Untitled Post
 |
|
Happy Holidays
from the Stiletto Gang
|
Tag Archive for: Merry Christmas
Christmas Greetings
In the spirit of Christmas, I’m going to give a copy of one of my Deputy Tempe Crabtree mysteries to one of the commenters on my post today. The person I choose at random may pick the following list of books. For the first time in ages, I actually have a print copy of each one.
I’ve listed them in order, earliest book to latest.
Deadly Trail
Deadly Omen
Unequally Yoked
Intervention
Wing Beat
Calling the Dead
Judgment Fire
Kindred Spirits
Dispel the Mist
Invisible Path
Bears With Us
Raging Water
Spirit Shapes
If you are unfamiliar with the series, Deputy Tempe Crabtree is a Native American resident deputy in the mountain community of Bear Creek in the Southern Sierra. She has a large area to patrol and it’s adjacent to the Bear Creek Indian Reservation. She’s married to the minister of the local church. The fact that she sometimes uses Indian rituals in order to help solve crimes has at times caused some friction in an otherwise happy marriage.
Through the years she’s learned more and more about her ethnic heritage usually through the tutoring of Nick Two John who runs the Bear Creek Inn with his significant other.
This is a great opportunity for someone to get acquainted with Tempe and Bear Creek.
Marilyn
To learn more about each book visit http://fictionforyou.com/
Or check them out on Amazon, Barnes and Noble or other Internet booksellers.
Christmas Past
I’ve celebrated a lot of Christmases. As a child, we had great ones despite my parents not having much money. My sister and I always had surprises when we woke on Christmas morning. Some of my favorites were a two story doll house built by my dad with furniture my aunt made. One year I received a Shirley Tempe doll with a carriage. (I broke the doll not long after Christmas, but that another story.) My dad made me a two-wheel bike during the war when no one could buy one. I always received books, which I managed to read before the day was over. Storybook dolls were also a wonderful present. When I got older, clothes and books were the presents I wanted.
With my own children, I tried to carry on some of the same gift giving habits–even making some items. Hubby built a Barbie doll house for our oldest daughter and I made the furniture. When the kids were little I only worked off and on–but usually before Christmas so I could pay for the presents.
When we lived in Oxnard and my folks were still in L.A. and the kids were small, we often spent Christmas at Grandma’s house–doing things much like we’d done when I was a kid.
One Christmas I wasn’t around for the gift opening because I had to work an early a.m. shift for the phone company. That was not fun.
When my family grew and grew, we had Christmas at home and I cooked the Christmas dinner.
Kids grew up, got married and for awhile we managed to have a Christmas celebration at either my house or my sisters with our combined families. Eventually there were way too many of us.
As time went on, and grand kids and great-grandkids arrived, each family started their own tradition.
For the last few years, we’ve had Christmas Eve dinner for a few of the grandkids who wanted to come with a present exchange. On Christmas morning, we headed over to the daughter’s who lives nearby and watched her grandkids unwrap givfts.
This year, I think hubby and I will go to the movies on Christmas Day, something we’ve never done before.
What this all proves, is nothing stays the same.
We will enjoy our Christmas no matter what. I’m thankful we’ve had the blessing of so many past Christmases.
I wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season no matter what or how you celebrate, Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.
Marilyn
12 Heroes of Christmas
Today wraps up the 12 Heroes of Christmas over at Chasing Heroes, the other blog I hang with. We’ve spent 12 days profiling our favorite holiday heroes and hunks, and there have been prizes galore! Today is the big kahuna. We have a gift basket with books and a whole bunch of other goodies. All you have to do is visit and leave a comment. Maybe you’ll wake up tomorrow a Chasing Heroes winner!
Everybody’s full of anticipation for tomorrow and I’m the lucky one who gets to wish you all a Merry Christmas on Christmas Eve. I love that! I’ve been so blessed to have spent part of 2009 here with the Stiletto Gang, and I’m looking forward to an exciting 2010 with them. My new release, Hasta la Vista, Lola!, will be out in just over a month, I have more exciting things in the works, and life is good.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, A Blessed Kwanza, Happy Hanukkah, and a Very Joyous New Year to all our readers here at The Stiletto Gang!
XO ~ Misa
No Sanctuary
Last night we attended our church’s Christmas party. What a great time. It was held at a gal’s house who lives farther up in the mountains, off the main road, over the river and round several curving roads. Nearly every adult who attends our church was there. As all good Baptists do, everyone brought tons of good food.
After eating we played a crazy game that we play every Christmas. Everyone brings a wrapped tree ornament. Numbers are handed out. The first person picks a package to open and displays the ornament. The next person can steal that ornament or open another, and so it goes. Where the actions comes in is the stealing of the ornaments because there are always some that people like better than others.
We had a guest last night who doesn’t attend our church. Unfortunately for her, she kept unwrapping the most prized ornaments which were then promptly stolen. Her gem of a remark was, “Lutherans don’t act like this.” (She was kidding, of course.)
What does this have to do with the title of this blog? My next book coming out is from my other series, and it’s called No Sanctuary. It’s about two churches, two ministers and their wives and of course, murder. I thought having the book launch at my church would be perfect but wasn’t sure how the church council would feel about that because of the subject matter. My son-in-law, the pastor, had no problem, but I knew I needed to run it by those who decide such matters. Since I knew they’d all be at the party, this is where I approached them.
They all said it would be fine. Of course the event will be in the fellowship hall, not the sanctuary, and it won’t be on Sunday. I’ll serve food–anything Baptist needs to have food attached–and it certainly will be a pleasant affair.
Now, going back to holiday celebrations, the next celebrating my husband and I will be doing is dinner out with my critique group and whoever they want to bring, husbands or significant others. We also do this every year and I’m looking forward to merely socializing with my writer friends–who by the way are of several faiths.
Again, I wish all of you a wonderful holiday season, no matter how or what you are celebrating, just remember to connect with your friends and enjoy your family.
Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com