Dec 7, 2012

A Christmas Special with Anna Campbell


I'm thrilled to have lovely Anna Campbell here today to talk about her Christmas novella, THE WINTER WIFE, and to share some Christmas history.  So without further ado, I'm handing over to Anna...


Hiya Love Cats! 

This is just the purr-fect place for me to be today! I think you’re all the cat’s whiskers! OK, enough of the feline revelry, let’s get into some Regency revelry.

But first, a word from our sponsor – and no, it’s not Whiskas!


On 1st December, I published an e-novella with a Christmas theme, THE WINTER WIFE. It’s an extended version of my first reunion romance, written a couple of years ago for THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF REGENCY ROMANCE. I’d always wanted to go back and give the Earl of Kinvarra and his estranged countess a bit more room to breathe so this year, I thought why not? 


Here’s the blurb:

Will a chance meeting on Christmas Eve…


Alicia Sinclair, Countess of Kinvarra, cannot believe that fate has been so cruel as to strand her on the snowy Yorkshire moors with her estranged husband as her only hope of rescue. During their rare encounters, the arrogant earl and his countess act like hostile strangers. Now that Alicia has fallen into Kinvarra’s power, will he seek revenge for her desertion? Or does the dark, passionate man she once adored have entirely different plans for his headstrong wife?

...deliver a second chance at love?

Sebastian Sinclair, Earl of Kinvarra, has spent ten wretched years regretting the mistakes he made with his young bride, but after long separation, the barriers between them are insurmountable. Until an unexpected encounter one stormy night makes him wonder if the barriers of mistrust and thwarted desire are so insurmountable after all. When winter weather traps Sebastian and his proud, lovely wife in an isolated inn, could the earl and his headstrong countess have a Christmas miracle in store?



You can buy THE WINTER WIFE: A CHRISTMAS NOVELLA from Amazon - click here!


 






Given THE WINTER WIFE’S Christmassy atmosphere and the time of year, I thought I’d talk a little bit about Christmas in the Regency.

You might be slightly surprised to hear that Christmas as we celebrate it is mainly a Victorian invention. In fact, in the Regency there were people like Leigh Hunt the writer actively working to revive interest in Christmas which was fading from the public mind as a general celebration.


Can you believe that? The Sheriff of Nottingham nearly got his way! They almost cancelled Christmas! A large part of the revival of interest in Christmas can be put down to Charles Dickens and his A CHRISTMAS CAROL which was published in 1843, well past the Regency age.


So what would you do at a Regency Christmas? Well, you’d go to church. It was primarily a religious occasion. You’d do something charitable. If you were lucky, you might have a nice dinner with friends and family. Gift giving, especially among adults, doesn’t seem to have been widespread.


All the tinsel and stuff is a later tradition although “Deck the Halls” got it right – one of the oldest traditions was bringing winter greenery inside. You can see a trace of that in the picture with the holly in the chandelier. Kissing under the mistletoe was also a game people played – lots of romantic possibilities there! 

George III - portrait by Zoffany
A couple of unexpected facts. It’s generally accepted that the Christmas tree came to England with Prince Albert when he married Victoria. That actually isn’t so – George III married a German princess Sophie Caroline Marie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (long name to put on a Christmas card! Another Victorian tradition. First commercially available in 1843, clearly a BIG year for Christmas!). It seems she brought the tradition of having a tree in the house for Christmas with her, although the practice didn’t spread much beyond the royal family until after Victoria married Albert in 1840. Another surprise is that Christmas puddings (which originally included as much meat as sweet stuff) weren’t a widespread part of the season until the 1840s either.

So a Regency Christmas was a much quieter, less commercial affair than the day we enjoy in 2012. However you spend the 25th December, I hope it’s happy and full of love and laughter.


Do you have a favourite Christmas romance? One of my favourites is LoveCat Michelle Douglas’s CHRISTMAS AT CANDLEBARK FARM, a beautiful story. I love to read Christmas books at this time of year so I look forward to hearing your recommendations. 


Thanks, Anna!  I always enjoy your fascinating historical snippets!  

Anna is giving away a download of THE WINTER WIFE: A CHRISTMAS NOVELLA to one lucky commenter!  This contest is open internationally!  Good luck, everyone!   

35 comments:

  1. My favourite Christmas romance is His Mistress by Christmas by Victoria Alexander. Loved it! Thanks so much Anna for the giveaway.

    Desere

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  2. Hi Desere! Haven't read that one! Much check it out. Thanks for the recommendation.

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  3. I have been on a Christmas theme kick lately and right now I'm reading Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries. I would love to add The Winter Wife to my TBR pile :) Thank you for the opportunity.

