THE CHRISTMAS EVE SECRET - BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

Christmas Eve Secret: Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas 

 Publisher:  Broadback (September 16, 2019) 

Category: Time Travel, Historical Fiction, Romance, Christmas 

Tour Dates: October-November, 2019 

ISBN: TBD Available in Print and ebook, 440 pages

Description Christmas Eve Secret: Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas

A mysterious man from the past steals the time travel lantern. When Eve and Patrick find it, they destroy it. Eve’s life is shattered. She must return to the past, where secrets await. In the third novel of THE CHRISTMAS EVE series, Eve and Patrick Gantly are living a normal life in 2019 New York, preparing to celebrate the Christmas season.  Patrick is taking courses in forensic psychology and Eve continues to work as a nurse practitioner.  To their delight, she is three months pregnant. Despite their happiness, Eve is having premonitions that something dreadful is about to occur.  Concerned about the future and the safety of their child, she insists that they destroy the time travel lantern.  Patrick is more cautious. One afternoon when Patrick is out, a sinister man breaks into the apartment and forces Eve to give him the lantern.  In many ways, Eve is relieved the lantern is gone.  She hopes they can now live a more normal life. A day later, Patrick shadows a woman who has been staking out the Gantly’s brownstone apartment, and he confronts her.  To his and Eve’s utter shock, they learn that Lucy Rose is from 1924 and that she time-traveled with the man who took the lantern.  He returned to 1924, but she chose to stay behind.  She offers to sell the lantern back to Eve and Patrick, and they reluctantly agree, hoping to keep it out of unscrupulous hands. Convinced that the lantern is a threat to their future happiness, Eve and Patrick decide to destroy it. But the lantern has more power than they could have ever imagined.  Once the lantern is destroyed, Eve’s life is completely changed.  She must set off on an adventure, in a struggle that will return her to the past, where she will learn the secret of the lantern’s origin and delve into the farthest reaches of her heart.

16 FABULOUS OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

After yesterday's simple DIY gifts, today we have a set beautiful ideas to make your Christmas special! Christmas is a time of family, celebration and, of course, decoration. Yet how do you decorate the outdoor of your house in a way that is fun, stylish and Christmassy without covering your house in garish and tacky Christmas lights. This guide is to provide you with some inspiration to help you decorate the front of your house in a way that complements your personal style and shows that you're taking part in the festivities. Some of these ideas suite those looking for elegance in their Christmas decorations while others are more quirky and fun.

EASY DIY CHRISTMAS GIFTS

Hello, everyone, and happy Christmas season! I'm not on holiday yet and busy, busy, busy with the end of term at school. So, finding the time to go shopping to look for the right gifts for all my dear and friends has been quite a problem so far. As usual, these last days before Christmas will be crucial and ... stressing. Do you find yourself in the same situation? What about some good DIY ideas? Have a look at these ones. They are easy and lovely!

4 TIPS ON MAKING A SHORT MOVIE

(by guest blogger John Montana) Making a short film, or any film for that matter can be a lot of amazing fun. But most of the time, making a movie is very stressful and filled with problems. I recently made my most recent short film called HUNGRY…a wicked, humorous, little piece on the greed that is rampant at Christmas. I was able to shoot it in early February 2015. And I have to say… even tho I had prepared for everything, or thought I had, the shoot was very rough. Here are the major issues that came up and what I learned from it for my next shoot.

1.         Location

Location needs to be your first consideration when shooting your film. My film took place in a used clothing store, and I wanted the store to give the impression it had been there for many, many decades. So I set out to find the perfect shop. It took me about a week of driving around L.A. and looking at close to 15 shops. There were 2 that I thought “might do”…but nothing that reached pout and grabbed me. Until I happened upon the shop I ultimately shot in. It is an amazing location, one that I knew immediately was “The One”! So take your time and really look for the location that you want. Don’t settle for less, unless you absolutely have to. 

TO SEND OR NOT TO SEND ... THEM A CHRISTMAS CARD?

In the era of everything digital, do we still choose, buy and send personalized Christmas cards to family and friends living far from us? I definitely love them but, honestly, have been using them - especially printed ones - less and less in the latest years, preferring e-cards, which are entertaining, colourful, interactive, sendable in one click and which can be found at a very cheap price or even for free online.  Anyway, if you still are indecisive about what to do,  Grammarly is here, as usual, with funny, helpful tips to help you face and solve your doubts. To send or not to send? And then, what type of cards and to whom?

