November 7, 2007 • Print This Post
I just started writing a Brava Christmas novella. This one comes out in an anthology called TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT next October (Oct. ‘08). My anthology buddies in this one are Donna Kauffman and Jill Shalvis. And, really, how lucky am I to be teamed up with those two talented ladies?
Anthologies have always been some of my favorite reading. I find new authors. Get a taste of writing styles. Connect with old favorites. Basically, I love anthologies. Despite that, I don’t remember reading all that many holiday-themed anthologies. Not sure why since they seem like so much fun. I love Christmas. Love anthologies. Seems like a natural pair, doesn’t it? Even stranger is that I don’t remember reading all that many holiday novels (non-anthologies) either.
The November releases are coming out. December releases will be out soon. With the holidays right around the corner, are there antholgies and novels with holiday themes that you’re looking forward to reading? If so, what are they and why these novels/anthologies over other releases?
Let me know your thoughts and you’ll be entered to win a $15.00 Amazon gift certificate. Just think, you tell us all about some titles and you have a chance to win a prize that lets you buy one or two!
Posted by HelenKay Dimon @ 6:00 am • Filed under: HelenKay Dimon
RSS feed for comments on this post.
The URI to TrackBack this entry.
Want your own gravatar? Get one here.
I’ve already read some holiday-themed anthologies from Brava - “I’m Your Santa” being one of them. They usually come out in October. I admit the only ones I buy are from Brava because I love Brava authors, and have quite a few.
I like them for the same reasons you mentioned - getting to discover new authors, and reading some quick, fun holiday romances is a treat, especially if I’m not in the mood for a longer story.
Oh, Stacy, I’m jealous! I’ve been wanting to get “I’m Your Santa”. That’s one I’ve been looking forward to reading.
I love holiday anthologies, especially Christmas. For many of the same reasons . . . they’re quick to read at this sometimes stressful time of year and very heart-warming.
I don’t think I’ve read any holiday anthologies!! I did pick up “A Passion For Him” by Sylvia Day a few weeks ago….that was like Christmas in October because I found it a week before its release date AND it was the one I’d been anticipating since I put down “Passion for the Game”.
I love anthologies and I love Christmas stories so together it’s perfect. I have read a few and A Very Merry Christmas and I’m Your Santa are two of my favorites.
I have read A Very Merry Christmas and I’m Your Santa already. I have An Enchanted Season to read, but have not started it as yet. I like to read anthologies because it gives me a glimpse at an author I might not have read before. It has proved valuable to me a couple of times because I have discovered a new Author to read.
One of the things I love most about Brava anthologies is that I can sit down and read a story all the way through in a fairly short time period. While I still enjoy reading full-length novels, with two kids at home, finding a huge chunk of time to read is pretty much impossible. I love Christmas-themed books because when I’m already getting in the Christmas mood, reading books with the holidays as a backdrop just adds to the fun of the season!
A Very Merry Christmas and I’m Your Santa are both on my shopping list.
I am a Holiday antho ‘ho!!
I love them and have several. (I will most definately be buying yours when it releases next year.)
I have ‘Jingle Bell Rock’, ‘Merry Christmas Baby’, ‘The Night Before Christmas’, ‘Naughty or Nice’ and ‘All I Want for Christmas’ just to name a few.
On the TBR pile right now is ‘Holidays are Hell’ by Kim Harrison, Lyndsay sands, etc. I just finished ‘The Morgue the Merrier’…loved the ghost of the Elvis impersonator! I just love the holidays, starting with Halloween and going right up to New Years.
the whole season just gives me the warm-n-fuzzies. I think that’s why I love holiday books and movies so much.
I’ve read “I’m your Santa” and others too, but I can’t remember right now, lol. I’m in school! Anyhoodles,I really like reading holidays anthologies.
HelenKay, I’m excited about this one too!
I’ve enjoyed Jingle Bell Rock and I’m your Santa, also Holiday Heroes with Rachel Lee and Catherine Mann. Christmas anthologies are a great way to relax and get in the holiday mood.
Oh, I love holiday themed books, anthologies or not.
December I always bring out my tried and true favorites and all whatever I can buy and get in October and on as new ones. 
And then I get to do it all over again next year. 
It’s always something great to look forward too — although I always look forward to any that I loved to reread, regardless of when or what. LOL
Lois
I look forward to the new holiday themed books each year. The knights of Christmas was one of my favorites.
I just received an anthology in the mail the other day it’s titled: On The Prowl with Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, Karen Chance and Sunny. I love reading anthologies, because you get more than one story in a book. It also gives me the chance to read several different authors.
I’ve read “Jingle Bell Rock.” On my list are “Merry Christmas, Baby” and “The Night Before Christmas.” I love these short but sweet stories.
I love Christmas stories. Anthologies are especially great because you get to sample new authors and find out if their writing style is your cup of tea. Also, with the rush of the holidays it is easier to find time to read a short story in a sitting than it is a whole novel. Two anthologies I am looking forward to purchasing when I can find the time and adding to the pile I have gathered for my Christmas reading are An Enchanted Season and The Perfect Gift since both have authors I love writing in it.
To be honest I haven’t ready any (as yet). I don’t even know why not. But with the 3 of you as the authors, this book has to be fantastic!
that is great Helen love those ladies. it will be one hot antho.
love christmas anthos.
reading secret santa blaze antho
merry christmas baby by donna etc.
I love Holiday-themed anthologies…some of the Brava ones are the best…and I think I own all of them…LOL! I have “I’m Your Santa” sitting here waiting to be read. I read “A Highlander for Christmas” by Sandy Blair recently as well and enjoyed it…a time travel.
