UPDATE: The winner of Chloe Neill's prize pack is Mysteriousrose. Congrats! Please email your physical addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.
Chloe Neill is helping us close out our holiday week today with a holiday scene from her Chicagoland Vampires world -- written exclusively for our readers. But before we dive into her post, we want to take a moment to thank all the authors who gave their time and talents to our blog this week. We have had an awesome time and hope these wonderful contributions have put you in the holiday mood. :-)
One lucky commenter will win Chicagoland Vampires and Dark Elite pencils, a TWICE BITTEN audiobook CD, a UK trade paperback copy of FIRESPELL, and HEXBOUND and TWICE BITTEN bookmarks. To enter, share either the best gift OR the worst gift you ever received in the comment section. The winner will be randomly drawn and posted here on Monday, December 20th.
A (CHICAGO) CHRISTMAS STORY
Once upon a time, a young vampire named Merit was perusing the Interwebs in the kitchen of her best friend--a blue-haired sorceress named Mallory Carmichael--when she let out a happy squeal.
"Oh, for cheese and rice!" she merrily exclaimed. "I know what I want for Christmas!"
Mallory, whose hair was piled into a messy topknot as she stirred a caldron of bubbling witches' brew (i.e., Rice Krispie Treats), looked up from the stove. "Fang protectors? Type A egg nog? Tiny aspen stakes to hang on the Christmas tree?"
"Ha. Ha," said Merit, spinning the laptop around so her friend could see. "This!"
It only took Mallory a split-second of checking out the image on the screen before she reached her verdict. "No. You'll poke your eye out."
Merit's smile deflated. "No, I won't."
With a disdainful look, Mallory crossed the kitchen and stepped up to the laptop, pointing at the screen. "That is a ten-inch long, double-edged, serrated-bladed, switchblade dagger. You will poke your eye out with that thing."
"But it's so shiny!" Merit protested.
"You'll poke your eye out."
"And it's a nice, hefty weapon. Size matters, right?"
"Eyeballs matter."
"I'm a vampire. Even if I poked my eye out, I'd heal."
"And in the meantime, you'd be a visually-impaired vampire complaining about your visual impairity. No. Again, you'll poke your eye out. And I don't want to hear about it."
Sullenly, Merit stared at the screen. "How about one of those two-foot-long Toberlone bars? The ones that weigh like ten pounds?"
"That," Mallory said with a smile, "you can have."
And the vampire and her sorcerer friend lived happily ever after. Although Santa did not bring Merit an eye-poker-outter for Christmas, she did receive a Toblerone bar that kept her happily munching (sans weight gain!) for a week of chocolately bliss.
UPDATE: The winner of two books by Cat Adams + a series poster is tinatre! Please email your addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.
Today, Cat Adams* continues our Holiday Extravaganza with a retelling of "It's a Wonderful Life." The author is giving away Books 1 & 2 in her Blood Singer series, BLOOD SONG and SIREN SONG, to one lucky winner, along with a series poster. Leave a comment sharing something "wonderful" about your life a la George Bailey, or something you're grateful for this holiday season to enter. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning.
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One of my favorite Christmas traditions is the showing of “It's a Wonderful Life.” Yes, it's an old movie, and a little cheesy. But I truly believe each one of us makes more of a difference than we know in this world and in the lives of others. SO, my choice was easy. Celia Graves gets to find out that despite how it may appear, she has “A Wonderful Life.”
For those following the series, this will give you a sneak peek at things to come in the next two books as this story takes place after them. Enjoy! ;)
"A Wonderful Life"
By Cat Adams*
“Are you sure it's all right?” Dawna's voice on the phone was worried. I knew she couldn't see me here, parked in front of my Gran's old house, but she knew something was wrong. Perceptive of her. Dammit.
I forced a smile into my voice as I answered. “Don't be an idiot. Of course it's all right. I mean, Chris bought you tickets to Hawaii for Christmas. No one is going to give you a bad time about going. Not Ron, and certainly not me. GO. Have fun. Bring me back a lei.”
I didn't make a crack about it being the only “lay” I'd be getting. I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to pull the joke off. The two men in my life were both pissed off at me for the moment. Maybe for more than the moment. I figured Bruno was headed to the east coast to spend Christmas with his family and hadn't invited me. Creede . . . well, who knew where Creede was. But he'd delivered a sort-of ultimatum about making up my mind before roaring off in his new Lamborghini.
“Celia?” Dawna's voice brought me back to the present. Apparently I'd missed something. I'd been doing that quite a bit lately.
“Sorry. Sorry. Got distracted.”
“I said my mom asked me to invite you to Christmas dinner with the family.”
Oh Lord. Um, wow. Nice of her. Really. But no. Oh, so no. It's always awkward when you're celebrating a family holiday with a family that isn't your own. But Dawna's family is huge, ethnic, noisy, and I couldn't even imagine . . . no, I didn't want to imagine how that would go. “Dawna, that's very sweet, but I have other plans.”
“Mnnn hnnn. Sure you do.” She didn't believe me for an instant. She knows me too well.
