My guest today is the wonderful Denise Rossetti who writes for Ellora’s Cave, Avon Red and Berkley. Her most recent release, an anthology from Avon Red called A Red Hot New Year, is currently fogging up the screen of my palm reader. I can also highly recommend her hot fantasy titles from Ellora’s Cave.
Denise is talking about Christmas today and taking it to the extreme, or rather she wants to know about your extreme Christmases. She’s also giving away a signed copy of A Red Hot New Year to one lucky person.
All you need to do to go into the draw is post your comment. (Don’t forget to check back in the comments section the following day to see if you’re the winner.)
I’m such a Down Under girl, I can’t imagine a winter Christmas – but I love hearing about them! My Beloved and I had a light, snowy Christmas in London, years ago, BC (Before Children). That was fun, but since then, my festive seasons have been all about heat and humidity, with an afternoon thunderstorm thrown in for good measure. So, let’s see, an Aussie Christmas, hmm…
Lunches of seafood and champagne and cold ham and mangoes and stone fruit and pavlova for dessert, the kids having spitting contests with watermelon seeds, lifesavers on the beach (now that’s yummy!), going to the fireworks by the river, the carol service, the Queen’s message on TV. I’m a terrible cook, but an expert eater. Luckily, everyone else in the family is brilliant at it, including My Beloved. He tries a different glaze on the ham each time and he takes enormous delight in watching his mum and his sisters trying to identify the ingredients. On the other hand, it took years for us to convince my mother that hot roast turkey and ham and plum pud and all the trimmings weren’t necessary in temps over 80F. (Nice though they may be – burp!) She’s much more relaxed these days!
Boxing Day is for sprawling on the floor to watch the cricket and scoff leftovers – unless, of course, you prefer a swim followed by an afternoon nap. It’s tough, but someone’s got to do it. *smile*
Thinking back, I know I lost some of the chrissy sparkle once I grew up. No more of that feverish anticipation, that wonderful glow. And then we had kids of our own. We bought a tree for our son’s first Christmas and we haven’t looked back. (Artificial, BTW – I’m no housewife and definitely no gardener.) Every year, I muscled the pair of them into position in front of the tree, ignoring the whines of “Aaaaw, Muuuum!”, and took a photo. Every year. So now I have the most wonderful record of their development. The first pic in the series is of a chubby baby rolling around under the tree, all wide-eyed, the most recent is of two beautiful young people, their heads higher than the star on the top. Gosh, now I’m all choked up. *sniffle*
And every holiday season, I remember how fortunate I am and I give thanks. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones. If you’re going to drive, drive carefully! I hope your holiday season is full to the brim with love and joy and laughter. Many blessings to each of you and your families.
Tell me about the most EXTREME Christmas you’ve had – extremely hot or extremely cold – or… extremely anything at all! Extremely wicked, for instance. heh heh
And you have a second chance to win a signed copy of A RED HOT NEW YEAR. Visit my website – for all the details of my New Year Scavenger Hunt. It closes midnight New Year’s Eve – of course! Duh!
If you’d like to know more about Denise and her books visit her website, blog or MySpace.
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December 20th, 2007 at 1:16 am · Link
I’ve lived abroad for nearly 8 years now, in the Middle East, so most of our Christmases are sunny. I like sun, don’t get me wrong, but somehow a bright warm sunny Christmas just seems *wrong*. So imagine how excited I was when we woke up one Christmas morning to rain and gloom in the United Arab Emirates. My Christmas cheer factor went up 100 fold as I broke out the hot chocolate.
So now you know just how warped I am
December 20th, 2007 at 1:34 am · Link
Guess those childhood Chrissy memories hardwire it into your DNA or something, Jenyfer. We’re not warped, it’s just – ahem – the way we’re made.
I adored the White Christmas I had in London, though it was only an icing sugar sprinkle. I’d love to have the whole Festive Season thing in the northern hemisphere, but I can’t afford it.
OTOH, if everyone bought multiple copies of my books… *brightening*
Denise
December 20th, 2007 at 1:40 am · Link
OMG I think I’m your mum, Denise!!! I grew up in the UK so have always been used to the frosty Christmases and when we moved to Oz it never occurred to us NOT to have the traditional huge turkey dinner.
