Advent Calendar with Kate Walker

Do you have an Advent Calendar in your home? One that you hang on the wall and open a numbered door each day marking off the dates from the 1^st of December  up to the 24^th – and Christmas Eve – to countdown the  days until Christmas?

I always loved to choose one of these when my son was small and it really helped him wait more patiently for the big day to arrive. At  least he knew when it was getting nearer and that there were -  twenty – fifteen – ten days left before he could put out his stocking and  leave a mince pie for Father Christmas, together with a carrot for Rudolph the reindeer to eat when they visited.  (There was always just a few crumbs left on the mince pie plate and the end of the carrot – nibbled by strangely human shaped teeth!) Opening the day’s door on the calendar became a special little ceremony  just before he went off to bed  - to dream of Santa’s sleigh and the sound of reindeer hooves.

So in the past I have tried to plan a book Advent Calendar to share  with friends and readers who visit my web site, my blog page, my Facebook page.  I   had planned to do this again this year but  several things got in the way. It has been a difficult week with sad news reminding me that not everyone will be celebrating a happy and joyful occasion just because it’s Christmas.

As a result, my planned posting of the Advent Calendar giveaway got shortened into a 12 Days of Christmas giveaway instead. And I’ll be hoping to post the 12 Days giveaway  for each day (or at least every couple of days) from now on.  But  because I’m well aware of the fact that not everyone is enjoying the  lead up to Christmas  and for some it is a very difficult and even sad time, I want my first 12 Days of Christmas post to be a traditional one that I’ve posted in the past and been able to bring just a little bit of brightness into someone’s life.   So this is what I’m going to do today.

What happens is this – you can nominate someone you know and care about who needs a little treat to bring some light into their days right now. Let me know who you would like to send an extra little gift to – a giveaway of a book that I’ll donate in your name. And I’ll include an extra little Christmas gift in the parcel to hopefully bring some lightness into their day as well.

So – in the comments-  post the name of someone you’d like to treat – and add the reasons why you have chosen this person – and I will get Charlie the Maine Coon (who  has his own Advent Calendar to open with treats in the pockets ) – to pick out a winner or two to send them a book from you – and from me.

I have a selection of books that  I have sorted out from my backlist stocks to share with  readers and friends over the next 12 days.

And I hope that you are all looking forward to Christmas and will have your family round you as you prepare for the event.

You can read more about me and my books on my web site and my blog -  and catch up with me too on my Facebook page

12 Days of Christmas . . . er - Not Quite

I really think that this post should be titled  the 12 Days of Christmas -  EEEEK! 

Are there really  only 12 Days left  before Christmas -  Really???

This is a  bit of a problem for me because I had plans for the 12 Days Of Christmas. I’ve always loved the countdown to Christmas – and for me a special part of that countdown has been the traditional Advent Calendar.   Every year I’m lucky enough to be given  a beautiful eAdvent Calendar by Anne McAllister  - and I’ve shared that with many friends.  I love opening each ‘door’ on the calendar and seeing what lovely decoration of game is behind it.

All the years that my son was growing up we had an Advent Calendar and every night before he went to bed we would  open a door on the calendar so that he knew it was one day nearer to Christmas  - and when the last door was open  there was just one sleep before Santa Claus appeared.

Now, we don’t have any small people at home  to enjoy an Advent Calendar  but we do have  cats! 

Yes, that’s right – cats. And yes, it’s true, the cats have their very own Advent Calendar  - once again courtesy of kind Anne McAllister.   She really specialises in finding this great Advent Calendar and adding them to the enjoyment of the countdown to Christmas Day! (And if you don’t believe me that the cars have an Advent Calendar – with cat treats in each pocket – here’s Charlie  picking a treat from the countdown this year.

