Christmas, Dogs and Books

I can't believe that Christmas is almost here. How did this happen? I swear this year has zipped by much too fast. I still have to do some last minute Christmas shopping, but it's a rainy day and I'm dreading going out in that. Hmm! I might finish up with Amazon and Walmart gift cards. Ebooks are always great gifts too.

Here are some Christmas eBooks you're sure to enjoy:

Married by Midnight by Talli Roland
Mistletoe in Manhattan by Talli Roland
Last Christmas by Talli Roland
Big on Christmas by Jan Romes
The Christmas Contract by Jan Romes
Xmas Affair by Ruth Kerce (a sensual short)
Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry
Christmas of the Red Chiefs by Linda Lael Miller
Mrs. Scrooge by Barbara Bretton

Series eBooks that would make great last minute gifts:

Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon
Rei Shimura Mystery Series by Sujata Massey
BEYOND Series by Maureen A. Miller (YA/NA SciFi)
Lei Crime Series by Toby Neal (Hawaii)
Samantha Jamison Mystery Series by Peggy A. Edelheit
Texas Boys Falling Fast Series by Jan Romes (Romance)
Xylon Warriors Series by Ruth Kerce (Elora's Cave)
Maggie O'Dell Series by Alex Kava (mystery/suspense)
Hetta Coffey Mystery Series by Jinx Schwarts
The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell
Build a Man Series by Talli Roland (Chick Lit)
Bluewater Series by C. L. R. Dougherty (suspense/thriller)
Sackett Series by Louis L'Amour
Sullivan's War Series by Michael K. Rose (SciFi)
Saxon Tales Series by Bernard Cornwell (historical fiction)

I could go on and on listing books and series. As you can tell, I LOVE BOOKS and think they make the best Christmas presents ever. So don't forget to buy books and eBooks for Christmas for yourself and your friends and loved ones.

Well, I have to apologize for neglecting my blog these past few months. I added a new puppy, Jazzy, to my fur-family back in September and she's taken up a lot of my time. Honestly, I practically live at the dog park these days. That's what happens when you have two dogs, Dude and Jazzy, who insist on going to the dog park nearly every single day. My other dog, Shani, is almost thirteen years old and isn't interested in the dog park. Shani has a lot of medical issues, so we're taking it day by day.

I went to Winter Fest and rode on the Christmas Trolley in Pensacola with my grandkids on Saturday night. Christmas lights everywhere. It was very festive and we all had a grand time.

We're planning a Christmas dinner of turkey and all the trimmings. Yum! The leftovers are the best part.

Well, the rain is temporarily letting up, so I need to make a mad dash to finish my shopping.

I hope you all have an awesome, wonderful, Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Christmas is not Christmas without Books

Santa on my bookshelf.

Ever since I was a little kid I've been asking for books at Christmas. Some years I've only gotten one or two and other years I've gotten bunches of books.

Well, my taste in reading has grown through the years. As a little kid I wanted Thumbelina, Madeline and fairy tales. In my early school days I wanted Hans Brinker - Or The Silver Skates, Savage Sam, Mary Poppins, A Wrinkle in Time, Thomasina, Nancy Drew books and so many others.

An old fashioned Santa on my bookshelf.

In my teens I wanted Gone with the Wind, The Thorn Birds, The Moon-Spinners, anything by James Michener and Taylor Caldwell, and lots of classics. In my college years I wanted history books and classics, including Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and War and Peace.

Even now, at my more "advanced" age, I still want books for Christmas. So Santa, I hope you're reading this, because I'd really, really, really love some books for Christmas.

Wishing y'all a very Merry Christmas and lots of great books under your Christmas tree.

Waiting for Santa

Santa at a local Christmas parade.

This time of year most of us are waiting for Santa. There are items on our wish lists that we hope to find under the Christmas Tree.

Even at my age, I still have a wish list. So what's on that list? Books, lots and lots of books, eBooks for my Kindle Fire and history books for my bookshelves. However, I have so many history books that I really need to add "Bookshelf" to my list too.

Will I get all those books on my wish list? Of course not, but I'll get a few even if I have to buy them myself.

Is there anything else on my Christmas list? Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. I love dark chocolate the best, but just about any kind of chocolate will do. Santa will most likely bring me a Whitman's Sampler and some Ghirardelli Chocolates.

