 Coming Attractions, December Style! Posted by Caren Crane Dec 1 2012, 12:21 am December is always a big month in the Lair. In addition to all our usual book releases, guest authors, witty thoughts and pithy observations, we also have a HUGE Christmas Celebration Blowout! Those of you who have been visiting us for a while are likely rubbing your acquisitive hands together in delight in anticipation of our 12 BANDITA DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!! SPECIAL EVENT Yes friends, starting on DECEMBER 13, we will have extra-special treats in store for you EVERY DAY until Christmas! So shake off your Bah Humbugs and get ready to par-tay! Each day will feature a holiday recipe AND a special prize giveaway for a commenter. Golden Rooster ornaments! Ermingarde the Dragon cookie cutters and sugar cookie mix! Books galore!! On Christmas Eve day, we have a Rooster goodie!!! Then, on CHRISTMAS DAY, we will give away a HUGE prize bundle to one lucky commenter. So be sure to come by each day and see what splendid goodies are on offer. CALENDAR OF EVENTS And speaking of splendid goodies, here are some of the scintillating events coming up in the Lair this month:
December 2 - Right out of the gate, Caren Crane hosts authors Regan Black, Kimberly Hope, V.R. Marks and Jay Keelan to discuss their Christmas anthology The Season For Romance. “They say home is where the heart is…” and we’ll have fun finding out just where that is for each of these talented authors!
December 3 – To keep our month rolling along, Anna Campbell hosts Lair favorite Maggie Robinson. Maggie will tell us about her latest steamy historical Lord Gray’s List. Maggie is always great fun so you won’t want to miss that!
December 4 – Suzanne Ferrell helps us delve further into the Alpha Pack’s fight with the Unseelie King in J.D. Tyler‘s (our beloved Jo Davis in disguise) Black Moon. Is there any hope for the team or mankind when the Sorcerer Kalen Black is tempted by the dark arts? We’ll find out, but I may still be distracted by Kalen’s picture…
December 5 – Our incredibly talented Regency author Christie Kelley is having a book launch party for her December e-book from Kensington, Bewitching the Duke. I will admit that I am bewitched already!
December 7 – Aussie author Christina Ashcroft/Christina Phillips visits the Lair to tell us about her great new paranormal series from Berkley, starting with the very delicious Archangel Of Mercy. Merciful archangels, what a cover!
December 10 - Anna Campbell is hosting a Christmas launch party in the lair when she tells us all about her latest release, The Winter Wife. We might just get to see Santa do the cha-cha!
December 12 - As the Demon Trappers series comes to an end with the release of Foretold, Jana Oliver joins Nancy Northcott to chat about saying good-bye to a series and characters she loves writing. Even the cover echoes the beauty and melancholy of the series end!
December 13 – Bandita Joan Kayse unveils her debut release The Patrician. Yes, Joan’s Romans have life at long last and we will be partying hard to celebrate their unleashing! (Well, Joan said she would unleash them. Not so sure what will happen once the sangria starts flowing, though!
December 21- We’ll be Stepping Back In Time with Superromance author Jeannie Watt as she talks about preparing for and attending the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco!
December 27 – Bandita Tawny Weber throws another wild shindig in the Lair to share her latest Karma Cafe novella: Sweet Nothings! What’s a girls determined to get rid of her reputation as being pure as driven snow to do? Find a prince of a guy to help her out, of course. Oh, my! Tawny’s books are always sweet, sexy confections. This one promises to be delectable! CONTEST NEWS What would the holiday season be without contests?!? Here are a few you’ll want to be sure to enter: Anna Campbell is giving TWO lucky people the chance to win a matching Seven Nights In a Rogue’s Bed tote bag and signed book. It’s what the fashionistas are carrying this festive season, as you’ll see from the stylish photo of Anna’s good friend and Harlequin Medical Romance author Sharon Archer on the website. All you need to do is tell Anna the name of Book 2 in the Sons of Sin series. You might just find the answer in her latest news: http://annacampbell.info/latest.html. Email Anna on annacampbellhistorical@hotmail.com with your answer to be in the draw. For more information, please check out Anna’s contest page: http://annacampbell.info/contest.html.
Nancy Northcott is running a contest on Fresh Fiction to win an art glass Christmas tree bottle stopper and a download of Renegade (US residents only). (Also, be sure to check out Nancy’s guest post at Romantic Times where she talks about a girlhood crush!)
