The Romance of the Holidays

Holiday Gifts of Love Blog Hop!

Welcome, blog hoppers. Perhaps we've never met. I'm Anne Holly by name and holiday writer by trade (eight or nine of my titles are "holiday books"), quite by accident - almost.

I have written before about what I like so much about holiday romance, though I never did intend on devoting so much of my writing career to this little faux subgenre. They just seem so magical to me – especially the autumn and winter ones, with their natural beauties. To write a holiday romance is to instantly connect with a well of emotions, memories and shared myths, and that’s a wonderful thing.

I once wrote about A Christmas Carol and how it gathers up so much of what’s special about the holidays:

Christmas is the time when we have in our collective subconscious the two extremes –the optimistic Christmas lover, Tiny Tim, and the misanthropic cold hearted Scrooge, who wasn’t really a bad guy deep down. Really, he was just hurt by life. Now, most well-adjusted people fall some place in between, but those two extremes represent the spectrum of romance: Someone full of love, and someone who has had the love beaten out of them. Those are the characters to which I am naturally drawn – and the redemption that is achieved when the one overcomes the other, and the romance that pools in their bond when it all works out right in the end. This is likely the main reason I write so much about the holidays. It is a time of salvaging the human from the ravages of plans gone wrong, of love unrequited and of tragedy spilt over a life time.

I wrote that about two years ago, and I still believe it. I am an optimist at heart, but it doesn’t come easy. Anyone who retains optimism into adulthood knows that it’s a decision one makes – not to forget or ignore all the setbacks and knocks, but to push through them and not let them get you down. This is where I’m at. Refusing to let life make a Scrooge out of me.

I also believe that the magic of the holidays rests in its ability to heal up a bit of the wounds of the year, and to renew hearts and spirits. It’s no coincidence it’s at the end of every year. This is why I believe in the restoration of Scrooge, and why the ideas found in A Christmas Carol float around the edges of so many of my books.

In my first Christmas romance, Unwrapping Scrooge, I fully embraced the premise that Christmas can heal. In it, a successful yet gloomy writer must decide if he can unscrooge himself enough to woo an optimistic young exchange student before she returns to Canada – and she must decide if she can meet him halfway:

Smiling instead, he switched on the waffle iron, and considered the way she would look as she watched the snow. Being Canadian, perhaps she had a special relationship to it. He had begun to look at it differently, himself. What had previously been a cold, wet annoyance now appeared somewhat magical, blanketing them in sparkly privacy within their warm little bubble.

Of course, Molly would be a Christmas-lover—she even smelled like Christmas, all cinnamon and vanilla. For Kale, who never even really considered what Christmas meant, Molly was the human embodiment of the season. Bright, shiny, and fresh.

“I guess that would make me, what? Halloween?” He snickered at his own fanciful thoughts. “Not even that exciting—more like the August Bank Holiday.”

To this day, that book remains one of my favourites, and those characters still hang with me.

My subsequent books have been less obviously engaged with Scrooge, but I can still tell he’s there because he’s build right into the magic of the season for me. In Good for the Goose, a twice-shy professor must make the decision to risk her heart again or be weighed down by the pain of divorce forever.

My holiday erotic-romance anthology, All I Want, features six couples who have similar decisions, about happiness and pain, and the courage it takes to restore and be restored. It’s a theme I love, and one of the reasons I am such a romance fan, and a fan of holidays.

Maybe I’m naïve to still believe in the magic of the holidays, but I refuse to believe Black Friday and credit card bills are all we have to look forward to every year. If you think this way, too, or you’d like to, check out my books. And, of course, have a very happy holiday, and all the best for the New Year!

GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment on this post, and be entered to win. I’m giving away the winner’s choice of Unwrapping Scrooge, Good for the Goose, or All I Want: The Anne Holly-Day Collection. (18+) Plus, this blog hop has a slew of other great prizes along the route, as well as a pretty amazing grand prize! (Please be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win.)

Have a Decadent Christmas!

Here's a look at what new holiday delights Decadent Publishing is serving up this Christmas, to keep your winter nice and toasty... and they're even offering you a freebie (see below)!

A Very Russian Christmas 
by Krystal Shannon

For most of her adult life, bodyguards have shadowed Ksenia Sharanov, daughter of a Russian mobster. Her one serious relationship left her broken hearted when she learned he only sought her father’s power and money.

A ski vacation with her college roommates ends on a terrifying note. Her father’s enemies have been following her more closely than anyone could have anticipated. The mistake will cost a life…but will it cost her heart? Or will she find love in the arms of a complete stranger?

Matt O’Reilly, a retired Marine, generally keeps to himself. Working as a deputy in a small country sheriff’s office, provides just enough seclusion for him to cut himself off from his family’s pity and the heartache of losing his wife. He never thought love would be in the books for him again. Will the sudden arrival of a spunky dark-haired Russian beauty change his mind?

