Some of the MSW ladies have already been talking about the books they’re putting on their holiday shopping lists, so I thought I would weigh in with my thoughts on the subject.

At Christmas, I like to give books that are off the beaten track, things that aren’t in every bookshop window and bestseller list. The kind of books that you have to actively seek out. Sometimes they’re big coffee table books – splurges. Often they’re hardcover, because that seems a little more “gifty” and special somehow.

Matching a book with a loved one is a singular pleasure. I think one gets extra bonus points if the connection is subtle. It’s all very well and good to get a book about race cars for an Indy 500 fan, but get that same gent a book about Indiana art pottery (yes, there is such a thing!) and, in my opinion, you’ve accomplished something special.

I use the New York Times Book Review and Publishers Weekly as sources, but a really splendid way to shop is to head to a book store with a knowledgable staff and ask to be pointed in an interesting direction.

I thought I would share a few of my own picks for this holiday season. None of them are in danger of booting THE HELP off the list, but all of them look very promising. Three are for other people and one is for myself, because what would the holidays be without a little self-indulgence?

The first two books have to do with food, but that’s sort of beside the point (well, I do love to eat, and maaaaaaaybe I was shopping while hungry, but truly it’s not the main reason I chose them.)  I think you could make any subject fascinating, but it takes a gifted writer to narrow his or her focus down to a single ingredient and explore it with zeal.

Micophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms by Eugenia Bone

Reviewed here.

Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil byTom Mueller

Reviewed here.

This next one is for a Constitution buff, but the reason I chose this biography in particular is that it promises to help the reader understand how we, as a nation, came to regard the constitution as *the* go-to source for jurisprudence, something we now take for granted. But it wasn’t always the case. Go, Marshall!

John Marshall: Definer of a Nation by Jean Edward Smith

Reviewed here.

Okay, so this last one is for me. I stumbled on it while doing research and while I knew it wasn’t the book I needed (that book turned out to be a very fine how-to guide, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMALL GAME TAXIDERMY by Todd Triplett) I knew the minute I read the jacket copy that it was the book I wanted. Even if you have no interest in taxidermy, you won’t be able to resist this account by a man who admits his whole goal in writing the book was to understand his own obsession with stuffed critters.

The Authentic Animal: Inside the Odd and Obsessive World of Taxidermy by Dave Madden

Reviewed here.

How about you? Any weird, offbeat books you care to recommend this season? Or, for that matter, any weird and offbeat gifts in general? I’ll be giving away a copy of a wonderful anthology that just came out: SURREAL SOUTH, edited by Laura Benedict and her husband Pinckney. It features a story I wrote, as well as one by MSW friend JT Ellison. It’s a fine collection, and perfect for anyone on your list who likes spec fiction, horror fiction, or – in the words of the editors themselves – “profoundly weird stories.”

On Thanksgiving Day my husband and I, along with my older daughter and her hubby, drove across town to have the family dinner at my younger daughter’s home. This was her first holiday as a married woman and our first without her at home. It was also her first time to host a large family event. It was decided many weeks prior that both families converging at hers and her new husband’s home would prevent anyone from missing the day as a family. There would be no rush to get from one family’s house to the others., etc. It was a wonderful day. There was a little problem with the turkey but otherwise it was truly a great time.

As we left to return home my husband once again took the route I NEVER take. Why would anyone drive down 72 (University Drive) if they didn’t have to? It’s lined with malls and every other manner of business. There are numerous traffic lights and lots of traffic. I announced my displeasure with his choice and explained how the route I ALWAYS choose has only one short strip where there are businesses and traffic signals then you’re on the interstate. It’s a far more efficient route. My husband informed me, as he has many times during our more than three decades of marriage, that there was usually more than one way to do anything. AND that my way was not necessarily the best way, in his opinion. Of course he’s wrong about that last part.  The bottom line is that he’s right about the first part. Everyone has their opinion and their comfort zone. So, for ever more, we will always choose a different route to the baby daughter’s home and back. Just as my daughters and my niece reveled in the challenge of Black Friday, while I rolled my eyes and stayed at home. No way am I fighting the crowd for ANY kind of deal.

