A festive chat with Melissa McClone

Hi Melissa! What do you love about Christmas?
There's so much to love about Christmas from the sparkly decorations to the reason we celebrate, but one thing that stands out to me is the joy of the season. People seem happier with smiles on their faces, friendlier and more generous to those around them, including strangers.

What's your favourite book for this time of year?
My favorite is The Donkey's Dream by Barbara Helen Berger. It's a children's picture book with the incredible illustrations and tells the Nativity story from the point of view of the donkey who carried a pregnant Mary. My children love it, too.

Can you tell us about your new Christmas book?

Home for Christmas is a 40K word novella featuring a baker from Arizona and a cowboy from Montana. Rachel Murphy enjoys creating edible gingerbread houses, but she needs a bigger kitchen if she wants to make the most of her impromptu holiday business. Enter Nate Vaughn, handsome venture capitalist turned dude ranch owner and her brother's boss. Nate's commercial workspace is perfect for baking. He thinks she might be perfect for him…as a business partner. But, after being burned by a celebrity cook, who stole Rachel's recipes and business plan, she's wary of Nate's interest in her gingerbread and his tasty mistletoe kisses. Mixing business with anything else could be a recipe for disaster. Should she leave the Bar V5 ranch and return to the deserts of Arizona? Or can Nate convince her that, here with him in the mountains of Montana, she's already home?

Why did you decide to write about Christmas?
A friend, Katherine Garbera, was writing a novella for Montana Born's Copper Mountain Christmas anthology. She and Jane Porter were looking to add a third author, and Katherine suggested me. I was thrilled to be included since I love writing Christmas stories.

If your book was made into a film, who would you cast?
Jensen Ackles as Nate Vaughn, a venture capitalist turned dude ranch owner, and Emilie de Ravin as Rachel Murphy, a baker.

Ooooh Jensen Ackles? Nice!

What's your favourite Christmas movie?
This is such a hard question for me to answer. I don't watch much television (no time) but after Thanksgiving I usually watch a Christmas movie a night, both new and old ones! I always loved Holiday Inn, but my new favorite is The Christmas Card, about a woman who sends a card to a deployed soldier. When he's forced to take leave, he goes to the woman's small town and the two meet and well, it's a sweet, romantic Christmas movie that I can watch over and over again. And have!

What's your favourite Christmas song?
My favorite Christmas carol is We Three Kings. But if you mean a newer song I'd say Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas.

What's your typical Christmas day?
This is our Christmas day every year. The kids wake up first. They peek downstairs to see if Santa came, then wake us up. While they get their stockings, my husband puts a pot of spiced apple cider on the stove and I put on Christmas carols. The kids open their stocking while our cats and dogs play with the wrapping paper on the floor. If we didn't go to Mass on Christmas Eve, we'll go to the first one of the morning, but the kids will get back into their jammies as soon as we get home! After stockings, we have breakfast. Then it's time to open presents. This takes a very long time since the kids will want to play with things before opening more. Lunch is usually bratwurst, then playing games or whatever else Santa brings them. We have a big dinner usually smoked prime rib and salmon with chocolate fondue and a Happy Birthday Jesus ice cream cake for dessert.
Oooh that sounds wonderful, Melissa!

Speed Round...
Favourite Christmas tipple? Spiced Apple Cider
Holly or mistletoe? Mistletoe
Snow or sunny? Snow
Savvy shopper or last minute huntress? Savvy shopper
Christmas style: Bridget Jones or Audrey Hepburn? Audrey Hepburn

Melissa McClone has published over twenty-five novels with Harlequin and been nominated for Romance Writers of America's RITA award. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds and cats who think they rule the house.
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Come and say hi to chick lit author Cally Taylor

The stunning chick lit author Cally Taylor has stopped by for a chat today...

When did you first start reading Chick Lit?

I think it was about 1996. That was when Bridget Jones' Diary came out and I read it as soon as it was published.