Coming Soon!

~*~

Dillon's Gift 

by A.J. Hawthorn

Stacy hasn’t celebrated a Christmas in years and has no reason to change her ways.  Dillon can’t understand why the most giving person he knows refuses to join in the holiday cheer.  He cooks up a plan that will leave them no choice but to spend the holidays together.

Yet, he doesn’t know Stacy as well as he thinks and there is an equal chance that things could backfire. An intentional gag gift mix up, a sexy game of Truth or Dare and a blizzard bring two friends together for a Christmas to remember.

Coming December 11!

~*~

Island Bound 

by Kiru Taye

Marriage has stripped their relationship of its thin, rose-tinted coating, and bared their monochromatic existence for what it was. Will Joshua and Christy get a second chance this holiday season?

When Christy Inemi-Spiff discovers that the man she vowed to love and honor has no such feelings for her, she is determined to cut her losses and move on with her life. A quick, quiet divorce is all she wishes for Christmas.

However, Joshua has other ideas. He’s not ready to walk away yet, especially when he doesn’t understand why Christy wants out of their marriage. So he demands she agree to spend a quiet Christmas on a remote African Island with him, hoping they can salvage their relationship. If she still wants a divorce after these two weeks, he will let her go. But not before he’s had his fill of her.

But with the sparking tension between them, and the secrets behind the disintegration of their marriage threatening to explode, will either of them get their wish? Or will this season of good will show them what really lies at the bottom of their hearts?

The first from Decadent's new Ubuntu line, coming soon!

~*~

Hot Winter Kiss

Irish Kisses Book 4

by Joanne Kenrick

Hot winter kisses to warm broken hearts….

Sick of tending to everyone else’s needs around the holidays, divorced barmaid and granny Sandra ferries it from London to Belfast. All she wants for Christmas is some peace with a romance story in front of a roaring fire in a remote Irish castle. What she gets is a most unexpected Christmas present from her friends at Bell’s—A 1Night Stand with a young Irishman.

Can she hack it in the real world of romance, or are life’s complications and treacherous snowstorms best left to the pages of a book?

Newly widowed Ardan Draighean owns Ballygalley castle. Once run as a hotel with his late wife, the stone building now serves as a home for him and his son. After hearing about Madame Eve’s matchmaking skills, he contacts her in search of the perfect match. Although much older than him—by fifteen years—Sandra is his ideal woman. He be damned if he’ll let a good story get in the way of his happy ever after with her.

Hot winter kisses are all this couple needs to stay warm this Christmas, but will the heat stay long after the magical season of mistletoe has finished?

~*~

And don't forget, I have a Christmas romance with Decadent, myself - my All Romance eBook bestselling novella Unwrapping Scrooge, available on ebook, Nook, Kindle, (and more!), and in the paperback anthology Yule Be Mine vol 2 along with three other Decadent holiday novellas!


Bestselling author Kale McKinnon is a modern Scrooge – eccentric, misanthropic and reclusive, made bitter by the coldness of his wealthy family. But when optimistic Canadian graduate student Molly Gillis visits Oxford and invades his space, he realizes Christmas is about to change for him forever. But can he make her stay, and force himself to un-Scrooge enough to be the right man for her?

HOLIDAY CONTEST!

To help you treat yourself right this holiday season, Decadent is offering a giveaway for this post! Comment this week and tell us how you plan on staying warm this holiday season, and Decadent can offer you 'Any Decadent Publishing holiday ebook of the reader's choice'! I'll draw a comment at random this Friday afternoon (4pm EST).

And don't forget, Decadent is also having their "Give a Reader a Reader" bloghop (on now), with a grand prize of a Nook ereader to one lucky reader along with BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS! 

Thanksgiving #SampleSunday with a Giveaway!

An Sample of my contemporary western erotic-romance for Thanksgiving, Charity.

Charity Miller has spent her whole life in an urban island surrounded by the wilds of Montana where she’s never ventured too far from her plans. But when she heads into the Big Snowy Mountains to square a land deal one chilly November, her normally-professional self fades away. Maybe it’s the mountain air or finally quitting her diet. Or maybe it’s “real-live-cowboy” Joshua Rollings and his many attractions that has her off balance. Whatever it is, this Thanksgiving could give her a reason to be thankful for the rest of her life.

Excerpt:

“Real estate, huh?”

The sour-faced manageress, who'd started out with something of a neutral scowl, was now pinning ‘Charity Miller, Commercial Realtor’, with a look of open distain since looking at the Billings real estate agency business card she demanded before she’d book Charity a room.

