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October 1 marked the release date of A Cowboy Christmas, the launch book for my Lost Sons trilogy. This novel didn’t start out to be a Christmas story, but when my editor gave me the opportunity to have a Christmas release, I went for it.
I’ve always loved Christmas and have always thought that there was a certain magic surrounding the Victorian celebrations. The caroling, gathering of family and friends, and the overall joy that seemed to dance in the air.
The majority of Victorians decorated lavishly — inside and out. It was an era when the dangerous lit candles on trees were replaced with the newfangled electric lights by Mr. Edison. Delicate ornaments were shipped from Germany and many housewives lovingly crafted their own decorations, right down to the stockings hung by the mantle.
But for the pioneers on the plains and those living in the Wild West, Christmas could be a very lonely holiday with nothing around but miles upon miles of unbroken snow. In fact many people never celebrated it at all.
That was my hero, Reid Barclay. He was raised in an orphanage that didn’t do much more than give the orphans an orange or apple for the holiday. There was no tree, no presents, no merriment.
After he and his foster brothers were given a home by a bachelor rancher, Christmas still wasn’t celebrated beyond the ranch cook putting on a feast for everyone on the spread.
For Reid, the Christmas appoaching meant one thing — it was the due date on the devil’s deal he’d made and things weren’t looking good for him or his dreams.
His new ranch cook had a tendancy to burn everything she put in the stove, overheating the house, and him, in more ways than one! The last thing he wanted was for her to turn his home into a glittering forest, or tempt the cynic in him to believe he had a chance of finding forgiveness or happiness.
Ellie Jo adored Christmas, and this one held even more joy for it was the first time in years that she’d spend it with her outlaw father. But with her pa and Reid at odds, and trouble set to descend on the ranch, even an optomist like her had trouble believing in the magic of Christmas, and a forever kind of love.
I’ll give away an autographed copy of A Cowboy Christmas to a commenter on this post. Tell me what was your absolute favorite Christmas-themed romance novel, or share your most cherished holiday tradition.
Filed in: Our Books
Oct 8th
2009
6:34 am
kristan higgins Said:
There’s something about orphans and Christmas, isn’t there, Janette? I love the movie While You Were Sleeping for a Christmastime romance…so cute!
Congratulations on the new book! It sounds wonderful.
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Oct 8th
2009
6:47 am
RachieG Said:
Hmm…I seem to really enjoy Christmas anthologies. Not sure if I have a favorite but every Christmas I haul ‘em all out to read again. Lisa Kleypas has a good Christmas story…AND I just bought a new Christmas book – “Hot for the Holidays” with Lora Leigh and other fabulously delicious authors.
Who doesn’t enjoy a Christmas story? Romance and Christmas seem to go together don’t they?
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Oct 8th
2009
6:56 am
Kimberly Killion Said:
Hi Jan! Congrats on the release!!! Hope you survive the promo.
My favorite Christmas release was part of an anthology. I can’t remember the title but the author was Annmarie MacKenna. The hero was blind and she made him soooo delicious.
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Oct 8th
2009
7:13 am
Emily McKay Said:
Oh, I love Christmas stories!
My favorite Christmas book is an anthology of Mary Balogh stories. It was released a couple of years ago. One of them was new and the others were from older anthologies she’d done with other people. Five stories in all and they were all so good. But I just love her stories, so I suspect she write a Columbus Day Anthology and I’d by it too.
I can’t wait to pick up yours!
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Oct 8th
2009
7:29 am
Janette Kenny Said:
Oh, I loved that movie, Kristan! And yes, there’s something extra poignant about Christmas and orphans.
Rachie, I enjoy the Christmas anthologies. Lots of yummy novellas/short stories to savor.
Ooo, that sounds interesting, Kim. Will have to look up that author and give that one a read.
I have that one, Emily! Very good stories in that collection. LOL on the Columbus Day anthology. Wouldn’t THAT be a hoot?
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Oct 8th
2009
7:30 am
Joan Woods Said:
I love all Christmas romance stories but one of my favorites is The Christmas Cowboy by Judy Christenberry. I love cowboys. Can’t wait to read your book A Cowboy Christmas. In the mean time Happy Halloween.
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Oct 8th
2009
7:45 am
Crystal B. Said:
Hi Jannette. Congratulations on the release of A Cowboy Christmas. I love the cover. My favorite Christmas romance novel is Lori Handeland’s An Outlaw For Christmas.
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Oct 8th
2009
8:29 am
Kirsten Said:
Hello Janette, I have so many wonderful Christmas memories. Most of them when my Grandmother was still with us. She would stay at our house for the Christmas season and we had such fun with her.