So, first Christmas day over here it was over 40 degrees outside. We had NO air con in those days!! And the oven had been on for hours cooking the turkey. I was dripping by the time we sat down to dinner and not in a good way!!
December 20th, 2007 at 1:40 am · Link
We had a very bad ice storm one very cold winter years ago, with no power in most of the town for several days, not too long before Christmas, and my father was in the hospital for unexpected surgery. He told my mother not to try and come visit with it being so icy, but she piled us all in the car, driving carefully to celebrate Christmas anyway, bringing a small tree we decorated and presents to open.
December 20th, 2007 at 1:49 am · Link
Christina,
Mum thought a hot lunch was what my Stepdad wanted. And when we finally made her ask him, he looked at her as if she was nuts and said, “No, dear. A cold lunch is fine. It always was.” *chortle*
And 40C is 104F !!!! How’s that for extreme?
Oh Pam, your dad must have been so pleased to see you all, but I bet he scolded! What a sweet story. And yes, it’s very hard to be alone at Christmas. A very difficult time of year for some folk.
Denise
December 20th, 2007 at 2:31 am · Link
Hi Denise
Guys you are making me cry. I love Christmas stories. I remember when I was younger (oh so very long ago) we’d have a hot lunch with all the trimmings. The best part though was the plum pudding and seeing who got a sixpence or two.
Christmas morning was always a hoot. I’m one of six so there was always a lot going on, my dad would play Santa and hand out the presents, and boy we got a lot of presents. We never had a lot of money when I was growing up but Dad and Mum always made sure we had a wonderful Christmas.
My Dad passed away four year ago next month and right up until his last Christmas he was still playing Santa handing out the presents.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.
Hugs
Sandie
December 20th, 2007 at 2:34 am · Link
Hi Denise (and Shelley), I’m the original Christmas ignorer I pretend that day doesn’t exist. I’m sure when I get a little older I’ll go out and mow the lawn while the neighbours are having their Christmas meal, like they all do the week-end before to remind me it’s coming.
I dislike Christmas so much I even refuse to read Romance Novels with Christmas in the title.
My hell is working as a checkout chick where Christmas Carols are played all year rounds.
I don’t like red, although I do make the odd exception for people who wear sexy shoes well.
Hope you all have a great ‘no reason’ break.
Eric
December 20th, 2007 at 3:11 am · Link
Ah, the cricket on Boxing Day, how wonderfully soporiphic! The drone of the commentators, the heat, the desultory click of bat on ball. Wouldn’t have a clue what the score is but I love falling asleep to it!
Lovely post, Denise! It sounds like you worked out the magic ingredients for a summer Christmas. Growing up in my family, it was a hybrid of the two–hot seafood lunch! Either lobster thermidore or prawns Kiev—I tell you, our faces looked like lobsters by the time we’d finished.
But a nice ice cream cassata for dessert always went down well. Nothing like an Aussie Christmas!
December 20th, 2007 at 3:43 am · Link
My most extreme Christmas was the year my son was born on 12/22 and my daughter had just turned two. It was extremely crazy. I wasn’t sure if I would go into labor on Christmas since my due date was 12/23 and I wanted my daughter to have a great Christmas.
December 20th, 2007 at 4:07 am · Link
I live in Washington state and we don’t get that much snow. I remember only a few snowy christmas days. One rememorable year is when we got over 6 inches and it was so much fun playing in it even after we couldn’t feel our feet.
December 20th, 2007 at 4:16 am · Link
Hey Denise and Shelley!
On Xmas Eve two years ago a vicious storm blew in. Haven’t seen anything like it. The lights went out and the kids were squealing. After everyone settled down around midnight, Santa had to put up a massive swing set outside. No one got up early that Xmas morning!
Denise, I love the idea of taking a photo in front of the tree. We always take various shots but might start that tradition this year. Five year old Tabby still as a lot of growing to do =)
Merry Xmas all!
Robbie
December 20th, 2007 at 4:21 am · Link
Great post, Denise! Being in Oz on Christmas sounds lovely – and warm! We are buried under almost 2 feet of the white stuff right now and I can’t stand it. I’m a Cali girl, I like it to be 90 degrees on Christmas!!
And Eric – ROFL! I don’t care for Christmas or read Christmas-themed romances either. After I had kids it became fun again. But Halloween is the holiday I go all out and decorate for. The neighbors think I’m a pagan or something.