“That’s right,” Charity confirmed, wanting desperately to sign the register and be done. It had been a long drive up into the November chill of the Big Snowy Mountains to find her way to Limping Horse, Montana, a place she’d been forced to add to her state road map by hand. By the quick glimpse of the place, there wasn’t much aside from the motel/gift shop, the gas station and a diner/tavern. Everything else must've been swallowed up by the big box stores out by the highway.

“Here to see Joshua Rollings, I suppose?” the nosy woman, whose name tag identified her as Margie, pried further.

Charity bristled at the woman’s tone and her questions. She knew small towns were notorious for their lack of privacy, but this was really going overboard. It wasn’t like her business was hyper-secretive, but she wasn’t used to having her clients’ personal activities spread over the grapevines so overtly. She settled on a bland smile, deciding the woman likely already knew Mr. Rollings had contacted her about selling off a rich portion of his 12,000-acre property. According to the report, the lot in question, known as the Hobble Gulch Retreat, boasted access to a pristine lake and the adjacent mountain range, which would surely make it attractive to the company Charity had in mind, a firm known for its trendy resorts.

Clearly the rude woman assisting her realized its sparse business would become even spottier with such a place going up in its midst, which left Charity to feel it wise not to respond either way.

“Sorry,” Margie grunted, snapping the guestbook closed. “Full up.”

“What?”

“Plumbing problems,” Margie chirped with a sniff. It was clear she was lying, but equally clear she didn’t plan on recanting.

“I called in advance!” Charity insisted. “I was told you guys don’t even take official reservations, since there’s always room.”

“Who’d you talk to?”

“I don’t know,” Charity huffed in frustration. “My assistant called. Last week.”

“Must’ve been my brother, Owen,” Margie told her as if that meant something and shrugged. “Well, I don’t know what to tell you, but the rooms I have are full and the others are out for plumbing troubles. Sorry, I can’t help you.” The woman pocketed the business card in her hideous mauve cardigan and turned away.

This time tomorrow, likely everyone in town would have seen that card, Charity thought with a frown. Women like the manager loved to collect gossip materials and Charity had a feeling she’d soon be on the nasty end of a small-but-mighty Limping Horse Chamber of Commerce informal boycott as soon as Margie had a chance to spew her venom. One thing was certain; this town didn’t seem to like realtors much.

“Thanks ever so much,” Charity grumbled, pulling out the handle of her wheeled overnight bag and grabbing up her laptop and briefcase. “For nothing,” she added under her breath as she faced the icy double doors again.

No room at the inn, she thought with a sigh. So, Mr. Joshua Rollings will just have to supply room and board for the night. There was no way on earth she was going to add extra days on this trip to the middle of Godforsaken-nowhere by staying in a nearby town. She’d see the property and the paperwork, arrange for the surveyor, assess a reasonable price with the owner, and draft the listing – and then she’d be gone, back to metropolitan Billings where she belonged.

She could only hope Joshua Rollings had better manners than the old biddy who’d just tossed her out on her metaphorical fanny.

*
All weekend long: In honour of Canada's Thanksgiving (celebrated on the second Monday of October), I'm giving away a PDF copy of Charity! Leave a comment on any or all of the posts this weekend (if you're over 18) for your chance to win.

 

Charity is available as a single short in ebook, and is one of the six stories found in my new anthology All I Want: The Anne Holly-Day Collection.

ETA: Congrats, Melissa, for winning a copy of Charity in PDF. Thanks for commenting!

Celebrating Thanksgiving with a Giveaway!

Here in Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated in October, so Monday I will be enjoying my tators and soy chicken with a side of cranberry sauce. I'll likely even submit to my yearly pumpkin intake (gross, I know, but tradition, tradition...).

Here on the blog, I'm celebrating all weekend by flogging my Thanksgiving title, Charity, an erotic-romance (with a cowboy) - and I'm also giving away a copy as a thanks to you!

"Charity Miller has spent her whole life in an urban island surrounded by the wilds of Montana where she’s never ventured too far from her plans. But when she heads into the Big Snowy Mountains to square a land deal one chilly November, her normally-professional self fades away. Maybe it’s the mountain air or finally quitting her diet. Or maybe it’s “real-live-cowboy” Joshua Rollings and his many attractions that has her off balance. Whatever it is, this Thanksgiving could give her a reason to be thankful for the rest of her life."

If you're interested in winning a copy of Charity in PDF (and you're 18+), please leave a comment at any point between now and Monday night (I'll have a sample on Sunday), and you'll be entered (once per comment!). Your comment(s) can be anything you want - your favourite Thanksgiving food (even if it's pumpkin, you weirdo), or just plain "Hey, I'd love to read that!"

A book about family, love, gratitude, and giving, You Gotta Read said of Charity that it's "a perfect way to get in the holiday spirit", and I hope the book will work for you as we roll into the Holidays once again.

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

Charity is available as a single short in ebook, and is one of the six stories found in my new anthology All I Want: The Anne Holly-Day Collection, available now in ebook and coming soon to paperback!

