Merry Christmas, Everyone! Thank you, Tarah, for inviting me to spend this eve with you all. I’m Laurel O’Donnell and I write bestselling, award winning medieval romances. Today, I would like to share my views about Christmas magic.
Christmas is the most magical time of year. It is filled with expectation, hope and joy. Children are filled with wide-eyed wonder. But as we grow up, each year the magic is diminished by our obligations. By stress. Cleaning the house for family. Cooking for friends. Buying each other that perfect gift. These somehow have replaced the magic of childhood.
There really is a magical quality about Christmas for children. When I was five years old, I remember sitting in front of the large glass window in our front room, staring at night sky, searching for Santa’s sleigh. The Christmas tree was decorated with lights and ornaments. Frank Sinatra was singing in the background while my Mom cooked the turkey in the kitchen and my brother and sisters played downstairs. All that was important to me was finding Santa’s sleigh. Just before dinner was ready, I spotted a red light high in the sky. It could only be one thing. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’s nose as he lead Santa’s sleigh! I called to my family in excitement and pointed out the red light. I truly believed it was Rudolph’s nose. This was proof that Santa was real in my childhood mind. After all, I had seen Rudolph’s nose with my own eyes!
Years later, when my mother and father told me the truth, they explained that the red light must have been an airplane. I was devastated. The magic was gone for me. But for a small moment in time, I believed. I had experienced the magic.
As an adult, I look back at that moment and some part of me still wants to believe the red flashing light was Rudolph’s nose leading a sleigh with a jolly man in it. I believe there’s still magic at Christmas. And you find it in the most unexpected spots. Someone with a cart full of groceries lets you go first in line. The simple joy of giving a gift to Toys For Tots. Relaxing and watching the lights twinkle on the Christmas Tree with someone you love.
As a gift to you this Christmas season, I’d like to give away a copy of my medieval romance novella, Mistletoe Magic, to one lucky commenter.
Here’s a little about Mistletoe Magic –
A confident knight arrives home to find his childhood friend grown into much more than he remembered. The lady of the castle keeps a dangerous secret that threatens all she holds dear. Will Mistletoe Magic save them?
And here’s an excerpt from Mistletoe Magic –
He stared at her. She most certainly was taking this seriously. Then, something caught his gaze. “Were you in the stables?”
“What?”
He reached toward her and she lifted her chin. He fumbled in a lock of her dark hair before pulling a piece of straw from it. He displayed it between them, twirling it in his fingers. “A tryst in the stables, love?”
The shock in her eyes vanished, replaced by furrowed brows and anger. She shoved him away from her. “That is what you would think!”
He grabbed her hand, pinning it to his chest plate and pulled her close. “And here I thought we were the only ones to share a kiss.”
“You arrogant –“ She fought against him, pushing at his chest to free herself.
“Jaclyn,” he whispered in a soft voice. “Let me help you. Stop fighting me.”
Startled, Jaclyn stilled and lifted her gaze to his.
Lord, she was breathtaking. Those large blue eyes. Her delicate nose. Her soft skin. He lifted a hand to brush an errant strand of dark hair from her chin. He trailed his fingers across her cheek to her ear and down to the nape of her neck. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “For ever hurting you.”
Her surprise gave way to a gentle scowl. “You never hurt me.”
“Don’t,” he snapped. “I know you. You’ve been angry with me since I arrived.”
She shook her head and dipped her gaze so he could not see her eyes. “No,” she insisted. But her tone lacked conviction.
“Jacie,” he whispered, trying to coax her to look up. When she did, he was startled to see tears glimmering in her eyes.
“I needed you, Alexander. There were times when I could have played the games with you. Times when I wanted to play with you.” She sniffled and blinked. “But I can’t. Not anymore.”
Stunned, he could only stare at the pain in her liquid eyes. “I would have come if you sent for me.”
She grinned sadly. “Then I would have lost.”
He scowled.
She stepped back from him.
He reached for her instinctively, but then lowered his arms.
“I’ve outgrown the games, Alexander. I don’t play them anymore.”
Alexander stood, stunned. Shaken. Had he lost her? When he had never really had her? He opened his mouth and then closed it.
Jaclyn turned to continue down the hallway.
He straightened, watching her. No. He would win the joust. She was wrong. It was still a game. It was all a game. And he planned to win this time. He planned to win it all.
I still search for that magic each Christmas season. I hope I can bring joy to my readers through my stories. Please check out my website – www.laurel-odonnell.com – for more of my medieval novels.
I hope each of you have a very Merry Christmas! May you find magic this season!
Laurel
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