Yesterday as I reflected on Thanksgiving and all that I was thankful for as well as all the events that surround this particular holiday, I decided I wanted to create an event of my own, Take Two Tuesday. I will do this in the future, too, so watch for it. Today, if you purchase my ebook, OBSESSION, for only .99, you will receive a free copy of IMPULSE, which will be 2.99,  when it goes live on Thursday. IF you have purchased OBSESSION already, no problem, there’s a take-two or more  for you, too! This weekend only (Thursday – Sunday), if you buy IMPULSE you can choose any three of my other (self-pubbed) ebooks currently available for .99! This will be great fun but maybe not so much if you don’t have a Kindle or Nook since these are all digital books. Of course you can always download the free apps from Amazon or BN to your computer and have your Kindle or Nook that way. That’s what I did! But recently I’ve decided I want my own real Kindle or Nook. So, for Christmas I’m getting one or the other for me! But this is Take Two Tuesday so why wouldn’t I get two? So here’s a bonus, EVERYONE who comments today and on my Tuesdays in  December (there are two, 13th and 27th) will have their names added to the drawing! On Saturday, December 31st, when the MSW weekly winners are announced, my winner will be able to choose a Kindle or a Nook (valued at $99!). So leave your comments to be entered in that giveaway!

To recap, buy OBSESSION today for a free digital copy of IMPULSE. Or, buy IMPULSE between Thursday and Sunday (this week only) and pick any three of my other (self-pubbed) ebooks to be yours for free. Email me through my website (or at debraewebb at aol dot com) with the order number for your purchase! And don’t forget to leave a comment here to be entered into the Kindle/Nook giveaway contest!

We put up Christmas lights outside the house this weekend. And by we, I mean I stood around and held the ladder, while my husband climbed up on the two-story roof.

I never thought I was afraid of heights—not until the day he asked me to step out of the second story window onto the roof overhang and hold something for him.

I climbed out the window and discovered a problem.

I could NOT let go of the window. I just knew I was going to fall.

My ever-patient husband took one look at my face and helped me back inside.

I felt like a total idiot, but he just shrugged and said he could do it himself, no problem. That was his exact reaction. He didn’t even think it was a big enough deal to tease me about.

Sometimes you just don’t know until you try. And if you try—you might not like what you find out about yourself. I don’t like being afraid of heights.

But I don’t have the guts to go out there on the roof and confront the fear. I suspect the only things that would get me to do that would be my husband or kids hurt on the roof, or some angry flames chasing me.

So what’s my point?

Sometimes fears pop up unexpectedly.

And that’s where I am today. My personal life is going very well. But my professional life, I’m standing on that roof, hanging onto the window frame. And I am desperately afraid of falling, and failing.

But I’ve discovered something amazing. Readers and Fans can be a source of tremendous strength and inspiration when our own courage fails us.

And so I’d like to take today to thank all my readers and fans. Your emails, your tweets, your Facebook messages, all the ways you have told me that my books and characters have touched your lives. You give me the courage to let go of my fears and keep writing. You remind me that it’s not about me, but about the books and stories that I need to tell.

Readers and Fans, you keep our books alive long after we type, The End.

Thank you.

We have big winners this week! Congratulations to all and thank you to everyone who visited, commented, tweeted, and showed us the MSW love!  You guys are the best!

Guest blogger Jessica Scott celebrated the release of her debut novel by giving away an ereader to one commenter.  Jessica says:

Thanks so much for everyone who stopped by to comment. I’m overwhelmed by the generosity of all the comments as to who they would like to give an ereader to. Sadly, I can only give away one. The person who gets to give an ereader for Christmas this year is Tammy, commenter #48. Please email me at jessica@jessicascott.net) with your mailing address as well as your preference of Nook or Kindle and I’ll make sure it gets fired off to you ASAP. Again, thanks so much for everyone who stopped by and shared their love of books!

The winner of Julie Leto’s $20 Amazon or B&N gift card is Annie, commenter #16!  Way to go! Please send an email to julie@julieleto.com and let her know your choice and mailing info.

