Rachael Johns's Blog, page 21

I think you all know I'm a sucker for Christmas books by now. No way am I going to read all the ones I want to this December (especially as I'm currently deep into a BIG rewrite) but when I saw Trisha's The Magic of Christmas pop up in my recommended books on Amazon, I knew I had to have it! And today I'm delighted to have the author herself talking about why she loves writing Christmas books....

Actually, I love writing all my books! But Christmas is a very special time for me and scenes of the season and all its festivities tend to sneak into several of my novels even when they are not specifically about Christmas.

I always seem to be writing about winter during the spring and summer, but that's okay, because while working I am inside a little snow globe, my head full of carols and the scent of the new recipes I'm trying out spicing the air.

Christmas is all about anticipation and mystery, giving and sharing, and the chance to get together with your loved ones to celebrate. Oh, and the food….

Ah yes – there can be no hiding the fact that I love to cook up a storm at Christmas! Christmas cakes and puddings, mincepies and mincemeat flapjacks, spicy crisp biscuits to hang on the tree…. I've already made two Christmas cakes this year – one for my The Magic of Christmas book launch – and this weekend I will be making two more. So just picture me in my kitchen (the only room in my house that is not full of packing cases after my recent move): see, there I am, wearing my black Day of the Dead pinafore patterned with jolly skeletons dressed in bright fiesta clothes, stirring up a huge bowl of rum-scented fruits and candied peel. A CD of cheesy Christmas pop songs is playing in the background and the dog is sitting hopefully under the worktop, staring up at me with famished eyes as if I haven't fed him for a month.

Happy Christmas – and lots of happy reading too, everyone!

BLURB: The Magic of Christmas

In the pretty Lancashire village of Middlemoss, Lizzy is on the verge of leaving her cheating husband, Tom, when tragedy strikes. Luckily she has welcome distraction in the Christmas Pudding Circle, a group of friends swapping seasonal recipes -- as well as a rivalry with local cookery writer Nick over who will win Best Mince Pie at the village show! Meanwhile, the whole village is gearing up for the annual Boxing Day Mystery Play. But who will play Adam to Lizzy's Eve? Could it be the handsome and charismatic soap actor Ritch, or could someone closer to home win her heart? Whatever happens, it promises to be a Christmas to remember! Previously published as Sweet Nothings, Trisha has extensively reworked the original novel with fabulous new extra material.

Sunday Times bestselling author Trisha Ashley's latest book, The Magic of Christmas, is out now. Visit her website at www.trishaashley.com to write in her guestbook, email or join her newsletter group. You can also find her at her Facebook fanpage, on Twitter @trishaashley and hear her talking about her work on Youtube.

Today I have Avon Impulse author Candis Terry talking about her love of reading Christmas books AND giving away a copy of TWO of her gorgeous books to one lucky reader. I have Any Given Christmas ready to go and I know I'm in for a treat.

Hi Rachael! Thanks so much for having me as a part of your Christmas Blog Party!

Every year when the holiday's roll around, I'm like a kid in a candy store grabbing up new romances with festive book covers and I can't wait to jump in and start reading. But I'll admit that when I wrote Any Given Christmas, my new release from Avon Impulse, I didn't set out to write a Christmas story. In fact, the book isn't entirely centered on the Ho-Ho-Ho holiday. My first book of the Sugar Shack series, Second Chance at the Sugar Shack, ended on Thanksgiving Day. So of course, I knew the second book had to include Christmas. What better way to give some warm and fuzzy romantic moments for the hero and heroine than with twinkling lights, tinsel, and a hot buttered rum, right?

Though I love those mushy holiday moments myself, well, I wondered how well I could really transfer them to the written word. So without getting corny, I did it my way. When Dean Silverthorne, the seriously hot NFL quarterback, goes to the home of Emma Hart, the feisty doesn't-want-to-get-involved-with-a-superstar schoolteacher, he discovers Emma is a freak for holiday decorations. She even dresses her cat Oscar in an elf suit. Oscar does not find his costume amusing and he hates Emma-stealing-cat-allergic Dean with a passion. Dean and Emma also find quite the inventive way to celebrate New Year's Eve—hot tub under the stars and fireworks anyone?

I hope you'll choose to celebrate the holidays in Deer Lick, Montana, with Dean and Emma. They're waiting with a spiked welcome wassail!

Happy holidays to all!

To celebrate being a part of Rachael's Christmas Blog Party, I will give away a copy of Second Chance at the Sugar Shack and Any Given Christmas to one person who leaves a joyful comment. Please include your email so I know how to contact you.