I am not sure why I like holiday-themed books, but I can read them year-round actually…to me they aren’t really any different than reading a non-holiday themed book. I do like anthologies though because they help me to discover new-to-me authors and are great for when I don’t have time to read a longer story, but what to read a complete story without having to stop in the middle.
I am very excited to hear you are going to be in anthology with two other great authors…that book will be awesome I am sure!
I love anthologies of any kind.Picked up I’m Your Santa earlier in the week.
Just finished I’m Your Santa. It was really great. Next I want to read Suzanne Brockman’s new holiday themed troubleshooter book. Sorry I can’t remember the name of it.
I love anthologies and Christmas stories too! I buy my Christmas stories in October when they come out and save them until after Thanksgiving. It gets me into the holiday spirit to read them in December. I’ve got I’M YOUR SANTA, AN ENCHANTED SEASON, THE MORGUE THE MERRIER, and A CHRISTMAS CAROLINE (which I picked up on sale early this year and saved) all ready to read in a few short weeks.
I like holiday anthologies. I guess it has to get my attention for me to buy it since I have so many already. I also like when there’s alot of good authors in one anthology. That’s a definete reason to buy the book in my opinion. Can’t wait to read yours HelenKay. Sounds good!
I haven’t read many holiday-themed anthologies either. The latest one was Jingle Bell Rock - great book! This one sounds like a keeper too.
Wow, you are writing with great authors. You are all lucky!
I look forward every year to the Brava Christmas anthols. Have read them all. This year am looking forward to Lori Foster’s Christmas book.
Not sure of any xmas anthos that I want to read but there is one called Shifters and I just got on the prowl. Love anthos cause I get to read authors I’ve not read before. I found some great authors that way. Most notible is Kresley Cole found her from and anthology.
Hi Helen,
I absolutely love holiday anthologies! Your new one sounds wonderful! I own several holiday anthologies. I just bought The Morgue the Merrier and I can’t wait to read it! I also own a lot of the Bad Boy anthologies from Brava. I have some from other authors as well. I really like short stories all together in a book. Some nights it is fun to read a short story and then other times I like to sink into a long novel.
I’m glad I found this post, it has given me a great list of books to look out for. And a reason to dig out some of the holiday anthology books I already have so I can re-read them.
I love all the “BAD BOYS” Anothologies…too many to list all. Maybe just one “I LOVE BAD BOYS”.
I love Christmas anthologies, although for some odd reason I seem to read them during the summer.
I loved Red Letter Nights & Jingle Bell Rock! I’m Your Santa and Merry Christmas, Baby are just two of the ones I’m looking forward to.
I’m Your Santa and A Very Merry Christmas look like two good anthologies. The problem is finding the time to get the books around this time of the year.
I’ve read I’m Your Santa (Very Good),and The Morgue the Merrier (also very good). I have about 20 or so Christmas themed books to get through between now and Christmas. Most of them are older anthologies that I have collected since last Christmas. I have a hard time reading Christmas books before halloween. I did read The Morgue the Merrier before halloween, but I justify reading that one before halloween because it has ghosts.
Give me an anthology with Christmas stories and I’m set and happy. I love the Christmas season and reading about hea’s during this time makes it so much sweeter.
Anthologies bring together a number of authors and this way you get to try more authors and see if they are to your liking writing wise.
I can’t wait to get Christmas Wishes by Debbie Macomber and Unwrapping Christmas
by Lori Copeland
Anthologies and holidays is a great mix. As it happens, I needed something quick and fun to read last night, so I picked up a Christmas anthology (”Merry Christmas, Baby”).
I have “An Enchanted Season” on my buying list because it’s paranormal and features authors I’m interested in. Not sure what else is out there this year, so I’ll have to check out the titles others have mentioned.
Oh, I forgot Holidays Are Hell. I want that one.
Now I’m itching to shop for books. *twitch*
IT’S A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS/MIRACLE ON BANNOCK STREET
December 2007: Harlequin Christmas Anthology: Christmas tales inspired by Hollywood film classics (Jasmine Cresswell, Colleen Collins, and Kathleen Long)
I love old movies like An Affair to Remember, all the K Hepburn-S Tracy movies, Gregory Peck in Horatio Hornblower but a couple of favorites were Bing Crosby’s classic holiday movies Christmas in Connecticut, Bells of St Mary’s, White Christmas So I thought this book would be interesting and a little bit different!
I have I’m your Santa antho on my tbr list along with Ellora’s Caves Christmas anthologies. I also have An Enchanted Season on my tbr list. Lots of good Christmas books.
I love reading Christmas themed novels and anthologies. The anthologies are always a fun and quick read with new and different authors that I maybe haven’t read. I’m reading I’M YOUR SANTA right now. Love it. I just finished THE LAST NOEL by Heather Graham (what a thriller) and a few weeks ago I read THE MORGUE THE MERRIER by Rosemary Laurey, Karen Kelley and Dianne Castell (way cute) In my TBR pile I have SUGAR AND SPICE (released last year) by Fern Michaels, Beverly Barton, Joanne Fluke and Shirley Jump.
I have several anthologies in my TBR pile. I love the holiday ones and want to get I’m Your Santa. Anthologies are a wonderful way to get to know an authors work I might not have read before. There have been several occasions where I find a new favorite author and rush out to the bookstore to buy their other titles.
Did you pick a winner yet?
One of my fav Christmas Brava stories was called Steam Heat I believe by Susan Donovan? Loved the twist. I had no clue.
UPDATE: The winner is Laura J. - congrats!!!!! Send me your email address and I’ll get that gift certificate out to you.
wtg laura J happy turkey everyone