Christmas in July? What?

  
    I know that, for many people, it's almost painful to even think about Christmas in July. I confess - I'm usually one of the last-minute-louies who don't think about it until it's breathing down my neck in early December. I also know that many people are already planning and shopping for the holiday that won't arrive for 5 more months.

   Down at the Jersey shore (the REAL Jersey shore, not the one on the show), many families who hail from different parts of Philly celebrate Christmas in July because they won't be together at holiday time. In Wildwood, several blocks decorate their houses, turn on Christmas music and exchange gifts during July.

For most of us, though, it's hard to even think about winter, snow and Christmas.And when summer is here and temps and humidity are high and heavy, it's even more difficult to get into the Christmas spirit.

But, authors must be able to shift their seasons when they write. Sometimes, we have little control over the way our stories are scheduled to be written and released and we find ourselves writing Christmas stories in the heat of the summer and summer stories in the freezing temps and snow of winter.

Like I have just done.

Last year, I was asked to write a Highland holiday novella by a publisher and snapped at the chance to write for them. Though completed some time ago, I've just been working on revisions and have been writing scenes of swirling snow, Christmas (Christ's Mass at that time) and Hogmanay. Each chapter into the story brought winter more fully on the lands and, though I was sweating through a heat wave here in NJ, my characters were trudging through FEET of snow and making their way through their daily lives in the Highlands of Scotland. The funny part is that I found myself dressing for their weather instead of my own!

Now that the story is in and done, I can settle back firmly into summer....and enjoy my 4+ months until I have to deal with Christmas.... Not really - the Christmas stories, books, collections, etc. will begin to 'hit the shelves' in early October so my focus will be on it by then!

So - do you begin thinking of Christmas early? Or are you a procrastinator like me? More important, do you like to read Christmas romance stories, novellas, collections? I tend to read the anthologies of novellas or short stories during the busy holiday season - I can finish one story in a sitting amidst the crazy schedule.  Let me know and I'll choose a person at random to receive a copy of my upcoming holiday story and a little goodie or two, too!

   Terri's Christmas story - which could be described as 'The Highland Harlot's Happy Holidays'! is titled A HIGHLANDER'S HOPE and part of CHRISTMAS IN KILTS, from SMP Swerve. The collection will be released on 10/31/2017. Terri's story is part of her MacKendimen Clan series and features one of the characters in ONCE FORBIDDEN, Book 2. A LOVE THROUGH TIME, Book 1, is currently available only in Lords of the Highlands, a special Amazon exclusive boxed set. Visit her website for lots more info. 

(and Merry Christmas....in July!)