BLURB for Any Given Christmas

Dean Silverthorne's mother may be dead, but she still has matchmaking to do. When an injury dashes NFL Quarterback Dean Silverthorne's Super Bowl dreams, he heads back to Deer Lick, Montana with a chip on his wounded shoulder and more determined than ever to get back in the game. He loves his kooky family, but his trip home is nothing but a very brief Christmas visit.

His game plan didn't include an instant attraction to Emma Hart, a feisty kindergarten teacher who seems to be the only person in Deer Lick not interested in the hometown hero. Or his dearly departed mom popping up with mistletoe in hand and meddling on the mind. Now Dean can't help but wonder if there's more to love than life between the goal posts.

For more about Candy go to:

Website: www.candisterry.com

Twitter: @CandisTerry

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Candis-Terry/131817443567853

Today I have another Perth, Western Australia author (just a wee bit exciting), Liia-Ann White talking about her fabulous Christmas novella and how she came to write it...

At the beginning of this year I set myself two writing goals – to have a second book contracted or published by the end of 2011 as well as to write a holiday story. This holiday story didn't need to be published, I just wanted to have a go at one and see if it would be accepted anywhere.

So when I received an email a few months ago from Decadent Publishing asking me to contribute a contemporary erotic romance for their 1Night Stand Holiday anthology I was floored! To say I was honoured is an understatement. I bounced off my chair, did a little jig around the house and squeed out-loud so much that I scared my dogs!

I'd only written one 1Night Stand story specifically for Decadent and had so much fun doing so; I wanted to write many more. One Hot Australian Night ticked one goal off my list – getting a second story published.

The next goal was ticked off before I even thought about writing a holiday story.

The 1Night Stand series contains stories written by some of the best writers I've heard of. The fact that a couple of them are friends of mine just makes the deal even sweeter. So to be a part of the 1Night Stand author group is such an incredible honour on its own. Being a newbie author in that group? It's actually unbelievable. I still look at my books and the anthology that just came out and still don't believe it. Being published is a dream come true, being multi-published is awesome. Being asked to contribute a story for an anthology is just mind-blowing.

I wrote the majority of Her First White Christmas with a big smile on my face. Not only because it was going to be my first holiday story (which ticked off my goal) but because it was so much fun. I write what I know best and, as an Aussie myself, what I know best is Australian culture and humour. So my two leads in this short story had to be Aussies in my mind. They are both fun, sarcastic, have dry humour and that typical Aussie 'snark' that we all have.

Remy is a fun-loving, hard-working Aussie living in America, but secretly longing to move to his home city of Melbourne so he can settle down with a family. Bella Donna is a sarcastic, happy-go-lucky Aussie woman who is just sick of meeting dudds.

The back and forth between these two came so naturally it was a breeze to write.

I just hope readers enjoy reading Remy and Bella Donna's story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Blurb of Her First White Christmas:

Remy Sommers has grow n weary of his playboy lifestyle. H e's ready to fall in love and settle down. Problem is, he doesn't know where to start. After attending his sister's wedding, he takes her advice and contacts the 1 Night Stand dating agency – the same agency she used to find her new husband.

Bella Donna has had enough of blind dates. She's always left bitterly disappointed. On the advice of a friend, she con tacts Madame Evangeline,

hoping her reputation precedes her and she can find Bella Donna her perfect man. A mysterious invitation from Madame Evangeline leads them both to the secluded and exclusive Castillo Lodge in Alaska for a holiday event.

Will they get their happily ever after? Or will their first white Christmas end in disaster and disappointment?

As a thank you for stopping by to read my ramblings, I'm giving away an e-copy of Her First White Christmas to one commenter.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Liia J

Liia's prize will be drawn on Friday, so get in quick with your comments!

Today I have the lovely authors from the Carina Press anthology A Clockwork Christmas chatting about what THEY would like if they could have a steam-punk Christmas.

Wishing you a Steampunk Christmas!

PG Forte:

In This Winter Heart, Arthur recounts how his grandfather, genius inventor Charles Winter, used to make a special toy for him every Christmas--marvelous electrical games and puzzles, miniature steam-powered vehicles that were working replicas of their real-life counterparts, clockwork dolls that could walk and talk, etc.

I find anything in miniature enchanting. So for myself, I'd love a set of mechanized dioramas, each with its own festive holiday scene. Perhaps four of the dioramas could display a scene taken from each of the A Clockwork Christmas stories!

