Host, Tarah Scott
Anyone who reads erotic romance knows and loves Desiree Holt. Desiree really knows how to turn a love scene every which way—but loose! (You know exactly what I mean if you’d read her Cowboy Kink!) There’s a little something for everyone who likes sugar and spice and everything nice, and sometimes not so nice. No one goes to bed unsatisfied after reading a Desiree Holt romance. Break out the ice tea, ladies. You're going to need it. Here's Desiree….
First, a commercial!
Decadent Publishing is offering a three-month subscription – one free ebook a month for three months to one lucky winner. I’m offering two other prizes: an ebook of choice from my backlist and a set of Christmas ornaments. So be sure to comment–and leave your email addy.
One of my favorite things on the Santa Watch is to follow the people who are really watching for Santa. I mean, NORAD, the North American Air Defense, the bi-national U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for the aerospace and maritime defense of the United States and Canada.
The tradition began in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement for children to call Santa misprinted the telephone number. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief’s operations "hotline." The Director of Operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.
Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteered their time to personally respond to phone calls and emails from children all around the world. In addition, we now track Santa using the Internet. Millions of people who want to know Santa’s whereabouts now visit the NORAD Tracks Santa website. And finally, media from all over the world rely on NORAD as a trusted source to provide updates on Santa’s journey.
NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa cams and fighter jets.
Tracking Santa starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system consists of 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. On December 24th, NORAD monitors the radar systems continuously for indications that Santa Claus has left the North Pole. Once data is collected, it is then pushed into the Google Maps and Google Earth so that families all over the world can also follow Santa.
Just go to Google Earth and type Track Santa in the search box. Go on. It’s fun!
And while you’re tracking Santa, have a cup of egg nog with rum liberally added and read about a great Christmas romance in HE CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR. One of the stories in MADAME EVE’S 1 NIGHT STAND CHRISTMAS ANTHOLOGY from Decadent Publishing. Available from all your online bookstore as well as www.decadentpublishing.com
Blurb:
Cody Alvarez needed to find a wife by Christmas or he would lose the ranch his uncle left to him. Libby Morris just needed, for once in her life, to feel desired. Sensual. Appealing. Especially after an intense reshaping at a high-end spa. Invited to Christmas Week at the Castillo Lodge in Alaska by Madame Eve of 1Night Stand, Cody and Libby were not given the names of the partners chosen for them. As they were forced to wait until they learned who their one-night stands were, they discovered an incredible spark of chemistry and a connection stronger than either had experienced before. Would spending a very erotic night together ruin their arrangements or give them another option?
Excerpt:
“I’m not very good at this,” she said slowly.
He squeezed her hand gently. “At eating dinner?”
She shook her head, still not looking at him. “At…small talk. Dating. Things like this.” Her cheeks felt so hot she thought they must match her lipstick.
“Libby?” Cody’s voice barely penetrated the fog of embarrassment. And he still had hold of her hand. “Libby, look at me.”
Reluctantly she raised her eyes.
“I’m going to order us each another drink and then I’d be interested to find out why someone as beautiful and sexy as you has trouble in a social situation like this. Surely you must be beating the men off with a stick.”
She made herself breath evenly. She might as well tell him. They’d never see each other again and maybe he could give her some moral support. Besides, he made her feel comfortable, something her assigned date night not do.
The waiter cleared their dessert dishes, brought another glass of wine for her and bourbon on the rocks for Cody. He touched his glass to hers.
“To us. Two people enjoying a nice dinner.”
She laughed at that and swallowed some wine.
“Now. Let’s have it. What’s got you skittish as a newborn calf?”
“You’ll laugh at me.”
He smiled. “Darlin’, the last thing I’ll do is laugh. I promise.”
She took another gulp of wine. “Well, they say it’s easier to tell things to a stranger.”
“Oh, but we’re not strangers,” he protested. “Are we? We spent all that time on the plane together, right? But Libby? It’s still all right to talk to me. Tell me.”
She drained her wine glass and held it out. “C-Could I have another drink? Please?”
Cody laughed. “Yes, but then I’m cutting you off. I don’t want anyone to accuse me of getting you drunk and taking advantage of you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “I…You…”
He signaled for the waiter then picked up her hand again. She wished he’d never drop it. It felt so good and secure.
“Breathe,” he teased gently. “It’s okay. Just relax. If you don’t want to say anything you don’t have to. Really.”
