Countdown to Christmas with Linda Swift

Hello and welcome to Day 17 of my Countdown to Christmas Blog! Today’s featured guest is Linda Swift. Linda is here to chat with us about her Christmas book
LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY

And before Oliver brings Linda out to the parlour where it is really beginning to look a lot like Christmas, here’s a blurb and excerpt from
Let Nothing You Dismay

Blurb:
Kala’s position as tour guide at a Kentucky Welcome Center isn’t enough to cope with debts left by her late husband’s illness, but she manages to make ends meet until her car quits running. To save money on repairs, she enrolls in an auto-mechanic class taught by Rex, a handsome part-time instructor whose heart needs repairing, too After recently losing his important job and family, he has sworn never to get involved with another woman.

Kala discounts her growing attraction to Rex when she learns he is years younger, until the winter storm of the century throws them together. When the Interstate closes down, Kala opens her home to a houseful of strangers.

Despite fire, flood and friction, she creates an old fashioned holiday rich in the true spirit of Christmas. In the process, Kala and Rex discover the greatest gift of love.

Excerpt Refusing the offer of a ride, Rex put on his coat, preparing for the grueling trek back to his hotel. Kala walked him to the front door and stepped out onto the dark porch, already covered in a fine layer of white from blowing snow. “Come for pancakes and sausage in the morning,” she shivered in spite of her bulky knit sweater. “About eight or anytime after.”

Without thinking, Rex opened his jacket and wrapped her up inside, folding her into his embrace. Instinctively, Kala lifted her face and his mouth covered hers. The kiss, which began as a friendly goodbye, took on momentum as he deepened it into a hungry tangling of tongues when she responded. The effect left them both breathless when they finally pulled apart. “Maybe,” Rex whispered, before he plunged into the drifts and disappeared in darkness.

Kala stood there for a moment, touching her lips with her fingertips, wanting to call after him, “Don’t go. I need you. I…I love you.” Love? Stunned by the unexpected realization, she hurried inside. She had guests to feed. She didn’t have time to worry over Rex now; her feelings would have to wait until later.

Although his feet were numb with cold, Rex plowed with dogged determination toward his apartment, wishing his mind were as frozen as his limbs. He could have stayed. So why did he invent an excuse not to? Because being with Kala, even with a houseful of people, would be too tempting. She made him lose control, forget his resolve. Like kissing her just now, the taste of her lingered on his lips. He wanted her, he admitted to himself candidly, in a way he never intended to want anyone again. And wanting her scared the hell out of him. She wasn’t the kind of woman to have a casual fling, and he wasn’t sure he was willing or capable of offering anything more. He saw the lights of the Ritz ahead and quickened his pace. He’d make a stiff drink and think about his feelings later.

Sharon: Let’s have a warm welcome for Linda Swift! Wow, talk about heating things up on a cold winter’s night! I love it. This is on my TBR wish list. Did you hear that, Oliver?

Oliver struts out, humming. His cheeks rosy from the cold, paper rustles as he unwraps his parcel, his hot off the press copy of Let Nothing You Dismay. Ignoring Sharon, he whips out his trusty pen and hands it to Linda. "I stood in line all morning for this book. Would you do me the honor of signing it, please?

Linda: I'd be delighted to sign this for you, Oliver. Here we go. She gives him a warm smile, then writes as she says aloud, To my dear friend Oliver with my best wishes for a happy holiday.

Sharon: Picks up empty bag, turns it upside down and frowns. I guess you left my copy under the tree perhaps?

Oliver swaggers off, still humming, turning to wink at Linda.

Sharon: Oliver, if you could control yourself, some hot tea and cookies might be nice. Well, anyway, Linda, you have a dedicated fan in Oliver! So tell us about Kala and Rex. What is the age difference between them?

Linda: About thirteen years, which wouldn't seem as much if she were the younger. Double standard, you know.

Sharon: What do you think of a relationship with a huge age gap, either male or female being older?

Linda: I have no problem with it, although I'm less than a year younger than my husband. I've seen some beautiful love matches with huge differences, many with older women. But it usually means one will live many lonely years without the other.

Oliver pushes the sterling silver tray out, pours steaming tea in the cups and unveils his one and only chocolate fudge pie. He slices Linda a huge piece and feeds it to her, his eyes glazing over as she licks the fork.

Linda:This is heavenly. How did you know I'm a chocoholic, Oliver?

Sharon: Oliver? About those presents you were to be wrapping?

Oliver struts off, grinning and pumping his biceps.

Sharon: I love the fact Kala, wanting to save money on auto repairs, enrolls in a class. What a novel place for your romantic hero and heroine to meet. What made you think of that? Any special behind the scenes reason?

Linda:Not really. I personally don't know how to do anything to a car except drive it. But this story is set in an actual Interstate Welcome Center in my hometown, just as I describe it. And my son-in-law is currently working on a video for this book, using real photos that I made there. We have a community and technical college nearby and my husband were taking dance classes at the college as I was writing the book so it all came together somehow. I don't question how the muse works, I just accept it.

Sharon: And then there is the winter storm of the century. National disasters have a way of pulling people together, bringing out the best in folks. And Kala is no exception. How would you describe her personality?

Linda:To answer your question, Kala is a coper. New word here? She is a strong woman, the backbone of her family, a wise and nurturing person. But she is temporarily overwhelmed by the loss of her beloved husband. And I don't know if you will remember that last winter, Paducah really did have the storm of the century. But the book came first!

Sharon: And Rex? He seems to have taken a vow to never get involved again. But when the right person comes along, all bets are off. Do you believe in fate and destiny?

Linda:Absolutely. And isn't it reassuring to think that even when we are not aware of it, a plan for our life is in effect and surely all things are working together for good?

Sharon: Absolutely. Christmas is a time for hope and a time when wishes come true. What is your special wish this Christmas?

Linda: I wish for our country and the world to be a more peaceful place. Do I get two wishes? I also wish for a more positive outlook for the homeless and jobless around us.

Sharon: Amen to that, on both counts. Raises her cup for a toast. Well, we are really getting close to the final days before Christmas. Thank you so very much for being with us today. But before you go, tell us where we can buy Let Nothing You Dismay and your other books?

Linda: Let Nothing You Dismay is available now at The Wild Rose Press. Circle of Love is also available there as an ebook and in print. The Twelve Days of Christmas is being released by Awe-Struck Publishing this month and they have just released Single Status. Here are the buy URLs for both. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/let-nothing-you-dismay-p-1080.html and
http://www.awe-struck.net/
Thank you so much for having me as your guest, Sharon. It's been delightful to see you and Oliver again. And I wish each of you a wonderful holiday season.

But suddenly, the parlour rings with static from the Christmas carols softly playing in the background. Then realization dawns. It’s Oliver, sitting at the Baby Grand, singing his heart out, his eyeballs glued to Linda.

God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember Christ, our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy,
Comfort and joyyyyyyyy!

He takes a sweeping bow, dashes to Linda with the mistletoe and holding it high above her head, steals his third kiss.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Linda Swift divides her time between her native state of Kentucky and Florida. She has been writing since she was ten and is an award winning author of published poetry, articles, short stories, and a TV play. Her first two books were published by Kensington. In addition to her holiday e-book, Let Nothing You Dismay, Linda also has Circle of Love available as an e-book and in print from The Wild Rose Press. Linda's Awe-Struck Publishing books include Single Status, available as an e-book and in print. Another holiday book, The 12 Days of Christmas, will be released in December and her first published historical in 2010.

Countdown to Christmas With Cindy K. Green

Hello and welcome to Day 16 in my Countdown to Christmas Blog! I am pleased to have Cindy K. Green with me once more to chat about another one of her delightful Christmas stories. Here is a sneak preview of

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS:

Best Friends or True Love? Only Santa Knows.
Kathryn Graham hates Christmas. She hates the snow, the decorations, the whole nine yards. Nick Pringle on the other hand can’t get enough of the season. He may be her best friend and fellow writer at Redburn Weekly Magazine, but sometimes his exuberance gets on her very last nerve. Now they’ve been assigned to cover the orphan toy drive story. It’s just a puff piece not the serious journalism Kathryn hopes for, but maybe—as Nick says—there are no old stories just new angles.

Nick Pringle has been in love with Kathryn practically since the day they met. When he realizes that she’s lost her Christmas spirit, he figures he’s just the guy to help her find it again. He enacts a plan to send her anonymous gifts from Secret Santa, but will any of this really make a difference in her? Will she ever see him as anything more than her smart-aleck partner even after their passionate kisses? Then again maybe he’ll get what he wants for Christmas after all.

Excerpt:
Halfway through the film, Nick’s fingers brushed over Kathryn’s wrist and a surge whipped through her like an electrical charge. His hand ended up on her knee, and he leaned over close to her ear. “You have any more of those Milkduds?”

“Huh?” Oh, candy. He just wanted more snacks. Well, of course, what other reason would he have for touching her like that?


“Here,” she whispered and held out the container to him.
His face remained close to hers, his warm hand still molded to the shape of her knee. She accidentally moved in too close and her forehead bumped his cheek. Looking up at him, Kathryn saw he wasn’t smiling. His eyes had grown serious and all thoughts of candy dissipated. His attention dropped to her mouth and suddenly Kathryn couldn’t swallow. Could he possibly be considering kissing her? Just then, he turned his attention back to the movie and lifted his hand from her knee.

An unexplainable inclination took over as Kathryn pushed his hand back to her knee. His face whipped back to her. Questions filled his features. His chest moved up and then down. He smoothed his hand over her pants from her knee to her thigh and back again. Her skin pebbled under the material at his touch. This was soon followed by heat tingling from her stomach to the tips of her toes.

She leaned in towards him and he met her halfway. And just like that their lips met. Giddiness spun through Kathryn’s head with sparks tingling her skin. The kiss was light and sweet yet searing all at once. Lucidity began to return to her the next moment. What was she doing? Oh, right, she was kissing Nick Pringle. She was kissing a co-worker. Worse yet, she was making out with her best friend. What was she thinking? She had to stop and yet it was the last thing she wanted to do.

The whole idea was ludicrous. An outrageous act and yet somehow her body’s sole response was that it wanted more. Whoa! Had it been that long since she’d had a date? Time to reign in those annoying hormones which threatened to take over her sanity.

She broke off the kiss and rested her hand against his chest. She could feel his heart speeding at the rate of a train. A train wreck is more like it. Ay-yi-yi! How was she going to get herself out of this one?

Available Now at Champagne Books


Let’s have a warm welcome for Cindy K. Green. Welcome, Cindy!

A Santa sleigh glides through cyberspace, making a smooth landing on stage. A twinkling array of lights bathe Cindy in a kaleidoscope of colors. Oliver donned in his Santa cap, rushes over to help Cindy out of the sled. The snow is really coming down and the stars glitter in the midnight blue sky. Cherry wood smoke billows from the red brick chimney of the fairy castle on the hill. Breaking into a chorus of All I Want for Christmas, Oliver escorts Cindy up the candlelit path.

The minute they enter the castle, the mingled smell of fudge brownies and the heady scent of pine fill the air. All I Want for Christmas plays on the stereo as they enter the parlor. A beautifully decorated Douglas fir stands tall and mighty, and a log crackles in the hearth.

Sharon: Welcome, Cindy! (rushes to embrace her friend) Have a seat and Oliver will bring some of his freshly baked fudge brownies and hot tea to take the chill out after your sleigh ride through cyberspace.

Open mouth and mute, Oliver stares at Cindy in awe. Coming to his senses, he treats her to a wicked wink. He smiles a beguiling smile. ‘All I want for Christmas is an autographed copy of your book…and maybe a kiss. What are my chances?’

Cindy: Your chances are looking pretty good, Ollie. You don’t care if I call you Ollie, do you?

Oliver swoons and pumps his biceps.

Sharon: clears her throat. About those refreshments, Ollie.

Grinning and blowing kisses to Cindy, Oliver rushes off to get the snacks.

Sharon: So here we are to chat about another one of your Christmas stories. And once more, it’s about friends that would like to be more. Tell me why this storyline works for you?

Cindy: I love the best friend romance. You don’t have to build up the time that the characters need to get to know one another before they realize this is love. The foundation is already there. They just need the veil removed so they can see this friend in a new light and then PRESTO it hits them like a pile of bricks. I Love Him/Her!

Sharon: Do you believe in taking chances? Testing new boundaries even if it means losing?

Cindy: I personally am not a big risk taker. I am one of those that is determined once I make up my mind though. In this book, my hero definitely has to come to grips with his heart and decide if it’s worth it to change the friendship, push the boundary and see what life could be like.

Sharon: Tell me about your main characters. What is the chemistry between them? A case of opposites attract—or something deeper?

Cindy: I suppose you could say they are opposites. What I always say to readers about these characters is to think Clark Kent and Lois Lane (from the Lois & Clark tv show). He’s the easy-going, mild-mannered type with the ability to tease should he need to. And she’s ambitious, head-strong and passionate. They just work and they always have. Within this friendship, the heroine feels an amount of safety unlike she has ever felt even as a child at home.

Sharon: Why do you suppose so many people look upon Christmas decorating and exchanging gifts as a chore while others thrive on it?

Cindy: It can become a chore and seem like we are just going through the motions and giving because it’s expected instead of giving from the bottom of our hearts. The trick is to find the joy of the season and not become bogged down but really feel that season of giving.

Sharon: So true. You know each year, we all seem to find ourselves on a quest for one of those hard to find gifts. How would you describe yourself when presented with this challenge? A die hard search the world over or ho hum…whatever I find will due?

Cindy: I love to find gifts that fit perfectly to each person. It’s such a joy to see their face when they open it and are surprised that you found this or that—or WOW, I really wanted this.

Sharon: I often reflect on my childhood when Christmas was such a magical time. At my house during the holidays, we often reminisce about the good old days. We try to recapture these feelings by passing traditions on to our children and nieces and nephews. What childhood memory holds a special place in your heart that you would like to bottle and never let go?

Cindy: I do many of the things my mother and father did with us. Certain stories and movies that we read and watch together. Christmas crafts, decorating the house, baking cookies. It’s a lot of fun and I know my boys look forward to it every year.

Sharon: What do you wish for this Christmas:

Cindy: Lots of sales! LOL! Just kidding. I’m excited to have these two titles released this year because I love a good Christmas book myself. I really just hope for a wonderful time with my family and memories for my kids to carry with them.

Sharon: Do all your books have a happily-ever-after ending? And if so, are you a firm believer in romance?

Cindy: I am a firm believer in the HEA! My sister, in fact, would have my head if I finished a story with a less than happily ever after. Romance is the best. It makes the heart happy and we need that in our lives these days, don’t we?

Sharon: Absolutely.

Just then, Oliver comes in and begins roasting chestnuts over the open fire. With a sweeping bow, he feeds one to Cindy. And when the song breaks out on the stereo, he takes her in his arms and they dance across the cherry wood floor, their feet never touching the ground.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!!

Purchase All I Want For Christmas here: Champagne Books

Enter my December contest going on now at my blog.

Cindy K. Green is a multi-published author with degrees in History and Education. Previously a middle school English & History teacher, she now homeschools her own children and writes in several genres: Inspirational, Contemporary, Suspense, Fantasy and Historical romance. No matter what she writes, she always throws in a bit of humor and fun. Find out more about Cindy and her books at http://www.cindykgreen.com/ and http://cindykgreen.blogspot.com/. To join her newsletter email her at newsletters@cindykgreen.com, and she will send you out all three parts of her FREE READ serial, “Valentine’s Challenge.”