***

JK Coi:

In Far From Broken, after a vicious assault on her life, the heroine has been fitted with mechanical limbs, but now sees herself as a monster.

If it were me and I was given the chance to go all steampunk bionic, I don't think I'd look at it the same way. I think it would be cool. I'd want a tommy gun attachment that I could whip out when I needed to rob a bank, oh oh oh-- or maybe a zip line that shot out of my finger for an easy escape from the rooftops Um, wait a minute. Stacy's whispering to me that I can't say those things, it makes me sound like a criminal.

***

Jenny Schwartz:

In Wanted: One Scoundrel, the heroine's dad has made a three wise men plus camel auto-dispenser that originally gave out lollies to the kids of the Swan River Colony, but now dispenses peanuts. The kids don't care. The fun is in the camel's lip curl and smoking snort.

For myself, the steampunk device I'd like for Christmas is a champagne bubble catcher: a miniature dirigible that inflates with the bubbly air. At least then, I'd know where all the bubbles go!

***

Stacy Gail

In Crime Wave In A Corset, a vengeance-filled professor has found an ingenious way to coerce a wiley--and beautiful--thief into stealing back the treasure she had once taken from him.

Personally, I would love to have Cornelia's innocent-looking "opera glasses". They're designed to appear as though the lenses are gazing upward, as if bird-watching, when in fact she's really focused on her next big score. Though I kind of like JK's finger-zipline, now that I think about it... :D

***

A Clockwork Christmas

We Wish You a Steampunk Christ m as

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas.

Anthology includes:

Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail
This Winter Heart by PG Forte
Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz
Far From Broken by JK Coi

Stories also available for purchase separately.

117,000 words

Buy link: http://bit.ly/ClockworkX

So, blog readers - what WOULD you wish for a steam-punk Christmas? I'm going to have a think about it today and get back with my comment too :)

Before I introduce today's guest, I'm delighted to announce the winner of Seleste deLaney's anthology prize.
CONGRATS go to Sue BT. Sue, please could email selestedelaney @ gmail dot com to claim your prize :)
Now, today's Christmas guest is a little bit different. So far everyone I've posted has been an author of adult books, today I'm delighted to feature picture book author, Bernadette Bainbridge.

My name is Bernadette Bainbridge. I am the author and illustrator of this new children's book 'The Christmas Please and Thank You'.

The book is aimed at children aged 3-7 years and was written to encourage young children to remember that they should always say please and thank you, something which many parents and teachers spend a lot of time doing!

The story also involves Santa and a bit of Christmas magic, reminding the children to use their good manners in a warm, recognisable and festive story which was in fact, based on the Christmas happenings in my own home and with my own two children.

Writing and illustrating a children's picture book is something I have always aspired to do. I have been an early years teacher for twenty years and as such I have spent many happy hours working with children's story and picture books.

Whilst recently working part-time as a teacher I have been able to fulfil that dream and I am pleased to have completed the publication of my book in August this year.

Since approving the first colour copy just a few weeks ago, I have been able to set about promoting my book in a number of ways.

It is available at Booktopia and Amazon and the Waterstones and WHSmith websites.

Thank you

Bernadette

Thanks Bernadette - as a mum of three young boys, this book sounds brilliant. I'll definitely be snaffling up a copy.

Now, I'm wondering, have any of my blog readers ever tried their hand at picture book writing? I'll come clean first and say that my one and only attempt was called "Barbequed Goldfish''. I still love the title - lol - but unfortunately it never got any further than a rough draft :(

I'd like to welcome Love Inspired author Patrician Davids to my blog today. I'm really excited about reading her book about Christmas and the Amish - for some reason I love Amish books.

Patricia Davids here. I'd like to thank Rachel for inviting me to blog today and wish her much success with the release of her new book.

I believe that Christmas and Romance go hand in hand. I should know. In December 1976, my husband, then a sailor in the U.S. Navy, was on patrol aboard his submarine and wasn't expected home until February. Alone in Groton, Connecticut, with a seven-month-old infant and a thousand miles from all my family in Kansas, I tried to keep the Christmas spirit as I spent my first Christmas alone. I bought a sad tree—all I could afford—added paper decorations, popcorn strings, a few lights and a silver foil star. The tree looked as lonesome as I felt, but it made our small apartment smell like Christmas.

Then, on December 23rd, I got a wonderful phone call. I learned my husband's sub was coming in for repairs. He had one night of leave--on Christmas Eve.

