Emma Caroline Brown
Editor
Mississippi University for Women alum Drew Taylor’s passion for reading quickly turned into a career path in writing during COVID-19, and now one of her books is being adapted for the big screen.
“The Politics of Christmas” will be adapted under Front Row Entertainment. This production company highlights its efforts to create and produce content to empower women in creative fields. While Taylor does not have complete creative control over this adaption, she feels comfortable, confident and safe under the producers’ guidance.
“They have allowed me into a creative process, and they have asked for my opinions,” Taylor said. “So, yes, my rights are signed over, however, they are very inclusive of me and I am very thankful.”
Drew Taylor at an event for “The Politics of Christmas”
Photo courtesy of Drew Taylor
Taylor’s book, published in June 2022, blends faith, romance and politics set under a Christmas backdrop toggling between Washington, D.C., and Mississippi. Taylor’s inspiration for her books’ subjects and themes came from reading closed-door romances while drawing on her personal life, experiences and education.
Taylor grew up in Poplarville, Mississippi, which served as the model for “The Politics of Christmas’s” setting Dasher Valley. Also, inspiration for her main character, Stella, was influenced by Taylor’s time studying political science and reading other romance novels with political careers as a background.
Aside from her experiences shaping her works, Taylor is a devout Christian and puts her faith first and foremost in her life, career and writing. A major part of Taylor’s spark for writing stemmed from her want for stories that balanced a Christian lifestyle and clean romance.
“As I was reading a lot of these closed-door romances, I noticed that, yes, they were clean but characters weren’t openly praying or going to church,” Taylor said. “The Christian themes weren’t there, and I was wondering why is it like that?”
“The Politics of Christmas” even contains a dedication page, which Taylor dedicated to Christ, who is always present in her life. Taylor sees her faith in every area of her life and work, and she is confident in her book being adapted by a women-centered production team that also values its Christian faith.
“Ashley Williams Allen and Cami Kinahan [of Front Row Entertainment] are Christians, and they have the same values and morals as me, so we are very in line,” Taylor said. “The first time we all hopped on a Zoom call together, I was like ‘OK, yeah, this is the Lord doing this.’”
Before Taylor embarked on her writing journey, she attended Mississippi College and earned a master’s in teaching at The W during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though she did not have the full experience of The W, she still cherishes her time spent learning there.
Currently, Taylor is an English teacher in Alaska, but she will be returning to her native state of Mississippi later this year. Taylor has had big changes and experiences throughout the past few years, which sometimes reminds her of “The Politics of Christmas” character, Stella.
Taylor does not find her value in these changes or experiences, but she finds them in her Christian faith. Since attending Mississippi College, Taylor has carried Psalms 34:18 with her as a reminder through life that everything she faces and accomplishes is useless if she does not give glory to God.