Saturday, December 7, 2013

Countdown to Christmas | Interview & Giveaway w/ Mia Ross


Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope you're planning to have a little fun this weekend! Here at i blog 4 books, I'm excited to have a busy day of Counting Down to Christmas. :) We're starting off with an interview with Mia Ross and a giveaway of her new book, Jingle Bell Romance!

(You can find other stops along the way—and lots of giveaways—here. Later today, I'm sharing some great gifts that help others (even though I said I was going to post this yesterday ... oops!). And author Ann Gabhart will be stopping by for a chat!)


i blog 4 books; Hi, Mia! Welcome to i blog 4 books! What is your most memorable Christmas and why?

Mia Ross: The first one with both of the kids. We have an adorable studio picture from that year, and I still hang it at Christmastime because it's one of my faves. Watching them enjoy all the trappings of the season—decorating, visiting Santa, making cookies and a gingerbread house—was the absolute best!

ib4b: Name three words that you associate with Christmas.

MR: Family, love, and tradition.

ib4b: How will your family celebrate Christmas this year?

MR: Because my husband and daughter both work in restaurants, we'll spread our Christmas out over the 25th and 26th to make sure we get to spend time with both sides of the family and at home. It's tiring, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

ib4b: We spread our celebrations out over a week (or more sometimes). You're right ... it can be really tiring, but this is the only way we get to see everyone, which makes it worth it! What is the best gift you’ve ever given?

MR: Probably the best received was the Deluxe Scrabble set I gave my mother-in-law a few years ago. It's the spinning kind done up in burgundy with gold letters on the tiles—gorgeous! We give it a real workout when I visit :)

ib4b: Who gave you the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? What was it?

MR: I adore Disney World, and I always watch those Disney Holidays specials on the Travel Channel, wishing I could see it for myself. Last Christmas, my parents announced they were taking the four of us there this November when it's all decorated for Christmas. I can't wait!

ib4b: Ooh ... sounds like a great trip! Hope you guys had fun! Tell me about the Christmas tradition that means the most to you.

MR: Decorating, definitely. The kids' ornament collections start with those Baby's First Christmas balls and I add another every year, so they have quite a few. It's fun to pull them from the bins and hang them on the tree. When they move out on their own, they'll take those along to give them a head start on building their own Christmas traditions.

ib4b: How do you keep your focus on Christ during this hectic but wondrous time of year?

MR: By taking the time to remember how blessed we are and sharing that with people in the area. We buy new toys for Angel Trees, contribute food to local cupboards, and donate money to the Salvation Army. Someday, I'd love to be one of those folks who anonymously pays off a stranger's holiday layaway account :)

What is your favorite ...
  • Christmas movie? White Christmas
  • Christmas song? It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
  • Christmas treat? cut-out cookies with LOTS of frosting
  • Christmas smell? gingerbread
  • Christmas children’s book? The Night Before Christmas

About Jingle Bell Romance
Falling For Scrooge 

Julia Stanton loves Christmas—almost as much as she loves the home she's made in Holiday Harbor. So when her beloved pastor's prodigal son returns for a brief visit, she hatches a plan to keep Nick McHenry in town. Growing up as an ambassador's daughter, she's charmed countless dignitaries and surely she can get the brooding bachelor to see how much joy there is in a family-filled holiday. Julia never expects to feel the spark of something more for Nick. But it will take more than attraction to turn this handsome scrooge into her hometown hero.

Holiday Harbor: Where love is just around the bend.

Sound good? Yeah, that's what I thought ... I can't wait to read it either! Here's an excerpt to whet your appetite. :)

About Mia Ross
Mia Ross loves great stories. She enjoys reading about fascinating people, long-ago times, and exotic places. But only for a little while, because her reality is pretty sweet. Married to her college sweetheart, she's the proud mom of two amazing kids whose schedules keep her hopping. Busy as she is, she can't imagine trading her life for anyone else's—and she has a pretty good imagination. You can visit her online at www.miaross.com.

Connect with Mia Ross Online

Giveaway
Mia is giving away TWO copies of Jingle Bell Romance, so that means TWO winners! Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada and ends December 12. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*** All participants must be 18 years or older. The winner will be contacted via email. Once contacted the winner has 72 hours to respond with the required information. If the winner does not respond within the timeframe specified, another winner will be chosen. I am not responsible for shipping mishaps. Void where prohibited. ***

26 comments:

  1. My dad used to make homemade candy when I was a child and I loved the homemade heath bar he would make and store in the freezer.
    Brittany McEuen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds yummy, Brittany! Thanks for coming by and good luck in the drawing :)