Charity is also available for review. If you're interested in receiving a review copy, please email me!

Happy (Upcoming) Birthday, Rebel Ink!

This weekend, Rebel Ink Press turns two years old! 

Come celebrate with RIP and the Rebel authors. There's a Facebook "Meet the Writers" event on Friday (by invite only, so if you'd like an invite let me know!), and a blog hop all weekend long, starting at Rebel Reasoning. I'm pretty sure there will be excerpts and prizes all over!

Best of all, Rebel titles will be 25% off this weekend long AllRomanceEbooks!

(Including my own five Rebel titles, I hope!)

 

And don't forget the Writing Contest Rebel is running - deadline is August 25th!

Happy Birthday, Rebel Ink!

Congrats, Release Celebration Winner!

I've picked a giveaway winner at random, and have contacted Yvette, who has won a copy of Textbook Romance, courtesy of Pink Petal Books.

Thanks to everyone for their participation and visits!

Last Call: Enter to Win before Noon (EST)

Well, the release celebration is rolling to a close. Soon, Textbook Romance will be off on its own, toddling off on its own two little feet into the great big world. *sniff* They grow up so fast.

We just have one last thing to do - unveil the new book trailer:



So, that's that.

But, you still have a few more hours to comment, and be entered to win a copy in ebook form, courtesy of Pink Petal Books. Just drop a comment below (18+, please) before 12pm EST, and I'll pick a comment at random.

I'll announce the winner later, so check back tomorrow!

Thanks for your visit!

More Textbook Romance for #SampleSunday

A fresh excerpt from my newest novel, Textbook Romance:

Chase after love? As a single mother, Professor Liberty Sullivan knows better. Between her flighty mother and a disastrous history with men, she's pretty much soured on the whole concept of romance. Personal freedom and self-reliance are her new guiding mantras. Raising her son and being a career star are the most important things now.

Then she meets Seth.

An ex-cop who’s making a new life for himself and his daughter, Seth Webster has every reason to play it safe. Then he meets Liberty. Prickly about love, following some crazy anti-romance curriculum, she still makes Seth's heart pound. And a lifetime of cop instinct tells him he's about to teach Liberty that this romance will be anything but by the book.

Libby shut the heavy front door with a deep sigh. Seth was, by far, the most sweetly romantic and sensual man she’d ever met. She had once thought Carson was dangerous… She could now see that Seth was potentially ten times more addictive.

But, at the moment, she couldn’t bring herself to worry about it.

Entering her bathroom, she dropped her robe and flipped on the shower. Her muscles had a strange heavy ache to them this morning, one that seemed vaguely familiar but also felt totally unique. The signs of Seth’s lovemaking were written all over her and she gloried in the reflection looking back at her in the mirror. From the tangled head of curls to the faint blue thumbprint he’d accidentally left at some point on her right hip, she was marked as a well-loved woman, and it felt terrific.

He’d brought her to long-awaited climax no less than five times the night before, and once more early this morning, and she was amazed by the fact that her body still yearned for him. He’d turned her into a wanton, clearly, and she chuckled at the thought. Her! Of all people, he had revived the wanton in her. If she hadn’t experienced it herself, she’d never have believed it.

Stepping under the hot, hard spray of the water, she soaked in the warmth and felt her overworked muscles begin to soften. He’d been eager for her to take the initiative, and she’d made love to him just as often as he had to her, leaving her a bit sore from the exertion.

Though she’d risen early and they’d had a busy night, she wasn’t exhausted. She’d slept well and deeply, enjoying the cocoon of his body. She didn’t even need to blame her thick sleep on the wine this time. It’d been the pure bliss and security of sleeping in a devoted set of male arms.

But how long will those arms be here?

Libby angrily swept aside the treacherous voice of reason. She didn’t want to doubt anything right now. But nearly a decade of mistrust born from experience was a hard habit to break, and she felt the haze of happiness start to drift away from her against her will.

Don’t get too used to those arms, the voice warned her. When he’s gone, you’ll have to sleep without them.

Cruel rationality began to seep into the morning with the encroaching sunlight, and she had the immature impulse to call Seth’s cell in the hopes that his voice would help her shut out what her bitter instincts whispered to her. She wanted to call him, to beg him to say more sweet things to allay these fears. To tell her he wanted to see her again and again and again, and that he’d never tire of her – never find anyone else. But she knew enough to know that no one could promise that, and if she couldn’t triumph over these fears by herself, she’d be lost.

And she did want to triumph over them, didn’t she?

Pouring a puddle of conditioner into her palm, she massaged the floral mixture into her hair, and considered which Libby was the real Libby – the wanton lover or the disciplined isolationist? It wasn’t an answer that came easily, and she felt a small slide of fear that she’d gone too long this way to change now.

