I love Christmas, I do.
But am I crazy that I like it in its normal timing? There are some great celebrations that come BEFORE Christmas! Like, I dunno … Halloween? Or how about Thanksgiving?
For a summer lover like myself, it’s difficult enough to entice myself to change the outdoor decorations from my summer look to fall. I love to decorate my front step with seashells and flowers and beachy stuff. When I make the official decorating season change it doesn’t feel right. Maybe because here in the South Carolina Lowcountry, the weather hasn’t changed. It’s still shorts weather, although the temps have dropped from the 90s to the 80s now that it’s fall. Here’s a peek at what I recently changed my front step from, and to.
But Christmas? In October?
Christmas novellas are very popular. And I love that. I love reading about people falling in love in the crisp cold winter, surrounded by snow and wool hats and mittens and Christmas trees and stockings. But why do we like reading about that in October, two holidays early?
I don’t know, but it’s well known that Christmas novellas are released. In. October. Period. So, not to buck a trend, here I am, offering my new Christmas novella for you this month.
One Big Apple Christmas is Book 2 in my Big Apple Blessings series. All three books in the series feature people making their wildest dreams come true in my favorite city in the world, New York City. And oh boy, if you love winter-y Christmas love stories like I do, you really can’t find a more magical setting for one than New York. Massive Christmas trees with twinkling lights, ice skating, hot chocolate, the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, window shopping at Macy’s with all the elaborate holiday displays. And this short little story is chock-full of all of it!
The holidays can be stressful, especially for New York advertising exec Tony White, who just got dumped. Will his Christmas be as dismal as he expects, or will wannabe Rockette Joss McGee dance her way into his heart?
Tony White has soared to professional heights as an advertising executive at a major New York agency, but his love life is far from a success. Dumped by his girlfriend weeks before Christmas, Tony has little to look forward to in this season of good cheer.
His luck begins to change when he meets talented and ambitious Joss McGee, who is hoping to secure a position within the world-famous Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. She’s sacrificed nearly everything to pursue her goal, and romance is a complication she simply doesn’t have time for.
In the midst of his stressful world, Tony discovers that success can mean helping someone else achieve their goal. And as much as Joss wants to be a star, that pinnacle holds little meaning unless you have someone to share it with.
It’s a festive, heartwarming little story for all of you, and as a special holiday gift for my readers, it’s FREE on all ebook retailers. Click on this link and take your pick of what type of ereader you want to download it to.
Enjoy the story but please … in the meantime please enjoy your Halloween and your Thanksgiving too!
Discussion questions: Do you like Christmas novellas? What do you like most about them? When do you like to start reading them? When do you start decorating your house for Christmas?
**Heartwarming, life-changing Christian fiction.** An award-winning author, Laurie is living her dream life at the beach, writing novels. Laurie writes beachy inspirational romance that takes place in the South Carolina Low Country. She retired from the big day job and now focuses on writing full time. Strolls on the sand, soaking up the sun and riding the waves can be considered the best kind of research.
I prefer full length books – the longer the better.
I start to read Christmas stories as soon as they appear.
In that case I bet you’ve started adding to your collection! I’ve seen some good ones advertised already!
I like Christmas stories, and I read them any time of the year! I used to wait til the day after Thanksgiving, now I read them any time. Has a little to do with my proofreading/editing business, though! I don’t do Halloween, but I love Thanksgiving!
Why not enjoy the magic of Christmas throughout the year? I’m going to adopt that attitude this season!
Hi Laurie! This avid reader, German American, retired German teacher and Michigander enjoys reading Christmas novellas. I enjoy when authors have unique settings, festivals, traditions and customs. I usually read Christmas stories in July, so I get a feel for folks celebrating Christmas during the summer.
As a German American who embraces both cultures, Christmas decorating starts after Thanksgiving. Advent is usually the Sunday after Thanksgiving. So out comes the Advent wreath and the Advent calendar. Plus Winter placemats and a wreath by the front door. On December 6 – St. Nicholas Day I put up the Christmas tree which stays till All Kings Day (January 6).