“I’ve been fat and frumpy and boring all my life,” she blurted out then wished she could dive under the table. When he didn’t say anything she made herself look up and saw him staring at her. “What?”
He cleared his throat. “Libby. I have to say that those are three words I would never associate with you.”
The waiter brought their drinks and she paused long enough to sip some of hers. “That’s because you didn’t know me. Even now I have a long ways to go.”
“For what?” He sounded astonished.
“For, you know. To look like everyone else.”
“Why the hell would you want that? You’re perfect the way you are.”
She snorted. “Oh, sure. That’s nice of you to say but you don’t have to be polite. I just spent two months at a spa to get to this point.” He hadn’t stopped staring at her. “That’s why I booked this thing through 1 Night Stand. A woman at the spa told me about them.” Her face heated again. “I wanted an exciting, erotic night like my girl friends talk about. An adventure. You know. Hot sex.”
Oh, god, maybe the floor would just open up and swallow her.
Cody downed his bourbon in two swallows and signaled the waiter for the check.
“Finish your wine. We’re getting out of here.”
Find me at www.desireeholt.com www.desireehot.som, @desireeholt on Twitter and /desireeholt on Facebook.
I downloaded the app on my Droid and have been following along. Did not find Norad until a couple of years ago. Would have been fun to follow as a child. Right now it says Santa is at the Great Wall of China.
linze_e at hotmail.com
Desiree,
Your books sound like they could heat up a cold winters night *winks*
brbalways(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for a great excerpt. Merry Christmas!
I can understand how Libby feels–I spent most of high school trying to look like 'everyone else'. Now I have a new book to go buy….
Desiree – This is Smokin!!!
Love Norad – my kids have followed Santa every year since they were little.
Wow "He came upon a midnight clear" sounds so good. Merry Christmas! My grandson (4 yr old) and I are currently watching for Santa, we just got heads up he will be at my house (grandma's) at 7p.m. tonite – LOL
Ronda Tutt
mrsqueentutt@yahoo.com
Your blog is awesome! I love following Santa! Have done it every where, next year it's going to be SUPER exciting our bundle of joy makes his way next year!
somagardawski@gmail.com
Now Tarah, you know the words "iced tea" gets my attention! LOL. I've never read a Desiree Holt novel, and after reading the excerpt, all I have to say is shame on me! This is at the top of my to do list!
Oh yes! You have been missing out, Zee.
Sorry, got so excited about the exceprt that I forgot my email: firepageseditor@yahoo.com
ROFL!!
Okah, okay, here I am! Waving hi! to everyone. I hopew you all will love Cody and Libby's story. Of course you know I have an abasessive hankering for cowboys.
That’s the sort of hankering to have, Desiree. Great to see you!
I found out about the Santa Track about fifteen years agao but it wasn't nearly as sophisticated then as it is now. I understand that they hold a contes for kids to enter and one child is chosen to spend Christmas Eve at NORAD with the men running the program.
Wow! I didn’t know that. That must be the trip of a lifetime for some lucky kid.
Zee, you made me smile. And chuckle, too!
He Came Upon a Midnight Clear sounds yummy. Need to add this to my TBP (to be purchased) list 😉 And now, off to pour a glass of eggnog. Is it too late to add a bit of rum?? The sun has to be over the yardarm somewhere in the world. Ho ho ho. I hear Santa saying that would make me a very good girl and for me to leave him some, too.
It’s never too late to add a bit of rum, Judi. I knew Santa loved a little somethin’, somethin’ in his cocoa.
I love Desirees' books. Very hot and steamy, perfect for those cold wintery nights. I hope they put the anthology in ebook format soon, instead of just paperback! The 1NS series have some great reads also, haven't had a bad one yet.
Merry Christmas! He Came Upon a Midnight Clear is one of my faves this Christmas
LOVED the excerpt! We'll be tracking Santa tonight with the grandkids as they fight sleep to try and stay awake to catch him in the act of leaving his gifts. Of course….you know they'll never make it, but they gotta try! Merry Christmas!
barbbattaglia@yahoo.com
Hi! Merry Christmas! Your book sounds so good! Definitely another winner! 😉 Thanks for sharing and teasing us. ;P Happy holidays!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Happy holidays to y'all, too.