“But I really appreciate it. Be sure to tell her that.”
“I will. But what are you doing tomorrow?”
Oh crap. Leave it to her to call me on the lie. Think quick, Graves. Come up with something. “I'm going to midnight mass at St. Lucia's. Matty's going to be officiating.” Matteo DeLucca was the brother of my on-again-but-currently-off-again boyfriend Bruno. Matt hadn't liked me much when we were younger, but we'd gotten a lot closer in the past year or so. “Then a big breakfast and a lazy day watching all those cheesy Christmas movies on the tube.”
Pathetic. I know. But it was the best I could come up with on such short notice. And hey, it beat the hell out of the truth---saying I was going to lie around crying and feeling sorry for myself.
“Are you going to call your Gran?”
Ouch. There it was. She'd finally decided to address the elephant in the room.
“Gran doesn't want to hear from me Dawna. She's made that abundantly clear.”
“She's an idiot. You're her granddaughter. And it's Christmas. Families need to be together at Christmas. It's time for you both to bury the hatchet.”
UPDATE: The winner of an $15 Amazon gift certificate from Dakota Cassidy is Raven99. Please email your addy to contests(AT)knightagency.net.
Today, Dakota Cassidy, author or YOU DROPPED A BLONDE ON ME, is kicking off our week-long holiday celebration here on the blog. She's also generously giving away a $15 Amazon gift certificate along with her post. Nice gift for you or someone on your list, perhaps? ;-) Comment with an answer to her question (at the end of the post) to enter. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning.
Ho, Ho, Ho For Holiday Movies!
Yes. That’s me. I, Dakota Cassidy, lurve a holiday movie.
The more cheese the better. I like mine drippy and gooey, thank you very much!
Now I’m not talking just the classics like :"Christmas Vacation" or "A Christmas Carol" and such. I’m talkin’ the Lifetime/Hallmark-a-palooza snot fest that leaves me reaching for the bulk batch of Kleenex I buy at Costco.
If it’s got some unadoptable kid, an amnesiac Santa Claus, an elf looking to find his family, a mother who’s homeless, a dog that’s missing his left paw as well as an eye and was abandoned by the side of the road, or even if it just has the word “Christmas” and anything remotely resembling Christmas in the title (think holiday, silver, bells, garland, wreath--whatev), I’m all in, folks!
In fact, I scour the Lifetime/Hallmark channel websites to see what’s brand new each year and then I look for the movies that are repeats, but still worthy of my bucket o’ tears.
It doesn’t matter that sometimes they’re so badly acted I often think I should call the producers up and offer my services. I’d do it for a mere couple hundred bucks and a place to sleep. Plus, I won’t demand they take all the yellow M&M’s out of my bowl of candy in my dressing room. And I’d do it all with one limb, if they’d let me.
It also doesn’t matter that somehow, some of my one-time favorite actors and actresses, when invited to do a Lifetime/Hallmark movie, suddenly lose their ability to act. The dialogue’s stilted. The gushy love story is so gushy you’ll need a filling.
However, nay. I care not. I adore them!
I drive my family nuts as I simultaneously take over every TIVo in the house in order to record them at every ungodly hour of the day and night. If I discover a new one, it’s like having a platinum American Express card with no limit and being let loose at a Louboutin outlet store.
And again, I don’t care. I don’t care if you mock, point, openly laugh at me. Loud and proud, I’m a cheesy holiday movie lover. So if you need me from December one until December twenty six, I’ll be on a couch, bed, chair (whatever surface is available) with my box of tissues, possibly some pork rinds, sprawled out in my pajamas, puppies snuggled close, watching Santa Claus try to find his way back to the North Pole while he battles amnesia and herpes—er, or something like that!
So tell me, what’s your favorite holiday movie? Post below and gimme a shout out!
Dakota
Dakota's latest release is YOU DROPPED A BLONDE ON ME (December 2010, Berkley Trade) To learn more about Dakota, visit her website.
Christmas Week Guest Blog and Giveaway DAY 3: Michelle Celmer
UPDATE: The winner of a signed copy of CHRISTMAS WITH THE PRINCE by Michelle Celmer is LSUReader! Congrats! Please send your physical address to contests(AT)knightagency.net.
I have a confession.
I am married to a Christmas movie junkie.
The nagging to break open the Christmas movie collection usually starts the day after Halloween. Yes, November 1st, because for my husband, Steve, that is the official start of the Christmas holiday. Although let’s be honest, if I would allow it, he’d probably start watching them in July. But every year I put my foot down and make him wait until Black Friday, when we haul out the tree and all the other holiday decorations. Then, in the DVD player goes THE SANTA CLAUSE or A CHRISTMAS CAROL (his favorite is the version with George C. Scott)
Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas too--although not quite as fanatically as he does--and I enjoy Christmas movies. The thing is, we don’t watch a movie than put it aside until next year. As of this past Friday, we’ve seen THE BISHOP’S WIFE three times. By New Years that number will probably double. Because no matter how many new movies we buy each year (and believe me the collection has grown exponentially) he clings to a few die hard favorites. And when he gives me that pouty look and sad puppy dog eyes, asking if we can watch IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE just one more time. I usually cave. Remember the scene when they’re sharing the phone...can you say sexual tension???
