Secret Santa Blog Hop

I'm so excited to be taking part in another Blog Hop - this time it's the great 'Secret Santa' Blog Hop. hosted at Tabby's Nocturnal Nights! 

The blog hop features over 40 authors, all giving away an individual prize, but the grand prize is a 7″ Kindle Fire HD! 

To enter for my giveaway, be sure to leave a comment here, including your email address so you can be contacted if you’re a winner. 

Comments will also put you in the running for the Grand Prize. To increase the odds of your winning the Grand Prize, you will receive additional entries if you follow this blog, leave a comment here, or answer my simple question at the end of this post

I love Christmas, although I have yet to write a Christmas story. unless you count the short story I wrote for a Newspaper competition when I was still at school, many years ago. (I won first prize and it encouraged me to go on writing.) 

I always hope for a white Christmas, although they're fairly rare in the UK. If we get snow it's more likely to be in January or February than at Christmas, but it does happen occasionally. There's something about the crisp snow underfoot, the softly falling flakes, and the  branches of the trees clothed in a delicate fringe of white frosting that just makes it feel like Christmas. 


I think that's why, when I looked across at the mountains where I used to live, in Wales, and saw the snow sweeping across like a mist, the idea of an icy, snowy planet was formed.  

The rays of the setting sun turned the falling snow pink, and so my planet also had pink snow. I named it after the Norse land of mist and cold, 'Niflheim' and it became one of the planets my heroine visited in my debut novel 'Starquest'.  The more I thought about it, and the more I worked outthe planet's history and its telepathic inhabitants, the more interested in it I became. So much so, that the follow up to  'Starquest', 'Children Of The Mist' takes place almost entirely on that planet.

I'm sure they celebrate Christmas on Niflheim, so one day I'm going to write a short story about it.  In the meantime, here's a short excerpt which takes part after a particularly heavy snowfall:

 Excerpt from Children Of The Mist

The snow lay in drifts of pink and white, unmarked by even the footprints of a small bird or mammal, as if a huge, irregularly chequered blanket had been laid over the land. Vidarh studied the sky. Both suns were clearly visible, the golden G-type's rays warm and reassuring. After the snowfall, the land was clear of the mist, which frequently covered even this oasis in the desert of snow and ice that was Niflheim. With luck, they would be able to commence their journey in clear conditions. 

He glanced behind, to see the diminutive Melind struggling almost up to her knees as she tried to keep up with him. He shortened his stride and slowed down enough for her to reach his side. Together they covered the short distance to the barn that housed the ponies. When they reached it, a snowdrift piled high against the door barred their way. They looked at each other for a moment, then applied their telekinetic powers to shift away enough of the snow to enable them to open the door. 

The ponies, snug in their stalls, turned as they entered, their breath forming clouds in the cold air, which accompanied Melind and Vidarh through the doorway. Vidarh inhaled the familiar smell of hay and horses and straw damp with fresh droppings.

Dunno where Helva and Narvi are, Melind telepathed, walking to the end of the stable area. She opened another door that led into a room with saddles and bridles neatly arranged on racks on the walls. Each set had a small wooden plaque above it, inscribed with the name of the pony it fitted. There are some more ponies in the pasture by the river. They've probably gone to check on them. We could ask them to come back, I suppose...d'you think? 

She took down a bridle, and shook out the reins before looping them over her arm, looking up into his eyes as she asked her question.He was struck by how much like her sister she looked, especially now, when her dark eyes wore the same sad expression that had been in Tamarith's the last time he'd seen her. Why did Tamarith keep troubling him so much? 

You can find out more about my books and purchase them HERE at my author page at The Wild Rose Press.

My question for this blog hop is - how many suns does Niflheim have?  Answer this for one of your three entries into the Blog Hop main prize, and in addition, everyone who leaves a comment on my post will also be entered into a draw to win a download of this book.

Now for the details about the hop and how to enter for one of the great prizes on offer. 

The hop runs from midnight Dec. 17th to midnight December 19th.

You get three entries at each blog stop. One for answering a question at each blog stop, one for following each blog and another for commenting. 

