Fredericton B&B inspires Hallmark movie, makes U.S. book cover | CBC News

A burgundy bed and breakfast in Fredericton, with Christmas decorations peeking through the window, overlooks the St. John River.

This very house inspired American author and playwright Karen Schaler to write a Hallmark Christmas movie. She also uses it on the cover of her new book Love Always, Christmas.

Schaler stayed at the Quartermain House for the first time in 2015 while filming an episode for her TV show Travel Therapy.

“From the moment we drove up, I remember just being in awe because it looked like a Hallmark movie,” said Schaler. 

Fredericton B&B’s Christmas spirit inspires holiday flick, book cover

Karen Schaler is best known for her Netflix classic The Christmas Prince, but it was the Quartermain House that inspired her second film — and is now featured on the cover of her latest book, Love Always, Christmas.

Schaler, who is also a screenwriter for Hallmark, Lifetime and Netflix Christmas movies, said she felt inspired when visiting the bed and breakfast and wanted to somehow incorporate it into a movie.

So her second movie, Christmas Camp, was “a light nod” to the house and its owner — focusing around a “charming little inn” where people could go for Christmas therapy.

But she wanted to do more to represent Fredericton in her work. Love Always, Christmas is dedicated to Heather MacDonald-Bossé who worked at Tourism New Brunswick when Schaler first visited Fredericton.

MacDonald-Bossé introduced Schaler to the province and stayed with her at the Quartermain House, one of MacDonald-Bossé’s favourite places to stay, said Schaler. From there, MacDonald-Bossé became a friend and point-of-contact for Schaler’s many other visits to Fredericton.

So Schaler knew she wanted to dedicate an upcoming book to MacDonald-Bossé. And to honour one of her favourite places in New Brunswick, Schaler wanted the cover of the book to be of the Quartermain House. 

Schaler called Debra Quartermain, the owner of the bed and breakfast, and proposed the idea.

“She said it would be an honour,” said Schaler. “And so she allowed me to use a photo, which is why in my book, this … is a real place. This is in Fredericton. This is the Quartermain House bed and breakfast.” 

MacDonald-Bossé was able to see the cover of the book and the dedication inside it before it was released. And at the end of October 2022, MacDonald-Bossé died from cancer.

“Fredericton was her love,” said Schaler. “New Brunswick was her love — she spent her life promoting it. And it’s just something that means a lot to me.”

‘Celebrating the magic’

Quartermain said when she first found out her bed and breakfast was going to be featured on the book cover, it was “unbelievable.”

The Waterloo Row house is 180 years old and Quartermain said they’ve had guests from 22 countries over the last 10 years.

Quartermain said she feels fortunate to share the home with guests and tries to give them a “magical and special experience.” 

“From [the] cocoa station in the dining room with all kinds of homemade goodies, and breakfasts in front of the fireplace with all the decorations, a tree in every room,” said Quartermain. “It’s about celebrating the magic.”

The breakfast and treats were part of the “Hallmark” experience for Schaler when she visited. She said she could tell everything was made by hand and “done with love.”

And Schaler said her dedications to Fredericton will likely continue. 

“I think the next step is, you know, we have the book, I want to bring the movie,” said Schaler.

She said she’s confident in her ability to write the movie and already has interested parties, but she would ideally like to have it filmed in Fredericton.

“It’s perfect. I mean, it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s gorgeous. The people are amazing,” said Schaler. “We’ll just have to figure out a way to rent out the house, because I know [Debra’s] very busy. We’ll have to plan ahead.”