CHRISTMAS KISSES & ... $200 GIVEAWAY!

Are you on the hunt for that special Christmas book, the one that will get you into the holiday spirit, bring back memories of your own family traditions, and inspire you to revel in this Christmas season like no other? (What about $200 in Christmas cash to go along with it?) Every year, I search for stories that will fill my Christmas reading list--romance is always a fun read, but  I want them to be clean and wholesome too. That's why I'm sharing this spectacular book. Christmas Kisses is not just one story, but five romances, all clean, wholesome, and beautifully written in one anthology now on sale for  .99 cents!

Let's show the world that there is a demand for clean and wholesome romances by purchasing this book today. For less than a dollar, you get a delightful read and help send a message that we want more of these kinds of books. Purchase your copy here, or your preferred vendor and then, will you please help spread the word about this book? Feel free to share any part of this post or share or like the Facebook or Twitter post. Oh, and don't forget to enter the giveaway for $200 in Christmas cash!

START HEADING "NORTH FOR CHRISTMAS" - COVER REVEAL, EXCERPT & BOOK GIVEAWAY

North for Christmas by Christina Dymock

Ruby Jeavon takes a position as a Christmas elf in order to evaluate the Nashville North Pole Program from the inside. For years, the program has been losing money and investors want a reason to pull out. Ratting out a Santa isn't Ruby's style, but someone has to do it. She’s mortified by the striped tights and elf shoes, but she has a goal and nothing, not even the handsome Nashville native, North Foxwell, will stand in her way. North’s dad was diagnosed with cancer. The news brings North home to Nashville for the holidays where he’ll have to face his past, his grudge, and his bossy sister. North gets more than he bargained for when Ruby steps into Santa’s workshop. He’ll do everything he can to save the North Pole Program, but in the end, it’s North that needs saving – and Ruby’s just the girl to take on the task.

Amazon

Read an excerpt

“Are you Mr. Foxwell?” ”Yes, sir.” “I’m Mitch.” He tucked the clipboard back under his arm. “We’re waitin’ for one more passenger.” “Will it be long?” North’s stomach rumbled. “Her flight just landed, so it should only be a few minutes.” They made small talk as they watched the people gather around the baggage claim. “I’ll bet that’s her,” said Mitch. North followed his gaze. Walking toward them was none other than Ruby Jeavon in a pair of designer black boots, tight jeans, and an oversized, but somehow still flattering, sweater. She expertly maneuvered two large bags, a carry on, and her purse in their direction. Maybe it was Karma that brought her here. Or maybe it was an angel with an overactive funny bone. Either way, North was not at all surprised to see the one woman who could make his trip home more awkward. He’d gathered from Ruby’s inclusion in the charity review meeting that she was on some sort of training schedule with Kathleen, and being here was probably a step up the ladder for the spoiled daughter of a powerful executive. He still hadn’t figured out a way to explain his behavior yesterday. He hadn’t meant to embarrass Ruby more than she embarrassed

CHRISTMAS KISSES - COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY

Christmas Kisses is a collection from five bestselling and award-winning authors. Set in the snowy town of Echo Ridge in upstate New York, these inspirational romances are sure to delight while you sip cocoa by the fire and listen to Christmas carols.

***Pre-order now for only $.99***

Amazon * Barnes and Noble

Kobo * iTunes * Smashwords

Win amazing books by each of the authors. Enter below to win! Nine different books will be given to nine lucky winners.

CHRISTMAS WISHES

HAPPY (PERIOD) CHRISTMAS! DOWNTON ABBEY SPECIAL & DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY

Happy Christmas Time, everyone and all! It'll be a happy time, I'm sure, especially for  my fellow period drama fan friends. 

Aren't you as excited as I am to know we'll find these very precious gifts under our Christmas trees?

I'm thinking of Downton Abbey Christmas Special which airs on ITV 1 tonight, 25 December,  in the U.K.  (season 4 premieres in the U.S. Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014). Are you ready for the  two- hour special episode? 