I was overjoyed. When he arrived home after weeks at sea, his kiss was the best present I could have asked for. Snuggled together on the sofa beside the glow of that fragrant tree was where I spent my most romantic Christmas Eve ever.

So now you know why I love Christmas stories and why I love to write them. Because I believe in the magic of Christmas. Wonderful things happen everyday, but wondrous things happen at Christmas time.

My new release, The Christmas Quilt, is an example of just such a wondrous event. Two people, who grew up loving each other, are pulled apart by a tragic event. Years later, they have the chance to fall in love all over again if they can only learn to trust their hearts to each other.

The idea for The Christmas Quilt began when I was skimming news stories on the Internet. I like reading snippets from around the country and I often zero in on medical stories. The story I spotted was, you guessed it, a Christmas story.

A woman in New York with a progressive eye disease had gone completely blind just prior to the birth of her second child. Thanks to the efforts of a special surgeon, the woman underwent an experimental surgery that restored her sight. Just days before Christmas, when her bandages were taken off, she saw the face of her daughter for the first time ever. I wanted to hug them all. What a wonderful gift and what a great story that could make!

And thus, idea for The Christmas Quilt was born. I had to put my own Amish spin on it, of course. I hadn't mentioned a blind woman who quilts in any of the Brides of Amish Country series books, but I lucked out when I had a chance to slip in a reference about her in the revisions for A Farmer Next Door. Thus, my heroine, Rebecca Beachy came to life.

The hero, Gideon Troyer was a little more difficult to flesh out. I wasn't sure why he left the Amish or why he would return. For Rebecca's love of course, but it had to be more complex than that.

As a man who left the Amish and made his own way in life, Gideon was suddenly presented with images of all the things about his faith he'd left behind. The sense of community and of caring for each other he saw at the quilt auction, the way families prayed together in the cafe. Little things like the memory of his mother's cooking made him homesick. He had accomplished what he'd set out to do, learn to fly, but he knew something important was still missing in his life. When he had the chance to spend time with Rebecca again, he couldn't turn it down. But because he'd left his Amish faith after being baptized, he would be shunned by anyone who learned his identity.

If you haven't read the story, you might wonder how Rebecca, who'd grown up loving Gideon, could spend time with him without recognizing his voice. I wondered that, too. It wasn't until I came down with a nasty case of laryngitis that I had my answer. I may have found the solution without getting sick, but God gives us trials for many reasons. This one happened to help my story.

The Christmas Quilt may be pure fiction, but there is a whole lot of reality behind it. So you see, I like Christmas stories because they show me that life is ever hopeful and waiting to surprise me.

Have a great holiday season and Merry Christmas to everyone.

Patricia Davids

Thanks so much for sharing that lovely story with us Patricia. I'd love to hear from you guys about any Christmas magic that has happened in your world...

Unfortunately today's guest blogger couldn't make it :( But that's okay because I'll use this space to announce some VERY exciting news for me. Many of you have heard it on Twitter or Facebook, but here's the official announcement.
But first, I'd like to draw the winner of Heidi Rice's The First Night of Christmas book - congrats to aretha_zhen! Congrats Aretha, please contact Heidi through her website (http://heidi-rice.com/contact-heidi/) with your address and she will send you the book!
NOW...
I'm hugely excited to announce that I have sold my single title contemporary romance to Harlequin Australia!
JILTED will be a June 2012 release down under and I couldn't be happier. Many of you will recall this as The Book That Won't End. I LOVED these characters and their stories and really wanted to do well by them. I'm so happy that someone else saw something special in Flynn and Ellie and that I'll get to share them soon.
Of course, I have no cover, no official blurb or anything like that just yet, but I thought I'd share the blurb I wrote for a pitch just so you have an idea what JILTED is about:

BLURB

When soapie actress Ellie Hughes returns to the small rural community of Hope's Junction, she risks the unbottling of ten years of secrets. But her godmother needs her, and Ellie isn't one to let those she loves down. Not with the guilt of what she did to Flynn Quartermaine still burning her heart.

One look at Ellie and the hurt and love farmer Flynn has tried so hard to hide comes roaring back. But he's a man now, and big enough to forgive her betrayal, if not forget. No matter how loyal the locals think they're being in bullying Ellie, he can fight his own battles. Except protecting Ellie resurrects emotions he'd thought well drowned, and as she needs him more and more, he can't resist another taste of what they once shared.