Finally, the random generator picked commenter #19, Linda Manning, to win Allison Brennan’s awesome Box-o-Books!  Please email allison@allisonbrennan with your snail mail address for a surprise package of 8-10 books, including the backlist title of your choice signed by Allison. Congrats! Enough reading material to get you through to Christmas

I don’t remember the moment  I met Jessica Scott on line, but I do remember that she was deployed in Iraq at the time and, after helping me with some military research for my novel, Edge of Sight, she mentioned that needed makeup.  And romance novels.  After months of sending less girlie items to my nephew in Baghdad, I had a blast shopping for blush, mascara, lip gloss, concealer, body wash, and books.  We’ve been friends ever since, and it’s been a thrill to mentor Jessica through the rough waters of the RWA bar the publishing industry.

For those of you in Romancelandia who don’t know Jessica or didn’t hear her scream with joy when Sue Grimshaw bought Jessica’s debut novel to relaunch the Random House’s classic LoveSwept line, she is the quintessential romance novel heroine: beautiful, bright, brave, and looks kinda hot in camos.  Which she gets to wear regularly as a career army officer.  She’s also a mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. Her first book, Because Of You, has already receive rave reviews and I am thrilled to one of the many published authors who read, loved, and blurbed the book.  Find an excerpt and more about Jessica here.

Jessica does things in a big way.  Instead of giving away a copy of her book or a GC to a commenter….she’s GIVING AWAY A KINDLE OR NOOK TODAY! Seriously! She took the Black Friday blog date very seriously! So let’s give a HUGE MSW welcome to one of our regulars, one of our country’s heroes, and one of my most treasured friends…Jessica Scott.

First off, thanks for having me back to Murder She Writes. I’ve been reading this blog since I was in Iraq in 2009 and I’m so thrilled to share the launch of my debut novel Because of You. So many of the MSW authors had a hand in helping me along the road to publication by answering my incessant questions or just letting me cry on their shoulders, it’s a huge thrill for me to be here today.

I know everyone is probably out hitting the sales today on Black Friday. Personally, while I love a good bargain, I have a growing aversion to large crowds, so the savings for me just isn’t worth the anxiety. But today marks the kick off of the holiday season and that means traveling, shopping, eating waay too much good food and celebrating the season with friends and family.

It’s also a time for reflection for many folks as the year wraps up. 2011 has been a watershed year for me across the board. My husband deployed on his 4th combat tour to Iraq on Valentines Day. Barely two weeks later, my youngest daughter fell off her bunk beds and fractured her skull. I’ve never been more terrified in my life than I was on that helicopter ride to Austin because the CT scan showed bleeding on the brain. We spent 4 days in intensive care at Dell Childrens hospital (which is an amazing facility) watching How To Train Your Dragon and talking Daddy off a ledge via Skype. Both she and Daddy ended up just fine but it was one of the crucibles of this year.

Then things started to turn. I sold my first book to Sue Grimshaw and though I had no idea then, I was about to launch the reborn Loveswept line for Random House. Color me happy, right? And things have just been getting better. I was selected to take command again in the same brigade, my husband is on his way home from Iraq, God and the Army transportation system willing, he’ll be home before Christmas. My daughters are both doing well in school and have really adjusted so well to Daddy being deployed again. And my debut novel has been really well received across the board with huge support from my fellow authors and tons of folks who’ve shared the journey with me on Facebook and Twitter.

My point in bringing up the crucibles isn’t to bemoan that they happened. It’s to point out that bad things happen but they too will pass. Enjoy the holidays with your families. Try to stop in the moment and really appreciate the good things in life that you do have. Even if you’re going through a really difficult time, remember you’ll come out stronger on the other side of it. And you’ll better appreciate the life you have when you do. Life isn’t always easy. It’s not always fair. But we are who we are today because of the lives we’ve lived and the experiences we’ve had, good or bad.

The best part about writing romance is that when people pick your book up, you have no idea what someone is going through in their lives. When you have someone write to you and say your book really touched me and they tell you everything that’s gone on in their lives, it means something, something good. And if I, as a writer, get to be that light that helps shine a light, even if only for a few hours, out of the chaos and turmoil that someone is living with? That’s pretty awesome.

One thing that people have told me is they can’t wait to read my book but they don’t have an ereader. So today, I’d like to give away an ereader, either a Nook Simple Touch or a Kindle, winners choice as my way of saying thank you to he readers and writers here at murdershewrites. The contest is open to US residents only.

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me why you want to give someone an ereader who doesn’t have one. Why is the gift of books still important?