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  4. I have a box of Christmas books I try to reread every year. Of course there are always new books being added. A good number of them are anthologies, a favorite form for me especially this time of year when we are so busy and there isn't much time for reading.

    I don't know that I have any particular favorite. Some of my first were Medieval Christmas anthologies (of course I haven't dug them out yet so I can't tell you exactly which ones), but they are 10 or 15 years old and would be hard to find. Lately it has been Western historicals that have captured my fancy. Elizabeth Lane's CHRISTMAS MOON was one I really enjoyed. It is both a time travel and Christmas Western. Last year I acquired A TEXAS CHRISTMAS by Jodi Thomas, Linda Broday, Phyllis Miranda, and Dewanna Pace. This is part of a series that I have enjoyed. The stories are connected by an event, but are separate story lines. They contain the sense of hope and promise that is part of the Christmas season.

    There are a lot of new books out this year that I look forward to finding the time to read.

    Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season.

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  5. Diana, I love Sabrina's books. Great choice. Good luck in the draw!

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  6. Hi Pat! Lovely to see you here. Wishing you all the best of the season too! Ooh, thanks for the recommendations. I have to say I love something shorter at this time of year too, at least until Christmas and all its craziness is out of the way. Usually I take a couple of quiet days afterwards where I just loll around in the pool or on my sofa reading. Bliss!

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  7. Hi Anna, and congratulations on the release of 'The Winter Wife' a terrific holiday read! Thanks for the wrap up on Regency Christmases, even though it turned out to be mainly Victorian!

    As for Christmas stories, you're right - Michelle writes a corker - I've got her new 'Nanny Who Saved Christmas' on my bedside table and I love Liz Fielding's Christmas stories. But there are stacks available now including one by LoveCat Sue Mackay and I'm looking forward to trawling through to make a selection.

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  8. Ooh, Sue's got a Christmas romance out? I'll have to rush to get it! Yes, I agree with you about Liz Fielding's books. There's a lovely one called Mistletoe and the Lost Stiletto that's absolutely charming. Looking forward to Michelle's next one. So glad you enjoyed The Winter Wife! Thank you!

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  9. Hi Anna! Thanks for visiting us at the LoveCats, and thanks for that history. I'd totally believed the hype about Christmas trees arriving with Albert.

    I don't normally read many Christmas stories, but I think I need to change that. Good places to start will be your novella and LoveCat Helen Lacey's Marriage Under The Mistletoe - I love her writing.

    And in recommendations to you, I see that Cat Michelle Douglas has another Christmas book out, as Annie mentioned. Since you loved her first Christmas one, you could try The Nanny Who Saved Christmas.

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  10. Hi Anna, great post. I didn't know any of those facts. The Winter Wife sounds great. With so much to do before Xmas, I don't think I'll get to read many Xmas romances. Hopefully the New Year will be less crazy (she said wistfully!!)

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  11. Love reading Christmas themes books to get in the mood. Reading Mary Balogh's Christmas Bride and Christmas Beau right now.

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  12. Hi Rachel! Definitely think you should start with The Winter Wife (totally non-self-interested comment there, LOL!). Helen's great, isn't she? Love her debut!

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  13. Jennifer, it's been a really mad year, hasn't it? I've been writing like a fool for most of it. Hope you get some down time to attack the TBR pile!

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  14. Mary, I love Mary Balogh. One of my favourite Christmas books is a trio of novellas called THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS. Three absolutely beautiful stories by Mary B, Nicola Cornick and Courtney Milan. All of them are winners!

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  15. (waving) Anna! Congratulations on the release of THE CHRISTMAS WIFE! I have it on my eTBR pile but I already know I'll enjoy it becuase I've read it in it's Mammoth Book!

    I'm busy adding to my to-buy list with the Christmassy-read recommendations you're getting! Some of these I've already read and enjoyed! I can't add to the list right now because I'm away from my "keeper shelf" but I know I have a Nora Roberts novella with a gorgeous Christmas theme... when I get home later, I'll hunt it out and give you the title!

    It's always great to have you visit and you know how much I enjoy your historical snippets!

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  16. Hiya Sharon! Thanks for hosting me today and giving me a chance to spruik the Winter Wife and to talk about Regency Christmas. It's fascinating how we think so many of our traditions are eons old and basically, they're...not. Hope you enjoy TWW. Ooh, love the sound of the Nora book.

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  17. Hi Anna, great to see you here at the LoveCats! I know it will come as quite a surprise, but I love Christmas stories. :-) And I LOVE reunion stories too so The Winter Wife sounds exactly my kind of story. Looking forward to getting my mitts on it.