Oh, and I'd like some fruitcake too. No, don't laugh, I'm one of those few people who actually loves fruitcake. When Santa comes to my house, that's one thing I always get. Yum!

Hmm! What else is on my list? CDs. I love music, particularly country music. Hunter Hayes' CD is one I'd love to have. But honestly, I'd be delighted with CDs by just about any country singer, including Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, The Band Perry, Miranda Lambert, Alan Jackson, I could go on and on. Well, I'm pretty certain that Santa will bring me a CD or two or three.

Now back to those books I was talking about. Santa knows I need books and Christmas just isn't Christmas without books. I'd be perfectly content with an Amazon gift card (hint, hint, Santa I hope you're reading this).

If you're passionate about (addicted to) books like I am, then you might want to start an online wish list like mine at Amazon. I'm always adding books to the list, so it's always evolving. I read a variety of books: romances, historical fiction, literary fiction, history books. Believe me, my wish list of books is really really long.

Will Santa bring me any of those books on my list? Well, I can always hope so. But like I said, an Amazon gift card would be a perfect gift for me.

I'm no longer a kid, but hey, I'm still anxiously waiting for Santa. I hope you are too.

Christmas in November - Some Holiday Reads

'A Christmas Contract' on my Kindle Fire.

It seems the older I get the faster the year zips by. This year is no exception and feels like a breakneck race to the holidays. Well, it's a good thing I enjoy the holidays and look forward to all those wonderful holiday reads.

I couldn't help doing a post about some of the holiday reads on my Kindle Fire. In fact, the past couple nights I actually started reading a collection of Christmas romances. These holiday reads are like comfort foods for the soul.

'Mistletoe in Manhattan' on my Kindle Fire.

If you love reading romances, both contemporary and historical, you'll be sure to find something to like in the holiday books I've added to my Kindle Fire. Some of these I've read before and others I haven't yet started. Oh, I just love holiday reads.

This list below is just some of the Christmas books on my Kindle Fire. They range from sweet romances to spicey hot and everything in between.

'Army Doctor's Christmas ...' on my Kindle Fire.

I'm currently reading Helen Scott Taylor's Army Doctor's Christmas Collection which includes, Army Doctor's Baby, Army Doctor's Wedding and Army Doctor's Christmas Baby. I have to say I'm thoroughly enjoying this heartwarming collection of Christmas reads.

'A Home for Christmas' on my Kindle Fire.

Christmas Holiday Reads (in no particular order):

Army Doctors Christmas Collection by Helen Scott Taylor
The Christmas Contract by Jan Romes
A Home for Christmas by Deborah Grace Smiley
Mistletoe in Manhattan by Talli Roland*
A Cowboy for Christmas by Lori Wilde
Xmas Affair by Ruth D. Kerce*
A Spy for Christmas by Kristen James
Kiss of the Christmas Wind by Janelle Taylor
Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry*
The Gift of Gray by Jan Romes
All I Want for Christmas is You by Lisa Mondello
A Grosvenor Square Christmas by Anna Campbell, et al.
Blue Christmas by Diane Moody
A Bush Christmas by Margareta Osborn
Christmas at the Red Chiefs by Linda Lael Miller*
A Dixie Christmas by Sandra Hill

(* = Holiday books I've read, enjoyed and will read again.)

'Xmas Affair' on my Kindle Fire.

There are just so many great Christmas Holiday books out there, so please feel free to add your recommendations in the comments below. Remember, there's no such thing as too many books and definitely no such thing as too many Christmas Holiday books.

Best wishes to y'all for a wonderful holiday season. Happy reading too.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.

Christmas is only two days away? How did that happen? I still have presents to wrap and goodies to bake. And I still have lots more great Christmas books to read.

Yes, we finally did get a Christmas tree. My husband and I always get a live potted tree of one sort or another so we can plant them in our yard afterwards. So this year's tree is a Leyland Cypress, about three feet tall and only big enough for one string of blinking lights and a handful of blown-glass ornaments. It pretty much looks like a cute little Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. I love it!

My husband put Christmas lights out front. We have a big old date palm tree which he strings with lights like in the Corona Beer commercial. You gotta love a guy's touch when it comes to decorating  for Christmas.

Merry Christmas from Shani.