She paused from washing her hair and stood in shock for a moment. The realization that the reason her intelligence and her heart were both going crazy was one and the same – somewhere along the way, she’d fallen in love with Seth. In a way that not even Carson had inspired. And she was scared of losing him as much as she was of embracing him.

So, now she had to decide which possibility scared her more.

Now available!

Read the first chapter here.

Remember - Leave a comment on any of my Textbook Romance posts this weekend, and be entered to win a copy of the ebook, courtesy of Pink Petal Books.

What's your Romantic Style?

Still celebrating my new release! Thanks for stopping by.

Textbook Romance is the story of Libby, a university professor who is decidedly anti-romance. Her mother, who became pregnant as a teen by the "love of her life", who promptly ditched her, has never given up on the foolish notion of The One, a quest that disrupted Libby's life constantly as a child.

And, to her undying shame, something very similar happened to Libby herself. The "love of her life" turned out to be just the "lust of her (and a dozen other women's) life", and she can't believe she fell for it. But only once. Now, Libby has learned her lesson, for life. Or so she tells herself.

Libby's life goal is to avoid romance. She can't stand the way people repeatedly lose sight of what's "important" for the sake of love, which she believes to be a sham. And Libby should know - not only is her academic work all about researching the roots of romance, but she secretly writes romance novels on the sly!

Enter Seth, an ex-cop with a teen daughter. Seth has a mom who taught him how Real Love is supposed to work. Widowed at a young age, his mother never stopped loving her husband and instilling in her kids the belief that real love takes effort, courage and dedication. Even after his wife left him for an internet crush, Seth still believes Real Love is waiting for everyone, as long as you have the fortitude to grad a hold of it.

Textbook Romance is about the kinds of romantic options open to us. Seth, and his mother, and their devotional approach to marriage. Seth's ex, who treats internet chat rooms like a man-market. Libby's ex whose life goal is to spread the love around as much as possible before he's put out to pasture. Libby's mom, with stars in her eyes, who never seems to find anyone but "Leavers." And Libby, who has seen so many Leavers, she forgot there are "Stayers," too.

I had a great deal of fun writing a romance novel that explores... well... romance. There are multiple "styles" of love going on in this book, with each character thinking their way is the right way, given the influences and life experiences they have behind them. It's amazing how our parents, friends, lovers, ex-lovers, kids, and so forth, mold our lives, and our approach to love.

I guess it's too personal to ask your style of love, but would you care to share your views on love, whether or not you think True Love even exists, or who influenced you as to what to do (or what not to do) in the Quest for True Love?

All weekend long, comments on these blog posts will enter you to win an ebook copy of my new contemporary romance novel, Textbook Romance, courtesy of Pink Petal Books. (18+ only, please!) Contest ends Monday, June 25, 2012, at 12pm EST.

Teacher Crushes, Anyone?

Continuing my celebration for the release of Textbook Romance, let's discuss something - falling in love with Teacher.

Now, Textbook Romance involves a mature student and a university prof who fall in love, but it isn't a "teaching the teacher" kind of book. I have nothing against those, really, but that's not at the core of this one.

Still, I have to admit there is a sort of special attraction to teachers. I myself had a couple memorable teacher crushes, particularly in high school when all the boys around me where less than intellectually stimulating.

One of them, we'll call him Mr M (just in case anyone puts two and two together in the vast interwebs of embarrassment), was at the tail-end of my senior high sentence. In retrospect, aside from his startling blue eyes, he was no heart throb, but he was so gorgeously intelligent. Being a word-inclined teenager in a very rural place, where most people considered the TV Guide their favourite literature, this was overwhelmingly attractive. He and I even went on a little field trip together once, to complete an advanced project I was doing in Library Sciences (yes, I was a dork), just he and I. sigh.

Alas, I was a chicken, and never said anything, and he, well, he was a professional adult who likely never even noticed me beyond the "enjoyable, well-behaved, keener-student" level. Still, Mr M has skittered around the edges of my imagination ever since.


Thanks to all those teacher-crushes, I developed a strong belief that intelligence and maturity are essential in who I see as an attractive person. School teaches us a lot more than we even realize at the time; way beyond Library Sciences.


So, stop by and tell me about your teacher crush in the comments below.


Remember, all comments here between Friday and Monday morning will be entered to win an ebook copy of my new contemporary romance novel Textbook Romance, courtesy of Pink Petal Books. (Over 18 only, please.) Contest ends Monday, June 25, 2012, at 12pm EST.

Celebrating my New Release, Textbook Romance!

All weekend long, I will be proclaiming the News: Textbook Romance is now open for business!

Today, I have spent much of my time dancing with the devil in the pale moon light, which is also known as putting together a website for the book.

And you can finally see it here!

The site has loads of info about the book - the whole first chapter, some "Behind the Scenes" secrets, the deleted Prologue, and even a picture of me in my graduation get up!

And, low and behold, the book's already starting to crop up for sale on a few sites other than Pink Petal's (where, incidentally, it's still on sale).

So, check out the new website, check out the new book, and keep checking back here. Tomorrow, I'll have some fun, and Sunday we'll have a brand new excerpt!

PLUS, share this news and/or leave a comment on any of these posts, and you might walk away with a copy of the ebook, courtesy of Pink Petal Books!

Comment on the book, or tell me about a teacher crush, or let me know you've shared the book around, whatever you want, and you'll automatically be entered. Over 18, only, please.

Party time, indeed!

A new release from

A Tempting Treat for Valentine’s Day

Welcome blog hoppers!

As Valentine’s Day approaches, it’s time once again to enter our kitchens and hit the bake pans, perhaps unused since the Christmas gorging. Today, I thought I’d share my favourite Valentine’s Day recipe...

Red Velvet cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 stick of butter, softened

2 eggs

2 1/3 cups of cake flour

2 tablespoons of old fashioned cocoa powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of buttermilk

1 1/2 tablespoons of red food coloring

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of distilled white vinegar

Directions:

Set the oven to preheat to 350°F. Beat the butter and sugar very well (for about 3 minutes with an electric mixer), until smooth and light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is mixed in evenly. In a large batter bowl, sift he cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together, ensuring there are no lumps. In another bowl whisk the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring together. Add a handful or two of the dry ingredients and mix, then add a bit of the wet. Repeat, wet/dry, until it’s all completely mixed. Scoop into a muffin tin lined with waxed cupcake papers, about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes of baking to ensure even baking. Allow to cool in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Top with your favourite cream cheese frosting, and some shaved dark chocolate and/or sprinkles. (Raspberries are also nice on top, if you prefer.)

For maximum wonderfulness, I enjoy my red velvet with a very milky cup of Chai tea, though hot chocolate, warm milk, coffee, or Irish cream works just as well.

Enjoy!

*

And now for a peek at V-Day, my erotic romantic comedy for Valentine’s Day:

It all started with a serenade…

A family like Daniel’s and the solitary pursuit of musical excellence is enough to make a young man crazy. No wonder all Daniel Vouks dreams of is getting away. He knows his violin will take him places in life, but the only place he really wants to be is next door. He’s been in love with his neighbor since he was fourteen, but can he ever make her see him as more than just a lovesick kid?

V-Day is the story of a Valentine's Day weekend Daniel fears he may regret, but will never, ever forget.

Excerpt:

Daniel retreated to the music room, thankful he didn’t have a class or a practice scheduled on campus today. He didn’t even have to give any lessons until next week. The weather really didn’t look all that welcoming and he was grateful he could huddle inside as his family bustled off to their various destinations. After school, his parents would be off for the weekend, dropping his sister and her flotilla of luggage off at Kayley’s so the girls could get ready to go to the dance together, which meant leaving Daniel officially on his own until at least Sunday afternoon. Glorious.

Allowing the noise of their departures to roll off him as he sat absently at the piano, he plucked out a few strains and watched the sun glint off the fresh snow in the backyard. It was really beautiful when you could view it from a cozy place.

Blah! Another Valentine’s Day. His nineteenth one as a single guy. And, he thought ruefully, his nineteenth year as a confirmed virgin.

Jesus, even his baby sister had more going on than he did. Selby, his girlfriend in tenth grade, had been about as close to any action as he’d ever gotten. Her pathological fear of pregnancy made it absolutely essential that he keep his pants on at all times. Other than that, any girl he’d ever liked had tossed him into the “friend” basket and never bothered to reassess him.

Kelly, his best friend, did that. After Daniel followed the cute redheaded soprano around for weeks like a puppy, she finally took pity on him and explained he was simply too nice to attract her. After that, they formed an easy relationship through which both had a pal, and a no-fuss “emergency date” when necessary.

Flipping open his phone, he hit Kelly’s number.

“This better be good,” she grumbled after the fifth ring.

“Hey early riser,” he chuckled.

“Well, if I had my mom bringing me my morning coffee in bed…”

“Okay, truce,” Daniel winced. “And my mom doesn’t let me drink coffee.”

“Why not? Afraid it'll stunt your growth, stretch?” Kelly asked with a crystal clear laugh despite having just woken up.

“Something like that,” he said, flecking a flower petal off the top of the piano. “Listen…You’re probably…I dunno…busy tonight, right?”

“Are you trying again, Danny?” she groaned.

“Well, no. I just thought if you weren’t, maybe we could do something.”

“I have a date.”

“Right,” he forced a chuckle. “Yeah, I figured you would.” He straightened in his chair. “Being Valentine’s and all. No problem, just wanted to check.”

“Ahhh, Danny,” she sighed. “What about you?”

