It’s been a busy few weeks and it’s bound to get busier as Mr. Wonderful and I leave tomorrow for the Rocky Mountains for some holiday cheer with family. We’ll be stopping in Denver briefly, then driving eight hours to Farmington, New Mexico, where my in-laws recently moved. Farmington is a bigger coal mining town than the last one. It actually has an airport! Speaking of coal mining – does anyone have recommendations on good coal mining romance novels? (accident-free ones please!)

Photo left: Mr. Wonderful and I showing off the Pike Place Market to visiting family. We heart Seattle!

All I want for Christmas…
I’ve been reading a lot of romantic suspense in November and December, gobbling up most of Suzanne Brockmann’s backlist and enjoying Roxanne St. Claire’s Bullet Catcher series. My suitcase is packed for the holidays with the last few CDs of Brockmann’s INTO THE FIRE and the DEATH ANGEL audiobook by Linda Howard (good for long car rides!). Additionally, I’ve stuffed a number of Harlequin Romantic Suspense and Silhouette Nocturne books in my bag, because I think I might want to target the Nocturne line with my latest paranormal manuscript. I’m also bringing NETHERWOOD by Michele Lang and a victorian paranormal by Emma Holly. Oh! There’s nothing like books for the holidays! Fa-la-la!!

Everyday Heroes
The best contestant in the Seattle Gingerbread Village was a multistory house featuring firefighters, policemen, medics and other professions that save lives every day. The Village raises money for Juvenile Diabetes and is on display at the Seattle Sheraton from now until January 4, 2009. Entries are designed and built by local architecture firms, though this year “Everyday Heroes” was the only entry displaying architectural creativity. We visited the village last weekend when Mr. Wonderful’s brother was in town visiting.

SNOPACALYPSE!
Though every holiday season in Sea-town is packed with festive events, this one’s been exceptionally eventful due to the Seattle Snopacalypse. With a few inches of winter white that would be laughed at anywhere else, the city has closed down. It would be fun, except the holiday race my running buddy and I had been training for was cancelled the morning of the event (after repeated emails stating “don’t worry about the snow – the race is still on!”). Psych! We looked cute in our costumes anyway, and spread Christmas cheer around Greenlake that morning in lieu of running 12Ks through downtown Kirkland. Next year we’ll probably sign up for the Jingle Bell Run instead, which did not fall victim to the weather.

Presents for Me?
For Christmas Mr. Wonderful gave me a gift certificate for a professionally designed website by Will Design for Chocolate, a designer that specializes in author sites (including Brenda Novak’s site). Stay tuned for a new look sometime after February. Ideas?

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday. May you find peace and joy in the coming year!