Good morning from the Land of Enchantment. It’s a busy month what with holiday preparations going on around the world. I love seeing many of the old traditions celebrated and lovely new ones initiated by my Facebook friends. Hall decking, tree decorating, cookie baking, gift shopping, present wrapping, gift giving, and worshipping abound across the globe. It’s a joy to see the postings and pictures. Thank you all for sharing.

This month I have a new novel up for preorder the day after Christmas. December 26^th, you can preorder my erotic science fiction attempt Transcending Phoenix from Pride Publishing. I’m nervous about this one since sci-fi isn’t my usual genre. When I received an offer of a publishing contract, my first thought was “OMG! What are they thinking?” I admit it, I’m terrible at marketing, and obviously I’m sometimes too honest. Until now, I’ve written contemporary romances. Let me tell you how I crossed over into sci-fi.

I was talking with my editor a few months back, and she wanted to know if I had anything in the pipeline to get some sales momentum going. I had an idea for a short story for an anthology submission call due by the end of September. I got to work, but before I knew it the word count exceeded the limit for the anthology. But, I kept on going.

Then, things started to tick me off in the political world (more than usual) and my story changed. My enemies-to-lover, erotic short, morphed into a statement on segregation, acceptance and religion. Yeah, there’s still plenty of erotica, but there is (I hope) more depth to the novel than to just titillate. You be the judge.

If I don’t catch up with you again before Christmas, I wish you all a merry one. I’ll leave you with this poem from Longfellow.

 

Christmas Bells

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
“For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”

 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow