Happy Samhain...er...Halloween....er...All Saints' Day Eve.....er BOOK BIRTHDAY!

October 31 is a busy day around here. 

Halloween, of course, comes to mind first. And the original Celtic celebration of Samhain. The religious holyday of All Saint's Day is also in the mix. 

I try each year to not think about or look forward to the Christmas holidays until long after Halloween. I don't care if the stores have already brought out their holiday merchandise or if the Christmas shopping adverts have begun. . . I ignore the whole Christmas business until its time.  

Um. . . until this year, that is! Yes, in a small way, I've been thinking about Christmas for some months now. I've been living in the Highlands with the winter snows swirling around me as I wrote a lovely Christmas story about the magic and hope of the season. In my defense, the Christmas festivities in the medieval Highlands is completely different from the way we celebrate them now.

And now, the true conflict happens today -- my Christmas book is available on Halloween! Yes, I have to begin celebrating the Christmas holidays today. I mean, there's nothing more exciting than when a book is released and gets into the hands of READERS! Book birthdays are THE BEST day! 

This story - A Highlander's Hope in CHRISTMAS IN KILTS - is very special to me. 20 years ago, while writing my first series - the MacKendimen Clan series - I always wanted to give a particular character her own happily-ever-after. But, for many reasons, I never wrote that story. Then, a few years ago, I planned out the novella for Robena MacKendimen, and again, never got the chance to write it. So, when St Martins Press/Swerve (then) editor Lizzie Poteet asked me to write a holiday story, it was this one I really wanted to tell. I'm thrilled that they gave me this chance to tell this emotional, sexy story of a man who knows what/who he wants and a woman who deserves happiness and hope in her life.  I hope that readers will enjoy it as much as I did.

As a reader, I always glommed the Regency Christmas anthologies each year. For me, they were the perfect length for the busy times when I had little bits of time to actually read. I could read a novella in a few hours and enjoy a complete story. Rinse, repeat over and over throughout the crazy, busy end-of-year festivities. How about you - do you like to read Christmas stories now? Or do you save them for closer to the actual holidays? Do you like full-length or the collections of shorter works better? 

Post a comment and I'll pick 3 people to receive a digital copy of ONCE FORBIDDEN, the story that leads into A HIGHLANDER'S HOPE... 


 Terri is working on new stories for Harlequin Historicals and a few surprise projects, too. You can always find news and updates about her stories and events on her website or connect with her on Facebook.

August is when?!!

Somehow the summer has flown by and now I'm facing down one of the busiest Augusts I've ever faced! June was taken up by college graduations and weddings - well, my youngest son did both of those! Usually, late June and most of July is taken up with RWA preparations but I can't even blame that this year since it's the first RWA I've missed since 1998.

But somehow July whipped on by me anyway. And those who know me are probably saying there must be a writing deadline coming soon and you would be correct. I also accepted an invitation to be part of a Celtic ghost anthology, coming out in time for Samhain/Halloween. So that meant writing my brains out even before I need to write my brains out on my next book. . . due August 31!

Yeah, that's how I roll....LOL!

I have actually had the chance to read a few books and would love to share them with you - in case you need a couple more romances to read this summer...


First - I grabbed up Annie West's newest one - The Flaw in Raffaele's Revenge - and read it in ONE day! It was hot and a great romance - try it if you haven't! (I think she may be talking about it here tomorrow so stop back!)



Then,  a friend suggested an author I'd never read - Emma Wildes - and I confess, I'm in love! Her historical romances were out a few years ago and I tried to savor the first one - An Indecent Proposition - it didn't work and I stayed up late two nights finishing it. A steamy, old-school historical romance with a wonderful secondary romance, too! I've since bought up print copies of her other books so I've got lots to read!


And finally, I found another new-to-me author - Kerrigan Byrne. She's getting rave reviews on her Victorian Rebels series so I read the first one - The Highwayman -  and ordered the next 3! Again, old-school historical romance - this time sexy and so emotional. Her next one comes out next week and I wish I could read it as soon as it gets here... but. . .

Now, I'm heading straight downhill into my next deadline. AND -- going to Scotland  on August 31! Yes, finally returning there after 7 years and I'm so excited. I have research places to visit for my upcoming books and Blas Festival concerts to attend.  Lots of photos will be posted all over my social media places.

So that's my summer -- how's yours going? Read any good books you can recommend to me or done anything fun? Please share in a comment and I'll be choosing two commentors to receive a copy of the "Once Upon A Haunted Castle" coming September 27!

Terri is thrilled to share that she'll be writing 6!!! more medieval Highlander romances for Harlequin over the next few years! Her next one - Kidnapped by the Highland Rogue - will be available in print on September 20 and in digital on October 1! Stop by her website for lots of info!

Christina Hollis...My All-Action Hero

My father Ned was an inspiration to many people young and old, so here's a little taster of his life – in more ways than one.

The second of four children, Dad was a star pupil at his local school. He left at fourteen to become apprentice gardener on a private estate, earning just ten shillings (50 pence, or 81 cents) a week. Signing up for World War Two at the age of nineteen, his army career was uneventful until he was involved in protecting the factories of Coventry. On 14th November 1940, a notorious bombardment reduced the city to rubble. In June 1944, Dad was part of the D-Day landings.  All his life, he was a  real “people person” and his experiences abroad meant he brought back loads of great stories. As he worked his way through occupied territory, he developed a love for the Dutch in particular.  The winter of 1944/45 was foul, and all the locals were starving. Despite that, they went out of their way to make Dad and his mates welcome. 

Dad was nearly 73 by the time his last child flew the nest.  That gave him plenty of time to run errands and do odd jobs for those he called "the old folk". Even into his eighties, he said he still only felt middle aged! Dad always had a huge appetite (yet stayed as slim as a whip, grrr...) so when we left home it meant he soon learned to cook because Mum never did that sort of thing. One of his most successful recipes is just right for this season of mist and rain. Here’s "Ned Beeton's Receipt", exactly as he proudly wrote it down for me.  We added the "Beeton" when we found out what a star he was in the kitchen.

By Diekatrin

You'll need:

1lb braising steak, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tablespoon sunflower oil

1 tablespoon flour

three-quarters of a pint of beef stock (from a cube is fine)

6 oz small onions or shallots, peeled.

8oz potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice.

4oz carrots, sliced

3 sticks celery, chopped

2 tablespoons malt vinegar

1 big teaspoon made mustard

salt & pepper

chopped parsley

Heat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F

Brown the meat in the oil, then sprinkle the flour over the contents of the pan. Cook, stirring, until everything is light brown.

Gradually stir in the stock. Add all the other ingredients and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring continuously.

Place the stew in a casserole dish, cover it with a lid and cook until the meat is tender, which can be up to two hours.

Garnish with chopped parsley.  

By Man vyi

Dad was a mad-keen gardener, and always enjoyed a good laugh. One year, he grew a monster pumpkin. Carving it in secret in his shed, he had the bright idea of trying it out for size. Guess what? Once he put it on his head, he couldn’t get it off again! The eye-holes weren’t in the right place, so he couldn't see a thing. He had to feel his way out of the shed, and back to the house. Extracting him from his vegetable prison took a very long time, because we were all laughing so much! 

Has any member of your family ever done anything outrageous?

For more recipes and to see a complete list of Christina's published books, visit http://www.christinahollis.com

Half-Price Halloween!

by Anna Campbell

No, pumpkins haven't suddenly had a price drop!

To celebrate this special month when things go bump in the night, I've got my Regency Ghost Romance, THESE HAUNTED HEARTS, on special at only 99 cents until witching hour on the 31st October.