After you are finished hopping you just send  an email to

careydoucet@yahoo.com   saying which blogs you went to and what you did at each. You are not required to go to every blog to win but the more blogs you go to the better your chance of winning is. Please send it all in one email.  

That's  just one email with all the hop info.

Example:

Your name and email at the top. (You only need this once.)

For each blog - 

Blog Name 

Answer to question 

If you followed

If you left a comment

You don't have to do all these but each one gets you an entry. 

There will be prizes at each stop and the grand prize is a Kindle Fire HD. which will be given away on the 20th. Feel free to share with your friends. 

The contest is open to anyone in the US and Canada. Sorry about that but it is because of shipping and the fact that not everyone can use the Kindle service.

Go HERE for a full list of all the blogs taking part: 
http://tabithablake.blogspot.co.uk/p/secret-santa-blog-hop.html 

Please make sure to visit my dear friend the late Sharon Donovan's blog, if you can.  Her publisher has just released her last story, a great Christmas romantic suspense, and I've put up a little post for her as part of this Blog Hop.


Have fun and good luck! And I hope you have a magical Christmas and everything you wish for in the new Year.








'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH

                  Also available on Kindle

In case you have any problems finding the links, here is the Blog Hop List

1)Tabby's Nocturnal Nights
http://www.tabithablake.blogspot.com

2)Abby's Place
http://abbeymacinnis.blogspot.com

3) Milly Taiden's Blog
http://millytaiden.com/blog/

4)Charley Descoteaux's Blog
http://cdescoteauxwrites.wordpress.com/

5)Erotic Notions
http://myeroticnotions.blogspot.com/

6)Renee Fields' Blog
http://reneefield.blogspot.ca/

7)Sarah Madison's Blog
http://www.sarahmadisonfiction.com/

8)Ally Shields' Blog
http://allyshields.com/blog.html

9)Beth Yarnell's Blog
http://www.bethyarnall.com/

10)Victoria Pinder
http://www.victoriapinder.wordpress.com

11)Journeys With Jana
http://janarichards.blogspot.com/2012/12/secret-santa-blog-hop.html

12)This Is My World
http://nerinedorman.blogspot.com

13)Romance, Fantasy and Magic
http://romancefantasymagic.blogspot.com

14)Miracles, Visions, and Other Amazing Stuff
http://miracahills.wordpress.com/

15)Sarah Grimm's Blog
http://www.authorsarahgrimm.blogspot.com

16)Hope, Dreams, Life...Love
http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com

17)Victoria's Pages
http://victoriaadams.blogspot.com

18)In Shadows
www.brynnacurry.com

19)The Plotting Princesses
http://plottingprincesses.blogspot.com/

20)Mona Karel's Blog
http://mona-karel.com/blog/

21)Bonded By Crimson
http://bondedbycrimson.blogspot.com/

22)Rock'n The Muses
http://rocknthemuses.blogspot.com/

23)Tara Lain Erotic Romance
http://taralain.blogspot.com

24)Storm Goddess Book Reviews
http://www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com

25)Nikki Lynn Barrett's Blog
http://www.nikkilynnbarrett.blogspot.com

26)J.A. Garland's Blog
www.jagarland.blogspot.com

27)D'Ann Lindun's Blog
http://dlindunauthor.blogspot.com/

28)J.S. Winn's Blog
www.authorjswinn.wordpress.com/blog 

29)B.C. Brown Books
http://www.bcbrownbooks.blogspot.com

30)Books and Tales
http://www.booksandtales.blogspot.co.uk/

31)Mac's Mad Mania
http://mackenziecrowne.com

32)Musings of a Dreamer
http://www.rhondalaurel.com

33)Lyndi's Love Notes
http://www.lyndilamont.com/blog

34)Taylor Michaels' Blog
http://www.taylormichaels.com/

35)D.A.Berry's Blog
http://www.daberryauthor.com/47465.html

36) Hywela Lyn's Blog
http://hywelalyn.blogspot.com/

37)Sydney Jane Baily's Blog
http://www.sydneyjanebaily.com/blog/

38)Sharon Donovan's Blog
http://www.sharondonovan.blogspot.com/

39)Wt Prater's Blog
www.jwasg.blogspot.com

40)Kelly Whitley
http://kellywhitleybooks.blogspot.com/

41)Liza O'Connor
http://www.lizaoconnor.com/p/secret-santa.html

42) Pat Jager's Blog
http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com