Now,  liking Advent Calendars so much, in the past I’ve run an Advent Calendar on my  blog  and my Facebook page as we go through December and head to the 25^th. But this year things went a bit wrong.   If you’ve seen my Facebook page you’ll find that I went to a concert  in Sheffield  on the 3^rd  December – lovely concert, but unfortunately  it has  had an unpleasant aftermath as I had a nasty fall, battered my hip and my should and sprained my back .  Ouch!  No – it was worse than that  - it was OUCH!!  As a  result I’ve been confined to bed, to the settee, lying flat and not able to do very much. I’ve only just managed to get upright and catch up on some of the plans I had for Christmas.  Or for the Advent Calendar.  And I don’t have time to do the full 24 days of the calendar – only the 12 days of Christmas  - and those in a bit of a rush!  If I’m to get the giveaways in the post before the big day then I’m going to have to cram them all into  this week.

So – here’s what’s happening . . . I have a selection of backlist books  and a selection of angels!  The angels are  Christmas tree ornaments  - two bright and cheerful knitted ones and 10 beautiful little glass ones  ready to go on your tree. 

I’m starting off the 12 days event right here and  now and all you have to do is to post a comment to be  in the running for  one of the knitted angels  and your choice of a backlist book.  (I’ll let you know what books are on offer as soon as my back lets me go and check on the supplies. Details of those will be on my Facebook author page then.

Or if you know someone who has had a difficult time this year – sore back, perhaps!  - you can nominate them and let me know and I’ll send the  calendar gift to them.

So – sorry it’s late and a bit rushed! But  you still have the chance of winning one of the 12 angels and the 12 books – in these last 12 days of Christmas.   

Just come and say hello here, on my personal blog , or on myFacebook author page, (on my
Facebook page, leave a comment  and share the news of the giveaway from tomorrow)  and  you might win an extra Christmas gift.  

This giveaway will end, and all the winners will be notified by the end of  Monday 18^th 2016. Good luck!

Happy Christmas   to everyone  who’s celebrating – thank you for your interest in my books all through 2016 . I hope you’ve enjoyed the books you’ve read  and that you’ll enjoy the ones I have coming up in 2017.   You'll find the news of them on my web site  (when I get organised) 

Kate Walker - Advent Calendars

Happy December!

It’s the first of December – hard to believe because I’m sure that when I last blinked we were actually enjoying some sun shine in the last days of summer. But it’s  the first day of December and I’m  writing my last blog of the year – so the countdown to 2014 has started!

First there is the count down to the holiday season  - whichever one you’ll be celebrating. Here, we’re counting down to Christmas and I’ve just come back from a weekend away in York  where they have a special  St Nicholas Fayre at the weekends between now and the big day. It was packed! But I did manage to get some special gifts to wrap and put away until December 25^th.

These days I don’t have to tell my son that Santa/Father Christmas has brought everything  he finds under the Christmas tree – not do I have to get him to write a letter to Santra to say what he’d  like to find there. He’s in his own home with his partner now so they do things their way.  But one tradition I know he keeps up – as do I – is the opening of the special advent calendar one day at a time as the days of December go by.

We’ve always had an Advent Calendar . Always opened one little door each day to find out what is hidden behind the numbers 1-24 on the brightly coloured sheet. In the early days of The Offspring’s life, it was a help to show him how it was getting closer to Christmas – but we weren’t there yet.  Then it was just for fun, but we would always  have a special moment together as he opened the ‘door’  after we’d first guessed what would be hidden behind it.  We even had a special Advent Calendar for the cats  - one sent by a special friend (to me and to the cats) Anne McAllister.  Sadly there is only one cat around to see the countdown these days since we lost

 beautiful Flora to cancer last month, but Charlie will be happy to have sole access to the cat treats in the little felt pockets.

My personal Advent Calendar also comes from Anne – in the form of a lovely animated design she sends me from the Jacquie Lawson Site and I really look forward to opening it every morning and seeing what  delightful creation is there to enjoy.

