WHITE CHRISTMAS

WHITE CHRISTMAS

Just what do those words mean to you?

For me they invoke feelings...so many feelings.

When I was in kindergarten, more eons ago than you probably remember, there was an evening social for parents and kids and teachers.  What stands out in my memory is one of the parents--a man as smooth a singer as Bing Crosby or Michael Buble--singing White Christmas. That was my first memory of the song, one that became a ballad to listen to every Christmas.

White Christmas also calls up childhood memories when I wished for snow on Christmas Eve.  Why?  Because that pristine white conveyed the message that something awesome was about to happen.  Family lived close and snow simply meant putting chains on the tires to get where we wanted to go.  Snow meant that maybe on Christmas Day after dinner me and my cousins could build a snowman.

Moving forward a bit, I wished for a little snow on Christmas Eve but not much because my parents wouldn't be able to drive to our house to watch our son open his presents or listen to him chatter about Santa eating the cookies he left out for St. Nick the night before.  White Christmas evokes recollections of Christmas concerts, carol sings and midnight Mass.

Now...  White Christmas means watching the movie at least once in the days leading up to the holiday, tearing up at those last scenes when the generals' men stand to acknowledge him, when the romances end the way they were meant to.  It means baking cookies and breads like my mom and grandma used to.  But the words 'white Christmas" also mean family having problems flying, delays, a possible postponement of holiday celebrations with friends who drive farther than the next neighborhood.  Nevertheless, every year we adjust.  This year we might have to use Skype.  Even so--

White Christmas will always mean something special, something magical, something inspiring that nothing else can match.

Share your "White Christmas" memories.

Have a wonderful holiday.

©2012 Karen Rose Smith

Karen Rose Smith's romance website 
Karen Rose Smith's mystery website 
Karen Rose Smith's SEARCH FOR LOVE SERIES website 
IN TOUCH WITH KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine

 

 

ALWAYS HER COWBOY (Holiday Edition) on Amazon 

 

AUDIOBOOK NARRATORS, Male or Female? Treating Writing Like A Business

I'm treating writing like a business again but this time need a little help.  So I'm hoping you will give me your opinion about the use of male or female narrators for audiobooks.

Over the past few weeks, I've listened to hundreds of narration samples for my indie-published romances.  I can usually tell right away whether or not someone is suited for the tone of my books.  So far I have chosen a female narrator for NATHAN'S VOW and a male narrator for TOYS AND BABY WISHES.  I've heard the first 15 minutes of TOYS besides two auditions, and I think this actor/narrator is perfect for the book.

So here is my dilemma and I need feedback from readers who listen to audiobooks.  I listen to tons of audiobooks to give my eyes a rest or when I have insomnia. I know who I like and who I don't. A narrator can make or break a story.  Many of my favorite authors use the same narrators for all their books.  But that's another discussion.  I'm guessing each of these books will take about a month to produce and I don't want to wait for the same narrator to do them all, though I hope I can use the ones I like best for multiple books.

Do you listen to audiobooks?  If you are listening to a romance which can have male and female points of view, do you like a women's voice or a man's?  Or is that unique to each story?  Does it matter whose point of view the novel begins in?

I'm thinking about looking for a narrator for ALWAYS HER COWBOY next.  I've heard a couple of male voices I really like.  But the book opens in my heroine's point of view but has the hero's also.  Would it be a marketing mistake to have a male narrator perform it?  How do you feel about listening to the heroine's point of view in a male voice?

I'd appreciate feedback from both readers and other writers on this one!

©2012 Karen Rose Smith

Karen Rose Smith's romance website 
Karen Rose Smith's mystery website 
Karen Rose Smith's SEARCH FOR LOVE SERIES website 
IN TOUCH WITH KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine

 Search For Love Boxed Set 1 on Amazon
                                                                                  Search For Love Boxed Set 2 on Amazon

RESCUING A KITTEN, Part 11 -- EBBIE

Ebbie Having a Peaceful Moment

I have to tell you Ebbie's story so you know how close she and I are.  Twelve years ago, the week before Christmas and a few days before my birthday, I picked up an advance reading copy of one of my novels from a friend whose family had a farm and I saw Ebbie.  My husband picked her up and I looked into her eyes and I felt...something deep.  I'd lost my mom a few years before and was still having a hard time.  We had a cat at home who was suffering with hypothyroidism and required a lot of care.  Ebbie--though she didn't have that name yet--was about 8-10 weeks old...and sick.  I found it hard to leave the farm that day.  It snowed that night and all I could think about was that little black cat.

There are times when your heart won't take "no" for an answer.  This was one of those times.  I decided I'd keep Ebbie in an upstairs bedroom for as long as I had to.  Two days later, I picked her up at the farm and took her to the veterinarian.  I spent most of my days and nights with her, holding her, massaging her sinuses so she could breathe and generally visualizing her well again.  She had a cough along with the rest and no meow to speak of.  Right away she came when I called, even to take her medicine.  After two courses of antibiotics, she still wasn't "well," so I took her to a holistic vet and put her on a special diet.  The cough and cold went away and her coat became thick and shiny.  She was my constant companion.  After we had to have our other cat put to sleep, Ebbie never left my side.  I have fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis.  On the days when the pain was the worst, she was right there in tune with what was going on, giving comfort when she could.  A few months later, we adopted Ebbie's half sister--London--so she'd have a playmate.

London -- Ebbie's Half Sister

 
All those years ago, Ebbie was a special birthday and Christmas present who I'm grateful for every day.  She's affectionate, loving and sweet.  When we adopted Zoie this summer, I was worried about Ebbie most of all because the virus she had when we brought her home was recessive and could reappear with stress.  Zoie has been a definite stress for her.  But...

A Stressful Moment For Ebbie--Compliments of Zoie!

Who says older cats can't accept change?

More next week about how far Zoie and Ebbie have come and the joy Zoie, Ebbie and London bring us.


©2012 Karen Rose Smith

Karen Rose Smith's romance website 
Karen Rose Smith's mystery website 
Karen Rose Smith's SEARCH FOR LOVE SERIES website 
IN TOUCH WITH KAREN ROSE SMITH ezine

 Finding Mr. Right Boxed Set 1 on Amazon 
                                                                              Finding Mr. Right Boxed Set 2 on Amazon