43) Haley Whitehall's Blog
http://haleywhitehall.com/blog/

44)Meg Mims' Blog
http://www.megmims.com/musings

45)Robin Covington's Blog
http://robincovingtonromance.com/burning-up-the-sheets/

46)Angela Quarles' Blog
http://angelaquarles.com/2012/12/16/secret-santa-blog-hop/

47)Rose Anderson's Blog
http://calliopeswritingtablet.com/

Christmas wishes Blog Hop

 Book & Trailer Showcase, Coffee Beans and Love Scenes, and Full Moon Bites are hosting the GREAT Christmas Wishes Blog Hop going from today until December 13th. And there are some great  prizes along the way!  I'm excited to meet some new bloggers and take part in the giveaways. 

What do you have to do?  Just click on the button above and get hopping! Or scroll below and go from there.

Be sure to visit everyone's blogs along the way as there are individual prizes to be had. And then, of course, there's the Grand prize:
A Kindle Paperwhite, A Nook Glow, and a $90 choice giftcard for either Amazon or B&N. And both tablets will come with a book bundle. Now is your chance! Be sure to enter below!

click to purchase

and I'll be giving away a copy of my fantasy novella 'Dancing With Fate' to one person who comments on this blog, as picked by the random generator.

What are my Christmas wishes?  Well the usual - a safe and Happy Christmas for all my family and friends and for anyone  out there who knows me; food and shelter for all children and animals who have no family to call their own and care for them; a special wish in memory of my dear friend the late Sharon Donovan, who battled with blindness and diabetes for most of her adult life, and still found time to write wonderful romances. Her latest book, published posthumously, is 'Kiss of Death' a wonderful Christmas romantic suspense, starring her wonderful creation Oliver. I'm wishing that it will be the wonderful success it deserves to be.

Sharon loved Christmas. Because she wasn't able to see, she asked me to decorate her blog, and I enjoyed decorating her wonderful, witty posts. At Christmas I would have fun posting pictures of snowy scenes, bells and holly. I loved doing that, and miss her more than I can say.

If you haven't read any of Sharon's books yet, you're in for a treat, Kiss Of Death is full of suspense and some edge of the seat suspense as well as sizzling romance. It's available, with her other books HERE

BLURB: 

Santa Must Die.

The words in Camille Lafayette's dream are a chilling prelude of events to come. She sees herself as the killer, and when the murder is actually committed, she becomes the prime suspect.
When handsome Detective Oliver Sharone turns up at her New Orleans family home, he is searching for answers. The evidence against her seems damning. An image captured on the victim's camera resembles Camille, and the red feather mask worn by the murderer came from her shop.
The instant chemistry between Camille and Oliver is an added complication, which grows deeper as they work together to discover the truth. It becomes a race against time to find the real murderer before he not only loses his heart completely, but the killer strikes again. And this time the victim could be Camille herself.

So all that's left now is for me to wish you a happy, safe and blessed Christmas and a New Year full of happiness and joy and success in all you do.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The next three blogs to follow are:
Donna Shields
Bonnie Bliss 
http://tmoniquestephens.com/ 





'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate      'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH

                  Also available on Kindle

Book tour blitz and review for Christmas Eve by Angela Burns

Review of a Christmas Eve by Angela Burns 

'Christmas Eve' is a simple Winter Ghost Story. A tale of one womans redemption from immeasurable suffering, taking you on a journey to the Heights of Heaven and the Gates of Hell, exploring the intricacies of human nature and the the deigns of fate through the eyes of a family left in torment following a horrendous accident. 'Christmas Eve' is a heart-warming read, set over the night when we all feel a little magic in the air.'

