It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. - Seneca

Sunday, December 13, 2009

The SPOTLIGHT is on "A Christmas Ball," and Contributing Author, Emily Bryan!



'TIS THE SEASON FOR SEDUCTION'

It is the most anticipated event of the ton: the annual holiday ball at Hartwell House. The music is elegant, the food exquisite, and the guest list absolutely exclusive. Some come looking for love. Some will do almost anything to avoid it. But everyone wants to be there. No matter what their desires, amid the swirling gowns and soft glow of candlelight, magic tends to happen. And one dance, one kiss, one night can shape a new destiny….

A CHRISTMAS BALL ~ 3 Regency-set novellas from Emily Bryan, Alissa Johnson and USA Today Bestseller Jennifer Ashley.

Q: Tell us, Emily, did you collaborate quite a bit with Jennifer Ashley and Alissa Johnson for your trio of novellas in A Christmas Ball?

Emily: None of our stories are connected except for the fact that all our characters attend the same Christmas Ball given by Lord and Lady Hartwell.

But we did have to agree on a few things. Like the date (December 19, 1922), the floor plan for Harwell House (which we modeled on Spencer House, the home of Princess Diana's family in London) and the type of decorations, (no Christmas trees, but plenty of greenery including a "kissing bough").

If you’d like to learn more about how a Regency Christmas was celebrated, visit my website http://www.emilybryan.com/ and click on the decorative Christmas ball image. It’ll start you on a journey through 6 short bonus pages of food, fun, and festivities, all just as Jane Austen would have marked the 12 days of the Christmas season.

Do you want to find a copy of 'A CHRISTMAS BALL' in your stocking? Or would you like one to put into someone else's? If so, there's only one thing to do!

AND DON"T forget to visit Emily's BEAUTIFUL website!

Check back tomorrow to find out more about Author Emily Bryan.....
At the end of the week Emily will be giving away a copy of "A Christmas Ball," to one lucky person!
So comment to win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

15 comments:

EmilyBryan said...

Hi Andrea & Corrina!

Just wanted to let your readers know that I'll be giving a copy of A CHRISTMAS BALL to someone who leaves a comment this week. Which means if you leave a comment every day, you have 5 CHANCES TO WIN!

Chicks of Characterization said...

Hi Emily!

Thanks so much for allowing us to spotlight A CHRISTMAS BALL, it sounds like a Fabulous read! And for giving away a copy to one lucky commenter!

Skhye said...

Oooooo, looks like you used some excellent history to base your work upon. I'm very intrigued! Happy holidays!

Huge prize: a cache of Time Guardian treasure. To enter, join me at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Prize:
1 box GOOD MEDICINE Native American herbal tea (in honor of the Native-American hero of my novel FORBIDDEN ETERNITY)

2 vials cinnamon oil (flavoring guaranteed to spice up baked goods that's reminiscent of a Time Guardian Ring Master, i.e. dragon's breath. Use with
caution.)

1 Voodoo Doll Little Wizard keychain (Little Wizard can help acheive a goal in school or work. He can help dreams come true, but only for someone else. He can
not help his owner. HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur could have used one!)

1 AN ENGLISH LADYMASS: MEDIEVAL CHANT AND POLYPHONY album by Anonymous 4 (for the medieval period feel)

1 SCOTTISH TEATIME RECIPES (To reproduce a bit of SWORDSONG ambiance; ISBN: 1-898935-18-9)

The wee-est scrimshaw sailing-ship pendant (For those Time-Guardian wannabes like Twila Deeds in SACRIFICIAL HEARTS yearning for a journey through time and
across space...)

Anonymous said...

I always like to learn something from the books I read and this one sounds informative as well as intersting.
JWIsley(at)aol(dot)com

Maeve Greyson said...

This book sounds fabulous! I love checking out this blog. It always brightens my day. Happy Holidays everyone!

EmilyBryan said...

Thanks to everyone who left a comment. Hope to see you back here tomorrow!

Janet Kay Gallagher said...

Hi Emily,
Did it take awhile to agree on your location of the Ball and layout? Working with two others on that is interesting. Did you go somewhere and plan it out or just phone each other? Where did you get the Layout of Princess Diana's
Home?
MERRY CHRISTMAS Everyone!

Nicole North said...

Sounds awesome and fun, Emily! I like to learn how holidays were celebrated at different times.

Julie Robinson said...

Hi Emily, So glad to see you on Andreas site.

The Christmas Ball kind of reminds me of the movie, "Inglorious Basterds," in that there are three different plot lines going on, but bound by the time period resulting in a grand finale at the end with all characters in the same place. I know, I know, in your case, there's no ending that weaves them all together---at least, not that I know of, since I haven't yet read it. Still, it's the three plots with different characters that are bound by the date and place.

Makes you think about going to a Christmas party, say for work, and how each person there has different experiences at the party and each one is going home to do different things.
Fascinating stuff to me!

librarypat said...

Hi, Emily,
Have read the little tidbits about Regency Christmas traditions. Very informative and fun. I look forward to reading A CHRISTMAS BALL soon.

EmilyBryan said...

Janet--Spencer House has a website with lots of great info and a partial floor plan. One of the things I learned is that in the UK, our first floor is called the ground floor and what we would call the 2nd floor is their first.

Since we situated the ballroom on the first (our second) floor, I had to re-write one scene and have my hero climb a tree to peer in the window at the heroine meeting the hosts in her beautiful red ball gown.

Janet Kay Gallagher said...

Emily
LOL. Loved him climbing a tree to see into the first floor [our second floor] window. Thanks for the Spencer House link. A red ball gown! Will be looking forward to reading the description of it.

Linda Henderson said...

I love reading historicals. I've heard wonderful things about this book. I will look forward to reading it.

seriousreader at live dot com

Gwynlyn said...

I'm a sucker for anything Christmas. It's the one time of year my reading becomes eclectic.

This book sounds like it would feel right at home in my Christmas collection.

Unknown said...

I really want to read this book!! So glad you're all over the blogosphere this week!!! Thanks, Sue

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