Christmas Week Grand Finale Featuring New York Times Bestselling Authors Marjorie M. Liu, Nalini Singh, Rachel Caine and Christie Golden!

UPDATE: The winner of AN ENCHANTED SEASON, GLASS HOUSES and THE DEAD GIRLS' DANCE 2-in-1 book, DARKNESS CALLS and ARTHAS is Carol (posted under "Anonymous" at 3:31am). Please send your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net. If the prize is not claimed in two weeks, another winner will be selected.

Also, we're happy to announce the winner of our week-long scavenger hunt -- Elie!!! She will receive a MEGA prize pack of TKA books, along with some special holiday treats. Thanks to everyone who participated!!!!

We're finishing off Christmas Week in style with a grand finale post featuring four of TKA's NYT bestselling authors! These lovely ladies answered a fun holiday Q&A post and are each giving away a book! Leave a comment to be entered in the random drawing for all four titles: AN ENCHANTED SEASON by Nalini Singh, et al., a 2-in-1 trade paperback of GLASS HOUSES and THE DEAD GIRLS' DANCE by Rachel Caine DARKNESS CALLS by Marjorie M. Liu, and ARTHAS, A World of Warcraft Novel by Christie Golden.*** The winner will be announced Monday afternoon (12/21/09).

Don't forget our scavenger hunt question! Collect all 5 answers and enter to win a Christmas stocking filled with oodles of books and holiday treats! Last question at the end of the post.

Authors Left to Right: Christie Golden, Marjorie M. Liu, Nalini Singh and Rachel Caine

HOLIDAY Q&A WITH TKA:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY STORY OR MOVIE?

MARJORIE: Oh, man! I can't just name one! A Wonderful Life, Holiday Inn, Babes in Toyland, The Bishop's Wife, Holiday Affair, Die Hard, and A Smoky Mountain Christmas (video below). And, of course, anything to do with the Nutcracker.

NALINI: The Princess Bride. It's not technically a holiday movie, but it always used to be on T.V. during Christmas time when I was younger, and it really fits - it's funny, romantic, and it leaves you sighing with happiness.

RACHEL: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. LOVE that story, and the movie too. It's always been my favorite.

CHRISTIE: The Bishop's Wife, the original with Cary Grant and David Niven. I like it because while its sweet, it's not saccharine, and come on...Cary Grant as an angel? How can that miss? I also am very fond of Rudolph and The Little Drummer Boy.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED CHILDHOOD MEMORY OF THE HOLIDAYS?

MARJORIE: I have so many. We lived in the Pacific Northwest, and my dad and I would go fishing or down to the docks to throw in nets for crabs (for Christmas dinner) and then my mom and I would bake all kinds of pies and cookies. We also had fun making ornaments, and searching for THE PERFECT TREE. Easier said than done! The house was always full of Christmas music -- still is, this time of year.

NALINI: For me, it's all about family, about being able to spend time laughing, eating and relaxing with those I love. Those are the best memories.

RACHEL: My mother made me a totally fantastic red Victorian dress for Christmas -- floor length, with about 5 yards of fabric in the skirt. I just loved that dress. It made the holiday feel so wonderfully traditional and festive.

CHRISTIE: Waking up early with my father and having to WAIT while my older siblings and mom woke up on Christmas Day! Hard as it was at the time, in retrospect, those are very dear moments spent with my father in a very quiet space.

WHAT WAS THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU EVER RECEIVED? THE WORST?

MARJORIE: Just being with family was always a wonderful gift.

NALINI: Ooooh, hard question. One Christmas present I received a long time ago that I still have is a giant stuffed bear that's bigger than my cousin's five-year-old. I loved him when I got him, and I love him still :-) As for the worst...we won't mention those ;-) It is the season of goodwill after all!

RACHEL: Best: a professional quality clarinet (I was planning on being a professional musician before I turned author!). Worst: um, not to throw my husband under the bus, but there was this Lionel train ...

CHRISTIE: A really big giraffe...almost as big as me at the time! I had no idea what it was when I saw it wrapped. The worst? Socks. Every year. Okay, they're not that terrible, but they're -socks.- :D

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS:

White lights or multi-colored?

MARJORIE: Either one. I love lights.

NALINI: White.

RACHEL: White!

CHRISTIE: White!

Real tree or plastic?

MARJORIE: I prefer real, but once the trees dry and the needles drop -- and it all becomes a fire trap -- I begin to prefer plastic!

NALINI: Plastic. (Actually, the best word would be fibre-optic *grin*)

RACHEL: Fake all the way. BUT NICE. And not prelit, because that's totally cheating.

CHRISTIE: Depends--if it's classy, plastic is convenient...real, though, smells sooo good.

Love to gift wrap or where’s the gift bag?

MARJORIE: Depends on the gift!

NALINI: Gift wrap.

RACHEL: Depends on the gift. I don't mind the easy to wrap ones, but if it's odd sized, gimme the bag!

CHRISTIE: Gift bag!

Gifts: Surprise you or best to just ask what you want?

MARJORIE: I love a good surprise.

NALINI: Torn, I'm torn! Both.

RACHEL: I'm easy. :)

CHRISTIE: Ask what I want through the year and then surprise me. :D

The day after Christmas: Ready to shop to you drop or avoiding all streets that lead to the mall.

MAJORIE: I don't do a whole lot of shopping, so I'm the kind who definitely stays at home, eating leftovers in my pajamas, and reading a good book.

NALINI: Avoid, avoid, avoid!

RACHEL: I curl up and watch movies all day. It's the best day off EVER.

CHRISTIE: Avoid like mad. This is the time to stay home, eat leftovers, and enjoy your gifts and family.

CHRISTMAS WEEK CONTESTS: Remember, there are TWO ways to win! Today's prize is AN ENCHANTED SEASON by Nalini Singh, et al., a 2-in-1 trade paperback of GLASS HOUSES and THE DEAD GIRLS' DANCE by Rachel Caine, and DARKNESS CALLS by Marjorie M. Liu! The winner will be announced Monday afternoon (12/21/09).

Also, at the bottom of each post there is a scavenger hunt question. The answer can be located somewhere on the authors' websites. Send in all 5 correct answers* to the scavenger hunt questions, and you will be entered in a drawing to win a TKA Surprise Christmas Stocking filled with books and holiday treats!!!

SCAVENGER HUNT QUESTION (5 of 5): Which one of the authors above (Nalini, Rachel or Marjorie) once wrote under the pen name Julie Fortune? Visit www.NaliniSingh.com, www.RachelCaine.com and www.MarjorieMLiu.com to find the answer! ***Christie Golden was a late addition to this post, therefore she's not an "official" part of the scavenger hunt. However, please DO visit her awesome website, www.ChristieGolden.com for information on her awesome sci-fi, fantasy and horror novels!!

*Please note, that the correct answers to the scavenger hunt questions must be sent in at one time. You must collect all 5 answers and send them in one email. Entries for the scavenger hunt will be accepted from Friday, December 18th thru Sunday, December 20th at midnight. The winner will be announed on this blog Monday, December 21st, 2009. If you have any questions about this contest, please contact contests(AT)knightagency.net.