My dogs, Shani and Dude, have been sniffing around the wrapped presents, hoping to find one that smells like a dog goodie. Only their presents (rawhide chews) are wrapped and in the pantry closet so they won't open them before Christmas.

I didn't finish up my Christmas shopping until yesterday, a quick trip to town where I made my way among the crowds and bought the last few presents. The mall was so packed, not a single parking space available, that I didn't even venture there. Yesterday was Walmart and ToysRUs. Both were crowded with people were buying cartloads of Christmas presents. I was relieved to make my way through the heavy traffic and get back home to semblance of peace and tranquility.




Dude howling about his Christmas bow.

This morning I put a Christmas bow collar on Dude. He wasn't all that pleased and lifted his head to howl an "Ahhhh-rooooo" in protest. Then he posed sweetly for some cute pics.

Dude is actually a ham when it comes to posing for pics, so I took quite a few of them. Once he got used to his Christmas bow collar he didn't seem to mind it a bit.

Shani was a cute as ever in her red Christmas bow. Shani absolutely refuses to have anything around her neck. She doesn't much care for her leopard print dog collar either. When we go for a walk she much prefers a harness, though she'd walk just fine without a harness and leash. In fact, Shani is totally against Leash Laws, just sayin'...

Merry Christmas from Dude.

We have family from California here for the holidays. So I probably won't be blogging much between Christmas and New Year's. I'll be spending a lot of time with the grandkids too.  Christmas is really for kids, so it'll be lots of fun.

In my spare time, and I don't have much of that this time of year, I've been reading an assortment of holiday books. I've enjoyed them all. I can definitely recommend reading Candis Terry's Any Given Christmas, Linda Lael Miller's A Creed Country Christmas and Christmas of the Red Chiefs, in addition to Talli Rolland's Mistletoe in Manhattan and Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts.

I have way more Christmas books on my two Kindles (my old Kindle Keyboard and my newer Kindle Fire) than I have time to read before the holiday. So I'll probably be reading Christmas books well into the new year. I just started reading Barbara Witek's Santa Wore Combat Boots and Linda Lael Miller's Holiday in Stone Creek (I'm almost always reading more than one book at any given time).

Christmas/Holiday Reads on my Kindles (in no particular order):

A Cowboy for Christmas by Kristen James
A Spy for Christmas by Kristen James
Cold Comfort by Ellis Vidler
The Gift of Gray (Christmas) by Jan Romes
Three Wise Men by Nancy Ricker, Jan Romes & Laura Ricker
White as Snow (A Christmas Story) by Donna Westover Gallup
Xmas Affair (A Sensual Short Story) by Ruth D. Kerce
A Wee Christmas Homicide by Kaitlyn Dunnett
One imPerfect Christmas by Myra Johnson
A Simple Amish Christmas by Vanetta Chapman
It Really IS a Wonderful Life by Linda Rondeau
A Home for Christmas by Deborah Grace Staley
Kiss of the Christmas Wind by Janelle Taylor
One Snowy Night Before Christmas by Pamela Fryer
Harlequin Holiday Collection by Debra Webb, et. al.
All I Want for Christmas is You by Lisa Mondello
A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida by Dale Cox
O Little Town by Don Reid
Must Love Santa by Nina Bruhns
A Cowboy for Christmas by Lori Wilde
Mistletoe Christmas by Stacey Joy Netzel
A Very Holly Christmas by Sheila Roberts
Jingle This! by Stephanie Rowe
Catch That Santa by Karen Doctor
A Victorian Christmas by Catherine Palmer
The Bite Before Christmas by Heidi Betts
Blue Christmas by Diane Moody
A Dixie Christmas by Sandra Hill

Hmm! So many great Christmas books. I think I have enough to get me through the next several Christmas seasons. Well, what can I say? Yes, I'm definitely addicted to books.

From my family to yours, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jingle Bell Rock

Some of my daughter's collection of snow globes.

Christmas is just around the corner. The malls are crowded with shoppers. The radio stations are playing just about every Christmas song ever recorded. So Christmas must be just days away?

We have family coming into town for the holidays. So the holiday chaos is about to begin. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing family that I haven't seen in ages, but it's still stressful. Our regular calm world will be turned topsy-turvy through Christmas and New Year's. Am I ready for this? To be honest, I'm not really sure.