MEMBERS ONLY WINNER
To qualify for December’s Members Only prize bundle, simply sign up for access to our Members Den and receive the always-entertaining Romance Bandits Newsletter. Be sure to open the e-mail and read the newsletter. We will choose a randomly-selected winner from the list of those who opened our newsletter. It’s as simple as that! The Members Only December prize bundle will include:
What are you waiting for?!? Sign up right now! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wow! I am exhausted just telling you what’s going on this month. It is sure to be super-busy and extra-exciting! Now it’s your turn to tell me a few things. So, Bandita Buddies, what are you anticipating most highly this holiday season? Lighting candles? Singing songs? Feasting with friends and family? Opening a highly-anticipated gift? Curling up with a terrific book? Hm…my answer may be “all of the above”… Posted in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, 12 days of Christmas, Caren Crane, coming attractions, Guests, prize winner, prizes Comments47 thoughts on “Coming Attractions, December Style!” |
  
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Oh what a month in the Lair! I have to agree with the all of the above, Caren–love the hanging out with family and friends, and the feasting and the books
Singing is fun, too! And well, the books 
Fedora
I am sure he is over the heat here in Oz it is around 42 degrees c here today and horrible outside we went shopping this morning and then back home to the aircon.
Have Fun
Helen
Fedora, the rooster is super excited! I’m sure he’s told you what he wants for Christmas!
Fedora, thank you for mentioning singing! My daughters and I drive my husband crazy with all the in-house caroling! Of course, he eventually joins in, which is nice since he has a lovely voice.
Please do not encourage the GR to sing. Someone (Helen??) told him he had a nice voice and he takes every opportunity to use it. Badly. Your neighbors will not appreciate it!
Fedora, congrats on the bird! I hope he’ll behave for you.
Caren
What an amzing month coming up I am looking forward to it and as for what I am looking forward to I would say all of the above as well LOL nothing nicer than being with friends eating then curling up with a good book
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, you get to enjoy all the delights of Christmas plus blistering-hot weather and grandkidlets in the pool and having BBQs all at the same time!
As noted in the December newsletter interview with Mozette, I am dead jealous of all our Aussie friends!
Wow, that’s some month coming up. I can harfdly wait. Great guests. Wonderful Christmas goodies to give away, and new releases from the Bandits. Who could ask for anything more? As they say in the classics. Caren, thanks for bringing all this information together – there’s SOOOOO much this month. It’s a bonanza!
Anna, the holidays should always be a time of giving and generosity, so I find all our Christmas bounty a perfect fit! Thank you for adding to the awesomeness with your new Christmas novella, The Winter Wife. It’s sitting impatiently on my Kindle, waiting to be read!!
Have fun with TWW, Posh! I’m so excited to have a Christmas story out!
I’m definitely looking forward to feasting with family and friends. Really looking forward to 12 Bandita Days of Christmas.
Jane, I’m looking forward to the feasting, too! Sadly, someone shrank all my clothes over Thanksgiving! I’m afraid that I’ll either have to eat less, exercise more *shudder* or buy bigger pants. THE HORROR!
Neither of those sound like good options. Must ponder alternate solutions. Does anyone have a good way to lose 15 pounds with no effort whatsoever? Anyone? Bueller?
A fabulous month to see out the year.
Where did it go?
Mary, isn’t it astonishing that it’s December already? I am mortified! I have no idea what happened to September, October OR November. Well, I did have two separate week-long vacations, four holidays and any number of family birthdays in there, but still!
Christmas will be here before I know it and I will have, as always, to do all the pondering and probing and shopping and bargain hunting. My husband does none of that. Ever. He is sort of a hopeless gift-giver, so it’s just as well, but it’s still a bit stressful. All of my female relations are getting lovely cashmere Johnstons of Elgin bed socks this year. They were dead cheap as overstocks from Sierra Trading Post. Highly recommend the site for finding just about any clothing/sportswear/outdoor/home decor at bargain prices!
Well I’m looking forward to having a bit of time to comment on some of the blogs. I just don’t know where the last 11 months have gone to.
I really want to see Santa do the cha-cha .
I’ve been reading some Christmas themed books already and Tawny’s Nice as Naughty lives up to it’s name.
I hope I didn’t lose the December newsletter. We had computer troubles and bought a new one and I’m still having a few learning moments with it.
That should read Nice & Naughty. I need to go to bed and get some sleep. 2:47 as a bed time is too late.
Kaelee, I hope you get some sleep soon! No one should cheat themselves of sleep time – it’s just wrong! (Can you tell I love sleeping? I do it really well!
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As for the December newsletter, if it doesn’t show up, drop us a line and I will send it to you from my e-mail. I did the newsletter this month and I have to say it’s fairly spectacular. Ha!