Another Advent Calendar tradition  I’ve always had is  the one that I’ve opened on my blog each year. In the countdown to Christmas I ask visitors to the blog to come along and tell me about their preparations, or  their hopes, their plans for the holiday period over the next 24 days.  Every day I  ask a question – one that’s so easy to answer, and there’s no right or wrong,  you just tell me a bit more about yourselves.   And every day Charlie the  Maine coon picks and answer from one of the contributors  and the chosen person wins a signed book  from my backlist – it might be an older title. Sometimes it’s a 3 in 1 anthology where my book has been published along with a couple of others – I don’t quite  know what title I have in my backlist titles collection these days. I have to go and sort things out  before I can announce what books I’m offering.

But there will be 24 of them – and you can be in with a chance to winning one.

So because it’s  my day to blog on Tote Bags today, I’m launching my Advent Calendar here today – and today’s book is the first one I grabbed when I opened my prizes box this afternoon –

So you can win a copy of The Return of The Stranger –

Standing high on the windswept moors, the lone figure of Heath Montanha vows vengeance on the woman

who destroyed the last fragments of his heart...

Lady Katherine Charlton has never forgotten the stablehand with dangerous fists and a troubled heart from her childhood. Now the rebel is back, his powerful anger concealed under a polished and commanding veneer.

When ten years of scandal and secrets are unleashed, with a passionate, furious kiss, Heath's deepest, darkest wish crystallises...

Revenge -- and Kat -- will be his!

And all you have to do – well, seeing as I’ve been talking about Advent Calendars – why not tell me if you have an Advent Calendar of not?

Do you have an old  one that comes out year after year (like the one my Cats have shared and passed down from cat to cat for years)?  Or do you buy a new one each  year – perhaps with a little bit of chocolate behind the ‘doors’?  Or perhaps one on your computer, like the one Anne McAllister sent to me? When do you open the special door – in the morning, first thing to start that day? Or perhaps in the evening to mark the fact that the day has passed and we’re now 24 hours closer to the big day?  Or do you share the enjoyment of an advent calendar with your children/ grandchildren?

Let me know and I’ll put your name into the prize draw for Charlie to pick a  winner when I open a  new door on my Advent Calendar tomorrow.

And then perhaps you’ll come along and share in the new Advent Calendar days over on my blog for the rest of December – with a  new question – and a new prize to give away each day for a new winner each time. See you there?

Kate Walker’s new title, A Question of Honor will be published in Harlequin  Presents in June 2014. Her most recent title was A Throne for The Taking  which came out in June 2013:

Alexei Sarova, the black sheep prince who has to face up to a new and unexpected destiny with his heroine Honoria Escalona (Ria) as the woman he wants as his queen.

A kingdom's safety...

Betrayed by those she loves, Honoria Escalona must now face the only man capable of bringing stability to the

Mediterranean kingdom of Mecjoria. A cold, hard man who once called her his friend... Alexei Sarova-the true King of Mecjoria.

In exchange for her happiness

 But Alexei's tortuous past has changed him into someone she hardly knows. He blames Ria's family for his bitterness, and his help-when he offers it-comes with a price: he'll take his rightful place as King with Ria as his wife, until she produces a true-blood heir 

 A Throne For the Taking  was  published in the Royal and Ruthless miniseries in both Harlequin Presents and Mills & Boon Modern.

Other up to date news and details of all Kate’s books can be found on her web site and in her blog.

And I finally got Charlie to pick a winner - the name he's chosen is Jeanne M - Jeanne please email me kate AT kate-walker.   com and send me your postal address and I'll organise the prize.

How do you wrap an ebook? And Advent Calendar Day 2

I’ve been writing for a long time. My very first ever short story was written way back when – when I was at school  - and I was active in the Girl  Guides. I went in for my ‘Writer’ badge’  back then – I passed the test and got to sew the badge on my uniform sleeve. (I don’t think there is such a badge any more which is a pity.) Some month’s later I wrote another story – the title was Ghosts odf The Past – and I sent that up to  Guide magazine.  It was about a girl who went into an old deserted house and thought she had seen some ghosts who haunted it but they turned out to be a group from the local amateur drama group who were practising their current production, dressed in historical costumes. To my delight they published it in the magazine  and made it my first ever published piece of work.   That was the start of a long career as a writer – 2013 will see my 61^st new title (A Throne For The Taking)  published in June, 29 years  after my very first book The Chalk Line was published by Mills & Boon.  

