The hero of Gift-Wrapped in Her Wedding Dress (Harlequin
Romance, November), Dominic Hunt, is a billionaire Scrooge who hates Christmas. I don’t go
so far as having him say “bah humbug” and he actually has very good reason for
being miserable about the festive season. My heroine Andie Newman loves
everything about Christmas. Needless to say, it’s cause for conflict!
I fall into the “loves
Christmas” camp. You’ll never hear a “bah humbug” coming from me. Christmas is
a favourite time of year. I love the celebrations with family and friends, the
food and the giving and receiving of presents. Even when Christmas became a job
for me I enjoyed Christmas.
 |
| North American cover |
In my former life
as a magazine editor, I edited a major supermarket Christmas magazine with a
circulation in the millions. Year after year my wonderful team never tired of
coming up with lovely ways to present Christmas goodies and creating wonderful
recipes. Print magazine deadlines being the way they were, we started devising
recipes in June for testing and photography to be completed by early September.
Yet I still enjoyed doing Christmas all over again when it actually came along
in December!
 |
| UK cover |
I’ve given
heroine Andie a magazine background for Gift-Wrapped
in Her Wedding Dress. She and her two business partners have a fledgling
party planning business. They really need the job of planning the party that’s
meant to reform Dominic’s reputation as a miser—and it’s up to Andie to win it.
 |
| Australian and New Zealand cover |
If you get to
read the story, you’ll notice a few nods to the classic Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol. I had a lot of fun
with this story!
I also had fun
with my contribution, Millionaire Under
the Mistletoe, to the wonderful box set of Christmas themed novellas to be
published by the LoveCats in December. Hot
Christmas Nights includes stories by me, Rachel Bailey, Michelle Douglas,
Louisa George, Helen Lacey, Stefanie London and Jennifer St George.
We’ve all loved
writing these Christmas-themed stories. Do you enjoy reading seasonal stories?
What are your thoughts on Christmas? Fun? Stressful? Any favourite foods?
Christmas triumphs or Christmas disasters? I’d love to see your comments.
Comment for a chance to win a paperback copy of Gift-Wrapped in Her Wedding Dress.
I like Christmas themed stories as there's always an air of fun and excitement about them that adds to the romance story.
ReplyDeleteChristmas for me is always about family, and sitting around the table for a sumptuous meal with delicious treats that I eat far too much of.
Hi Sue, it is that fun and excitement that gives the extra level to a Christmas story, isn't it! Your Christmas sounds perfect!
DeleteHi Kandy
ReplyDeleteI do love Christmas themed stories and always have and as for Christmas I love it but I confess to getting stressful as well LOL I am no fond of shopping yes sad I know but I never have liked it and with 7 grandchildren to buy for it gets hard but once I have them all I relax and I also do most of the cooking for the family and normally bake about 7 Christmas cakes as I give them as gifts to friends which I need to start doing :)
And huge congrats on this new book I loved it and highly recommend to everyone it really is such a beautiful story :)
Have Fun
Helen
Thank you so much for the kind words about GIFT-WRAPPED IN HER WEDDING DRESS, Helen, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteReading about your Christmas, I can see why you get a tad stressed! All that shopping and all that baking - I'm in awe! It must be a wonderful time with the grandchildren and family celebrations.
I love the sound of Gift-Wrapped in Her Wedding Dress, Kandy!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Christmas, but it can be a little stressful. I married into a large family, so there are lots and lots and lots of people around at Christmas time. But, I do love shopping for presents. Love finding just the right thing for each person.
I know what you mean about stress, Jen. Despite best resolves I always seem to be in a mad rush in the countdown to the 25th. I love present shopping, too, and if I see something perfect during the year I buy it then. Trouble is, I often forget about it!
DeleteI love reading and writing Christmas stories, Kandy. There's something special about them I think. :-) Maybe it's just all of that yuletide goodwill and holiday fun.
ReplyDeleteI do sometimes find the craziness in the lead up to the day a little wearing...but it's worth it for the good food, the good company and the good times. :-)
Agree, Michelle. I actually like reading Christmas stories at any time of the year - it doesn't have to be just during the festive season!
DeleteChristmas and weddings - love it!!
ReplyDeleteI love everything about Christmas and that includes books.
Thank you Mary. I love writing wedding scenes as much as I love writing Christmas themes! I get all the fun of choosing the dresses, the flowers, the shoes...
DeleteAwesome cover and title for your new book, Kandy! Perfect with coming up to Christmas. I'm looking froward to a lovely read!
ReplyDeleteI'm much more relaxed about Christmas than I used to be. Now I just let myself enjoy getting together for a family feast and whatever happens, happens. And I just love that wind-down feeling of "phew, the food all arrived at the table cooked, everyone behaved themselves, I won't need to eat for a week and where's that book I've been saving to read!"
Thanks Sharon! Yes it is a lovely cover and cute title - and I like the UK cover too! Your relaxed way of thinking about Christmas sounds ideal. And, yes, there's nothing like that "wind down" feeling!
ReplyDeleteIt's time for my holiday reading! Love the cover - just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Cats lady, it is a lovely cover isn't it? I'm very pleased with it!
DeleteThis sounds like a great story. I love Christmas themed stories. It's still too early for me to want to see the stores pushing Christmas, but Christmas romance is the perfect way to ease into the season. The last couple years have been pretty low key because of my husband having surgery 2 Decembers in a row (and March in-between). No surgeries this year, but I kind of enjoy the slower pace and will try to keep it that way from now on. I love Christmas but in years past seldom had time to enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteKandy, I just LOVE the title of this book!! I'm in the loves Christmas camp. The smell of the tree, the pavlova, the breakfast champagne and the dive into the pool after dinner. I love reading Christmas stories too and can't wait to read this one!
ReplyDeleteKandy, TWO Christmas stories to look forward to? Fabulous! I'm so looking forward to reading them. I so enjoy a nice Christmassy romance. I don't know quite why, but they do hit the spot.
ReplyDeleteThere's so much to look forward to in the festive season, too hard to choose favourites. I'm looking forward to see which treats you've included in your stories.