Ooh, I also meant to say that I adore Christmas reads, too! I have already read at least 5 books and novellas with holiday themes and plan to read many more. I love holiday-themed books and movies!!
What a great month… more good books and prizes
Barb, there will also be great recipes during the 12 Days of Christmas, never forget! Actually, I need to crack the whip and get some Banditas to post holiday recipes in our Members Only section so we can have even more fun! Hm. Not sure that will do anything for my shrinking pants situation…
I’m looking forward to having my kids home for the break -my daughter’s an excellent baker (to the dismay of my hips) and I’m looking forward to hanging out with everyone in the lair tomorrow for the anthology party!
Regan Black in the house!
I’m looking forward to having my daughters home from college, for sure. I just told a co-worker yesterday that no holiday baking will be done at my house until the girls get home. Not that any baking needs to be done!
Actually, I need to go on a starvation diet until the new year and try to lose 15 pounds. That, however, will require effort. Maybe if I spend more time with my fingers on the keyboard and less with them in the cookie jars?
I’m thinking only a mousetrap or electric shock thingy in the jar will make me behave this season. My daughter went on a baking binge at Thanksgiving, but didn’t take nearly enough treats back to school with her.
You know I love your writing!
Of course – I’m all for getting your fingers on the keyboard
I’m looking forward to being with my son and daughter and two of our grandchildren. Watching the excitement of Christmas through the eyes of children is what it’s all about.
Also, I’m hoping for some quiet time just for me to read! I live for that!
Connie, don’t kids just make the holidays magic for everyone? My youngest nephew is 10 now and we are all lamenting!
I do have cousins around my age with tiny children (the horror!), so hopefully we will get to see them some. I keep telling my son, who is the oldest of the grandchildren in my family, that it’s about time for him to start thinking about a family (he’s 26), but he just rolls his eyes. I think it will be a while before we have tiny feet for the holidays again!
As for quiet time, mine will end mid-month when the girls are home from college, but that is a good thing. Come the second week in January, they will be back at school and I will have my load of holiday books to read to fill the quiet hours. Something to look forward to in the New Year!
Right at this moment I am looking forward to my neighbors across the street finishing their decorating! They go all out and it is always a beautiful result.
I love to just drive around and look at the lights and decor.
I have been reading my collection of Christmas romances and of course adding to the collection, at this rate I will have to start reading them in August.
I just love Christmas in the lair and I love the Cabana boy costumes, those red velvet shorts are just darling. Does Demetrius have a little sprig of holly on his breastplate? I think Nancy needs to tell Ermingarde that the tree is not for roasting.
Dianna, I am always so envious of other people’s yard decorations. We simply never find the energy to do anything like that. Getting the house decorated inside is all we can manage!
I know what you mean about the Christmas romances. I started reading them in October this year because I couldn’t wait any longer!
I am SO EXCITED to read the A Season For Romance anthology we’re talking about tomorrow, Tawny’s Nice & Naughty and Anna’s The Winter Wife!
Plus, my good friend Sabrina Jeffries has her first hardcover out right now and it’s a Christmas book, ‘Twas the Night After Christmas. Can’t wait to read that one, either!
Good idea about getting Nancy to school Ermingarde a bit. She burned one of the towers down one year!
Ermingarde says she was just trying to help with the candles, but her aim is better now.
This is great lair – thanks for the invite, Caren. It looks like a terrific month for your readers too. I’m glad to help kick it off tomorrow with the anthology.
Now that the lights are up outside, the thing I anticipate most this time of year are the treats. There are so many things our family only makes this time of year – it’s worth loosening the belt a bit.
V.R., thanks for stopping by! I’m looking forward to getting to know you better tomorrow when we discuss the anthology.
As for the holiday treats, will you be baking any yourself or simply waiting for the womenfolk to take pity and give you some?
Ha! I’m not too proud to admit I play the ‘pity me’ card when I can get away with it. Although I’ve proven my capabilities when it comes to mixing up home made cocoa mix or those chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies. (I’ve even learned to clean up after.)
I am looking forward to enjoying this weekend with my sons and grandchildren. I miss them and it is always wonderful to be together.
Pearl, how wonderful to see your son and grandkids! I always cherish time spent with my extended family. Though none of my kids have their own families yet, I know I will anticipate visiting with them just as my mother does with all of us! She has 5 children and 7 grandchildren, so lots of opportunities for calls and visits!
I hope you all enjoy your time together and make lovely memories!
My daily walks that lift my spirit and give me strength and hope. Since my illness of 7 months which was a major one, I am trying to build myself up. Fresh air and sunshine are lovely here.