As their love rekindles, so does the need for truth. But with emotions made fragile by the past, revealing the tragedies and heartbreak of ten years ago could cost Ellie the one man she's always loved. While Flynn must overcome his fear of once more being JILTED.

I hope that piqued your interest. And you know what the best thing is about all of this? I get to buy another Pandora charm for my book bracelet :)

Hi everyone - I have the gorgeous Lynn Raye Harris on board today, but before she talks all about her love of writing and reading Christmas books, I need to announce the winner for Annie Claydon's giveaway of All She Wants For Christmas. Drum roll please...
And the winner is JULIET MADISON! Congrats Juliet, if you could email Annie at [email protected] with your address, she'll send you the book :)
Now for the lovely Lynn:
I love the idea of doing a blog about Christmas books! It's such a special time of year, and it's always great that there are so many fabulous offerings from your favorite romance authors. I love curling up with a good Christmas romance and enjoying the mistletoe and twinkling lights with the characters.

It seems as if I always end up writing something about Christmas into my books when I'm writing them around Christmas time. My book that's out this month in Australia (it was out last month in the UK, and will be out in July 2012 in North America), Captive But Forbidden, is set close to Christmas time.

Last year at this time, I was working on the book – and I couldn't help but want to include a bit of holiday cheer. There's just something about the season that infuses your spirit, isn't there? I think there's something for everyone in the holidays because the season is about giving and love.

There isn't as much Christmas as I'd like in Captive But Forbidden, as it's not strictly a Christmas book, but the story opens in late November with a snowstorm in London. Veronica St. Germaine is a former bad girl turned president of her nation, and she's determined to do a good job for the island and the people who reside there.

But when the threats against her life escalate, she needs more than just a bodyguard. She needs the best bodyguard there is. Raj Vala is your typical Presents hero in that he's handsome, rich, and completely in control. He's not a second banana to Veronica. Not at all.

Naturally, the sparks fly as Raj does everything in his power to protect Veronica – including whisking her away to his home in Goa, India, against her wishes. To say their relationship is explosive is an understatement.

Unsurprisingly, the subject of Christmas does come up as it draws near. Veronica has fond memories of her childhood Christmases, but Raj does not. While her life was privileged, his was anything but.

I can't tell you everything, of course, but I will tell you that the story ends with a glamorous holiday party, a Christmas tree, and presents that will last a lifetime. Raj and Veronica find their happy ever after in the glow of holiday lights. Christmas is about love, and Raj and Veronica truly discover that in the end.

I hope you enjoy the story!

From the back cover of Captive but Forbidden:

The news that wild socialite Veronica St. Germaine has cleaned up her act and stepped into her father's shoes as ruler of a Mediterranean principality creates a tabloid frenzy! But it's not just the paparazzi that are out for blood…

Duty demands that bodyguard Rajesh Vala must protect — Veronica whatever the cost. But Veronica has always rebelled against commands, and she isn't making Raj's job easy!

He calls it 'safeguarding', but she calls it being held captive at his beach house. Both realise that the attraction between them is inconvenient — because Veronica is nothing if not forbidden!

To read an excerpt or find out more about my books, visit my website at www.lynnrayeharris.com. Drop me a line, sign up for my newsletter, or leave a comment on my blog! I love hearing from readers.

Thanks for having me, Rachael, and congratulations on your debut release!

Lynn Raye Harris is a USA Today bestselling author who writes glamorous, sexy romance for Harlequin Presents. You can learn more about Lynn and her books at http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/. You can also follow Lynn on Twitter @LynnRayeHarris or visit her author page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLynnRayeHarris

Today I have another fellow Carina Press author, but she also writes for Decadent Publishing and Evernight Publishing. What a lady... Take it away Seleste deLaney!

A Few of My Favorite Reasons

Last year I wrote two holiday stories and swore I'd never do it again. After all, who has time to promo in December?

Then Evernight Publishing listed a call for their holiday anthology. I managed to ignore it since I was hard at work on other things at the time, but slowly this germ of an idea took hold in my brain and wouldn't let go. If I re

The question remained though—why do this to myself at all? Why Christmas stories? For me, the answer is complex. Winter is my favorite season. I'm a total snow bunny. But beyond that, the holidays are such a turbulent time for me that I value the escape a good story provides. Don't get me wrong, I love the season, but over the years the family has dealt with death, fights, emotional confessions and all sorts of bad things right around Christmas. More suicides happen in December than any other month. No matter how joyous the season is supposed to be, it's also a time that a lot of people need to be somewhere else mentally. They need happily ever afters and they need hope.call the timeline correctly, I got Making the Naughty List (my follow-up to last year's story) in just under the deadline. Right around then, the opportunity came up to have The Ghost of Vampire Present put in an anthology at Decadent Publishing. It wasn't going to be new, so I figured it wouldn't involve more promo and said yes. (More on this story in a bit.)

