Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Warmest wishes for health, happiness and all the best for 2010 to all.

Read a Story - Give dosh for GOSH

Read a funny, heartwarming story with elves, goblins, snowmen, polar bears and of course, Santa and Rudolph! [just look out for Sputnik *g*] and donate some dosh for the kids at
Great Ormond Street Hospital. GOSH

*


A Christmas Crisis

by Fiona J Mackenzie

Once every thousand years, Old Father Time travels to the North Pole. At the Grand Ceremony of the Claus, on the stroke of the millennium, he hands the famous velvet and fur trimmed robes to the next generation of Santa Claus.

Then the new Santa solemnly takes his Legend of Christmas oath, to uphold the traditions and joys of the Yuletide, to be guardian of the Christmas Grotto, and to bring happiness to all the children of the world.

But this year, Santa has a problem.

It was Christmas Eve. Silent snow drifted against the windows of Santa Claus’ great log cabin, wood fires slumbered and the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg spiced the air.

Nicholas glanced yet again at the twenty-four ticking clocks that covered the end wall of his office, but it didn’t matter which one he looked at, there was only a short time left. He paced up and down, trying to ignore the palpitations and cold sweat that chilled his skin.

It was no good. He couldn’t go through with it. He would have to cancel Christmas.

Read the rest of the story and donate** here

Now bring on the cute . . . A baby reindeer . . . Awwwww, he [or maybe she] is still waiting for his red nose *g*

More pictures of the Waverley Herd Reindeer here courtesy of the BBC

* Picture not representative of the story - A Christmas Crisis does not contain reindeer with cell phones, shades or glocks. *g*

** donations via credit cards or paypal. Story can be read without donating.

Winning Birthday Books!

Help a fellow book lover celebrate her birthday in style* with a chance to win one of these fabulous books**
over at One Book Away From Heaven.

!!!Just look at what you could win!!!

Click here to enter contest. Closes 13th December '09.

*Happy Birthday Pattepoilue!!

**I'm thrilled that Pattepoilue has named The Sweet Scent of Blood as one of her favourite reads of 2009! Yay! Thank you! *beams*

Floating Heads FTW!

Wow! I'm honoured to report that the cover* for The Cold Kiss of Death has been nominated in the 1st Annual Urban Fantasy Cover Art Awards in the 'Best Floating Head Cover' category! Yay!

Now *bats eyelashes pleadingly* anyone who wants to vote for my book can go here, or you know, if you want to vote for any of the books, that's cool too . . . there are some fab, fab covers: this one below is possibly my favourite. I loved, loved, loved the book, and now Fade Out is currently sitting on top of my TBR pile as my treat for finishing writing The Bitter Seed of Magic [I'm days away from typing 'THE END' so watch this space . . .]

Voting is open from now until 30th December '09. Plus there are prizes for voting too - check them out here :-).

Back to the writing cave now . . .

* Kudos goes to Gollancz' art department! :-)