Shirley MacLaine will be back as Cora's mother and Paul Giamatti will join the cast as her brother. The episode will also feature James Fox as Lord Aysgarth, Guy Williams as King George V (the grandfather to reigning Queen Elizabeth II) and Oliver Dimsdale as the Prince of Wales (Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth's uncle).

AUTHOR GUEST POST & GIVEAWAY: SALLY SMITH O'ROURKE, CHRISTMAS: A TIME FOR LOVE, A TIME FOR MEMORIES

My nephew and his family, the usual hosts for our family Christmas, will be winging their way to Europe this year and my niece who is always there with us is also going out of town. Since the death of my husband I have done very little decorating since all the festivities happen in the kids’ homes but this year an early Christmas dinner and gifts for the children will be in my home. So I pulled out some of the boxes containing Christmas past.

The crèche (navitity) my grandmother gave me over the course of several years was always the first thing to go up and this year is no exception. As I gently unwrap each piece the memories of how she gave me the lovelytableau flood my mind. I received Mary, Joseph and the baby the Christmas I was six and for every ‘giftable’ holiday after (birthdays, Christmas even tucked in my Easter basket), I received another figurine until the set was complete and consisted of the three original pieces, three wise men, three shepherds, three sheep, a ram, a cow, a donkey and an angel and I made a stable. Amo (my grandmother) died twenty-five years ago but every Christmas her memory fills my heart every time I look at the display.

The Swedish angel chimes my mother gave me for my first Christmas in my first apartment sit on the antique gate leg table. The gentle chimes as the angels turn from the heat of the four candles below remind me that my mother’s supportive love allowed me to venture out into the world with the strength and confidence she instilled in me.

KIRBY PUCKERNUT BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY - CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

Tour Schedule

Kirby Puckernut and the Christmas Surprise

Kirby Puckernut is Santa’s cleverest little elf. While dreaming up marvelous toys for good girls and boys, Kirby has his best idea yet – a real elf in every home, all through the holidays, spreading Christmas Magic Santa finds the perfect family and allows Kirby to serve as the test elf for the first momentous visit. Fun and adventure are at every turn, but not everything goes as planned… Will Kirby’s idea be a success.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN BLOG TOUR + GIVEAWAY

Tour Schedule

  The Christmas Train

In this children’s picture book, President Thomas S. Monson recounts a Christmas memory from his childhood. As a boy, he yearned for an electric train. To his delight, on Christmas morning he got exactly that a train that operated through the miracle of electricity. Then he noticed a second train that his mother had purchased for the boy down the street whose family was struggling. Although it was only a wind-up train, it had an beautiful oil tanker car, which little Tommy wanted for his own. Soon after, Tommy s mother invited him to accompany her to the neighbor s home to deliver the gift. Young Mark was thrilled with his new train and, of course, didn t notice the missing train car. However, a remorseful Tommy did. What happened next will bring the spirit of Christmas into every heart and home. Illustrated by renowned artist Dan Burr, The Christmas Train is sure to be a classic Christmas story and a beautiful addition to every Christmas library.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Deseret Book

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS - MEET MELISSA MCCLONE & KATHERINE GARBERA + GIVEAWAY

Best selling authors Melissa McClone and Katherine Garbera have written and just released two lovely Christmas novellas. They are my guests today and have both answered my questions about the upcoming festivities. It's never to early to talk Christmas! Don't you think so? Read their answers and get your chances to win their books in the rafflecopter form below.  The giveaway is open internationally, there will be two winners ( 1 e-book each),  deadline November 12th. Good luck, everyone! 

My questions for both are: Christmas is coming soon! What are your favorite decorations? How do you decorate?

Melissa McClone: 

I love Nativity scenes. They are my favorite decoration. One that's pretty much dog and cat proof goes under the tree. A snow globe nativity goes on the shelf. We also have a nativity fountain. Small ornament sized ones hang in the tree. Medium and larger ones can be found all over the house. I'm always on the lookout for Nativities. I usually have at least one in each room.