Love it, Desiree! You're incredible–it's true that every Desiree story satisfies! I've got lots on my shelf 🙂 Thanks for tracking Santa with us, Desiree!
f dot chen at comcast dot net
Just a remindcer to give yourself a Christmas treat wigth my hot Christmas story, HE CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR, from Decadent Publishing. Also find it at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Merry Christmas!
Loves like Santa is on his way to the Andaman Islands now, whereever they may be!
ROFL. Where is that?
So I go on to Barnes & Noble to download the book and see that I missed reading Stark Naked as well. So leaving this comment and I am off to go catch up on my reading…
My daughter downloaded the Norad app to my Ipad to track Santa a few days ago. I did not know the history of it though. Thank you for sharing that.
Happy Holidays
Thanks for the reminder, Desiree!
f dot chen at comcast dot net
I love how Santa Watch came about and applaud the government for getting in the holiday spirit. I LOVE the 1NS series and will hopefully get to read more of them. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
Love the 1 Night Stand stories. This sounds like a winner. Put it on my TBR pile.
e.balinski(at)att(dot)net
I have been following Santa for years with Norad, and although my kids are now 15 and 18, I still put track him with it during the day. My kids laugh at me, but I think they're still secretly thrilled as they pop over often to see where he is.
Thanks for the great blurb, have a very Merry Christmas!
Desiree writes great novels and short stories. I loved her 1NS short. She sure does know her cowboys!! I need to head on out at get Stark Naked.
When the boys were younger they watched NORAD a few times, I need to check out the new version. Thanks for sharing.
tsteinerid(gmail)
Definitely love your books Desiree and gotta love out NORAD tracking Santa as weok.
laineslite@gmail dot com
I watched for Santa last year… I have not looked up NORAD yet today.
In LA we would listen to radio updates on Santa on KMPC with Gary Owens and Dick Whittinghill and the late night guy whose last name was Carrol. They ended up with a personal interview as he landed at the airport. It was really funny and we had to keep turning on the radio and listen. Need to order this new book.
thordirkpoi@gmail.com
never knew about NORAD's santa watch when I was a kid, think it's wonderful that they were kind enough to do that all those years ago rather than just "blowing off" the kids and started such a cool tradition. the google earth item you mentioned is pretty cool. will have to keep an eye on it to make sure I'm in bed when he gets near him so he drop off any goodies 😉
Following along on NORAD is new for me this Christmas and so much fun. Thanks Desiree, wishing you a very special holiday.
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
I will probably checkk out the Santa Tracker a few times today, but not too often (I don't have children myself). I did make sure to add the link to Facebook for friends & family.
Happy holidays
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Isn’t modern technology great, June?
Desiree is an awesome author and I love her writing. She also has the name I was going to give my little girl, if I'd eve had one! Merry Christmas.
Sorry forgot my address: tiss81@hotmail.com
Goes to show you there's still people out there willing to give of themselves. Kudos to those people that volunteer for the sake of Santa.
Desiree, always glad to have another of your books to include on my Amazon or ARe wish list. 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Would love to win ! Hope Santa brings you lots of goodie!
Wonderful post about Santa and NORAD. I learned a lot. 🙂
Great excerpt. Desiree is a new author for me and would love to win and read her books. Have heard many great things about them and would love a chance to check them out. Thanks for the chance to win. I love to read and always looking for new books and authors to check out. Thanks for the chance to win.
christinebails@yahoo.com
Merry Christmas, Desiree.
janie1215 AT excite DOT com
Desire has another hot hit on her hands. She does have a way of writing some great books. I can kind of relate to Libby. I have a weight problem, you know the terrible gene. My dad's side of the family have bodies like model's or actors. My mom's side of the family all very healthy people. My sister's took after my dad and myself after mom's side.
It sucks because when men ask you out they just only want you for a one night stand. I've pretty much given up on the whole marriage thing. If it aint happen by now not going to. So I get my HEA through my wonderful books. I'm just glad there's great writers out here in the world.
Merry Christmas,
Teresa K.
tcwgrlup41(at)yahoo.com
I need the rum to get through all the wrapping!! LOL!! I think that NORAD is awesome. My daughter is having a blast!!
viajeradelmar@aol.com
I love your books Desiree and enjoyed hanging out here tonight. Merry Christmas. christina_92 at yahoo.com
I want to Know what happens after he pays the check— Congrats onthe new book and Happy Christmas
audie(at)wickerness(dot)com