'Christmas Eve' is the story of a family burdened by grief at the loss of the beloved elder daughter, Jo, on Christmas Eve the previous year. In particular, her mother, Janet, who cannot let go of her sorrow and her anger toward the drunken driver who killed Jo. Janet is unable to see that her all consuming grief is not only dragging her deeper into a dark abyss of despair, but impacting on her husband Dave and younger daughter, Alice, driving an invisible wedge between them.

The arrival of a charismatic stranger on Christmas Eve is to have repercussions that neither she nor David could foresee. At first she is wary of Nick, and sees his arrival as an intrusion. However, Nick offers her an unusual gift, the choice of descending deeper into the darkness into which she has descended, or the chance to forge her own salvation and heal the rift driving her family apart, through suffering, self recognition and forgiveness.

This is a beautiful, poignant Christmas story, which I read almost in one sitting.  At first I  found the present tense narrative a little disconcerting, especially having  just read another story in that tense, which I did not particularly enjoy, and found very distracting and disjointed. This was the case with 'Christmas Eve' however. The present tense in this instance actually gives the story an immediacy and sense of reality which would not have worked quite so well had it been told in the past tense, and it is beautifully written with some almost poetic turns of phrase. As it unfolded it reminded me a little of 'A Christmas Carol' and also'The Shack' by William Paul Young. The inevitable drama of the climax is satisfying in itself, but this is followed by a lovely little twist, which not only reveals Nick's true identity, but gives a festive as well as a spiritual reason for his involvement with the family, and the part the youngest daughter played in his arrival, and makes  for a very satisfactory and heartwarming conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Christmas Eve'. I was glad I'd read it,  and it's one of the those rare stories that made me wish I'd written it myself!


EXCERPT:

“Jo’s on the phone.”

This simple sentence pushes her headlong into the abyss of insanity, causing her to throw up as she spirals into incomprehension, not caring which of these winter ghosts she is being persecuted by.

This isn’t real. This can’t be happening!

Repeating this mantra provides no comfort as she rocks back and forth on the sofa, sobbing wildly, floods of tears burning her, her hands covering her face. She lets out an almighty scream. Her dishevelled state and pitiful wails do not attract the revellers as she stands and looks around the room.

The familiar faces of friends and family from the past, all gathered for their annual celebration of the holiday they once held dear, remain oblivious to her presence.

Brutally trembling, holding onto the furniture for support, she makes her way slowly through the room. Disjointed snatches of conversations resonate in her skull, feeding an intense headache of confusion.

Jo is on the phone…I need to talk to Jo. Am I dead? Are these ghosts? Am I the Ghost? Why can’t they see me?

She was right; they couldn’t see her or hear her–apart from one man.

He stands resolutely in the bay window of the room, by the grandiose tree, in mid-conversation with Janet’s boss and her partner, when he stops and glances at her, smiling warmly.

Nick! She shouts in her mind, unable to form the word.

She tries again to call out, but each time the syllables stifle in her throat, sentencing her to a wretched silence from which she cannot flee.

Winking at her, he returns to his previous conversation.

You were here on that night, damn you! Why can’t I remember you?

Continuing through into the entrance hall, she slowly drags her feet on the flagstones, crippled by her sickness.

I must get to the phone.

There are more people there, many more, crammed, solemn, like cattle to the slaughter. This time, however, they do not belong to her memories. None of them speak as she ambles her way through. Hunched like zombies, they study her every step as she moves pathetically amongst them.

They can see me.

Their costumes reflect the history of the life once told in this home – four hundred years of history. Mortified, she remains possessed by the miraculous chance of hearing her daughter's beautiful voice again, and has no time to question what is happening.

As she approaches the kitchen where the phone is kept, a cold wind brushes past her arm. Horror-struck to see her other self sweep through her as she quickly walks towards the kitchen, towards the phone, another scream begins to curdle as she realises that she shares one common denominator with the guests in the
hall. They are all ghosts. The ghosts of Stonebridge Farm. It is only her determination to hear her daughter once again that chokes her cries, refocusing her.

I must … get … to that … phone.

Each weighty step exhausts her as she trudges through the walls of dead energy that surround her.

Am I dead? What the heck happened? Where’s Nick? I’m coming Jo … sweetheart … please don’t go … I’m coming.

