Still 'tweaking' - but it really is only tweaks. None of those things editors think are 'tweaks' but that mean whole sections have to be unravelled and knitted back together again. But I'm concentrating on that so I can hope to have a break over Christmas.So quickly on to prizes and questions
The winner of yesterday's prize of The Konstantos Marriage Demand is Milly
Milly - you certainly made Persuasion sound so very romantic. I'll admit it's not one of my favourite books - or even a favourite Austen but you made me want to go back and look at it again. Please send me your postal address in an email
Some of you sounded almost apologetic that you hadn't read the classics - please don't feel that way. I'm a firm believer that reading is a wonderful and (to me) vital thing in live but we all should read what we want to read and enjoy. Too many critics tell us that there are 'good' books and even 'great' books - and there are books that aren't worth reading.
To me the great books are the books you love and the books worth reading are the ones that keep you reading. War and Peace may be a 'great' book to some but if you can't get past the first three pages then it's not going to be on your 'best books ever' list. I may have an MA and have studied so many of the classics of all literatures but I love lots of wonderful popular fiction - and that's why I write it!
Anyway, I'll come back a talk about my favourite Classics of romantic literature when I've finished tweaking.
In the meantime, today's giveaway is another of those wonderful Australian collections with the fabulous covers- The Greek Collection - The Price of Passion came out in 2008 - and it has a copy of my Constantine's Revenge in it, along with The Greek Tycoon's Ultimatum by Lucy Monroe.
You'll remember Constantine's Revenge from December 8th when Michelle won a copy in the Her Greek Tycoon Collection.
His plan was to make her his mistress. . .
When Constantine Kiriazis reappeared after two years, Grace thought that he'd finally forgiven her for her lack of trust in him - and for cancelling their wedding. Certainly, Constantine's desire for had not waned. But neither had his desire for revenge . . .
He fully intended to seduce Grace, but vowed she'd only ever be his mistress - never his wife. It was only when she melted in his arms that Constantine began to wonder just who was exacting the revenge and who was paying the price?
And today's question ? Back to Christmas.
What special traditions do you have at Christmas time?
Do you go to Midnight service? Or always leave out a mince pie for Santa/Father Christmas? A carot for Rudolph? Do you open presents on Christmas Day, or like a Polish friend of mine on Christmas Eve?
Tell me your family's special traditions and you could be in with a chance of winning this great collection.
As always, answers in the comments section please.
20 comments:
Christmas tradition in my Family is to decorate Christmas tree on a Christmas Eve and leave the presents under the tree. Then we as a family attend the Midnight Mass. Afterwards we go home to open the presents and eat ham and French salad and a lot of cookies...
We had our Christingles concert last night at church. It was lovely seeing all the children in church (a rare sight these days!). For me this is the start of Christmas, and to top it off we're snowed in today! Caroline x
We go to church Christmas Eve and then attend a neighbour's party (where Santa brings gifts for the little ones while the big ones eat and eat and eat - but I don't). We open presents Christmas morning, eat lunch, put the turkey in the oven at 1:00, and head out the door at 1:01 pm. We visit my husband's two brothers and their families, plus my mother-in-law, and then we head back home for between 4:30 and 5:15 pm, often bringing my MIL home for the big supper. After the dishes are done and Mom is back home again, we all retreat to our computers for the evening. Ahhhh ... decadence!
We wake up very early and open presents. It is a fun, crazy time. I wonder how many more years my children will want to do this.
I usually get up quite early as the cats have never grasped the concept of weekends/bank holidays, etc and like breakfast at a set time.
We open gifts as soon as we're both up and then I phone my mum, sister and brother. We usually have our lunch quite early, around 12.30, and crash out for the rest of the day watching DVDs. It's very quiet and relaxed which is exactly the way we like it.
We open presents Christmas morning and the family all gathers at my parents home for Christmas dinner.
We have what we call "The Mouse House" that we put out every Christmas. It was made by a gret great uncle of mine during his time as a POW in Italy. The house is a log with carved windows and it has little mouse figurines. The base is from a wooden crate. It's quite tatty now, but we still place it every year as a reminder to be grateful for what we have at this special time and to remember those that are no longer with us.
Hi Kate,
We have a Christmas Eve dinner at an aunt's house, and then Christmas day at our house. We open presents on Christmas morning, and then spend the rest of the day finishing the cleaning up before everyone comes over for dinner! We also phone family members who live out of town and thank them for presents, ask them what they got, wish them Merry Christmas, etc.
One of our Christmas traditions is to drive around and look at all the Christmas lights.
Hi again,
We open our presents on Christmas Eve...that's a German tradition and I had to compromise on that one as in England, we open the pressies on Christmas day.
We have mince pies, plum pudding thanks to an English shop we have here.
But we also have German stuff, like marzipan, domino steine...that's a kind of cake...Stollen and mulled wine.
So, our kids get the best of both worlds...lol!
Valerie
in Germany
Hi Kate,
Our christmas traditions are not much different. Christmas eve, we stay up late, then Christmas morning, open gifts, then feasting!
We open presents at midnight, but if I'm at a relative's house I have to wait until Christmas morning.
On Christmas morning my husband prepares the stuffing, vegetables and potatoes etc. ready for me to cook whilst Christmas songs play in the background.When the bird is in the oven my hubby goes to collect our mums and we then wait for our daughter and her boyfriend before opening our presents. I am always last to open mine for I much prefer to watch the others open theirs! After dinner we relax around the television and usually fall asleep.
Just like to say I rec my book today. Thank you.
Anita B.
There isn't much time to fit alot of tradition in with a herd of cows to milk twice on Xmas Day, but we do ALWAYS sit down and enjoy a family dinner. As for leaving mince pies and carrots on Xmas Eve we do that too and to make it authentic I leave crumbs and a bit of carrot on the plate!
Christmas is in your heart, although celebrations are lovely. I'm married into a Hindu family, but I always put up a Christmas tree for my kids and make sure they get their Christmas gifts. The Christmas Crib (reproduction of the nativity scene - I've got wooden one carved in Jerusalem right now - and of course I wouldn't miss my Christmas Mass for anything! The Christmas decorations my mum sends from Dublin are the icing on the cake!
Hi Kate, I received the books you sent for winning the HQ NaNo competition and just wanted to say a huge thank you, and glad you managed to get out to the post office in the snow! Happy Christmas!
In our family, we have a dinner of prime rib and then we open little stocking stuffer type gifts while we eat dessert. They are usually just fun gifts.
I am enjoying reading about other traditions
I'm enjoying everyone's comments.
The only tradition I will be doing this year is going to my sister's on Boxing Day. Santa has come and there are stockings for all present and a big turkey feast with all the goodies that go with it.
We get together with the family for a big feast, hopefully most of the family could make it.
Happy Christmas!
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