Our family tradition was to bake gingerbread cookies. I always made a mess of things covering myself in dough from head till toe. Grandma would smooth things over and help out a great deal. When the baking was done we had some pretty professional looking gingerbread people we children could decorate. What I lacked in skills I made up for in creativity. And every year I had glazed (in my opinion) the best looking men of all. With lots of hair and a jacket full of M&M buttons. She would smile and say they where the prettiest she’d ever seen. Looking back at the proof years later, the family photo’s, pretty is not the first word that would come to my mind. I think it was just her incredible warm loving self convincing me of their beauty, making me feel proud.
We where real close and as I grew older and her health declined we’d no longer baked together but had a chat or watch a Christmas movie instead. Those moments are some of my most treasured memories because of the meaningful conversation. But the baking is my absolute favorite because we baked with not just ingredients but with a whole lot of love.
I kept the tradition going and make those cookies every December remembering the special woman who still means so much to me.
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Oct 8th
2009
8:36 am
RobynDeHart Said:
Oh Christmas books, sounds great, Janette. My favorite Christmas book is actually a novella from so many years ago, I couldn’t even begin to remember when. But it was a Rebecca Paisley story where the heroine is actually Santa’s niece and steals a reindeer and ends up at this Earl’s house. It was totally charming and wonderful though. I might just have to read it again this year.
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Oct 8th
2009
9:21 am
eap Said:
I recommend the book, Twelve Days by Teresa Hill. I loved One True Cowboy, Janette!
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Oct 8th
2009
9:22 am
Margo Maguire Said:
Your book sounds great, Janette – Hard-boiled, loner cowboys melting at Christmas tugs a cord in all of us, I think! Can’t wait to get my hands on it.
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Oct 8th
2009
10:44 am
cheryl c. Said:
I love Christmas stories. Every year I read several new ones and reread old favorites. One of my favorites is CHRISTMAS ANGEL by Jo Beverley.
By the way, I recently read your book ONE REAL MAN, and I really enjoyed it! Reid was a character that intrigued me, so I am glad to see him get his own story.
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Oct 8th
2009
11:37 am
Quilt Lady Said:
Hi Jennette, I love Christmas books. I would have to say my favorite would have to be and older one called Five Golden Rings. It was an anthology by Constance O’Banyon and I can’t remember all of the authors that was in it. I will have to get it back out and re-read it. Its been several years since I have read it. I can’t wait to read your new book because I love me some westerns.
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Oct 8th
2009
12:01 pm
Serenissima Said:
Hello Janette,
Congrats on your new release! As an avid reader&lover of westerns, I sure am going to hunt for your book.
I love Christmas stories as well. My most favourite is Lisa Kleypas´ A Wallflower Christmas; I have read it so many times, that I don´t count them anymore.
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Oct 8th
2009
1:34 pm
Susan Macatee Said:
Congratulations on your new release, Janette! I love Christmas stories! And your cover is wonderful!
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Oct 8th
2009
2:13 pm
Pat Said:
I’ve always believed Christmas a time of undefineable magic. And I ADORE Christmas anthologies, regardless of genre. I still have a few from “way back”, and I tend to take them out and reread them every year because romance novels have a tendency to reinforce the magic.
Congrats on the anthology, and good luck with the series.
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Oct 8th
2009
2:39 pm
Nancy Robards Thompson Said:
Congratulations on the new release, Jan! I’m with Kristan – I love ‘While You Were Sleeping.’ It’s in my DVD collection. It’s a tie for my favorite holiday tradition – we always get our tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving because one year shortly after my husband and I were married we waited until Christmas week and ended up with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree! My other favorite thing is baking Christmas cookies with our daughter.
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Oct 8th
2009
3:08 pm
catslady Said:
20 plus years ago I started a tradition at our house – tree trimming party. We had an uncle who had no one so it started there and has grown and changed through the years. We make a day of it and when the tree is trimmed I serve a nice dinner. Now my married daughter started having one too.
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Oct 8th
2009
4:08 pm
Shana Said:
Christmas! Wow! I can’t believe it’s getting so close now. It’s still feels like July here in Texas. I like reading Christmas stories to get me in the holiday mood. I’ll have to check out A Cowboy Christmas.
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Oct 8th
2009
6:46 pm
Janette Kenny Said:
Oh, thanks, Joan! I love cowboys too.
I was very pleased with the cover too, Crystal. I remember reading and liking Lori’s book!
Kirsten, that is a fabulous Christmas memory and thanks so much for sharing it! My mom was the best baker, and to this day I feel my baked goods are a tad less than hers, but I keep trying! They taste good. Looks? Not so much.
Robyn I read that novella and loved it as I did all of Paisley’s works. If you find out the title, let me know because I’d love to read that one again.
Aw, eap, thanks so much! That book will always be the one from my heart. The third novel I wrote.
Thanks, Margo! Gotta love those loner boyes.
Cheryl, you are the first person to remember (or admit ro remembering) Reid from One Real Man! Wow! I’m glad that little bit he was in that story intrigued you about him.
I love me some westerns, too, Quilt Lady. Email me that title when you come across it.