The other Janet had already picked up the phone as she stumbles into the kitchen.

DAMN YOU, YOU SELFISH BITCH! THAT WAS MY CALL! She screams at herself in deathly silence.

Helpless and panicking, she calls wildly at the others to help her.

Please help me! HELP ME! She doesn’t know what she is doing … what she is saying! FOR GOD’S SAKE, PLEASE WON’T SOMEBODY HELP ME! I NEED TO SPEAK TO MY DAUGHTER!

ASIN: B00AHK0H92 

About the Author:

Angela Burns is a retired Police Officer, living with her partner and children in Norwich, Norfolk. Having been given the gift of time, she now writes full time, living her ambition to share the stories that have floated around her head for so long.

Website

AMAZON  UK

AMAZON USA

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter contest to win a copy of 'Christmas Eve' 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

'STARQUEST'    'CHILDREN OF THE MIST'  (The sequel to Starquest)  Dancing With Fate     
'Freeread':'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH      Also available on Kindle

A Christmas Journey Home - Review

http://www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com/

I'm back from 'The Festival of Romance' and will post a summary and some pictures later this week.  Today I'm  pleased to be able to review this lovely book on my blog today. It may be a little early for Christmas but may I suggest this book as 'Inspiration'. It's a truly enjoyable story for any time of year and one that will stay in your mind long after you've read it. 

During Isabella Alcantara's seventh month of pregnancy, her parents and siblings are murdered in gang and drug related violence, simply because their home was targeted by mistake. Isabella knows she was spared only because she now lives in a different location, but she knows too that the same thing could easily happen to her and her husband, Francisco. When her grandfather offers to hire her a "coyote" to bring then across the border to America, she agrees. But Francisco and Isabella are abandoned by the coyote and left to die. Francisco then valiantly sacrifices himself to get Isabella to safety. Homeless, nearly penniless, pregnant, and alone, Isabella determines to find a way to honor her promise to her beloved husband. 

Living on one of the smaller spreads along the Arizona border, Miriam Nelson becomes furious with God and turns from her faith when her border patrol agent husband, David, is killed in a skirmish with drug smugglers. Though her mother and young son do their best to woo her back from the anger and bitterness that have overtaken her, they make little headway.

Two widows-one driven by fear and a promise, the other by bitterness and revenge-must make their journeys along different pathways, but with the same destination: a barn full of animals that stands waiting for them on Christmas Eve. Forced to face their personal demons, Isabella and Miriam soon discover a common yearning that will bind them together in a most miraculous way.

MY REVIEW

A Christmas Journey Home by Kathi Macias is a deeply moving and thought provoking story of two women in very different circumstances but who have one thing in common - they each mourn the loss of their beloved husband – and they both have problems with their lack of Faith in God. 

Isabella Alcantara is left all alone in a strange country, pregnant and an illegal immigrant, after her husband is killed.  

Having given  his life savings to a ‘coyote’ who was supposed to lead her and her husband safely across the border, but who abandoned them instead, her grandfather, Don Alfredo prays daily to God, for their safety. For him, God is a very real presence and comfort. 

Isabella wishes she could have the same strong Faith Don Alfredo has, and which her husband also shared, but she finds it hard to trust in a merciful God when her entire family, and now her beloved husband, have been killed. Close to giving birth, with nowhere to go and no-one to help her, she finally makes her way to a barn, where she finds a corner to hide, near the horses, animals which she loves and has an affinity with.

Miriam Nelson has a young son to raise, alone, supported only by her mother whose failing health is cause for concern. She struggles to run their small farm and tend to the animals, including the horses which she is not entirely comfortable with, and feels are an unnessary expense, but which her son, Davey, loves as much as his father did. At times she feels the work is too much and wonders if she should to sell up and move to town Her anger at God, who, in her mind, allowed her husband to be taken from her, causes her to be impatient with her son, although she loves him deeply, and Davey himself is struggling to come to terms with the death of his father.

Kathi Macias takes us through a whole variety of emotions and feelings, love, hate, hope, despair, betrayal, denial, revenge - and finally trust and compassion. Both women learn to re-evaluate their fears and prejudices. 

