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