Happy Christmas everyone!!
December 20th, 2007 at 5:04 am · Link
Those warm weather Christmas’ sound wonderful, I remember one here in the MidWest States of -20F. Brrr… Odd Christmas? Probably this year, Mom broke her hip, and keeps saying let’s not decorate, let’s not bake cookies, let’s not use the china, etc. I think she is depressed or maybe still tired. Any way I am not listening to her for the most part. From other times I personally have been sick, I know that the Christmas’ I dreaded were some of the most fun because they were simple!
December 20th, 2007 at 5:16 am · Link
Eric, you’re the original Scrooge.
But I definitely know what you mean about Muzak Christmas carols. They’re actually bad for my back molars. Grrr….
Hey there, Christine! The plum pud was the last holdout at our place. I can still remember chewing VERY carefully, hoping to get the threepenny bit and not choke in the process. My grandmother kept the silver threepences for years, long after decimal currency came in. You couldn’t cook the new coinage!
December 20th, 2007 at 5:21 am · Link
Oh my goodness, Maureen! I’m astonished you even remembered what month it was! Two Christmas babies you must have. All the better to enjoy the Festive Season.
Dena. Gosh, six inches of snow sounds wonderful to me. What a lovely memory!
December 20th, 2007 at 5:27 am · Link
Robbie, my friend! Know what you mean about those vicious summer storms. I have to confess I love them, so dramatic to watch the storm front striding in and the lightning and thunder.
OTOH, we have to give the dog valium, because she totally freaks. If she could talk, she’d be running around like Chicken Little, yelling, “The sky is falling, the sky is falling!” Come to think of it, she doesn’t need to talk, does she?
She’s getting a bottle of doggie beer from Santa. I couldn’t believe it at first, but it’s made from beef extract and malt and yummy dog stuff. It’s called Paw Rex. For non-Aussies, there’s a popular brand of beer here called XXXX – Fourex, geddit?
December 20th, 2007 at 5:32 am · Link
Hey Meagan, my friend, you come out here and we’ll Show You A Good Time, I promise! If you want to lounge around in a sarong or your swimmers, then no one turns a hair. (Although I do insist the boys wear shirts at the table.) The hardest part is timing that swim in between stuffing your face.
December 20th, 2007 at 5:35 am · Link
Was just thinking – actually, I insist everyone wears a shirt to the table, not just the boys. Uh, and pants/skirt too.
Think I’d better quit while I’m ahead…
December 20th, 2007 at 5:41 am · Link
You know, Jenny, I think you’ve hit on something. We do tend to over-complicate things, wanting it all to be just perfect. And then we get all tense and tempers grow short and – snap, snap, snap…
Much better to chill out. What does it really matter of there’s dust in the corners? You can tell I hate housework, can’t you?
And I’m sure your mother will appreciate all your efforts to celebrate Christmas properly. She’d miss it if you didn’t! My best to you all and especially to her, for a quick and painless recovery.
December 20th, 2007 at 5:59 am · Link
The most extreme Christmas for me would have to be the one where we had this huge blizzard. It snowed for 4 days straight and by the time it was done we had almost 5 ft of snow. On top of that everyone in my family caught the flu so it was a really miserably extreme Christmas. Happy Holidays! I love your books and can’t wait for the next one.
Caitlin
December 20th, 2007 at 6:05 am · Link
I live in Oregon—twenty miles from the ocean, so we don’t see very many extremely cold or hot days. We have rain for Christmas most years.
December 20th, 2007 at 6:29 am · Link
I have lived in Maine most of my life. It’s always cold and snowy :( at Christmas. Every Christmas Eve the towns people gathered at the local corner market and sing carols while Santa passes out presents to the children. One Christmas the wind just howled… and we all walked away with frost nip on our faces and fingers… oh, how I’d love an Aussie Christmas! LOL
December 20th, 2007 at 6:41 am · Link
I lived in central Florida for 30 years before moving 3 years ago. I remember one Christmas Day that was close to 90 degrees. It just didn’t “feel” like Christmas when we wearing shorts and sweating. *sigh*
December 20th, 2007 at 6:46 am · Link
I think my Christmases so far have been no extremely anything . . . except maybe extremely, supremely wonderful? ;) The best Christmas to me is the first I spent with my kids, my parents, my in laws, every single member of our family. A LARGE Christmas, a noisy Christmas, a fabulous Christmas. ;) Merry Christmas, HOHOHOHO!
