¯ Channel: Hallmark Channel Starring: Alison Sweeney, Marc Blucas

¯ 2020

¯5 Out of 5 High Peaks

“Good Morning Christmas!” is not only a hit movie on the Hallmark Channel, its author has North Country connections.

I first met the multi-talented Riley Weston about 10 years ago while living in Nashville. Weston was in an audition for a casting company whose office was one door down from mine on Music Row.

One of the casting directors knocked on my door while I was co-writing a song with an up-and-coming country music duo and said, “Hey, I have a lady in my office who says she’s from upstate New York. Isn’t that where you are from?”

Minutes later Weston popped her head in the door and an instant connection happened. We ended up in an impromptu jammin’ session right there in my office. That meeting led to a great co-writing partner and friend.

THE REAL DEAL

Believe me when I tell you she’s the real deal.

As a singer songwriter, Weston has opened for artists such as Montgomery Gentry and Lee Brice. That barely scratches the surface of this lady’s talents.

Weston was born and raised in Pleasant Valley and spent all her summers in Upper Saranac Lake. She now has a cabin on Saranac Lake where she visits several times during the summer months.

In addition, Weston’s grandfather built a cabin around an airstream on Fish Creek, which is still there to this day and is still in use.

Weston moved to L.A. when she was barely 18. She spent approximately 15 years there, with a short stint moving to NYC and eventually making her way to Nashville.

LIFE ON THE SILVER SCREEN

She has had six television movies that have made it to air.

Weston held the pen behind the movies “The Nanny Express”, and “Always & Forever”, which aired on The Hallmark Channel.

She also wrote “Christmas at Water’s Edge,” on Lifetime, which she also acted in. These are just to name a few.

Speaking of acting, you can also find Weston in episodes of “Growing Pains,” and “Felicity” among many other popular television shows and movies.

MUST-WATCH MOVIE

“Good Morning Christmas!” is Weston’s latest accomplishment and was rated by E! Online as No. 4 out of 28 new movies released on the Hallmark Channel.

I personally watched the film and teared up with joy for my friend and her talent. It is an absolute “have to” watch Christmas movie this season.

Summed up, the movie is about Melissa Merry (Alison Sweeney) and Brian Bright (Marc Blucas) who are America’s favorite couple, hosting the top-rated morning show, Bright & Merry.

What America doesn’t know is that Melissa and Brian cannot stand to be in the same room with one another. Producer Jennifer reminds Bright & Merry they must spend the upcoming week in Mistletoe, the town that won their Christmas contest to have Melissa and Brian film on location.

Unfortunately for Melissa and Brian, they must not only put on a happy face in front of the cameras, but also pretend to like each other in front of the entire town.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Will they finally come clean on Christmas Eve with their dislike for each other or will the town that loves Christmas reveal to them how much they actually love each other?

“I think my dad was more excited than I was when he found out Alison Sweeney was going to be the lead actress,” Weston joked when I spoke to her recently.

“We weren’t going to be shooting until Jan. 2021. Then I got a call in August 2020 stating they were shooting in two weeks. The movie premiered on Nov. 25.”

“All is in God’s timing. That’s how I live all of my life.”

Weston says with a laugh that she loves Christmas, “in a way that it not normal or sane for other people.”

“I’m obsessed with it. My house turns into a winter wonderland at Christmas. Every room is transformed. Decorating my front lawn takes about two weeks. I want snow. I don’t care about the sun. I even put fake snow on the front yard.”

SANTA LETTERS

Weston also places a mailbox outside her house where children can drop their letters. She then answers the letters and sends them back.

“I have a special handwriting that Santa uses and I keep it the same each year.”

When asked about when she started writing Weston says, “I still have yet to take a class on writing. I learned the format by the scripts I was studying to act in. I thought if I could suck a little less than some of the scripts I was reading, I’d do okay.”

“Somebody’s gonna like it, and somebody’s not. So, I just started writing.”

I then asked Weston if she preferred writing or acting.

“In a perfect world, I’ll be doing both in the near future. I’d also like to write the music for my movies as well. Eventually that’s what I hear in my head.”

Weston is also a prolific author.

“Before I Go” is an award-winning book that Weston still is in the process of finding someone to make the movie.

“I want to be the lead actress. I want to experience the ‘journey.’ With that being said, I won’t ‘sell out’ on this one. I’ve already turned down a few offers where they wanted to use other actors. This one is my baby.”

PENNY FOR HER THOUGHTS

Weston visits Lake Placid in the winter and stays in the basement of The Bookstore Plus on Main Street. It is also where she held her very first book signing.

After losing her sister to breast cancer, she became very passionate about Breast Cancer Awareness. She participates in the Susan G Komen three-day walk.

She walked the first year with her sister by her side. This year was her 10th year of walking. However, she walked all three days by herself since it was canceled due to COVID-19.

“I found a penny on the first day, and a dime the next which I totally believe were signs,” she said.

Believe me when I say you need to check out this multi-talented artist’s work. Whether it be movies, books, or music you won’t be disappointed.