One of the most interesting developments in my  long career has been the arrival – and huge success  - of ebooks and the way that now so many books are sold in this form.  I have a kindle and I love it. I can carry so many books around with me, with no trouble,  and I don’t have to worry about storage. But sometimes I do miss the reality of a ‘real’ book . I think I feel this now, with Christmas  coming close  and so many  family and friends asking ‘what would you like for Christmas ‘   or me asking the same question in reverse.  There are so many books I’d love to have to read, but not all of them are likely to ne ‘keepers’   the sort I’d like to have actual copies on my bookshelves.  My husband, friends have kindles too and I would love to gift them books – but how do you wrap an ebook? (I have to admit that on Christmas day a large proportion of the books under our tree are book-shaped. That’s because they are books – and that rectangular shape is so easy to wrap!).

Then there are the books that I’ve read recently  - and  would love to share with friends I now will love them.  There was  Pushing the Limits that I talked about last month, I know my son’s fiancée will enjoy that. Or  One Breath Away  a book that I know would grip my sister as it did me – but neither of these people have ebook readers  so I’d need to buy them a print copy so they could read it.

And then there are my own ‘oldies’ – the books I wrote  that  were published  ten or more years ago  and that have now been reissued as  part of the Harlequin  Treasury or Mills & Boon Vintage – I know several  people who would love to have copies of these to add to or even complete their Kate Walker collections but again the ebook form is tricky to give as a surprise  or even to put in a Christmas stocking!  I suppose I could give them a ‘voucher’ – ‘I promise to give you a copy of The Groom’s Revenge or Hers For a Night . . .'  But it isn’t quite the same is it?

So what do you do?  Do you  buy and wrap a print edition of  a book you know someone wants – or  download it for them on Christmas morning?  And if there’s something you want to read – would you rather have the Kindle edition – or a gift-wrapped  parcel  under the tree on Christmas morning?

Or perhaps there are  books that you don’t mind having two copies of – one as an ebook for convenience and one in print form for the pleasure of owning  the ‘real’ book?  I confess that I have some of those too – a complete collection of Dorothy Dunnett (her books are so bug they weigh a ton so reading is much   easier on my kindle) or Mary Stewart  where my print copies are treasured first editions.

If you’ve  visited my personal blog recently, you’ll  have seen that  from December 1^st I’m running my annual Advent Calendar giveaway – it’s a way of getting to know my lovely readers better. Every day I ask a question,  one for you to answer  in the comments section – and each day there is a special prize book give away – and old book or a newer one, a collection   . . .

Yesterday the prize on my blog was the 3 in 1 Collection Mediterranean  Tycoons – that’s still open if you want a chance to win.   And today’s prize is the 2008 title Bedded By The Greek Billionaire –

Taken for passion. . . or ruthless retribution?

As a naïve teenager, Jessica Marshall fell achingly in love with a gorgeous Greek – Angelos Rousakis.

But her clumsy attempt at attracting his attention cost Angelos everything.

Seven years later, Angelos Rousakis is back. Hard and powerful, he intends to claim what is his – and that includes Jessica. However the once innocent girl now pretends that she feels nothing for him. . . which only inflames his passion for her further. . .

As Jessica falls for the sexy billionaire all over again, she cannot be sure - Is he back for passion . . . or retribution?

This book was a Romantic Times Top Pick.

 So just tell me how you’ll be buying/reading books this Christmas and your name will go into the prize draw for Charlie the Maine  Coon to pick a winner (that's him at the top of this post getting ready to pick some winners  - when he's opened his own Advent Calendar for today!)  and you’re in with a chance of winning an extra Christmas gift from me.