This moving story addresses difficult issues, including that of illegal immigration, and teaches us not to be judgemental – things are not always as 'black and white' as they may seem.  The climax of the story reminds us of the true meaning of the Christmas Miracle – that it’s not about the tinsel and twinkling lights, turkeys and expensive presents, but the gift God gave us, his only son, a tiny baby lying in a manger.

This is a beautiful story, and I am very glad I had the opportunity to read it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from 'Pump UpYour Book' but not in an effort to control the outcome of said review. No compensation has been paid or accepted and the review is my own, honest and personal opinion.

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored more than 30 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and won the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al. 

www.kathimacias.com

 Starquest *~* 'Children Of The Mist'(The sequel to Starquest) AVAILABLE HERE
(Also 'freeread' 'A Bargain with Death)
Dancing With Fate - available HERE

I'm back

Hi folks

I've had a wonderful few days at my homeland in Wales, and today we made our annual visit to the Christmas Tree Farm to purchase our tree.

I have some pics which I will post in a day or two.  I'm getting very excited because my dear friend Sharon Donovan has her latest book release tomorrow, Wednesday 15th December.  'Charade Of Hearts' published by the Wild Rose Press in their 'Jewel Of The Night' series, starring her  hunky, delectable and ever so yummy virtual butler, Oliver. And guess who's coming to this Blog on Thursday?  Please be sure to visit - I'll have a copy of the book to give away to one lucky commentor.

Sharon's throwing a release party for Oliver - visit her at:

http://www.sharondonovan.blogspot.com/
   

CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

Today we visited the Christmas tree farm at Chesham to purchase our Christmas tree.Visitors are greeted at the entrance by a full size Santa standing on several bales of straw.

The sound of Christmas music emanating from a small wooden building turned out to be the elves'workshop.

We walked along several rows of Christmas trees before making our choice, a beautiful bushy little tree, about my height 5 ft which will fit nicely in our tiny bungalow. I'll post pictures of it decorated later on. We'll leave it out of doors until we come back from our visit to Wales at the end of the week.
The shop where we pay for the trees and decorations is like an Aladdin's cave of Christmas goodies.

We are served by a lovely lady at the till, and chat for a while before leaving with our purchases.

There are lots more wonders in the shop, and I'll be posting more pictures and talking a bit more about Christmas tree farm on my Friend Sharon Donovan's Christmas Special Blog at http://sharondonovan.blogspot.com/ Join me there on 23rd December - Sharon is a very special lady and of you visit her blog regularly you will know she has a Christmas post every day until Christmas Day, and they range from Author interviews to personal Christmas recipes and customs. I had the honour to be invited to be one of her guest bloggers and am looking forward to sharing some details of Christmas tree farm on the 23rd. If you haven't checked out her blog yet be sure and do so, I promise you'll enjoy your visit.

http://www.christmastreefarm.co.uk/index.htm

CHRISTMAS RIDE

Today it's my turn to welcome you to the Christmas Ride. Hop on the sleigh, wrap up warm and watch you don't spill your hot chocolate as we move off again. I do hope you enjoy your ride. Welcome to those of you who haven't visited my Blog before and hello again, lovely to see you, to the friends who have. If you've been on board the Christmas Ride since it started, collecting clues, I hope you're having fun and finding them all. If you haven't and would like to take part - don't worry. Details are given at the top of this page and at the bottom of this post as well.

Right, everyone comfortable, off we go with a visit to the Christmas tree farm. First though, do you know the legend of the Christmas tree? This legend comes down from the early days of Christianity in Britain. Saint Wilfred was a monk who was helping to spread Christianity among the Druids. One day he struck down a huge Oak tree, which in the Druid religiion was an object of worship.

As the tree fell to earth, it split into four, and from its centre grew a young Fir tree, pointing it's topmost branch towards the sky. The crowd gathered around the monk gazed in amazement.
Wilfred dropped his axe and turned to the watching people.