    Mia

    ReplyDelete
  3. MIA!!!!! How fun to have you over here! It's almost as good as having supper together!!!! :) Brooke, don't enter me, I've got this lovely book in paperback and KINDLE!!!!! Because Mia was bundled at Christmas, just like me!!!! Wishing you both a lovely and merry Christmas and I love, love, love Jingle Bell Romance!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm a fudge fan myself, Merry! The more chocolate, the better :D

    ReplyDelete
  5. Christmas Wreath Cookies, made like Rice Krispie treats, but with cornflakes, green food coloring and redhots as decorations. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very inventive, Heather! Pretty and delicious all at once.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Looks like a good book!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks, Sharon! Good luck in the drawing :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love chocolate fudge, but I get it more than once a year. One thing I love that I only have at Christmas is Divinity. It's so good!!
    Barbara Thompson
    barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. My earlier comment got lost, Ruth. Thanks so much for coming by!

    ReplyDelete
  11. My favorite Christmas treat is Buckeyes. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  12. My favorite treat for Christmas is eggnog, low fat, of course. Love to win your book. sharon, CA wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I enjoy homemade peanut clusters!

    texaggs2000 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. My favorite kind of cookie are the egg nog cookies. So yummy and soft!
    oh.hello.hiya@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is the hardest question you've asked!
    I guess I will say pecan pie with vanilla icecream. But I'll miss my fudge if I don't get it, too!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love pumpkin roll. I love making them also.
    Blessings
    joeym11@frontier.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. There are unlimited options for favorites but candy and cookies are my weakness.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have started making these wonderful peanut clusters. Pretty hard to beat!

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. My aunts apple spice cake is my favorite
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  20. would enjoy reading this book eating chocolate covered cherries

    ReplyDelete

I love comments! Thanks for letting me know what you think!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Labels

(in)courage (in)mercy 1 star 12 Pearls of Christmas 12 Pearls of Christmas 2012 12 Pearls of Christmas 2013 2 star 2 stars 2.5 stars 2012 Review 3 stars 3.5 stars 4 stars 4.5 stars 5 Minute Friday 5 stars A Year of Weddings Abingdon Press Advent Announcements ARC August Author B-H Books Banned Books Week Barbour Publishing BBAW 2012 beauty Bethany House Blitz Blog Action Day blog hop Blog Mooch Blog Tour Blogaversary Blogging Blogging for Change Blogside Chat Book Blast Book Club Book Trailer Thursday Bout of Books Bout of Books 11.0 Bout of Books 13.0 Bout of Books 7.0 Bout of Books 8.0 Bout of Books 9.0 Brookes Faves celebration Center Street CFBA challenge accepted Character Meet and Greet Charisma Media Children's Christian Speaker Services christianaudio Christmas Christy Awards Clean Sweet community Compassion Compassion Blog Month Contemporary Countdown to Christmas Cover Love Cover Reveal Dani Pettrey David C. Cook Devotion Devotional DiAnn Mills DNF Easter Egg Blog Hop End of Summer Read-A-Thon Etsy Events Faith Words Fall Into Reading 2012 FB Chat Fiction FIRST Food Freebies Friday Five Getting To Know You Giveaway Giveaway Hop Glass Road PR goals Grand Finale Great Escapes Guest Blogger Guideposts Books Harlequin Heartwarming Harvest House High Summer Read-A-Thon Historical home goods Hope International Howard Books If the Shoe Fits Influenster Inspired Design Publications Jody Hedlund Jolly VoxBox Just for Fun Kenya Kregel Publications Literacy Read-A-Thon LitFuse Publicity Looking Ahead Love for Books Love Inspired Mailbox Fun Month in Review Moody Publishers Mother of Pearl Mother of Pearl 2013 Movie Music NavPress Net Galley New Hope Publishers New Leaf Publishers New Release Feature Non-Fiction Operation Christmas Child pinterest pray pray for the horn Prism Book Tours Promo Random Random House Random Question RCCleanup read-a-thon Reading Cram reflections Reformation Trust Release Day Retirement Community Revell Review in Haiku River North Road to the Christys Road Trip Romance Samaritan's Purse Sandra Byrd Sandra D Bricker Sandra Leesmith scripture Secret Church shutterfly snacks Snappy Reviews Sneak Peek Spring Break '11 Spring Reading Thing SSMT SSMT 2013 Sterling Summer Lovin' Read-A-Thon summer reading Summerside Press Susan May Warren Suspense Take a Chance on Me Tamera Alexander Tanzania Teaser Tuesday Tens List The B-B Media Group The Story Behind the Story The Travel Bug The Word Thomas Nelson Thursday 3 Top 10 Top Picks Top Ten Tuesday Trailer Tricia Goyer Tyndale House Waiting on Wednesday WaterBrook Multnomah webcast WestBow Press What Are You Reading What's Next Whitaker House WinePress Publishing World Watch List WWW Wednesdays YA Young Adult Zondervan
Powered by Blogger.