My Evernight stories (Yes, Alana, There Is a Santa Claus from last year as well as this year's Making the Naughty List) are all about the happily ever after. They're about finding love in times of pain and hardship and sadness. Okay, so they're also about randy elves, but that's not the point. They embrace the magic of the season and put it on display. They're the lights and tinsel for people's imaginations.

Then there's The Ghost of Vampire Present. Like A Christmas Carol (where my story gets its strange little name from), it's a story about fears and hope, and about closing your eyes and trusting your heart while you take a leap of faith. (Okay, and it's also about a randy vampire, but again, that's not the point.) While my Evernight stories might be the magic, for me, The Ghost of Vampire Present is the soul of the season. It's all the stresses and joys and fears rolled up into one package.

For that, and other reasons, I was able to ignore the extra promotional pressure when Decadent asked if I wanted to make it the December Read for a Cure book. I will be promoting my butt off this month because all publisher proceeds for the sale of The Ghost of Vampire Present in December go

to the American Cancer Society (I will also be donating fifty cents for every copy sold to Relay for Life). And every second I spend telling people about this project is time well-spent.

So, why do I write holiday stories? Because I believe in magic, and I believe the only way people really get to feel the magic in the world around them is through hope. And I can't think of a better time of the year to put those things together in the creation of a story.

I'm giving away a digital copy of last year's Evernight anthology 'Twas a Dark and Delicious Christmas to one commenter who tells me the emotion that the Christmas season most brings to mind for them.

Thanks so much Seleste for visiting and for your generous giveaway. I can't wait to read the comments. Seleste's draw will be announced on Saturday.

I have the gorgeous and hugely talented Heidi Rice on my blog today and I'm probably more excited than anyone. Heidi has been one of my favourite category authors since I read her first book. She does the BEST EVER bad boys and I LOVE a bad boy...

Hi Rachael

Thanks so much for inviting me to your Christmas Blog Party! And huge congrats on the release of One Perfect Night, I shall be first in line to download a copy on my Kindle as a special present to Moi!

So Christmas Stories… I have to admit I love them. Reading them and writing them. Why? Because quite apart from all the glitz and glam of the season to be sexy, there's also the things that Christmas means emotionally for many people which add that fabulous frission of passion and intensity to a Christmas story.

Jace Ryan, my hero in On the First Night of Christmas, is the ultimate bad boy. Sexy and seductive, Jace thinks his life is just how he wants it. He's not a big fan of the festive season, it's a time for families and he doesn't have one of those, plus he hates shopping! But he's successful, well-adjusted and ridiculously rich so it doesn't bother him a bit that he's going to be alone while in London this Christmas…. Until he splashes my heroine Cassie Fitzgerald outside Selfridges on Oxford Street...

After getting rid of her cheating fiancé months before, Cassie is a woman on a mission to find the perfect Candy Man for Christmas - a guy who will make her body hum, but will be gone by the New Year.

So the scene is set for the two of them to have the perfect holiday fling. Hot nights, lazy fun-filled days, and no commitment. Until the magic of the season… And way too much really amazing sex starts to turn their perfect holiday fling into something entirely different…

Had so much fun writing this story, am just hoping readers have as much fun reading it!

WOW - am SO glad this book is on my TBR pile this month :) However, right now my heart is pounding at the thought of you reading One Perfect Night. I hope you enjoy!

Heidi has very generously offered to giveaway a copy of On The First Night of Christmas to one lucky commenter. All you have to do is tell us where you would most like to spend Christmas - anywhere in the world - and why?

The winner will be drawn this Friday the 9th of December.

ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF CHRISTMAS

Cassie's tips for the Perfect Christmas Fling!

1. 'Tis the season to be daring: Find the perfect Mr. Right Now (extra points for a bad-boy-turned-billionaire) and be brave about getting him—even if that means jumping straight into sexy Jace Ryan's car!

2. Enjoy the ride: Once you've chosen your man, get swept away by the moment! For once, Cassie's determined to stop worrying about the future, but she must remember one thing….

3. This fling is just for Christmas: Jace Ryan's a seasonal special. Do not start falling for him, Cassie, no matter how perfect the package or how much you've enjoyed unwrapping it….