I go all out decorating. Decking the halls, so to speak, usually takes me a day or two, not counting the tree. First, I take down pictures from the wall and pack away everything that's on our built-in shelves and windowsills. Then I pull out our Christmas decorations, books and DVDs. We have boxes and boxes of them. I start with the Advent wreath then hang garland on the banister and fireplace mantle and swags on all the windows. Dept. 56 villages used to go on the windowsills until we got a kitten that thought they were her play toys. Now she must content herself with the tree, which we leave up for a least a week with no garland (wood cranberry beads) or ornaments so she can climb and nap in the branches to her hearts content before we decorate it. Advent calendars are hung upstairs and downstairs. Besides a tree upstairs, the kids each have a small one in their bedrooms.  We have lots of shelf sitters, stuffed animals, snowmen, snow globes and other knickknacks. My kids also know if something isn't where it was the year before!  

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TIME!

EIGHT CHRISTMAS QUESTIONS FOR SALLY SMITH O’ROURKE - BOOK GIVEAWAY

    Author Sally Smith O'Rourke  is my guest today, ready to share her Christmas favourite things, memories and even recipes! There's a double giveaway of her Christmas novella, too. Enjoy the interview, read the giveaway details  and  ... good luck, everyone!

1.       What do you like best and what the least of Christmas time?

Gatherings of friends and family most but I love the decorations. I decorate every room. Someone once said being in my house at Christmas is like stepping into Macy’s windows. I love the smell of a live tree and spicy, sweet smells of cookies baking.

 There are two things about Christmas that I find difficult. Retail; in the ‘olden’ days stores would spend Thanksgiving decorating for Christmas so everything was festive the next day. Now that day is ‘Black Friday’ and people get hurt in the rush to buy stuff. Now, too the decorations go up before Halloween taking much of the fun and festiveness out of it. I prefer to celebrate one holiday at a time.

 The most difficult for me is not having Mike, my late husband, to share it with. He loved all holidays. I love to cook and he loved to entertain so our house was always filled with food, friends and family during the holidays (and not the holidays). I hate that he is no longer here with me.

2.     What are your favourite …

 a.       Christmas movie  

The Bishop’s Wife with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven

EIGHT CHRISTMAS QUESTIONS FOR ... CAROLE MATTHEWS , AUTHOR OF WITH LOVE AT CHRISTMAS

Hello Carole and welcome back to FLY HIGH! This time we talk Christmas. Are you ready? What do you like best and what the least of Christmas time?

I love all the decorations and dressing the house for Christmas. I least like how crowded all the shops are and that I can never find quite the right gift!

What are your favourite …

 Christmas movie - The Muppet Christmas Carol. Christmas can really start once Kermit has been on the     television

 Christmas book -  Has to be A Christmas Carol again. By Dickens this time though!

 Christmas song - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas  by Judy Garland

 Christmas decoration - I love to get a real Christmas tree. The bigger, the better

 Christmas traditional dish/food? I love all Christmas food. It’s my diet downfall. Now that I write Christmassy books, I start eating mince pies in July.

When and how  did you decide to write your novel  “With Love at Christmas”?

I wrote a book a few years ago called That Loving Feeling which featured a really great family, the Joyces. When I decided to write a family-based Christmas book, they seemed like the ideal characters. So it was really nice to pick up with them again. It’s not a sequel, we just catch up with the family two years later as they’re approaching Christmas.

FATHER CHRISTMAS IS EXHAUSTED! I'VE ASKED FOR TOO MUCH ...

Poor Father Christmas. Look at him! I've really asked for too much this year. But have a look all around him: he granted all my wishes. I've had a very satisfying, rewarding, thrilling year full of beautiful news, books, films and series, art and theatrical shows, experiences and journeys I could share with all of you. But,  mainly,  I've had the chance to meet and make the acquaintance of so many extraordinary people all over the world. An incredible, extraordinary, enthusiastic community of friendly people. They made me a better person in many ways and I'm so grateful to my little corner in the blogosphere which made all this possible! 

To all of you, in every corner of the world, who visit FLY HIGH & My Jane Austen Book Club every day or just from time to time, to you who contributed to their success with interviews, guestposts or articles, to all of you who write me lovely supporting e-mails and messages,  I wish the best of Christmas Time. May it be serene and full of joy, love, peace, sympathy, friendliness, gifts, generosity, forgiveness, goodwill and ... smiles.

With gratitude and friendship

Maria Grazia

P.S. Many thanks to my hubby, Antonio, for helping me realize the collage above and for bearing with immense patience and generosity all my passions, especially ONE.