Do we have a Christmas tree yet? Nope! Do we have Christmas lights on our house? Nope! Are we ready for Christmas? Yes and no. I've pretty much done my Christmas shopping, mostly for the grandkids, but I haven't yet wrapped the presents. As for the rest of the holiday preparations, well, I'm way behind the curve.

I'm trying to ward off the impending holiday stress by reading some light-hearted Christmas books. There are so many fun ones out there. So far I've read and thoroughly enjoyed Linda Lael Miller's Christmas of the Red Chiefs and two by Talli Roland, Mistletoe in Manhattan and Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts. All three of these books are fun reads that are sure to make you smile. What Christmas book am I reading next? Hmm! So many to chose from. I think Must Love Santa by Nina Bruhns.

I've recently added the following Christmas reads to my Kindle Fire:

Three Wise Men by Nancy Ricker, Jan Romes & Laura Ricker
It Really IS a Wonderful Life! by Linda Rondeau
Jingle This! by Stephanie Rowe
Catch That Santa by Karen Docter
A Cowboy for Christmas by Lori Wilde
Santa Wore Cowboy Boots by Barbara Witek
Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry

Well, that ought to be enough Christmas reads to get me through the season. On the other hand, there's no such thing as too many books. So I may very well be adding more holiday reads to my Kindle.

Here's a list of more Christmas reads that caught my eye (in no particular order):

A Snowglobe Christmas by Linda Goodnight & Lissa Manley
Christmas in Wine Country by Addison Westlake
Be Mine for Christmas (Cont. Romance Short) by Alicia Street
Save Me, Santa (5 Holiday Stories of Romance) by Nina Bruhns
Christmas Brides (3 Regency Novellas) by Cheryl Bolen
A Cowboy for Christmas by Kristen James
The Holly and the Thistle by Regan Walker
Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley
A Fool's Gold Christmas by Susan Mallery
Enchanted (A Merry Nicholas Christmas Tale) by Patti Berg
Small Town Christmas by Jill Shalvis, Hope Ramsay & Katie Lane
Wanted: One Scoundrel (A Steampunk Christmas) by Jenny Schwartz
Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher
A Cowboy Under My Christmas Tree by Janet Dailey
'Twas the Night After Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries

Trust me, there are about a zillion more Christmas books out there, way more than I could ever read in my lifetime. So between now and Christmas check back for more lists of  Christmas reads. Also, in case you missed my two previous holiday posts, you'll find more lists of great/fun holiday books. This is definitely the time of year to "jingle bell rock" and read.

Have a Holly Jolly Holiday!

A close-up of my grandkids' Christmas tree.

How can it already be December 7th? Where are the minutes, hours, days going? I've done some Christmas shopping, but I've yet to wrap the presents. I bought Christmas cards, but haven't done them yet. I haven't even begun to look for a Christmas tree.

When my grandkids were here on Thanksgiving, my grandson asked, "Nana, why don't you have a Christmas tree or Christmas lights?" They already have their Christmas tree up and decorated and all the holiday lights on their house.

Gee, even my neighbors have their Christmas lights up and their houses and yards look so festive at night. I guess it's time to encourage my dear hubby to get out the holiday lights or we'll soon have the only unfestive house in the neighborhood.

I dropped by the library today and they were already in holiday mode with a pretty Christmas tree and a three foot tall Santa. I'm starting to feel a bit guilty that I haven't at least started to set out some Christmas decorations. The holiday will be here before I can blink. Okay, I promise I'll put out some decorations this weekend.

In the meantime, here's another list of Christmas reads. If you haven't already seen it, there's another list on my last post. Anyway, I haven't read any of these books, but they all look like great/fun holiday reads. The ones marked with an (*) are books I recently added to my Kindles. All of these are available in eBook format.

