmas novella, I couldn’t say no, but I cautioned that I’d be traveling and all the crazy. She still wanted me to read it.
I loved Cocoa in the Attic so much that I wanted to do an interview with Indigo because I was curious about how this story came to be!! So keep scrolling, friends!
About Cocoa in the Attic:
One charming (possibly haunted) inn. One charming (friendzoned) pastry chef. And one unexpected reunion.
Seraphina has landed the perfect job as a publicist for a charming (albeit allegedly haunted) inn in a dreamy mountain town. She’s even sworn the only romance-eligible member of the staff to a strict vow of friendship, leaving her free of complicated dating drama. But when her estranged brother walks into her life after twelve years’ absence, her perfect setup crumbles, leaving her uncertain what path to take next. Is it better to keep her heart under guard, where she’s kept it safe for so many years? Or can the Christmas spirit and a friendzone-bound pastry chef convince her to give love and family another chance.
Add it to your Reading List on Goodreads or Buy it now from Amazon!
About Indigo Wood:
Indigo lives with her husband and two daughters in a small brick house surrounded by a scurry of squirrels and a coil of garter snakes. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s crocheting, baking, or adventuring with her family. Adventures involving nature and ending with ice cream are highly preferred, though a dragon will never be turned down. You can find her gushing about her favorite books on Instagram @indi.go.wood.
Author Interview: Cocoa in the Attic by Indigo Wood
Quick (1-Word) Answers:
- Favorite Dessert: Popcorn
- Pet Peeve: “People put raisins in things!” (Thanks, Lucy and Unikitty, for understanding.)
- Current Read: A Tale of Two Cities
- Song on Repeat (include artist): On Any Given Day (Carbon Leaf)
In-Depth Questions
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What inspired Cocoa in the Attic?
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, five amazing siblings, and a writing contest. When I discovered Trans-Siberian Orchestra as a kid, I listened to their albums over and over, picking apart the storylines of family lost and found, delving into the messages of love and hope and healing, and basking in the sheer Christmas-ness of it all. Their music became the nesting ground of an idea that eventually became Cocoa in the Attic. Although the story went through many different (very different!!) forms, it was always a sibling story, stemming from my relationships and memories with my own brothers and sisters, who have shown me throughout my life the strength of family. The final piece that put the story together was a writing contest from Baj Goodson that required a mountainside, the smell of wood, and a haunted violin. In the short story I submitted, Spirited Inn took shape and became the perfect backdrop for Seraphina’s story.
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Did the characters of Cocoa in the Attic teach you anything while you were creating the story?
Oh, yes! The conversation between Kem and Sera where Kem reveals a bit about his family history made me think long and hard about love—what it was, what it could do, what it couldn’t do. I spent many days pondering, writing, and rewriting that scene, little subtleties that maybe no one else would notice, but were deeply meaningful to me.
CordiallyBarbara: this moves me because I know that the writing process is huge and the readers only see a tiny bit of everything that has gone into the makings of a story. Thank you for sharing this with us!
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On a day of inclement weather, what would your protagonist be doing?
Probably wandering around in the inclement weather with her camera, looking for a perfect shot. And more than likely she wouldn’t be dressed for it. She has a bad habit of forgetting her coat.
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Is there a line or quote from Cocoa in the Attic that you just love?
“Loving someone isn’t just a feeling. … It’s making someone feel seen.” There is so much power in feeling seen in a world that so often tries to bury the gems that make you who you are.
CordiallyBarbara: this needs to be a meme and shared across Pinterest. It’s so f
reaking good. Actually. Hold up. I’m not super good at this stuff, but here’s something!
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Did you travel to research Cocoa in the Attic?
Not specifically, but my travels definitely influenced the story. I harvested all my favorite things from places I’ve stayed in Berlin, London, Canada, and various places in the US to make Spirited Inn the coziest place I could imagine!
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I like to write book reviews where I compare the book to food. What would you compare Cocoa in the Attic to?
I’d go with dark chocolate hot cocoa with a pile of whipped cream on top. Warm and comforting with just a hint of chocolately bitterness to keep things interesting, complete with a bunch of fluffy sweetness.
CordiallyBarbara: I think that’s a perfect food comparison, and I love your reasoning for both the comfort and the bitter. I may need to go make myself a hot chocolate now!
Cordially Barbara’s Book Review
On a scale of cotton candy to Brussels sprouts, Cocoa in the Attic by Indigo Wood is a hot peppermint latte with marshmallows. Steaming and sweet goodness melts across your tongue, making you sink further into your comfy chair.
(copy received. opinion my own)
Seraphina accepts a job in a seemingly charming inn, and she immediately friendzones the pastry chef who loves to shove a mug of hot chocolate in her hands and tell her spooky tales about the inn. As she relaxes into the comforting community of the inn, she begins to see goodness in life again. But then, everything is flipped on its head when she and the pastry chef spy on a surprise proposal.
As a sucker for romance and the holiday season, Cocoa in the Attic hit me in all the feels. Sera was a character who knew what she wanted, and she responded to tough situations consistently (running away). Though my attachment was slow, I definitely came to enjoy the characters, the story, and this novella.
If you’re looking for a cute Christmas read, Cocoa in the Attic is for you!
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