“I got a hot date all weekend,” he said over a grimace. “With that friggin’ tango, I guess.”

“Danny, do yourself a favor,” she said firmly. “Go get yourself laid. I told you that’s what’s missing from your tango.”

“Well then,” he quipped. “Support the arts and break your date. I can be there in an hour.”

“Har har har,” she said and then laughed for real. “Seriously, go fall for someone. Preferably someone who will fall for you back.”

“Okay,” he agreed. “For you, I'll try my best.”

Daniel hung up and pounded out a few more notes on the keyboard in front of him, contemplating Kelly’s method music theory that said you could only sing or play what you’d experienced. If that were the case, his tango would remain a virginal one if his luck so far was any indication.

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For more information about my adult (18+) Valentine’s Day erotic romantic comedy, V-Day, please see my holiday stories website: http://annehollyholiday.webs.com/valentinesdaytales.htm

GIVEAWAY!

Comment below, and tell us what your favourite Valentine’s Day treat is, and you will be entered to win any one of my currently-released titles in Amazon Kindle edition or PDF! One winner will be drawn at random, February 15, 2012. Contest is open only to adults, 18+.

Be sure to leave a comment, 

and then check out the other authors at:

http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/

Anne Holly is a Canadian writer of romance and erotic-romance, as well as a mother and teacher. You may visit Anne at her blog or website, or find her on GoodReads, Facebook and Twitter  (@anneholly2010). Sign up for her newsletter here. Email: anneholly2010@gmail.com.

Holiday Memories (with Giveaway)

Welcome, RomFan Reviews blog hoppers!

I chuckled when Annette told me that the theme for this blog hop was to be “holiday memories,” because there’s only one thing that comes to mind… and I’m not sure if people really want to hear about it. In retrospect, given this Thing that comes to mind, it’s kind of a surprise I have become a “holiday romance writer.” (That’s not all I write, but I’ve kind of overdone it on the holidays, so that’s becoming my reputation.)

You see, this Thing that came to mind was – wait for it – throwing up.

I know, a bit on the TMI side, but this really is my firmest holiday memory – because, you see, it happens every single damn year, or at least it seemed to, until recently.

When I was a kid, there were two things I loved that we only ever had at the holidays – grapes and soda pop. They were too expensive, and “special,” so my parents only got them at Christmas. I recall us keeping the 2L pop bottles under the kitchen table in December, and how I used to count the days until Christmas so we could crack one of those suckers. I don’t know why I liked pop so much. Perhaps it was simply because I wasn’t allowed to have it the rest of the year. And grapes, well, those things are simply awesome. So, the result of gorging myself, every year on these things? Almost ever year – possibly every year – I would consume so much that I made myself ill, and Boxing Day always found me waking up a bit green from my adventures. Holidays are often seasons of excess, and I am no saint.

A few years ago, this excess came in the form of a roast chicken. I am a vegetarian, and I have been since I was fourteen years old. I refuse to tell you how long that is, exactly, but rest assured it has been a long while. But, when I got pregnant, I decided I would go with my cravings, within reason, in case they were my body’s way of telling me I was lacking things. I had an extremely healthy pregnancy on a careful vegetarian diet – except for one, ill-advised night when I was about seven months along. Christmas Eve 2007.

That night, I was craving roast bird. Not turkey, since I have always hated turkey, even when I used to eat meat. I wanted chicken. I always loved chicken, and it was the hardest of the meats to give up, I admit. That Christmas eve, when looking at a Swiss Chalet delivery menu, I cracked. I love their perogies, so that was my original intent… But I knew they were famous for their wonderful chicken. And I picked a chicken dinner with all the fixins’. Call it pregnant lady insanity, but there I sat, gorging myself on dead bird and dressing. I was in heaven.

Not so much about 2am that night when my chicken dinner left my body of its own accord. Let’s just say the chicken and I had a horrible breakup that left me lying helpless and crying on the bathroom floor for about an hour. Merry Christmas to me!

As it turns out, that would not be the only time my son would have me up and sobbing at 2am. However, it was the last time the Christmas Up-Chuck Curse hit. Since then, my holidays have passed relatively uneventful, as far as gastrointestinal discomfort is concerned.

Why? I don’t know. Perhaps I have learned a few lessons about the size of my eyes in relation to the size of my stomach. That would be nice. I have no desire to carry on the tradition.

And that’s the most striking memory that comes to mind when people ask me about my most memorable holiday. I’ve had many good and bad holiday experiences, but this Thing really is hard to beat.

Oh, and the grapes? My son and I still ring in every New Year with a big bowl of them. With ginger ale soda. But we don’t overdo it. Some traditions don’t warrant getting handed down through the generations.

Happy New Year, one and all!