December 20th, 2007 at 6:47 am · Link
Caitlin, Estella, Nina
I guess I have a romantic idea of a picture postcard White Christmas. It doesn’t allow for frost nip, or cold drizzle down the back of the neck or being snowed under and flu-ey.
In all honesty, I cope with heat much better than cold, being somewhat froggy-like, especially around the extremities. Not green BTW, just chilly.
December 20th, 2007 at 6:48 am · Link
Caitlin, thanks for the lovely compliment. You made my night. My next for Ellora’s Cave, STRONGMAN, comes out 21st March. Seems like forever.
On the up side – and here comes a shameless plug –
If you join my newsletter group, you always know what’s going on.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/deniserossetti/
Plus there’s a free story every month, a gift on joining and regular contests. I LOVE my newsletter family, every single one of ‘em.
December 20th, 2007 at 7:05 am · Link
The most extreme Christmas for me was 1996 when every one got the flue. ( there was 7 kids at the time) We kind of skipped that day but I do remember having Shredded potato and carrot soup instead of a christmass dinner.
December 20th, 2007 at 7:18 am · Link
There you go, Andrea. On ya, mate! 90F? That’s my kinda Christmas!
Red, it’s people that make it, isn’t it? In the final analysis. Not the temperature outdoors or the cost of the gifts or the calorie count in the lunch. And a HO,HO,HO to you too. So to speak. ;-)
December 20th, 2007 at 7:19 am · Link
It’s actually raining here in Cairo right now – imagine how cheerful I’ve felt today while I baked shortbread :)
Next year we are tentatively planning to travel to Germany in the first half of December. I can’t wait to see all the decorations and if there isn’t any snow, I’ll console myself with the gluewein!!
December 20th, 2007 at 7:28 am · Link
Oh Sarah, how dreadful! I don’t know who I feel sorriest for – you kids or your poor mother! But much sympathy and {{{hugs}}} in retrospect. Not surprised you skipped the day at all. I do hope Christmases have improved since then!
December 20th, 2007 at 7:29 am · Link
Well, it’s not exactly extreme, but it’s a fond memory. When I lived in Vail, a bunch of us from our bible study group (that was obviously before I married and became a purveyor of smut) went carolling in Vail Village. It was below zero outside, but we were determined. Several restaurants invited us in to warm up with hot drinks and I got to meet a ton of smiling people. It was an enlightening and heart-warming (if toe-freezing) experience.
But I sure like the sounds of a toasty Christmas Down Under, Denise!
December 20th, 2007 at 7:32 am · Link
In Cairo, Jenyfer? Now that does sound exotic! I’ve always wanted to go to Egypt. I used to teach Ancient History (a lifetime ago). A fascinating and extraordinary culture.
And Germany sounds fabulous. But beware that gluewein, it’s heady stuff!
In the meantime, can I pinch a virtual piece of shortbread?
December 20th, 2007 at 7:40 am · Link
Oh dear, Robin, you mean smut and carols are mutually exclusive?
Now that’s a downer. I’m particularly fond of “Come all ye faithful.” OK, OK, sorry, sorry. Stopping now. 
Don’t beat me. No discipline of any kind, that’s me. OMG, off again. It’s after midnight here and I’ve been in that damn volcano all day and I’m tiiiired…
Well, if you come Down Under, Robin, we’ll just bundle you and Mr Robin up with Meagan and her family and show you that Good Time. Toasty does often mean hot and sweaty though, but hey, if you can down a cold beer… Or a great Aussie wine…
December 20th, 2007 at 8:28 am · Link
we are buried in snow… loving hearing bout a Ozy christmas~~ we are just tring to find our house right now….
December 20th, 2007 at 8:46 am · Link
Hi Denise! Welcome here! Great interview, chicas! :)
December 20th, 2007 at 9:35 am · Link
Living in Arizona – unfortunately not in the northern part we don’t get snow for Christmas – just a whole lot of sun.