"This little tree shall be your Holy tree tonight," he said, "It is the sign of eternal life, for its leaves remain green all year round. See how it points toward the heavens. Let this be called the tree of the Christ Child. Gather round it, not in the wilderness but in your homes, surrounded with loving gifts and gestures of kindness." And so it is to this day.

This year, after twelve years, our artificial tree finally gave up the ghost and went to the great plastic forest in the sky...or did it? Actually artificial trees aren't as good for the environment and the planet as I had always supposed. An artificial tree is very difficult to dispose of and takes hundreds of years to break down, They also release harmful chemicals during production. So we went along to Chesham Christmas Tree Farm to pick out a real tree - they're environmentally friendly, helping to replenish the oxygen levels and absorbing carbon dioxide.

At the entrance is a full size Father Christmas, and we passed by the little workshop where elves were busy making the gifts for Christmas. There are trees of many different varieties and sizes to choose from.

The Farm usually uses horses. Thomas and Ambassador, the Shire horses that help the work at Christmas Tree Farm, are working forestry horses. They are owned and trained by Steven Jones, who is a highly skilled forester based in Wales. Shire horses are a breed of horse used as draft animals on English farms for centuries. They are believed to be descended from English "Great horses" which were also used to carry armored knights in medieval times. The horses leave the fields in much better condition than modern tractors. Tractors running over the ground can damage the soil structure and reduce its fertility by compacting it. Horses weigh less than tractors and their hooves spread that weight over a larger surface area. As a result, even in wet weather, the field is not damaged by the use of the horses, and the farm tracks are left un-rutted.

Shires stand at least 17 hands tall (5ft 8in - 6ft/1.7m-1.8m) and weigh slightly less than one tonne. Despite their size, the horses have a very gentle temperament. Unfortunately when we visited, Thomas and Ambassador had not made the journey from Wales to do their annual task, because of illness (not theirs) but it was still a very enjoyable experience and a great way to purchase our tree. Hopefully next time we go to pick out a tree we'll be able to see these magnificent animals as well.

Before we left, having chosen our lovely tree, we visited the Christmas Tree Farm shop. It was like a fairy land, with loads of beautiful ornaments and decorations - and close to the counter, a full size sleigh with a moving Santa, Reindeer and little fawn. There were also woodland animals in various places around the shop, with twitching noses and paws, looking very realistic. They also sell things like magical reindeer food and special keys that only work for Santa, for houses with no chimneys. You can find out more about the Christmas Tree Farm, and how to care for your real Christmas tree HERE

Time to relax for a few minutes now with my gift for you - my short story on the Wild Rose Press site, 'A BARGAIN WITH DEATH'. Despite its title, it's very whimiscal and not at all morbid - although not exactly a ghost story, I think it would fit well with the tradition of sitting around the fire in the evening at Christmas, telling tale of the supernatural. Just cliick on the link above to go to the website and then click on the freeread book cover.You will be taken through the 'checkout' process, but don't worry, you don't have to part with any money, as it says, it's a 'freeread'. And if you'd like to be included in a draw to win a $6 WRP download of your choice, and a pair of blue rose earrings (The blue rose is very special to the heroine in my futuristic novel 'Starquest',) just leave a comment here and I'll get my husband to draw one name. I'll post the winner on this Blog tomorrow night. (Please leave your email address so that I can send you your prize if you win)

And to spread more Christmas cheer, we're giving one lucky person a
$75 Wild Rose Press gift certificate!

All you need to do to enter is attend each day's blog post, identify the carol, and make a complete carol list to submit after the final blog post of Christmas Eve. (You don't need to post today's answer here, just send to the email address that follows.) Don't forget to check the list twice! Send it to Christmasrideblog@live.com by midnight, CST Dec. 31st 2008! Don't worry if you've missed the stops so far, there's still time, just visit Patsy Parker's Blog for her post on the 29th November and follow all the clues for each day until today. Each Blog has the address of the following day's Christmas Ride entry. You'll find some fascinating articles and recipes on their Blogs too.

The clue to
My Christmas Song is:

"The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes." (There's another clue in some of the pictures in this post)

The next Christmas Carol contest link is:
DEBRA ST JOHN

GOOD LUCK - AND HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS!