Continuing the holiday theme…I’m so happy to have the lovely Leanna Renee Hieber on the blog today to chat about her Christmas novella, A Christmas Carroll, set in the world of her Strangely Beautiful series and starring, Vicar Michael Carroll, who just so happens to have the kind of name that begs for a holiday story.
A Christmas Carroll is featured in the ebook, A MIDWINTER FANTASY, which includes three novellas from Leanna, LJ McDonald and Helen Scott Taylor. In the novella, readers join two of the most popular secondary characters in the series: lonely and guilt-ridden Headmistress Rebecca Thompson, and the man who has loved her
from afar for twenty years; the stalwart and affable Vicar Michael Carroll.
Welcome Leanna!
As members of London’s Guard against spiritual terror, Michael and Rebecca are questioning their powers and their hearts, and three spirits have quite the Dickensian work cut out for them. Percy, Alexi and the whole Guard gang, along with familiar Athens Academy spirits, return to put this long-awaited romance through necessary harrowing supernatural paces, in order to make a magical Christmas yet to come…
A MIDWINTER FANTASY is now available digitally as an eBook at all digital vendors,
with a Trade Paperback release next October.
Without further ado I give you Vicar Michael Carroll’s Ten Ways to Win Your Second Chance at Love:
10. Pray for a Supernatural Intervention.
9. Manifest good cheer (even if you’ve lost your powers) and mull some wine. It’s a big hit ‘round this time of year.
8. When ghosts come and fetch you for said intervention… don’t fight them. Especially not three of them.
7. Stop being a coward. (I am not casting first stones; I will be the first to admit I’ve been a coward
6. Look into your past, your present and your future. Learn from every moment.
5. Never underestimate the power, or masterful truth, of Charles Dickens.
4. Save your love’s life. Literally and metaphorically.
3. Even if they love someone else, if you cannot help but love them still, then do. But never let it make you angry.
2. Keep merry, keep bright, look sharp and keep awake; Christmas miracles might be waiting for you.
1. Even though it might be terrifying, tell the person you love that you love them. And always have. Who knows, history might change.
I love it when history changes. So. Very. Much. :)
Contest time! Leanna has generously offered signed copies of the first and second books in the series, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker and The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker to one commenter! Comment below with your favorite fictional Christmas story
A Christmas Carroll is (obviously) based on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol…comment below with your favorite fictional Christmas story for a chance to win! **Don’t forget to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win** We’ll choose the winner on Monday!
December 22nd, 2010 at 6:00 pm
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is my favorite. I remember reading it in school and then watching the many various movies based off the book. It is a story I try to read every year. thelaytongirl@yahoo.com
December 22nd, 2010 at 6:16 pm
What a delightful and thought provoking list, Leanna! I am taking #1 to heart in just a moment and will tell it to someone who is very dear to me.
As for my favorite tale? Certainly The Gift of the Magi – the classic tale of selflessness and sweet love should be read by everyone – perhaps to enable them to see beyond the avarice and acquisitive greed that seems so widespread. Sad, isnt' it? When the most beautiful things in life are, after all, free! (Timeless love being one…)
December 22nd, 2010 at 8:37 pm
The Polar Express is one of my favorites. My boys can watch it over and over again. I love how three children can come together and form a friendship while on this magical and wild journey!
cbandy10(at)hotmail(dot)com
December 22nd, 2010 at 9:02 pm
The Grinch and Elf! Yah I know… but I love a good laugh.
robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com
December 23rd, 2010 at 12:42 am
@Felicia – Mine too! Which is why I wrote this novella! :)
@Lise – Oh, thank you so much, that means a lot to me and I'm thrilled you'll take that sentiment into your life, what a gift, thanks for sharing. Ooh, Gift of Magi – wonderful, thanks for mentioning it, it's a reminder to read it this season, it always makes me cry!
@Cindy – Adventures and friendship are my favourite parts of any film, no matter the season :)
@Robin – Nothing wrong with that! Those are awesome films.
And okay, my favourite Christmas film is The Muppet Christmas Carol – I LOVE Dickens and I LOVE Muppets so there's really nothing better!
I've also been known to watch my other favourite film, The Nightmare Before Christmas again, as I do at Halloween – it's fitting for the whole fall/winter! :)
December 23rd, 2010 at 3:34 am
Leanna! I cannot wait to read A Christmas Carroll!
If you promise not to laugh, I'll tell you my faves… I have 2…It's a Wonderful Life with James Stewart and Donna Reed and A Smokey Mountain Christmas with Dolly Parton and Lee Majors. Wait…are you laughing????
Even if you laughed, you so totally rock, Leanna! I can't wait to see you again…life and deadlines have gotten in the way, but I'm almost ready to email book 2 in my new series off to my editor a few days early…so I'm eady to read your latest!!!.
Merry Christmas!!
Love,
C.H. Admirand
December 23rd, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Sounds like a sound plan–and recipe for romance. Certainly mulled wine makes all things better. :) Happy Holidays!
December 23rd, 2010 at 6:14 pm
@ C.H. You're such a dear! Thank you! – And I am not laughing because I love it's a Wonderful Life and I also am a huge Dolly Parton fan. Can't wait to see you and pet your new book!
@Hope – I know! We have to snag some mulled wine here in NYC with our beaus – Dove Parlour asap!
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:39 pm
Yay! I can leave a comment on this one. (long story)
My favorite Christmas story is The Little Drummer Boy and the one about the ass. I mean donkey. :) I love the message of the unforgotten finally being seen.
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:45 pm
I like #1,2,3 and 9. :) My favorite's are It's A Wonderful Life and The Bishop's Wife. They don't make them like that anymore. Happy Holidays everyone.
Carol L
Lucky4750@aol.com
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:48 pm
My favorite Christmas movie is Elf. (Best movie ever, if I do say so myself.) But my favorite Christmas book is A Christine Feehan Holiday Treasury. It contains three of her Christmas themed novellas – each has a hint of the paranormal, the darkness that seeps into each of her novels but are completely amazing with happiness/Christmas joy. Pure amazingness!
c4casey(at)comcast(dot)net
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:40 pm
@Arwen – yay! Thank you for trying here!! I love, love, love the message about finally being seen, that's very important in my work.
@Carol – thanks! And I agree. Wonderful life = me weepy every time.
@c4casey – indeed, laughter is assured. And I didn't know that Feehan title so I'll be sure to pick it up, thanks for the recommendation!
December 24th, 2010 at 4:51 am
My favorite has always been A Christmas Carole. It use to scar me as a kid and now it makes me cry!
lvsgund at gmail dot com
December 24th, 2010 at 9:40 am
My favorite is The Christmas Carol. I think I've seen all the Scrooge movies. :) -laura
December 24th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
I loved to read the Grinch to my kids. The written story is so much better than even the movie. And the Jim Carrey version is interesting, but too wild and loses a lot of the heart of it. No, the Grinch has memories for me because I would get my kids together and read to them. After many years I could recite most of it from memory. Now I've got to go find the book… Happy Christmas to all!