We try to take things easy at Christmas. Sometimes have a big dinner and others a very light one with a lot of snack type foods. That way no stress.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:33 am · Link
We always do a considerable amount of cooking, especially baking for the holidays. There tends to be a running game in the living room or dining room and a few people working in the kitchen. When those who are cooking get tired, they go over and trade places with someone who is playing….games range from monopoly to Mah Jong. This usually is an all day affair.
On one particular, year one sibling insisted that we increase production for various near future parties, etc. We had one marathon baking session a week all through December up to Christmas. By the end of the holiday, I needed a holiday.
December 20th, 2007 at 11:49 am · Link
Hi everyone! I’ve just crawled out of bed…I don’t know what I ate last night but I had the weirdest dreams. I’m SO glad to be awake!!
Our Christmas sounds pretty much like Denise’s. I’m hoping it doesn’t rain this year because although our weather is hot, it’s also unsettled with a lot of rain. Auckland is green for a reason! We have the family coming around and it’s going to be a BBQ with lots of seafood and salads.
I’ve spent five Christmases in London – we didn’t have snow at Christmas but it was cold and a hot meal was lovely.
Our most memorable Christmas was spent in Accra, Ghana. We were in the middle of an overland trip through Africa (started in Zimbabwe). We had a BBQ, and hubby who had grown a beard instead of shaving, dressed up in his red tracksuit and played Santa Claus. We did a secret santa and had lots of fun. We even had a Christmas tree but our day involved lots of improvisation.
December 20th, 2007 at 2:52 pm · Link
Denise, a few years ago we had a 17 inch snowfall 4 days before Christmas. Not a big deal for some areas, but where I live flurries put people in a panic. Fortunately the road crews got most of the roads clear and we didn’t have to postpone anything. That is about as Extreme as we get here.
December 20th, 2007 at 3:18 pm · Link
I live in southeast Michigan and right now we have 10.5″ of snow that we got last Saturday into Sunday. We are expected to get another big storm this weekend and it’s looking like it will be snowing on Christmas Eve. There’s nothing like that!! Truly there isn’t. But we honestly do not get many of those, even living around the lakes like we do. The older the DH and I get, the less we like the cold. Oh, not the 30-40 degree cold, but the “artic” cold that we usually have for what seems like forever. We’re becoming wussies as we get older. LOL But, we couldn’t fathom living somewhere else that is warm, hot or green at this time of year. We really enjoy our four distinct seasons here!
I don’t have any extreme stories to tell, our holiday’s have thankfully been “boring” in that way. Although, in 1993 the winter season here was extremely cold. I was pregnant with my son, and on January 14th when I went into labor, it was thought to be the coldest day in Michigan at that time. On January 16th when he was born, it was again thought to be the coldest day in Michigan.(temp just kept going down!) But in reality, on January 19th, the day DH and I brought him home, it was declared the coldest day in Michigan history. The temperature with the windchill was -38 degrees!!! Talk about brrrrrrrrrr!!! It was not fun leaving the hospital after having a C-section, bundling up a 3 1/2 yr old(big sis!) and an infant for the ride home!! To top things off, our water pipes under the street kept freezing and we lost water five times in the first week my son was home!!!!
December 20th, 2007 at 4:03 pm · Link
I remember the first Christmas spent in Florida after moving from New York. I was so used to snow so when we had 70 degree weather and were wearing shorts on Christmas Day it was a bit of a shock to our system. After living here in sunny Florida for almost 20 years now I have adjusted and I look at the positives of the nice weather.
December 20th, 2007 at 4:06 pm · Link
Hi Denise:
Your Christmas’ sound nice. I’d have to say my most extreme Christmas occurred when I was 14 years old. That year we had what was termed the silver thaw in the area where I live. We’d been having freakish weather for weeks preceding Christmas week. One minute rain, the next sun, the next hail, the next sun and the next snow. Then the week of Christmas we started with the worst ice storm the area had ever had. Two days of rain that froze as it hit the lower atmosphere. Thus, it coated the trees, phone lines, anything hanging, slanting or otherwise, not to mention roads and etc. All I remember is opening the door to look outside. Everything was crisp and clear. The trees dripped with ice. Ice cycles hung from the parked cars in the driveway, from the rooftop and the porch railing. Everything and I do mean everything was coated with over 7 1/2 inches of ice. The city came to a full on stop for over a week. And it was just two day’s before Christmas when this occurred. There we all sat, with no electricity. My parents kept us bundled up in our beds. My mother tried to feed me a hot toddy because I had a cold and it made me ill because I can’t handle rum or whiskey. LOL We went through Christmas with no heat and no electricity but still had a great Christmas anyway. Christmas memories. Where would we be without them? *smile*
December 20th, 2007 at 4:27 pm · Link
Oh my goodness, Tina! Now I have visions of you peering down a snowy street of peeking-out rooftops. Best of luck, sweetie!
