Purrfectly Giftastic Christmas Hop w/EM Lynley
Happy Holidays to everyone stopping by for the Hop!
This time of year is always a mix of emotions for me. We celebrate Hanukkah, so I always feel an observer of all the holiday excitement, but thankfully I don’t have to stress over the gift-giving. I live in California, where the weather means we don’t really get into a White Christmas mood anyway! Oddly, I’ve written Christmas stories every year, and it’s only in 2012 I vowed to write a Hanukkah story. But more on that later.
A Present for You!
As with most blog hops, you’ve got a chance to win! Just leave a comment about your favorite holiday family tradition below to enter, and the winner gets your choice of e-book of either A Christmas Bonus or Bound with a Bow. **UPDATE** 12/17 winner selected: Anne Brooke. **
Fantasy Island Christmas?
For me, then writing Christmas stories is an extra layer of fun and challenge, and I’ve managed to carry that through to the themes I write about. Last year I released A Christmas Bonus, a novella about a Alec Compton, a Wall Street guy who has to follow a billionaire to a tropical island to close a big deal–or lose his job. Soon business turns to pleasure and they both get a Christmas bonus no one will forget–including you. But of course, I’m not a billionaire, nor do I spend my holidays on an exclusive island near Tahiti. But you can!
Like a Little Kink in Your Christmas?
Then my story “New Tricks” in the EPPIE Finalist Bound with a Bow Anthology might be just the thing for you! It was my first (and so far only) foray into BDSM in a story. Like me, my main character is intrigued with the scene when he and his partner head to a local BDSM club for a demonstration party at the holidays. It was a stretch for me to write this story since it was very far out of my comfort zone. I challenged myself–and even took a flogging class and learned how to use a singletail as part of my research! And trust me, like my character Blake, I learned how much fun it can be to get kinky at Christmas.
Skeptical and straight-laced Blake isn’t so sure about attending a BDSM club’s Christmas Eve Party. He’s never gone in for anything kinky, but he wants to humor Jay as they spend their first Christmas together. Despite his initial aversion, he’s powerfully drawn to the scene and eager to experiment. After Jay reveals a surprising secret from his past, he’s willing to play, and in the end Jay receives a gift more precious than he ever expected. Read an excerpt
And What About Hanukkah?
So this year I was determined to write a Hanukkah story at last. I teamed up with good friend Shira Anthony and we wrote a lovely story called Lighting the Way Home about Josh, a chef coming home to help out at his family restaurant for Hanukkah who learns that his old flame is not only back in town, but also staying with Josh’s parents. What started as a novella soon grew to a full novel length and we missed all the deadlines for holiday stories, so we decided to have Dreamspinner publish it later. But it gave us the opportunity to layer and sculpt the story and characters, rather than cutting it to meet deadlines and word-count limits.
Don’t forget to comment about your favorite holiday tradition–Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or non-religious tradition, for your chance to win one of my two holiday stories.
Thanks for stopping by! Visit my website, or check out more Blog Hop participants.
49 Responses to “Purrfectly Giftastic Christmas Hop w/EM Lynley”
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I’m in a mixed-faith marriage with a grinch. We celebrate Yule as the religious holiday and Christmas as a family one. On Christmas, Mudd (who cooks at no other time of the year) makes the Traditional Christmas Lasagna, by opening the box, reading the directions three times and obeying them to the letter. The kids awake to filled stockings and there are presents. I usually cook breakfast (which i seldom do, we’re a cold cereal morning kind of family). The kids enjoy their goodies, and we eat dinner about 3. We might go out and see everyone else’s lights (our wiring is weird and we have no outlets in the front half of the house)
I wrote erotic Hanukkah het cyberpunk some years back. There’s just a dearth of it.
Hi Angela,
I love hearing about your family traditions.Thanks for sharing. ANd wow, erotic Hanukkah het cyberpunk. I can’t even fathom what a story in that mix of genres would entail. But it sounds interesting! I also love looking at the houses which are decorated. I used to cycle a lot and our bike club did a fun progressive dinner bike ride around the neighborhoods with the best light displays. Of course, here in Cali, December is generally excellent cycling weather. Happy Holiday!
Hi EM ^.^ Thanks for a good time at GRL.
Christmas is my favorite – or the days leading up to it. We have 13 “yule boys” in Iceland, one by one coming down from their mountain from 13 days before Christmas until the morning of Christmas Eve. Kids put a shoe in their window and get a treat every morning they wake up. I love doing this for my kids, sneaking little toys and candy in their shoes. Christmas Eve itself (our main celebration with dinner and gifts) became magical again after I had my kids. Then January 6th, which is the day when the last yule boy leaves back to the mountain, we celebrate the “13th” where kids go from house to house in a costume asking for treats. Sort of like Halloween in the USA, only they don’t do any tricks. I don’t know who enjoys these days and traditions more: my kids or me. So, from the middle of December to January 6th is my favorite time of the year, especially if there’s snow. Funnily enough, it doesn’t always snow in Iceland in the winter.