So if you're looking for a romantic read with a couple of ghosts involved in the love story, may I humbly recommend THESE HAUNTED HEARTS to your attention?

If you'd like more info, here's a link to the blurb and an excerpt: http://annacampbell.info/hauntedhearts.html

Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/These-Haunted-Hearts-Regency-ebook/dp/B00BSJR0HI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363340949&sr=8-1&keywords=anna+campbell+haunted+hearts

Here's the Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/these-haunted-hearts-anna-campbell/1116890279?ean=2940044507302

Actually Halloween isn't a huge deal here in Australia where I live. In the Dark Ages, when I grew up, it passed completely uncommemorated.

I think part of the reason is that seasonally we're heading into spring so the harvest festival element of Halloween means absolutely nothing down here. As a kid, I remember watching shows like THE BRADY BUNCH and being totally fascinated by the exotic celebrations with pumpkin lanterns and kids going trick or treating.

Because of films and TV, there's a minor celebration now. I've been to a few Halloween parties in my time which have given everyone a good excuse to dress up and be silly. Occasionally the little kids in the neighborhood will do trick or treating. There are some very sad pre-made Halloween costumes in one dusty corner of the grocery store for a couple of weeks in October.

All fairly half-hearted frankly.

I think it would be great fun to be in America and see it done properly. I have a friend who goes to enormous trouble, including building a fake graveyard in her front garden. Her kids love it!

So where do you stand on Halloween? Huzzah or myeh? Any Halloweeny plans for this year? 

I'm away at a writing convention this weekend but I'll get back to answer comments as I can. I'm doing a panel on historical research - now THAT's scary!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like. . . what?!

I just looked at the calendar and realized that Halloween is sneaking up on me in just a couple of days.

All Hallow’s Eve. . . Samhain. . . . The day when the veil that separates the world of humans from the world of the fae is at its thinnest and most vulnerable. . .

Lately, I’ve been overwhelmed with all things fae. I just read Karen Marie Moning’s latest book, FAEFEVER, and it ends (no spoiler here!) on Halloween. I’ve been researching the mythology and history of fairies for a new trilogy I’m working on for my first BRAVA release. I received an invitation from a friend to attend FAIRIE-CON in Philadelphia, where there will be fairies and costumes and social events and leading authors and everything I could possibly ever want to know under one roof.

So, I should be ready for Halloween….

But, then, it snowed today. It’s only October and it snowed here in the northeast! An actual Nor’easter formed off the coast yesterday, rained out the World Series last night and dumped some snow in PA and NJ today.

And snow always makes me think of. . . yep!. . . Christmas! I don’t know why that link is still live since my area in southern NJ hasn’t gotten a good Christmas snowstorm in decades and actually got very little snow at all these last couple of years. But, it still happens.

I already pulled out my matching snowman cups and plates in case I need to make hot chocolate. I went hunting for the little mouse that marks the days of December as we move closer to the holiday. I even found myself checking my Holiday card mailing list. And worse, my local grocery store has already shoved the Halloween candies to one side and begun setting up the Christmas items! Yikes!

So, now I’m getting ready to get ready for Christmas!

I am so confused! This is beginning to remind me of the routine in the Mel Brooks’ movie SPACEBALLS when Dark Helmet and his commander are watching the previous scenes of the movie IN the movie. And he keeps asking, “Is it now?” and the answer is always, “No, it’s not now, it’s then.” Or “When will it be now?” “Soon!”

So, tell me – is it now? Or are we waiting for then? Are you celebrating Halloween this week or have you already moved on to Christmas? And, ohmigosh!, when is Thanksgiving? Which is your favorite? Post a note and tell me and I’ll award a small prize to a random poster.


Terri is celebrating the release of her novella BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE in the Regency Christmas anthology ONE CANDLELIT CHRISTMAS, on shelves today, from Harlequin Historicals. Visit her website at www.terribrisbin.com for more info about her upcoming books and other events, both now and then!