Hi Serenissima! It’s always good to meet a reader of western historicals. Sometimes I think we’re a dying breed.
Thanks, Susan. I was very pleased with the cover art.
Pat, you are so right. Romance novels (regardless of the genre) reenforce the fathomless bond between lovers. A Christmas story just seems to tie it up in a bigger brighter bow. Maybe it’s our own expectations that come into play?
Nancy, I always put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving. (I’ve been known to put it up Turkey Eve.
) And baking? I could bake the house down just for the fun of it. Love to cook and I never have the time. Enjoy your baking with your daughter. I hold fond memories of doing just that with my mom.
That is awesome, catslady! Traditions don’t have to be grounded in history. We can make them what we want them. Kudos to you!
Shana, you had an excellent reason to lose track of time. Baby brain? We laugh about it at work, but the simple fact is time flies. I can’t believe the Christmas season is here and my book is on the shelves!
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Oct 8th
2009
7:29 pm
Keena Kincaid Said:
Hi, Jan. Congrats on the book. Like everyone else here, I love the cover, too. I don’t have a favorite Christmas book, but I do have a favorite Christmas movie–although it’s odd. It’s the Lion in Winter with Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn.
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Oct 8th
2009
7:29 pm
Keena Kincaid Said:
Hi, Jan. Congrats on the book. Like everyone else here, I love the cover, too. I don’t have a favorite Christmas book, but I do have a favorite Christmas movie–although it’s odd. It’s the Lion in Winter with Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn.
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Oct 8th
2009
7:30 pm
Lyoness2009 Said:
My birthday is actually on Christmas Eve…so I have to say my favorite holiday tradition is eating birthday cake on my b-day.
We also open presents then as well.
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Oct 8th
2009
7:37 pm
Janette Kenny Said:
Keena, Lion in Winter was a wonderful movie! Of course I love both actors but the story was a special one. And thanks!
Wow, Lyoness2009, I’ve know people who were Christmas Eve or day babies, but you seem to have the best attitude about it. I could do birthday cake on Christmas Eve as long as there is ice cream. Well, really, I could do birthday cake ‘n cream anytime.
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Oct 8th
2009
8:04 pm
Gail Said:
I am looking forward to reading your new release, Janette. I am one of those who “hurries to get the house all decorated” the day after Thanksgiving, so I can have a good 30 days or more to just relax and enjoy the decorations, the goodies, and the season. I love anthologies that come out at Christmas with a holiday theme. Those shorter romance stories seem to work best during the holidays because they are quicker, shorter reads between all the festivities.
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Oct 8th
2009
8:32 pm
Janette Kenny Said:
Gail, I do the same thing every year busting it to get the house decorated inside and out. I gripe and moan, but after it’s up and the decorations twinkling, I’m always glad I made the effort. I tend to pick a thicker book this time of year to savor, only because I feel I can steal more time.
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Oct 9th
2009
12:27 am
Mitzi Hinkey Said:
I love the Christmas season. Every year we host a large sit down prime rib dinner for our best friends. It’s the only time I really go all out decorating the tables with lots of candles and the fancy linens/plates/silverware etc. And with all the left-overs, I don’t have to worry about cooking on Christmas Day and can just kick back and relax and enjoy the family. Another family tradition is to make my great grandmothers cinnamon rolls. Yummy!!! I don’t have a favorite Christmas Romance Novel…usually spend the evenings reading children’s Christmas stories to the grandkids….But I just purchased Hot For The Holidays and am looking forward to those hot Christmas novellas.
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Oct 9th
2009
2:34 am
Mary M Said:
I love Debbie Macomber’s Christmas books. None of her characters take a blessed Christmas for granted…it’s always a journey.
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Oct 9th
2009
6:32 am
Janette Kenny Said:
Mitzi, your Christmas Eve meal sounds scruptuous! Cinnamon rolls? Love ‘em!
Macomber is known for her heartwarming romances, Mary. I’ll have to read one of her Christmas novels.
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Oct 9th
2009
8:27 am
Anne Carrole Said:
Jan–I’m just reading your book now and Ellie is decorating the house–it’s putting me right in the Christmas spirit–as well as the romantic one! I love decorating the house for Christmas and totally look forward to Christmas dinner at my sister-in-law’s with all the family.
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Oct 9th
2009
6:32 pm
Janette Kenny Said:
Anne, thanks so much for dropping by! And wow, I’m so glad to hear that Ellie Jo is putting you in the “mood.”
I could easily overdecorate. Well, probably do, lol.
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Oct 10th
2009
8:45 am
Rainy Said:
This is a late post but I’ve been out of town. Anyway, my most cherished holiday tradition was picking out the Christmas tree with my father, sister, and brothers. My father worked long hours so it wasn’t too many things we did with just him. Christmastime just brings a magical feeling to any event and watching him haggling over prices and bringing home that tree, later having hot chocolate at home…it was a wonderful life!
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