I am so happy to host Debbie Mason today to celebrate the release of the third book in her Christmas, Colorado series, IT HAPPENED AT CHRISTMAS. I adore this series and have fallen more deeply under the spell of this cozy, mountain town and it's quirky inhabitants with each book published.
You can connect with Debbie online at Facebook and Twitter and discover more information about her and her books at her website. If you enjoy Scottish historicals with a touch of faery magic, be sure to also check out her books written as Debbie Mazzuca.
Please join me in giving Debbie a warm welcome!
Hi Debbie! Welcome back to The Romance Dish. It’s always a pleasure to host you here. Congratulations on the release of IT HAPPENED
AT CHRISTMAS, the newest book in your Christmas, Colorado series. Please tell our readers what they can expect
from this book.
Hi, PJ! It's great to be back for a visit with you and your
readers! IT HAPPENED AT CHRISTMAS is the third book in the Christmas, Colorado
series and features environmental activist Skylar Davis and Republican
senatorial candidate Ethan O'Connor. Readers
can expect some holiday fun, some laughs,
a little drama, a little spice, and plenty of romance as they follow
Skye and Ethan on their journey to a happy ever after. Their ride's a bumpy
one, but characters from previous books are there to smooth things over--sometimes.
At other times they make matters worse. For readers who are new to the series,
don't worry, you won't have a problem following along as the book is written to
stand alone.
Skylar and Ethan
could be poster children for attraction of opposites. With such opposing viewpoints, what was it
about these two that convinced you they had a chance at a happy ending?
Ha! They sure could be, PJ. And while physically their attraction to each
other is off the charts, their political views are so far apart that even
Nell McBride, Christmas's resident
matchmaker, gave up on them. And that's saying something! But as the story
progresses, you'll see they're a lot alike. They both come from wealthy,
political families and want to make a difference in the world. They're caring,
kind, compassionate people who once circumstances force them together come to
respect one another. Skye helps the more serious Ethan to lighten up and have
fun while Ethan settles the free-spirited Skye with his steadiness and
strength. They complete one another.
One of the things I
most enjoy about these books is the sense of community within the story and the
richly developed supporting cast.
Speaking of supporting cast, what’s next for our Christmas, Colorado
friends? Are Vivi and Chance headed for
a shot at a happy ending?
Yes, they are, PJ! I can't wait for Chance and Vivi's book,
WEDDING BELLS IN CHRISTMAS, to come out next May. Nell has been trying to get
these two together since book one in the series. There's a sneak peek at their
story at the end of IT HAPPENED AT CHRISTMAS, and here's a sneak peek of their
cover. I love all my covers, but this is one of my favorites.
There are so many
wonderful scenes in IT HAPPENED AT CHRISTMAS. Some had me reaching for tissues
to wipe away tears while others elicited rip-roaring laughter. Without giving away spoilers, what’s the one
scene that you’d never cut from this book?
Doing a little happy dance that you laughed and cried while
reading the book, PJ:) Honestly, it's hard to think of any scene I'd cut, but
I'll go with the one that first came to mind. I call it the Magic Mike scene:)
It's sexy and cute, and the moment Skye
realizes Ethan might not be the uptight, straitlaced conservative she thought
him to be. From that scene on their relationship changes.
One of my favorite
scenes from this book is the Thanksgiving dinner with so much going on both
above and below the surface. If you
could host a dinner with any ten people – living, dead or fictional – who would
be on the guest list?
So glad you enjoyed the Thanksgiving scene, PJ! It's one of
my favorites, too. Over the last five years we've lost several members of our
family, and I'd love to have them all with us for one last dinner. Especially
my dad. I miss him every day, but I miss him even more during the holidays.
Most of us have
stacks of books waiting to be read. When
you’re not busy writing your own stories, what types of books do you enjoy
reading?
I can't have stacks of books waiting to be read. I'm a
book-a-holic. If there's an unread book in the house, it calls to me until I
pick it up. I read anything and everything. The moment I sent off WEDDING BELLS
IN CHRISTMAS to my editor, I took a few days off to read WRITTEN IN MY OWN
HEART'S BLOOD by Diana Gabaldon, THE BOOK OF LIFE by Deborah Harkness, and ONE
PLUS ONE by JoJo Moyes. Three fabulous books by three amazing authors. At the
end of the month, I'll be sending the next book off to my editor and will be
indulging in another read-a-thon. This time the latest from Jill Shalvis,
Kristen Higgins, Kristen Ashley, Chloe Neill, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Rachel
Gibson, and JD Robb, are on my to-buy list.
I may need to stretch those few days off to a week or more:)
In my family,
Thanksgiving means turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and football. Canada’s Thanksgiving is next week. What traditions for this holiday do you
follow in your family?
Food is a big part of our Thanksgiving celebration too, PJ. And
because of when the holiday falls here, one of our favorite traditions is to go
on a family walk and enjoy the gorgeous fall colors. When our children were
little, we'd take them to the pumpkin patch. Now it's a walk in Gatineau Park. Only
our walks don't always turn out to be
the Hallmark moment we envisioned. Last year it was my mother who was the
problem. Not ten minutes into our walk, she asked how much further, this
continued every five feet or so. Until finally my brother and I pointed out
that my nephews weren't complaining, and they were nine and seven at the time.
That didn't go over well and the squabbling began. A man driving by in his car
rolled down his window and said with a grin, "Are you having fun
yet?" Guess who's not going on the
walk this year;)
What’s next for
Debbie Mason?
Book five in the series, SNOWBOUND AT CHRISTMAS, is due at
the end of the month and releases September 2015. Then it's on to A MATCH MADE
IN CHRISTMAS, which comes out in March 2016.
Thank you for
visiting with us today, Debbie. Would
you like to ask our readers a question?
Thank you so much for having me, PJ! I'd love to hear what your
readers favorite traditions are for the holidays.
Okay, readers! Let's hear about your favorite holiday traditions. Debbie is graciously giving one randomly chosen person leaving a comment a prize package consisting of signed copies of THE TROUBLE WITH CHRISTMAS and CHRISTMAS IN JULY as well as a Christmas ornament. (U.S./Canada only)