When did you first start writing Chick Lit?
In 2007 when I wrote the first draft of 'Heaven Can Wait'.

What is it about this genre that appeals to you the most? Do you read other genres? If so, which?
I love the fact that chick lit can be fun and frivolous but it can also explore deeper themes. You can be laughing your head off one minute and sobbing your heart out the next.
I read in a lot of genres - chick lit, literary, sci fi, crime. There aren't many genres I haven't read at least once!

Name one of your favourite Chick Lit books?
'Vince and Joy' by Lisa Jewell.

What's the title of your latest book? Can you tell us about it?

'Secrets and Rain' is a collection of my previously published and prize winning short stories. It includes a mixture of heart-warming and heart-breaking stories and several book bloggers have told me it should come with a warning 'keep a packet of tissues close by because some of the stories will make you cry!'

What inspired you to write it?

My last book 'Home for Christmas' came out in 2011 and my next book, a psychological thriller called 'The Accident' (written as CL Taylor), isn't out until June 2014 and I wanted to put something out there for my readers to enjoy. Short stories were my first love and coming runner up in the Woman's Own completion gave me the confidence to write 'Heaven Can Wait'. Luckily my readers seem to love reading my stories as much as I loved writing them.

Is it part of a series?No. Although I wouldn't rule out publishing more stories or a novella in the future.

Who designs your covers?I used a company called Design for Writers after several of my writer friends used them and I was impressed with the designs they came up with.

What's your favourite Chick Lit book that made it to the big screen?
Bridget Jones's Diary. The film is as good as a book, maybe even better.

Who is your all time favourite Chick Lit character?That would have to be Cannie Shapiro from 'Good in Bed' by Jennifer Weiner. She's funny, she's feisty and she was the first character I'd read about who was overweight and not totally hung up with losing weight.

Name one female author who you think deserves to be better known.This summer I read an amazing book called 'Dear Thing' about a woman who offers to be a surrogate for her best friend (who she's secretly in love with). It was beautifully written by Julie Cohen and I think it's only a matter of time until she's on the bestseller lists.

Where do you write?
In my study. I've got a day job working for a London Uni and I'm lucky enough to work from home three days a week. If I'd not at my desk for work I'm there typing away at my novels.

In the movie of your life, who would play you?

Toni Collette (right) in Muriel's wedding (screenshot)

I was once told that I look like Muriel from 'Muriel's Wedding' so I'd have to say Toni Collette though she's looking so trim these days I'd have to force feed her some lard first!

Speed Round...
Top drink to make you tipsy? Wine
Shopaholic or shopadon't? Shopaholic if it's for CDs, books or DVDs. Shop don't if it's for clothes or shoes (I'm tall with big feet!)
Sky high heels or closer to the ground? Closer to the ground (see previous comment!)
E.L. James or Jilly Cooper? Jilly Cooper, definitely. As a teenager I learnt all about sex from her books. (Me too, Cally!!!!!)
Cry baby or tough cookie? Total cry baby!

Cally Taylor is an author with two writing heads (kind of like Worzel Gummidge and with the same fondness for cake). Her Cally Taylor head writes romantic comedies and women’s fiction whilst her CL Taylor head writes dark psychological thrillers.

Her international bestselling romantic comedies, HEAVEN CAN WAIT and HOME FOR CHRISTMAS were published by Orion in the UK. They have been translated into 14 different languages, and her debut was voted ‘Debut Novel of the Year’ by chicklitreviews.com and chicklitclub.com.
Cally's heart-warming short story collection 'SECRETS AND RAIN' shot straight to #2 in Amazon.co.uk's Women Writers & Fiction Short Story Chart on the day of release and it’s been making book bloggers cry ever since!
Cally’s latest novel, THE ACCIDENT (written as CL Taylor) will be published by Avon HarperCollins in June 2014.

Blog 1 (for all Cally Taylor news)
Blog 2 (for all CL Taylor news)
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