I usually decorate by seasons – spring, summer, fall, and winter. Front porch decoration, placemats, and table centerpiece. Also enjoy reading and watching Hallmark movies set in the various seasons. Best wishes. Enjoy your weekend.
I LOVE decorating for Christmas but I don’t pull anything out until the day after Thanksgiving.
Yes I like Christmas novels I read them anytime of the year.we don’t decorate much but we put Christmas decorations out after Thanksgiving.
Oh you are certainly in the holiday spirit all year round! I love the sounds of all your decorating traditions!
That sounds reasonable. Back when we were raising our kids, I hosted Thanksgiving for about 22 family members most years. I had the house and tables decorated with Thanksgiving and I didn’t want to take it all down immediately after. So I left it up for a week or two. Then, I didn’t want to immediately decorate for Christmas so I got into the habit of decorating for Christmas the middle of December, leaving it up till at least a week into January. It’s fun to make the house look so festive but I always looked forward to getting everything back to normal too!
Sounds good Kendra! I hope you’ll enjoy my Christmas story.
I do enjoy a good Christmas novella, though full length novels are usually my preferred choice. I also like to wait to start focusing on Christmas until at least November. Starting all that stuff in October just kind of feels like people are wishing away fall, which I really enjoy the whole season of fall.
I love Christmas novellas or full length books, I love everything about Christmas. I read Christmas books all during the year but of course especially when it’s getting close to Christmas even more. I usually start decorating for Christmas the first week in December. Have a great weekend and stay safe. God Bless you and your family.
Exactly! I’m so with you Megan!
A true Christmas lover! That’s awesome Alicia.
Yeah, I agree about getting back to normal. I love having all the decorations up but come January I’m ready to take the decor back to usual.
I’m exactly like you….each holiday belongs in it’s proper place! I don’t like thinking about Christmas in October.
I do like Christmas novellas or books but I start reading them after Thanksgiving then well into January. I start stockpiling Christmas stories into a TBR pile just about now so I have a good amount to read when I’m ready :-)
As for decorating, we do it 2 weeks before Christmas…lol!
I am not ready for Christmas. Here we don’t have holidays before Christmas but the stores have Christmas stuff starts in September. I will read Christmas stories before christmas but normally wait til Dec for Christmas movies. Right now we are in spring but you would think it was winter still.
I did click on the link but in Australia the book isn’t free. (must be regional.) I do love the cover.
I start to decorate about the 1 Dec. I will start reading novellas in Nov although have read one already this year. Most of the story is not set at Christmas but ends at Christmas with an engagement. Some novellas labelled Christmas really only have Christmas happen right at the end of the story and I feel cheated sometimes. I don’t expect a Christmas Novella to start in the middle of the year. But I like that a novella is a short story. My love for them started when I Barbour has the 4 novellas in a book and looked forward to them each year.
found out it is free at other places besides Amazon.
Sounds good to me Trixi!
Jenny thanks for letting me know. I’ll work on getting the Australian Amazon site price matched.
Hi, Laurie!
It has been a while since we did a lot of Christmas decorating so we enjoy what we see from others. I’m happy to read Christmas stories any time of the year. I’m more interested in the characters than the season.
On another topic, we have family who vacation each year somewhere near Myrtle Beach. I found out they are actually near Murrell’s Inlet. I’ll tell them to stand on the beach and wave next year!
Love Christmas novellas.
I read Christmas stories throughout the year.
I love Christmas novels. I read them anytime of the year. I decorate Dec.1st for Christmas & love to enjoy the season with my birthday also.
I like Christmas books & read them all year round. We start to decorate the first weekend of December & my daughter loves to decorate the tree with my wife.
In kindle for some reason I can’t download it.
:c the coincidence is that in a previous draw I won book 1 of the series!
That would be awesome Lincoln! Haha. Ours is a much beloved and oft travelled vacation spot.
Keeps you in the Christmas spirit all year round! Enjoy my story!
Keeps you in the Christmas spirit all year round! Enjoy my story!
Something to look forward to every year! Enjoy my NY story.
Haha! You’re off to a good start with two books free! Try the download again. Book 2 draws in familiar characters from His Secret Daughter.