Hi there Tempest! Thanks for the welcome. So chicas isn’t plural? Otherwise I’d be one chica, wouldn’t I?
December 20th, 2007 at 4:34 pm · Link
Ah Larena, that sounds so relaaaaxing. Also yummy. ;-)
Little Lamb, how lovely to see you again! I can just imagine the cooking/games marathon in progress. Bet it gets incredibly noisy, with all the yelling from the living room and the chatting in the kitchen.
What a lovely family tradition!
December 20th, 2007 at 4:45 pm · Link
Shelley, I hope you’re OK. Heard about the earthquake in the news. Were you affected? NZ is sooo beautiful, I spent most of my too few days there shoving my jaw back into place, but I never quite got over that prickly feeling of waiting for The Earth To Move.
It’s not called the Shaky Isles for nothing!
And as for those dreams? Remember Mark Twain? “Nothing bad ever happens to a writer, it’s all material.” Your subconscious is writing your next book for you!
December 20th, 2007 at 4:52 pm · Link
Laura, I can’t imagine having to drive in blizzard/ice conditions. I’m bad enough on a sunny summer’s day. I park by ear. *sigh*
Kim, you’re right about the magic of four distinct seasons. I love living here, but it’s subtropical and the seasons tend to blur together a bit. Bulb flowers, like daffodils, struggle. Tulips DIE. Such a shame, I adore those blooms.
That first week home must have been an endurance test for all of you. But I always think Nature made babies are tough as well as beautiful. You must be glad it’s a memory with precious bits in amongst the chill factor!
December 20th, 2007 at 4:59 pm · Link
Cherie, You’ve had the best of both worlds!
Ayreann, I’m sitting here in my shorts and T-shirt, trying to get my head around so much ice, such extreme cold. Duh! *shakes head* We’re in severe drought here, but it’s been overcast and drizzly for the past week. We keep hoping it falls in the catchment areas, but no go so far. *sigh*
December 20th, 2007 at 5:28 pm · Link
Hi Denise and Shelly
Waving to both of you!
I don’t have a single extreme, but living south of the equator always, my dream was to have a white christmas. In 1999, my dream came true when I was doing last minute shopping in Oxford Street, London, and it started to snow. I had my DH with me, my sons both wrapped up warmly, and finally – the snow.
The extreme was just one year later, once again with my small family on hand, on Christmas Day 2000 I was sitting on a beach in Australia at 40′c temps…
Both Christmases have their own highlights.
Have a great Christmas and safe New Year everyone, and remember its not where you are, but who you are with, and who you hold close to your heart during this season that count more!
Bye 4 now
Tina
December 20th, 2007 at 6:54 pm · Link
The best Christmas I can remember is when I was about 8. My mom just got divorced from my dad and we lived in a small apartment we didn’t have much, but on Christmas Eve the door bell rang my sister and I ran to the dor and on the porch was a huge box filled with presnets, food and winter clothes for us. My mom was crying and my sister and I thought santa had come early. I learned about six years ago that it was her co-workers who had dropped off the box to us knowing my mom didn’t have much to offer us that Christmas. Ever since then I try and do something with my children along the same line. We don’t have much but I make sure we do something for someone else this year I let them pick names from the giving tree and they did extra chores around the house to earn money for the gifts. One year we bought presents for a mom who had cancer and five kids with no money even my mom helped us put together the box for them on Christmas Eve.
December 20th, 2007 at 6:55 pm · Link
I live in the middle of the United States, so our Christmases are usually at least cold if not snowy white. I can’t imagine Christmas and 80 degrees F or above! But I wouldn’t mind no ice on the streets and sidewalks and all over my car! Winter just isn’t my season (can you say frostbite?). Just give me a few good books and let me live in a warmer climate vicariously and I’ll be fine until spring!