*Smooch*
Erica
You probably can guess where my brain went at reading “yule boys” because now I have an idea for a story, that is probably completely different from what the Icelandic tradition is! But it sounds like a lovely tradition for your family. Do girls get to play as well? I know you told me how strong Icelandic women are. It’s particularly nice to see that you enjoy sharing your own childhood fun with your kids. Do you cook any special foods?
Hehe, well, these 13 Icelandic yule boys have very naughty names and they like to pull pranks. There are no girls among them 😉 They’ve been toned down a lot from what they were though. Sausage-Swiper, Window-Peeper and Spoon-Licker are some of the names 😉 You can read about them on Wiki by typing in Yule Lads.
We mostly eat lamb and smoked lamb over the holidays. The smoked lamb is a must and it’s soooo good. Mouth’s watering just thinking about it. Then of course we have cookies and such that we bake, but that’s nothing unusual to the rest of the world. Yes, I’d say the smoked lamb is the most traditional for this holiday.
I actually love all the pagan aspects buried in Christmas traditions. And I adore Christmas decorations– the rich colors and metallics.best of all, I get to listen to Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas songs. She makes me happy. Thank you, sweetie!
brendurbanist at gmail dot com
Ella Fitzgerald makes any song better. Listening to her always puts me in a good mood, maybe even more at the holidays.
I dont think we have specific traditions. Its good to get everyone together just to sit and talk rather than fitting in around other committments and I love to have all the kids home made decorations up (no more colour themes now, except colour everywhere!)
It’s nice to get a group of people to gether to talk rather than to look at their phones or computers!
thank you for the awesome blog hop and wonderful giveaway. and the only tradition i have is having take out on christmas eve while watching movies
parisfan_ca@yahoo.com
Watching my son who still believes in Santa, leave cookies and milk set up just so.
That sounds like a lovely tradition. How old is he?
Every year my friend and I decorate the house. Including a Chanukah bush out back. (even though there is no such thing :D)
and Last night we went out caroling around the neighborhood. It was fun
Hope it wasn’t too cold for the caroling! No one does that here in California, at least in my neighborhood, even though it’s not very cold at night.
Ooh, my fav family tradition is making the secret rum butter recipe my grandmother taught me – I always think of her each Christmas when I make it!
That sounds so nice. Maybe you’ll share a story about that recipe? I’ll be posting readers’ and writers’ favorite recipes or holiday food traditions later this month, and I’d love it if you participated since you have such a lovely tradition around this one. Email me at em@emlynley.com if you’re interested.
Anne Brook you are the winner of the Purrrfectly Giftastic Hop. I’ll send you an email directly as well. Please choose either A Christmas Bonus or Bound with a Bow BDSM Christmas anthology as your prize, and let me know which e-book format you prefer.
My kids and I spend a lot of time decorating the house together and usually have one or two full nights of making cookies. I’m a fan of christmas lights, I usually go a little crazy 😉
Between the decorating and cookies you sound pretty busy at the holidays. What kind of cookies?
We always open one present on Christmas Eve and then the rest on Christmas day 😀
Thanks for doing the hop!
kimberlyFDR@yahoo.com
I like eating the wonderful homemade tamales family friends bring on Christmas Eve before opening presents.
vitajex(at)aol(dot)com
Fantastic. I have friends who make them too and for Christmas they make pineapple ones and strawberry I think. I never had sweet tamales before that and I love them.
My favorite tradition is to drive and see Christmas lights in these huge trees in a certain neighborhood.
strive4bst(At) yahoo(Dot) com
Love the kids first look at gifts Christmas morning.
Thanks for the giveaway We always go and see the lights at Pulaski I small town not far were we live and the whole town decorates and we go see them and listen to Christmas Music and take cookies to eat. We always have alot of fun. Happy Holidays
crystaley73 at yahoo dot com
Thanks for doing the hop! I celebrate Christmas and for me the best part is the Christmas breakfast. Every year my parents host a huge breakfast where all of my family gathers together and eats before opening presents. Simple, but always a wonderful time. Thanks again.
~Beth
JPadawan11@gmail.com
When my kids were little, we attended the late afternoon/early worship service on Christmas Eve so we could get them to bed at a decent hour so “Santa” could do “her” stuff. The service was loud and full of young energy. Fun, but I loved it when they were old enough to not believe in Santa and attend the 11 PM service instead. Bringing in Christmas at midnight with the congregation singing “Silent Night” and everyone holding a small candle in the darkened sanctuary is one of my favorite holiday rituals.