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Leave a comment and tell me about your worst or most humiliating holiday moment for a chance to win a Kindle copy of my New Years erotic-romance, Bubbly, via Amazon. Winner will be drawn Dec 31, 2011.

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Anne Holly is a Canadian writer of romance and erotic-romance, as well as a mother and teacher. She is the author of the novel Strings Attached, which was described by The Romance Reviews as “a classic contemporary romance.” She has been published by Wild Horse Press, Decadent Publishing and Rebel Ink Press, and in 2012 by Pink Petal Books. Anne’s work is characterized by its unusual heroes, sweet/spicy balance, witty dialogue, responsible citizenship, and its positive, optimistic nature. She has found a particular niche in holiday romance. You may visit Anne at her blog or website, or find her on GoodReads, Facebook and Twitter  (@anneholly2010). Sign up for her newsletter here. Email her at anneholly2010@gmail.com.

Giveaways Still Going!

Just a little reminder - a couple of my holiday giveaways are still ongoing! Last few days to enter!

30 Days of Decadence - Winners Announced on January 3, 2012
Three Prize Winners: A copy of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in paperback, a copy of A Christmas Carol (1951) on Region 1 DVD, and a mystery bonus prize! (Contest closes Jan 2, 2012)

Long and Short Reviews - Winner Announced on December 31, 2011
A copy of my erotic-romance for Christmas, Good for the Goose, on Kindle.
(Contest closes Dec 30, 2011)

Whipped Cream Reviews - Winner Announced on December 31, 2011
A copy of my romance novel, Strings Attached, on Kindle.
(Contest closes Dec 30, 2011)

And, on December 29, I am the RomFan Reviews bog hop author, and the winner will be announced for that on December 31, 2011. (Contest closes Dec 30, 2011.)

For chances to win any of these prizes, all you have to is comment before the contests close!


Good luck, and many thanks!

PS: I'm taking a bit of a break from blogging for a day or two to work ahead on my promo for the next few months, to prepare for next term, and to read/relax a bit. I'll be in and out this week, and will keep in touch! 


All the best for the New Year!

Welcome Christmas Blog Hoppers!

Today and all weekend long, we welcome the "Stuff your Stockings" blog hoppers! Hopefully some of you know me, and a hearty hello to those just now meeting me!

Cheer Up, Christmas Grumps!

For those of you who do know me, it's no surprise that I'm fond of Christmas books. In fact, I love romance novels focusing on all holidays - I've written about at least five holidays, myself, and I keep going back to the well of seasonal wonder. I used to love reading holiday books as a teen, and still do. I have a big pile of Christmas romances to burn through this vacation.

One of the things I like best in my holiday romance is the misanthropy. Yes, I know what that word means, and no, it's not a typo.

Misanthropy (noun): The dislike of humanity; the opposite of philanthropy.

So, basically, there's Nephew Fred (philanthropist) and Uncle Scrooge (misanthropist) - until he was reformed, that is.

And that's the part I love most! I love grumpy characters in Christmas books. I love watching them squirm and sneer when confronted by some disgustingly cheerful Christmas-lover-do-gooder, and I love watching them melt. They just seem so realistic to me, since I see this happen over and over again as the people around me adjust to the whole "peace on earth" atmosphere every December.

In my book Unwrapping Scrooge, I have a rumpled and grumpy reclusive writer - sexy, sure, but also fairly eccentric and cynical (which, to me, makes him even sexier, but I'm weird that way). Instead of growing cold through the pursuit of wealth, he's been made cold growing up wealthy. He's all too certain that all interaction has a bottom line to it some place, and he's decided to have no part in it. That is, of course, until he meets a cheerful young Canadian Christmas-lover who melts him (and unwraps him). Gee, I wonder who she's based on...? *ahem*

Yes, I know real life doesn't have many easy, long-lasting transformations, sadly. But one of the great things about fiction is that we can fix the things we don't like about real life, right? And think how great it would be if those holiday reformations would last 364 days a year!

So, happy holidays, and try not to get bogged down in buying stuff and cooking stuff, and meeting family members who seem designed to destroy your cheer. Tell someone how special they are, focus on what actually matters, and restore/renew for 2012.

ETA: New SAMPLES of my Christmas stories on my holiday website for Sample Sunday!

My question to you - what gets you in the holiday spirit? Comment before the end of the blog hop on December 18 for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card from me - to spend on yourself, mind, so don't go blowing it on stuff for other people. Your uncle really doesn't need a set of digital golf tees.

Then follow on to meet the nearly 200 other bloggers giving stuff away, and have yourself a wonderful holiday!
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Anne Holly is a Canadian writer of romance and erotic romance, and author of Strings Attached, Unwrapping Scrooge and a five-story holiday series from Rebel Ink Press. You can visit her website, her holiday story website, follow her on Twitter or on FB, or sign up for her monthly newsletter to keep in touch.