Christmas Fiction/Romances (in no particular order):

One Snowy Night Before Christmas by Pamela Fryer*
Mistletoe Mischief (Romancing Wisconsin, #1) by Stacey Joy Netzel*
Holly Lane by Toni Blake
Cupid's Christmas by Bette Lee Crosby
Mistletoe in Maine (Holiday Brides) by Ginny Baird
A Family for Christmas by Helen Scott Taylor
Bundle of Joy by Barbara Bretton
A Lawman's Christmas (McKettricks of Texas) by Linda Lael Miller
An Outlaw's Christmas (McKettricks of Texas) by Linda Lael Miller
Montana, Mistletoe, Marriage by Patricia Thayer
Christmas on Nutcracker Court by Judy Duarte
A Cold Creek Noel (Cowboys of Cold Creek) by RaeAnne Thayne
The Duke of Christmas Past by Kim Bowman
Forever Christmas by Christine Lynxwiler
A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods
Kissing Under the Mistletoe (St. Helena Vineyard) by Marina Adair
Blue Christmas (Moody Blue Trilogy, #1) by Diana Moody
A Bush Christmas by Margareta Osborn
The Toymaker by Kay Springsteen 
Christmas in Venice by Meadow Taylor
All I Want for Christmas is You by Lisa Mondello
The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson
A Cowboy for Christmas by Kristen James
Christmas Countdown (Lost, Inc.) by Vicki Hinze
Naughty or Nice by Stephanie Bond
Mistletoe Mine (Eternity Springs) by Emily March
Jingle This! by Stephanie Rowe

Wow! That's a lot of great romantic Christmas reads. I haven't even begun to list them all, so be sure to check back for more Christmas book lists in upcoming December posts. Before I forget, I'm currently reading a Christmas book on my Kindle Fire, Christmas of the Red Chiefs by Linda Lael Miller. This is a holiday read I think you'll enjoy. Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you all have a Holly Jolly Holiday!

Jingle All the Way

Christmas decorations at the mall.

How can it already be December 1st? I swear Halloween and Thanksgiving were just yesterday. On the other hand, the stores have been selling Christmas trees and decorations for months now.

Like most everyone else, I have already started Christmas shopping. I think my grandkids already have every toy and game imaginable. So what are they getting for Christmas from me? Hmm! Well, books, puzzles and clothes are on my shopping list.

Yes, that's change jingling in my pocket, because that's just about all I have left to spend. When did everything get so expensive?

My husband asked me the other day what I want for Christmas? Books, of course. Always books. So an Amazon gift card will be just fine for me. The list of books I want to buy is already way too long, but maybe I'll get a really big gift card? Well, I can always hope.

In the meantime, I'm not waiting until Christmas to get some of the books I want. I almost always find something to add to my Kindles (my old Kindle Keyboard and my newer Kindle Fire). I love Christmas reads this time of year. So I'm figuring you all love Christmas reads too.

So here's a list of Christmas romances, historicals, mysteries, comedies and such. The ones marked with an (*) are on my Kindles. The rest are books that I think we'd all enjoy. All of these books are available in eBook format.

Christmas Reads (in no particular order):

Mistletoe in Manhattan: A Christmas Story by Talli Roland*
Santa Wore Combat Boots by Barbara Witek*
The Gift of Gray (Christmas) by Jan Romes
Three Wise Men by Laura Ricker, Jan Romes & Nancy Ricker
Cold Comfort by Ellis Vidler*
Xmas Affair (A Sensual Short Story) by Ruth D. Kerce*
Catch That Santa by Karen Doctor*
A Perfect Holiday Fling (Moments in Maplesville) by Farrah Rochon
Christmas in High Heels (High Heels Mysteries) by Gemma Halliday
A Fool's Gold Christmas by Susan Mallery
Christmas of the Red Chiefs by Linda Lael Miller*
A Creed Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller*
Holiday in Stone Creek by Linda Lael Miller*
A Yellowstone Christmas by Peggy L. Henderson
Christmas with Holly (Friday Harbor) by Lisa Kleypas
A Cowboy for Christmas (Jubilee, Texas) by Lori Wilde*
The Christmas Cookie Chronicles by Lori Wilde
A Smoky Mountain Christmas by Carol DeVaney
My Kind of Christmas (Virgin River) by Robyn Carr
Bah, Humbug! (A Romantic Comedy Christmas Novella) by Heather Horrocks
Christmas on Mimosa Lane (Seasons of the Heart) by Anna DeStefano
Mistletoe Mischief (Romancing Wisconsin) by Stacey Joe Netzel
Dumb White Husband vs. Santa (A Short Story) by Benjamin Wallace
Christmas in Two Egg, Florida by Dale Cox*

There are just so many Christmas reads that I'll list more in posts all month long. So be sure to check back to see what other books I've found. Feel free to add your own Christmas books in the comments below. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have fun Christmas shopping and jingle all the way.