We have always opened one gift, always pjs, on Christmas Eve. This would insure that everyone was tidy and neat for the Christmas morning presents. As the grandkids got older it has turned into funny pj exchange, like footed pjs with a trapdoor for my son-in-law. I need to check my nook but I believe I have A Christmas Bonus, sounds familiar.
My favorite holiday tradition is getting prepared for not only xmas but Día De Los Reyes.
heh… In a way, we… emotionally celebrate Three Kings day more than xmas. Xmas is more the holiday we use to call everyone in our family and see how they’re doing. and the gifts! lol.. I’m not exactly that religious, but my mom is a little more. Three Kings day is the day we celebrate how grateful we are for all the things we have and the things that will come and all that. heh.. We don’t really do anything but gather around for xmas, but for three kings my mom makes a big dinner…
Thanks for the hop and giveaway!
Judi
arella3173_loveless@yahoo(dot)com
We usually enjoy dinner with good firends and just relax for the day. Thanks! chellebee66(at)gmail(dot)com
on christmas eve we drive around looking at the lights then go home have some hot chocolate and open one present
kaholgate at ymail dot com
My favorite tradition is my family Christmas sleepover at my Dad’s. We play games, sing off key Christmas carols, the adults have a few drinks and we all enjoy a cozy festive night in!
Happy Holidays!
Sassychassy333 at gmail dot com
Now that sounds like fun. I love singing with friends and family.
My favorite holiday tradition is opening all our gifts on Christmas Eve. I think we do that because Christmas Eve also happens to be my dad’s birthday 🙂
Thanks for the great giveaway and for joining the hop!!
Ashley A
ash_app(at)hotmail(dot)com
It’s nice to celebrate your dad’s birthday that way. Lots of people who have birthdays near Christmas get left out of having a real birthday.
We always pick a night to drive around town and look at Christmas lights. Thanks for the giveaway! Gale pgan427@yahoo.com
I love driving around checking out the displays. Thanks for stopping by.
our traditions start on thanksgiving where each year we take advantage of everyone gathered together and put up our tree where we all sit back and watch the kids hang ornaments .
meandi09@Yahoo.com
when we were kid we had to wait for dad and mom to get up but if i have my way i am going ot find a brother i never new before the new year they say things will go to the death bed but my parent made a msiatake and told family we would come down at 6 a and go through ou stocking and then wait for dad and mom then we get to open them after breakfast
We celebrate Christmas and have all the usual traditions. One of my favorites is the advent calendar. I make sure I do that every year even now as an adult.
JYL22075 at gmail dot com
We like to open a small gift on xmas eve.
Thanks for the great giveaways and the chance to win.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Chris
ceagles48218@yahoo.com
My father is a pastor so every year he works Christmas Eve, including the midnight service. Since I was 10 I have gone to this service with him and afterwards we go to 7-11 for a slurpee! We live in Florida so it is never too cold for a slurpee but even if it is it is tradition! Merry Christmas! Thanks so much for participating in the hop!
Juliana
Oceanakers @ aol.com
I love making goodie bags for my friends and family filled with my favorite munchies. Thanks for the giveaway and happy holidays to you and your family.
Em, we have a number of quirky family traditions. The first of these is that we always send out Christmas cards, even if it happens in March… Yes, it really was that late one year. We try to get the tree up right after Turkey-Day… But some years it happens Christmas eve. Then thetwo favorite traditions are left… The hunt for the Christmas pickle (its an ornament, and whoeveer finds it gets an extra pressie!) and the begging Mom (aka me) to take the tree down before July. O.o No, really. You can reach me at cherienoel (at)yahoo (dot)com
LOL Cherie! You sound like me one year when no one wanted to help and I said, heck with it! LOL I think I finally took it down in March! This year, so that no one would call me a grinch, I slapped a red bow at the door. There’s your Christmas decoration! LOL
The Hanukkah story you and Shira wrote sounds very special. I don’t believe there are many out there, right? I’d be interested in reading it.
Hmmm, a holiday tradition…Well, I’ve always gathered all the family at my house and made our traditional Christmas menu of Rice & Pigeon Peas, Pork Roast, and something called Pasteles which I find so, so delicious! (It’s the same concept as the tamales but completely different in looks and taste, only the way they are made is quite similar.) Oh, almost forgot to mention one of the most important items in the menu… Coquito! Imagine an eggnog but made with coconut milk instead. Tastes different than the eggnog served here in the states. Yumm!
My favorite tradition is going to to chop down our own christmas tree & then spending the whole day decorating while listening & singing Christmas songs!
My favorite Christmas tradition is going to midnight mass and singing the traditional Christmas songs.
What an awesome hop!! And a fantastic giveaway! Thank you!! Happy holidays to you all! Best wishes and many blessings!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com