Hello!
It’s celebration time for billions of people around the world this month. With Hanukkah and Christmas, candles are lit, bringing hope and paying tribute to the faithfulness of the ages. Many people celebrate with festive food and with exchanging presents among their families and friends. Or, perhaps, gifts are given to those who are unable to respond in kind. Supporting charities, or lending something as simple as a smile to a stranger on the street, is another means of gift giving.
In recent years, I’ve seen the circulation of an idea that in Iceland gifts of books are exchanged on Christmas Eve and the night is spent eating chocolate and reading books. I can’t personally attest to this, but it does sound like a good idea! And with very long dark nights here (not quite as long as Iceland’s), staying warm inside and reading lots of books is an activity I enjoy.
If you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, all of my novels (all 14 of them!) are now available to read for free. That’s 10 historical fiction, 2 fairy tale retellings, and 2 contemporary holiday romances. If you don’t have the subscription, each books is available to buy via Kindle, or in paperback. Some are also available in hardcover (if that is your preference) and 3 are available in audiobook.
Here in Ireland (and also in the UK), pantomimes are a favorite part of the holiday season. Humorous retellings of fairytales with memorable characters, and often songs, comprise these performances. Perhaps for that reason, I think of fairytales around the holidays. While Aurora Slept and When Aurora Woke are my fairytale retellings, reimagining the story of Sleeping Beauty. I previously saw a performance of the Cinderella ballet and the Sleeping Beauty ballet and they were mesmerizing. The elegance of the dance, and especially the color, are something I hoped to capture in my retellings.
And what could be more festive than a tree farm? In Christmas in the Cards, Tom owns a tree farm. When Eliza, a photographer, accidentally encounters him, both are changed forever. For bite-sized holiday fun, between wrapping presents and baking cookies, curl up with my Christmas Treasury: Seasonal Poems and Stories.
However you celebrate, and whatever you read, I wish you all the best for a beautiful holiday season!
My best to you all,
Megan