Ellie, it’s so marvelous you’re feeling well enough to get out and enjoy the great outdoors! I don’t recall where you live or whether you’re enjoying lovely late-fall or late-spring weather!
Whichever it is, enjoy every walk. I really need to resume my daily walks, which are the only way I can keep any weight off these days. I got out of the habit and it’s so hard to get back into it!
I enjoy preparing meals and feasts for family to enjoy. Chanukah is in one week. Latkes, and yummies we all look forward to, plus cute gifts.
Anne, I’ve always wanted to make latkes. They combine many of my favorite things! My mother attended seder a few years in a row with friends of hers and she said it was wonderful! I’ve never been invited to a Chanukkah celebration, but love to read about them. Such wonderful traditions and food and surprises!
I hope you enjoy each day of Channukah and are surrounded by food, family, friends and love. I, too, adore making food for my loved ones. We always say that in our family, food means love!
Wow, Caren. The Banditas have quite the month planned. I’m excited that I’ll be hanging out with you guys twice in December!
Even though I’m fighting a cold (I claimed it was allergies for a while), I brought out the cookie cutters this morning and made some butterscotch shortbread cookies. And I’m teaching Snarky Daughter how to make homemade Irish cream truffles this weekend.
The baking – and sharing – is my favorite part of the holiday season. Tomorrow I’ll share a recipe for Hot Buttered Rum, a must have on cold nights, or nights with a cold!
Kimberly Hope in the house!
I’m sorry to hear you have a cold, but definitely understand being in denial about it. My department manager has had terrible-sounding bronchitis since we got back after Thanksgiving and he refuses to go to the doctor. His reasoning? “I’ve never had bronchitis before in my life!” Guess what, buddy? You do now. 
I bow to your baking energy. I have none. Once the girls get home, I’m sure I’ll be inspired to do holiday things. Until then, though, I will simply enjoy the efforts of others. Feel free to send me a care package – ha! Actually, I need cookies like a hole in the head. What I need for the holidays is liposuction!
And even though I don’t like rum – although I spent a week in Grand Cayman recently, which is Rum Central – I am intrigued by hot buttered rum. I think because I like the LifeSavers.
Merry Christmas Everyone!! Here’s a recipe that’s really good. It’s called a Swiss Yodlel.
Hot Chocolate add a shot of Peppermint Schnapps and top with whip cream. Yummy
Ooh, now this one sounds yummy! I enjoy both hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps, although I can pass on whipped cream most of the time. Unless it’s real and not from a can. Yes, I’m snobby like that about whipped cream!
I’ll have to try the Swiss Yodel, for sure!
Sounds like a wonderful month coming up!!!Going to check out those extra contests
Once I get my shopping done, I enjoy the holidays so much more lol. And my daughter and I are each giving a tree trimming party that I’m looking forward to!
Catslady, you know I adore giving gifts, but I dread the shopping! The past couple of years I have done all my holiday shopping online – or at least as much as I could. Nothing is worse to me than the dreaded mall at Christmas time. And I used to work in a retail store at the mall! Not sure when I grew so anti-shopping, but it is a real thing for me now.
I think you and your daughter are brilliant to host tree-trimming parties. It gives you a great excuse to get together with family and friends and gets the tree decorated. Win-win!
Yes, be sure to check out the extra contests and to stop by here for all the December excitement. It’s going to be a fun month!
Caren, great job on the CA post! The dh and I are most looking forward to having the boy home. He asked us to wait on the decorating, and since his years of long Christmas breaks at home will soon come to an end, we’re doing that.
I’ll finish this round of revisions in the next week or two and then will enjoy reading all the Christmas books and novellas, like The Winter Wife. I’ll also be catching up on bandita books–The Patrician, Naughty & Nice, Cantrell’s Bride, Christie’s upcoming Bewitching the Duke, Duchesse’s upcoming Deadly Charms, and Trish’s Coven series, to name just a very few!
Nancy, that’s so cute that the Boy wants you to wait for him before decorating! My girls haven’t asked me to wait, but I think they expect that I won’t do anything until they get home. Which, of course, I won’t (but mostly because I’m lazy!).
Isn’t it marvelous to have a great stack of books you know you’ll love waiting for you? I swear I think I hear my Kindle groan everytime I download yet another book! It’s such a treat, though, to know you’re going to enjoy every page of a book before you start. Best thing ever!
I’ve drawn the winner for my debut package prize and will post that at 11:45 pm eastern US time tonight.
Ooh, excitement! Whoever wins that one will be in for a treat!