    Aww, and so pleased you enjoyed Christmas at Candlebark Farm. Rotten book was a pineapple to write, but worth it in the end. :-) And, Annie and Rach, thanks for the plug for The Nanny Who Saved Christmas (which, on the other hand, was a gift to write, thank goodness).

    As for fave Christmas stories. Marion Lennox's Christmas With Her Boss, and Liz Fielding's Christmas Angel for the Billionaire. Both absolutely fantastic reads!

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  18. Michelle, what? You LIKE Christmas stories???!! I never would have guessed. Why don't you write one? Snerk! You know how much I loved Candlebark Farm - laughed and cried my way through that one. Looking forward to the Nanny. I haven't read that Liz Fielding - she's one of my faves so I'll have to see if I can find it. Thanks for saying you're looking forward to reading The Winter Wife. It's bite-size but at this time of year, that can be a good thing!

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  19. Absolutely nothing wrong with bite-size! Though I do get into a lot of trouble at this time of year with bite-size chocs and shortbread and rum balls and... Well, you get the picture. I can never stop at just one. ;-) But I meant to ask earlier -- how long is The Winter Wife? I find I'm developing quite an appetite for novellas at the moment! They're the perfect size for this time of year.

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  20. Michelle, I absolutely agree with you about novellas. Did you see my recommendation for THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS up above? Well worth getting. THE WINTER WIFE is about 16,000 words long which is 1/6 of a full-length novel. Certainly something you can read in an evening.

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  21. Anna, I'm home at last and I've been into my "keeper shelf"... well, box actually at the moment! Anyway, I found the book - it's an anthology called Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells. The Nora Roberts story is my fave and it's called "All I Want For Christmas" - it's the sweetest story! Hey, thanks for a great excuse to hunt up this Xmas favourite... time for a cuppa and a little read, I think!

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  22. Hi Anna,

    The Winter Wife sounds like a great Christmas novella!

    Congratulations on the release!

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  23. Sharon, that story sounds lovely. I have to say I've never heard of it. How cool that you're going to read it again thanks to this blog!

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  24. Thanks, Nas. I've always wanted to write a Christmas story so it was fun to finally have one out.

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  25. Hi Anna
    Your novella sounds wonderful! I love stories where the h/h have been starcrossed and then find their way back together!

    I too, love Christmas books and have many squirreled away that I read again and again. I love novellas and many of the titles listed here. I just finished to holiday anthologies... one contemporary and one regency.

    Favorites? Too many to mention, but one author seems to do Christmas well for me Debbie Macomber.

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  26. Anna, it sounds like the perfect length!

    I've been hearing a lot about Mary Balogh recently. Must check her out. Thanks for the recommendation!

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  27. Rita, you're right about Debbie Macomber and Christmas. Great choice. Thanks for saying you like the sound of THE WINTER WIFE.

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  28. Michelle, I think Mary Balogh is wonderful - if you get the Heart of Christmas, make sure you read the Courtney Milan. It's wonderful and was up for a RITA the year it came out.

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  29. Congrats on the release of The Winter Wife Anna! I don't hv a fav Xmas romance bk; i can't even think of 1 at the mo. Would love some recommendations. Anyway i'm not fussed when i read a Xmas themed bk; i'd b happy to read them any time of the year

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  30. Just remembered I do have a Christmas book on my shelves: Santa Baby - an anthology with Jenny Crusie, Lori Foster and Carly Phillips. The JC story is Hot Toy and is a whole heap of fun.

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  31. Linda, interesting that you're not seasonally tied with Christmas stories. I must say I like them all year too - if it's a good story, it's a good story.

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  32. Rachel, Jenny Crusie's stuff is ALWAYS a lot of fun. I can't tell you how many times I've read WELCOME TO TEMPTATION. An absolute classic!

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  33. I like Johanna Lindsey's The Present.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  34. My favorite Christmas story is Mary Balogh's "A Handful of Gold". It makes me feel good all the way through! It's been reprinted in several anthologies. I reread it every year. Last year I read "His Mistress by Christmas" by Victoria Alexander. Then I listened to it. Last month I listened to it again and I really enjoyed it. Another favorite of mine is Jo Beverley's "Winter Fire". I usually listen to it over the holidays. I just love Christmas stories! I can't wait to read yours, Anna.

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  35. I just looked up "The Heart of Christmas". The Mary Balogh novella is "A Handful of Gold" - my favorite.
    Courtney Milan's story was terrific. The entire book was very enjoyable. I bought about seven holiday books, but haven't read any yet. Maybe one will become a new Christmas favorite. :-)

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