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| Jacquie Rogers, author |
Christmas stories always put me in the mood for three things—romance, magic, and fun. Every year, I gobble up all the Christmas anthologies and novels I can find, and hey, sometimes the mood strikes me mid-summer when the heat soars and we’re all longing for some snow.
Family and friends are so important this time of year, and also we get a little nostalgic. In that tradition, quite a few of my family members are characters in the book, and 1956 was such a great year—Elvis, a Nash Metropolitan, Bing Crosby’s Christmas carols, drive-in restaurants. How cool is that? Or should I say neato!
Baseball. My first heart’s desire was to become a baseball announcer on television. I loved listening to the announcers almost as much as I loved the game. But, well, there’s no baseball at Christmas in Idaho.
So there you have my five favorite things—family, romance, magic, fun, and baseball. And that’s what Faery Merry Christmas is all about. What if faeries could come to Terra Humanus and compete with humans in professional sports? What rules would they have to obey?
But more importantly, what happens to the faery girl he leaves behind? She can use magic on Terra Humanus but he cannot. He’s having a lot of fun and she’s facing a disaster, he pitches for the Shoreline Sharks Baseball Club and she’s supposed to take over the Santa Claus detail in Faeryshire. And it all adds up to some faery hot romance!
New York Times Bestselling Author Stella Cameron said about Faery Merry Christmas, “What faery fun! A winsome sprite's barely still-ticking time clock. Mayhem in the land of Claus. And the man who could wave just the right magic wand obsessed with baseball. A Christmas story to cuddle up with--and keep you really warm."
Here’s what Faery Merry Christmas is all about:
Romance has gone awry in Faeryshire.
Who would’ve thought Mr. and Mrs. Claus’s daughter would be “on the shelf”? Yep, Cheshya’s all a’flutter because her 2,000th birthday, the last day she’s eligible to take a mate, is on Christmas, only four days away, but Liam of the Red Clan, the only man she has ever wanted is otherwise occupied . . .
Terra Humanus in 1956: carhops on roller skates, the submarine races, a pink Nash Metropolitan, Lucky Strikes, Little Richard, and the Shoreline Sharks Baseball Club starring ace pitcher Liam Stone.
For the past five years, Liam of the Red Clan has lived in Terra Humanus, pitching for the Shoreline Sharks and obsessed with signing as a major league pitcher with the Cincinnati Reds. The faery queen sends Cheshya to help him achieve his goal, but in signing with the Reds, will he lose out on his true heart’s desire?
What will it take to make a Faery Merry Christmas?
Faery Merry Christmas by Jacquie Rogers
Copyright © 2009 Jacquie Rogers
Faeryshire, in the Human Year 1956
'Twas December twenty-first, the day of Yule. Nearly every faery in the realm attended the ceremony.
I, Cheshya of the Brown Clan, ascended to the High Temple one flight at a time with my best posture, holding the wedding bouquet of posies and butterflies, my shimmering silver gown flowing behind me. Morkito and other pixies flew around the hem and kept it from snagging anything. My goal was to land gently in front of the altar without falling flat on my face in front of all my friends and my new mate.
For this was my wedding day.
Queen Merci sat on her throne above and behind the altar. Princess Kaylee, my best friend, stood beside her. Sweet tunes twinkled and fluttered through the High Temple on the glittering faery dust, caressing the most hardened of souls. I let it flow around me and through me, the joy of song lifting my spirit. Anxiety had been my constant companion for the last week while I stewed over the course of my future.
At last, I glided to the altar, quite gracefully, in fact. If it weren’t for my uncertain future, I could’ve relaxed, but as it was, I had no idea who Kaylee had chosen for me to be my husband.
The queen held her wand and scepter, the latter shooting sparks every few seconds. She raised an eyebrow at Kaylee. Kaylee shrugged and glanced around, her palms up.
"You may approach, Cheshya," Queen Merci said to me. I knelt in front of Her Highness. "Your groom is not present."
She sounded apologetic and even sad. I had to admit that while being jilted in front of five thousand of my closest friends and relatives wasn’t my idea of a thrill, neither was I enthusiastic over marrying a man I neither knew nor loved. But then, it was all my fault. My courting time was nearly gone so a groom had been picked for me, supposedly to best benefit all of Faeryshire.
Yes, I did love a man with all my heart, but he didn’t love me. I guess I have to say that being jilted was somewhat of a relief because I couldn’t imagine taking a partner for life (and faeries live a very long time) knowing I’d never connect with my true soul mate.
Faery Merry Christmas is available at Amazon (Kindle & Print), and Smashwords.
Enter to win a free copy of Faery Merry Christmas by commenting on this article. Your comment also enters you in the drawing for the RTW Christmas Book Party Grand Prize, announced on Sunday's Chicken Dinner post. Be sure to include your email address with your comment or we'll have to draw another winner, and you'll be excluded from the Grand Prize drawing. Thanks!
Enter to win a free copy of Faery Merry Christmas by commenting on this article. Your comment also enters you in the drawing for the RTW Christmas Book Party Grand Prize, announced on Sunday's Chicken Dinner post. Be sure to include your email address with your comment or we'll have to draw another winner, and you'll be excluded from the Grand Prize drawing. Thanks!
Happy Holiday Reading!
Prizes All Week!
You can still win the RTW Christmas Book Party Grand Prize!
Comment on all six blog entries for six chances to win.
Drawing will be held Nov. 26 at 11:59pm Pacific Time
and announced on Sunday's RTW Chicken Dinner.
Tuesday: Gifts from the Afterlife by Sara J. McNeal
Wednesday: A Dream to Share by Markee Anderson
Thursday: Feliz Navidad by Kit Prate
Friday: A Night of Miracles by Cheryl Pierson
Saturday: Faery Merry Christmas by Jacquie Rogers
Sunday: Chicken Dinner! Yes, one commenter this week (any post) will win a book from each author--that's SIX Christmas books--AND a $10 Amazon gift certificate
Love Christmas stories?
Jackie, I bought this book and can't wait to read it. I'm forcing myself to wait until December, though, to read my Christmas stories.
ReplyDeleteChristmas stories are the very best, even off-season :)
ReplyDeletebossu49ataoldotcom
I read Christmas stories all year round because they evoke such warmth and holiday cheer. It's even sweeter during the holidays :(
ReplyDeleteCambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
Caroline, thanks! I have some Christmas stories waiting to be read, too.
ReplyDeleteEva, there's nothing like reading a Christmas story in July. LOL. I actually do that, just because it reminds me of the season change.
ReplyDeleteNa, and there's a special kind of love that we really should remember year around. Plus, Christmas is just plain fun. :)
ReplyDeleteI love reading christmas stories to get me in the holiday mood
ReplyDeletemeandi09@Yahoo.com
I love Christmas stories, too. Been reading them since October. I've never mastered writing one, though I'd love to.
ReplyDeleteI love reading christmas romance stories.
ReplyDeleteklmc_37@yahoo.com
Very cool story! Congratulations!
ReplyDelete