Although we do have a few new favorites this year. FRED CLAUS, a DVD I went to eight different stores to find. And ELF, which I think is hands down the funniest Christmas movie ever. Will Ferrell makes never fail to make the ridiculous seem totally plausible.
I’ve come to accept this movie obsession as an intrinsic part of our holiday tradition. Lately my 20 month old granddaughter is showing signs of holiday movie obsession. The second the opening credits for ROUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER start to play she screeches with delight and remains glued to the screen until it’s over.
I suppose it was only a matter of time before I wrote a book with a Christmas scene, my November Desire, Christmas with the Prince. And maybe it says something that the scene in question takes place during the black moment of the story. Coincidence? Maybe not.
Now, I’m off to watch Fred Clause. Again...
CHRISTMAS WEEK CONTESTS: Remember, there are TWO ways to win! Each day this week (December 14th - 18th) a guest blogger will give away a signed book to one person randomly chosen from the comment section. Today's prize is CHRISTMAS WITH THE PRINCE by Michelle Celmer! Check back in this post tomorrow morning to find out if you are the winner!
Also, at the bottom of each post there is a scavenger hunt question. The answer can be located somewhere on the author's website. 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 (3 of 5): Which one of Michelle's 2009 releases features Mitchell Brody as the main character? Visit www.MichelleCelmer.comto find the answer!
*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.
Winter Wonderland Week: Guest Blogger Tommy Newberry Finds Inspiration on Christmas Morning
What are your Christmas mornings like? As far back as I can remember, there’s been a crowd. Rewinding a good bit, I can’t remember a Christmas that didn’t involve at least nine family members. The list included my parents, a couple of grandmothers, four sisters, and myself. As the years passed the group size has multiplied more than three times. Funny how that works. Even with the loss of grandparents, the Christmas celebration at my parent’s home will reach an all-time high with 30 family members only about ten days from now. From my perspective, this includes my wife and three sons, my parents, my four sisters, their husbands and my combined 14 nieces and nephews. My first niece will be accompanied by her fiancé, putting the gathering at a record 30. We have been blessed indeed. It will be loud and a lot of fun.
With such a big crowd, we’ve learned a few tricks over the years to make the get together run more smoothly. One practice in particular came in very handy, especially when all the grandchildren were very small. Imagine 20 plus in a room all opening gifts at the same time… In an attempt to minimize the mess, we started passing out large green, plastic trash bags before we opened gifts. Each family had a bag or two or three and were encouraged to clean up as they opened up, stuffing the wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, and boxes into the trash bags to avoid a massive cleanup at the end. At least that was the plan. Inevitably, though, the efficiency didn’t always translate into effectiveness. On several occasions, an over eager family member or two (names withheld) inadvertently disposed of something essential. Instead of just getting rid of the mess, they got rid of the gift itself. And the more tiny the present, the greater the chance that it might get scooped up and trapped in one of the garbage bags soon to be hauled around the house, back near the garage and out of sight. Fast forward a few hours...
"Has anyone seen an earring laying around?” “Did anybody see an envelope with a check inside?” “Where are the batteries to my fire truck?” “I can’t find the charger for my new phone.” “I’m missing a…"
Of course, nobody had seen anything. There were no witnesses. And everyone knew what this meant, and it was not good news. If no one had seen it and it didn’t walk away, it had to be in one of those 10 or so trash bags back behind the house. And by this time in the afternoon, those bags weren’t just filled with discarded wrapping paper, they now contained the collateral damage of a holiday feast. So if you were serious about finding what you lost, you would have to pick a bag and start digging. The remnants of Christmas dinner, a not so fresh diaper, signs that someone may have a bad cold and who knows what else were the obstacles that stood between you and your objective. If you wanted to recover the gift, you would have to pay the price and dig through the muck. So we held our nose, and with make-shift gloves, searched the trash like CSI detectives hunting for evidence. And, if we were determined, we usually found what we were looking for. You could hear the celebratory, “I found it!” scream from around the house.
As a life coach, I have developed a conviction over the years, and it reminds me of the family Christmas I just described. I believe that God made each of us for a particular purpose and until we discover this purpose, things will never seem quite right. Too often, we get so busy dealing with lots of stuff (the wrappings and trappings) in our busy lives that it becomes easy to lose what really matters. But until the noise and chatter dies down a bit, we may not even notice it is missing. Sometimes it was the day after Christmas before someone realized a gift was gone.
And when you realize that you’ve lost something meaningful, you naturally want to go find it. And you should be willing to do whatever it takes to make the recovery. You have a calling, a divinely infused mission that will serve others and bring great fulfillment to you at the same time. If you’ve lost this sense of direction, go look for it. Now more than ever, the world needs people like you to use their God-given talents to make a positive difference.
You may have to sift through some clutter and other junk to find what you’ve lost, but you will find it if you start looking. And when you find this purpose, you can surely celebrate because God will be cheering for you!
