Spotlight Giveaway The Christmas Room by Catherine Anderson Harlequin Junkie Blogging Romance Books. Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Catherine Anderson to HJ Hi Catherine and welcome to HJ Were so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Christmas Room Please summarize the book for the readers here THE CHRISTMAS ROOM features two love stories, one between a young couple with the future beckoning to them and the other about an older couple who have lost their spouses, are still grieving, and never expect to fall in love again. There are many meaningful threads in this book that weave together to create a beautiful tapestry, but the main messages are about the true meaning of love, learning to become stronger and better individuals, finding it in our hearts to forgive others, embracing the surprises that come our way, and that the best gifts to others come from our hearts. BcC5FIj&resize=767x516' alt='All I Ever Wanted Hqn Large' title='All I Ever Wanted Hqn Large' />Please share the opening lines of this book Warm August sunlight slanted across the dusty windshield of Cameron Mc. Lendons blue Ford pickup as he drove south on Highway 9. It was such a beautiful day in Montanas gorgeous Bitterroot Valley that he rolled down the front windows to enjoy the afternoon breeze, redolent with the scent of pine. He released a deep breath and tried to toss aside his worries. Please share a few Fun facts about this bookI was inspired to write THE CHRISTMAS ROOM by real life experiences, because I actually moved to Montana, lived in a travel trailer on an alfalfa field while my home was constructed, and faced celebrating Christmas in that tiny trailer during a record breaking Montana winter. Aside from the usual research required for any book, I learned facts about the area by merely stepping out my door. I learned about the wildlife firsthand, and everywhere I went I met wonderful Montanans who happily educated me about this state. DMWz_JaUIAA5xXP.jpg-large.jpeg' alt='All I Ever Wanted Hqn Large' title='All I Ever Wanted Hqn Large' />Although I was very cautious about keeping my characters and story purely fictitious, some incidents in this book actually occurred, such as the windstorm that tears the Mc. Lendons camp apart and when Maddies bath towel comes untucked near the front window of her trailer as three fisherman float past in a boat. Imagine how humiliating that moment was for me. Romantic Suspense Authors and their books. USA TODAY bestselling author, Maureen A. Millers first novel, WIDOWS TALE earned her a Golden Heart nomination in. TLC Book Tours is a virtual book tour site. Virtual book tours are a promotional tool for authors to connect with readers via wellread book blogs and specialty. The official website of author JoAnn Ross. JoAnn writes contemporary romance and suspense books and novels, including the series Honeymoon Harbor, Shelter Bay. Fidget Spinner is a toy. Small child is used for entertainment purpose. Spotlight Giveaway When the Scoundrel Sins by Anna Harrington. Posted August 27th, 2017 by Sara HarlequinJunkie in Blog, Spotlight 47 comments. Spotlight Giveaway The Christmas Room by Catherine Anderson. Posted September 29th, 2017 by Sara HarlequinJunkie in Blog, Spotlight 49 comments. It was fun to bring those scenes to life. What inspired you to write a Christmas themed novel I was asked to write a Christmas story by my publisher and was offered the freedom to decide if the book should be long or short. Since it is my feeling that Christmas or any special family event is as much about the everyday life leading up to the day as it is about the celebration, I decided to write a long book spanning a few months prior to Christmas. I aimed to write a book that can be enjoyed all year long so that my readers will hopefully feel they got their moneys worth. I also wanted to avoid the fantasy Christmas theme, which is what I often see when I read a Christmas romance. The perfect couple, the perfect family, the perfect decorations and gifts. In some Christmas romances, even the neighbors are perfect. Im not knocking those stories. I think all of us enjoy escaping into those postcard worlds at times. In fact, I need a book that carries me away from reality when Im feeling stressed. But I chose to write something a little different. Though I knew I should deliver on some of the Christmas glitter and joy, I decided to also write about feuding neighbors, two young lovers who must meet in secret, a boy from California who struggles to fit in at his new Montana school, and how people can make very bad decisions for all the right reasons. Please tell us a little about the characters in your book. As you wrote your protagonist was there anything about them that surprised you My characters always surprise me. As I develop them, I believe I know them, but then they do or say something that catches me totally off guard, and I realize they have taken on a life of their own. Sam Conacher was developed as a crotchety and bitter man, but as the book unfolded he became a person with depths I didnt expect, a vocabulary that sometimes shocked me, and did things I didnt plan to put in the script. When that happens, a writer must make a choice between altering the character and allowing him to be who he really is. I chose to let Sam be Sam, and during the story he learned important life lessons that help him to become a better person. Maddie is also an entertaining and interesting character, and Im sure many mature women will relate to how she feels about life, falling in love again, and how her body looks. The younger couple, Kirstin and Cam, are also multidimensional and have many challenges to overcome in order to be together. If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would you use for the audition of the main characters and why I dont have an appropriate teaser scene that features all five of the main characters, so Ive chosen to use part of a scene that showcases Kirstin and Cam when they have met secretly along the river to keep her father from finding out they are seeing each other. Ive chosen it because it gives readers a sneak peak at what it may be like to live in Montana, and also because it depicts how deeply these two people care for each other. Kirstin caught a flash of movement off in the woods, and she fixed her gaze on something large and such a dark brown that it was nearly black. She stared as it moved toward them and its outline took on a distinct shape. Her heart started to pound. Cam, she said softly. You do understand that Im uncomfortable with all this sneaking around, he said. Cam, she said with more urgency while not raising her voice. Theres a bull moose coming in our direction. He followed her gaze with his own. Wow. Ive seen them along the roads while driving, but never up close like this. Keep your voice down she said in a stage whisper. Seeing it up close is not good. Look around you for the biggest tree and run for it. Ill go the opposite direction. Moose are stupid. We might gain a few precious seconds if we confuse it. Cam finally seemed to register that she was frightened. Youre going to climb a treeIs it really that dangerous I never studied moose. I havent either, but Ive grown up with them. Kirstin shifted her hips to get her feet under her. You dont need to climb the tree. Just do an earthbound version of pole dancing. If he lunges at you, keep the tree in front of you as a barrier. From the corner of her eye, she saw Cam work his way into a crouch. One, two, three She sprang forward, moving to her left. Cam lurched into a run, going the opposite direction. Zigzag she yelled. Big zigzags Dont run in a straight lineAs Kirstin ran, she saw the animal start after Cam, but then it changed its mind and lunged after her. Good, she thought. By running in two different directions, we got a slight edge. Fifa 09 Fifa 09 Download. She reached her chosen tree, a medium size ponderosa, and planted the flats of her hands against its red bark. The moose was right behind her. She circled to put the massive trunk between her and Bullwinkle. The moose, broad head lowered, rammed into the conifer with its antlers, which her dad called paddles because of their shape. To her horror, she felt the tree shudder under the impact. Kirstin Cam cried. Then she heard him yell, Oh, shitShe was too focused on the bull to even glance toward Cam. She heard the animal grunting.