Good luck!  - And come back and visit my blog everyday until Christmas Eve to have another chance at the Advent Calendar prizes. There will be a new one on offer every day!

And the winner is  - MARTHA!  Martha please email me - kate AT kate-walker dot com with your postal address and I'll put your copy of Bedded By The Greek Billionaire in the mail to you.
Everyone who didn't win - don't forget that the Advent Calendar giveaway continues over on my personal blog  from now until December 24th, with lots of books to give away.

My favourtie spirit of Christmas -- Community spirit by Michelle Styles

Christmas in the UK wouldn't be Christmas without a ghost story or two. The most famous is Dickens A Christmas Carol. But with his three spirits, Dickens tapped into the true spirit of Christmas -- the Community  Spirit. And whether you believe in ghosts or not, the Community Spirit is always alive and out walking at Christmas time.
You can see it in so many ways -- both great and small. From the person who hangs lights up so that passersby get to see a pretty scene or the person who scatters birdseed on a snowy morning  for the starving  sparrows to the larger efforts such as the singing of carols in hospitals or nursing homes, or the organising of hot meals for the homeless to the even larger efforts where gifts that make a difference are to donated to the disadvantaged of the world. For example cows or beehives to third world families or shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts to orphanages in Bosnia.  And the things people do now in this season has an impact far beyond and can change lives forever, just as Scrooge was able to change lives.
And seeing Community spirit in action is one of my favourite parts of Christmas. I hope it is one of yours as well.
What are your favourite examples of Christmas Community Spirit?

And because the Harlequin Historical Authors thought it would be fun, we got together and have devised a Harlequin Historical Advent calendar. Each day a different author hosts the calendar and gives away a small gift. My day is 20 December. Everyone who enters gets put in for the grand prize draw of a kindle 3-g which will be drawn on 23rd Dec. In this way, we are hoping a few people's Christmas will be that little bit merrier. You can see the full list of places and terms and conditions here.

Also today 15 December is the annual Eharlequin Open House.  If you want to stop by the Historical thread and leave a comment, I know there are a number of books up for grabs.

Michelle Styles writes historical romance for Harlequin Historical. Her latest US releases is a Regency duo A Question of Impropriety and Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife. A free online serial His Stand In Bride is currently running on eharlequin.

Writing a book is like preparing for Christmas by Kate Walker

Being a writer is a lot like preparing for Christmas. Well, writing a book is very similar.

You spend ages just thinking about it. Thinking and planning. If you're like me, you make a list, or rather lists, and check them more than twice.

A list of characters and their backgrounds, their families and friends. Christmas is always about familes and friends. The ones you love and want to see a lot of - like your hero and heroine. And the ones who always cause trouble and start arguments, maybe drink a little too much - the villain or the 'other woman' - but you have to invite them anyway.

A list of conflicts and problems that you are going to throw in their way. There are always problems and hitches in the run up to Christmas. The special toys that the little ones want but the shop has run out of them already. The awkward brother who you just don't know what to buy for him.

A list of settings, houses, countries, perhpas even, in Presents novels, a palace and a penthouse. You have to know who is going to be where and when so that you can get everyone together if you want to - or, alternatively, arrange for some much needed private time so that you/your characters can . ..er . . . spend a little quality time together!

A list of all the nice little things that will also happen. After all your hero and heroine are going to fall in love so there has to be some reasons why this is going to happen. Some special meals togther with really nice food and drink.And all this involves planning and scheming, organsing and thinking, to make sure it happens.

Once your lists are written, all the planning done, then you start to work through them. And this is where the fun often starts. You often find that you have to keep changing things and adjusting, altering as you go along. Your heroine has decided - without telling you - that she's going to have a different job, a new name, that she won't go here or there . . and you have to make different arrangement to make sure she does even meet up with her hero.

The plot you've decided on doesn't quite 'fit' and you have to go looking for something different to fill the empty spaces, all in good time for the deadline when you have to have everything ready.

The setting - that wonderful palace you were going to make that everyone met in, has been overbooked - everyone's been using that setting recently - so you're looking for somewhere else. Somewhere warm and lovely that can fit all the characters you want to collect together.

And all the time the Big Day ( your deadline ) is getting closer and closer. You find yourself thinking about nothing else all day long. You work on your preparations/your writing all day, every day it seems. You get up early, go to bed late, but no matter how hard you try, you still find yourself wrapping or cooking - or slamming out words - in a rush on the very last day.

But at last, finally, somehow it all gets done. You get to Christmas day/the end of your deadline and all you have to do is to cook the dinner (or press 'SEND' on the email of your manuscript) and sit back and relax. You can have a glass of wine - or two - forget about work and word coubnts etc for a while. And you can look around and think how great it is that everything turned out well in the end.

Or at least you hope you can until your editor gets back to you with her 'tweaks' and revisions - which is rather like finding that the brand new gadget you were given doesn't work right or the underwear was in the wrong size and you have to take it back to the shop . . .

But hopefully these will only be minor hitches and you'll soon be able to say when anyone asks, 'Oh yes, I had a wonderful time - it was such fun!' (You always soon forget the stress and hassle when you look back at your memories)

So with the similarities betwen writng a novel and Christmas in mind, it's not really surprising is it that I chose a Christmas giveaway this year based on the Advent Calendar as we count down to December 25th. Over on my blog I'll be giving away a book a day - some old, some newer, some single novels, some 3 in 1 collections. And all you have to do is to come on over and chat, leaving a message in the Comments section.

But today you don 't even have to visit my blog. Today, the giveaway comes here to Tote Bags. Today's giveaway is one of those 3 in 1 collections. Mistresses Shackled with Rubies is a collection that came out at the start of 2010. It has stories by Lucy Monroe and Lee Wilkinson together with my own Her Secret Bridegroom which was originally published back in 2000.

Bride by deception!
After a whirlwind wedding in Venice, Amy discovered that her brand-new husband had only married her to gain a priceless old ring. Fleeing Italy, Amy never told anyone of her marriage to ruthless billionaire Vincenzo Ravenelli.
Four years later, while Amy knew she'd never really love another man as she loved Vincenzo, she needed to be free of the past. The time had come to return to Venice and confront her secret bridegroom . . .

And today's question is- m

Are you a planner or a dasherwhen it comes to Christmas?

One of my sisters will have bought all her presents - and wrapped them - by now. My brother in law will leave everything to the last minute and then dash around like crazy trying to find what he wants. Which sort are you? Calm, collected and prepared ? Or wouldn't it be Christmas unless you went out into all the crowds and the excitement in the last week or so?

Post your answers in the comments and Sid the Cat will get to work to pick a winner - he loves this Advent Calendar idea. He gets to have extra cat crunchies every day for 25 days! As far as he's concerned his Christmas has come already.

And for me my Christmas came early when I learned that my March Presents Extra title The Konstantos Marriage Demand has been short-listed for the Best Presents Extra award by Romantic Times. That really was a special joy.


I know it's a little early but I want to wish each and every one of you all the joys and happiness of the Festive Seasons, no matter what you're celebrating. I hope you all have a wonderful time with family, friends and those you loveclose to you - and hopefully a little something extra special and beautiful like the rubies in the title of this giveaway wrapped and put under the tree for you. Have a lovely time and I'll be back at the very beginning of the New Year to see you all again.

Happy Christmas!

Kate Walker's latest Presents title - The Good Greek Wife? - was out in Presents Extra in October and is still available now on Amazon, eHarlequin etc. You can get all her news and read the latest updates over on her web site or her blog.

Sid has chosen the winner and the name he picked out is EV - so Ev please email me kate AT kate-walker.com to let me know your postal address and I'll put your prize in the mail to you.

Just to remind everyone that you can still keep entering my Advent Calendar Giveaway over on my blog every day up to Christmas,