AUTUMN HARVEST: FALL BETWEEN THE PAGES BLOG HOP TOUR (Sept 19-26) 



1) HAVE FUN!!!

2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3) THIS TOUR STARTS: Monday, September 19, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
    THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, September 26, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
    Winners will be drawn and posted September 27th! ***

4) MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS & BOOK PAGES! EXPERIENCE A NEW DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!

5) PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR & BOOK PAGE IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW THEM SOME LOVE!

6) DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!
***Authors & Book Pages have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules***





When I was growing up in France, I knew what Halloween, the Fourth of July or Thanksgiving were. American movies and TV shows all featured scenes or episodes set on those iconic holidays, so even though we do not celebrate them in France we are still familiar with them.

Knowing what happens on these days however is different from taking part and celebrating them. My first ‘taste’ of an American celebration was two days after I first arrived in the U.S. for a vacation here. I’ll always remember that Fourth of July, the picnic, the fireworks – but looking back, I think I remember it more because I had a great time than because it was Independence Day. For me, the significance of the day was lost.

It’s the same thing for fall celebration like Halloween or Thanksgiving. I never dressed up as a kid for Halloween, never went trick-or-treating, so when I open my door to the neighborhood kids and hand out candy with my hubby, I have no connection to it all. At Thanksgiving, to be honest, going to my in-laws dinner to eat food I don’t particularly like feels like a chore. (Although, to be doubly honest my hubby doesn’t care much for it either!)
Things finally started changing when my hubby and I started making those traditions our own. For example, for Thansgiving, rather than turkey, we roast a duck, and try a new recipe every year. For Halloween, we light candles around the house and have a candle-lit dinner in between opening the door to the kids (unless we get otherwise occupied, in which case we just leave the candy on the front steps… ahem..!)

Maybe when we have children things will change again. I like sewing, so I’ll probably make their Halloween costumes. Maybe when they learn about Thanksgiving in school they’ll want us to have a ‘proper’ celebration. And maybe, at last, I’ll have this emotional connection toward these American customs that I’ve been struggling to find, and won’t feel anymore like I’m outside looking in.

I thought I would try to share that disconnect through a flash fiction, a very short story featuring characters from one of my novels, CheckMate. Meet vampire Lilia and her human Mate Vincent. They recently moved into a new home and Vincent took that opportunity to go back to an old tradition, but it’s not so easy for Lilia… 1000 words exactly... I hope you'll enjoy!

With a heavy sigh, Lilia surveyed the dining room. 
She should have suspected something was up when Vincent insisted they should renovate it right after they had finished with their bedroom. The house was large, almost a mansion, and every room needed some work. They had been scrubbing, painting, sanding, and staining almost since they had first moved in, and Lilia’s hands showed it. Her nails were ragged from where she had scrubbed paint and wood stain too harshly.
Lilia wished they could have hired someone, but buying their new home had depleted Vincent’s savings, while her own were less than they had once been. He had still found money to buy a dinner table and the six chairs that went with it, though. She had thought it was overkill – but then, he hadn’t told her he had this planned, not until just a few days earlier.
“Lilia, if you’re not going to help, can you at least get out of the way?”
Glaring, she stepped aside and allowed Vincent to enter the dining room. He was carrying a pile of plates topped by cutlery, and as she watched, he started setting the table. Lilia crossed her arms and leaned back against the doorjamb.
“Why five plates?” she said coldly. “It’s not like I’m going to eat.”
He threw a sly look toward her but continued to arrange the plates on the brand new tablecloth.
“You’re not even going to have some cranberry sauce?” he asked lightly, as though he hadn’t noticed how cranky she was. “I remember someone finishing the whole thing last year.”
Lilia huffed. “Last year, you made enough for two, not entire jars of the stuff.”
He finished and left the room again, presumably to get the rest of what he needed. He soon returned with glasses and a basket of bread rolls. He continued the conversation as though it hadn’t been interrupted.
“We’ve had guests for dinner before. This isn’t any different.”
She rolled her eyes at him, which was completely wasted since he had his back to her. “Honestly, Jordan?” 
That, at least, brought his gaze toward her; he knew it was never a good sign when she called him by his last name.
“Having your friends over for tacos in front of the television does not equal having guests.”
“Well, we didn’t have the space for it before, did we?”
He finished setting the table, and Lilia bit the inside of her cheek rather than point out he had placed the knives on the wrong side of the plates. It wasn’t like she cared anyway.
Vincent planted himself in front of her, hands in his jean pockets, and rocked slightly on the balls of his feet.
“What is it?” he asked quietly, tilting his head as he scrutinized her. “I thought you were okay with my father being here, and with Don and Jeanie coming over.”
Lilia shrugged and looked away. She didn’t mind any of them being around. Not anymore. There had been tension in the past, but she had grown used to Vincent’s family and friends. 
“If it’s not them, what is it?” Vincent insisted.
She sighed loudly again. 
“It’s not…” She waved at the table with an impatient gesture. “This isn’t me. This… Thanksgiving thing. It’s not...”
She finished with an annoyed grunt and a shrug.
“We’ve had Thanksgiving dinners before,” he pointed out with a small frown. “You never said anything.”
“That was just us,” she muttered. “It wasn’t…”
How could she explain to him when she didn’t fully understand it herself? 
It wasn’t the dinner part that bothered her. She had attended dinner parties before there even was a Thanksgiving, with tables and dishes infinitely more refined than what Vincent could cook – and he was a good cook.
What made her uneasy was that the Thanksgiving custom still felt alien to her. Even after decades of living in America, she still couldn’t think of it as her country. She would forever be an immigrant. No, it was worse than that. She couldn’t call any country as her own. France had started to change only a few years after she had become a vampire, and, for better or for worse, the republic it was nowadays was nothing like the monarchy of her childhood. 
None of it had ever mattered before Vincent; her allegiance had been to her Sire, and she hadn’t worried about her place in this country – or even in the world.
But now that she was being thrown into such an iconic American custom, she found herself… apart. A stranger in a strange land. If she had simply felt different from their guests, it wouldn’t have mattered. But to feel separated from her Mate was an entirely different thing.
“Lilia, love. Look at me. What’s wrong?”
Vincent cupped her face in his hand. He looked worried now. She shook her head, although not hard enough for his hand to fall away.
“Nothing. I’m just being stupid.”
“If it bothers you that much,” he offered, “you don’t have to stay here. I mean, it’s too late for me to call off the dinner, but if you’d rather go out…”
She thought about it for a half second before shaking her head again. Leaving would not make her feel any better. Besides, this was their home. This was where she belonged.
“Can we… pretend it’s just a dinner?” she asked slowly. “Nothing special, just a ‘welcome in our home’ party?”
Vincent leaned closer to brush a kiss across her lips. “Anything you want,” he murmured. “And if you don’t want me to invite guests next year—”
She stopped him with a kiss of her own. “We’ll see,” she said quietly. “Ask me again next year.”
She wasn’t sure a year would make a difference, but maybe what she had missed, all those years, had been anchor points. She had found one in Vincent, and now a second one with their lair. 
Maybe she finally had a home again.



I hope you liked this little glimpse
into Lilia and Vincent’s lives! Check out my site if you’d like to read more about them.

And now for THE CONTEST! The giveaway is open to participants from all countries. There will be twenty winners. Count them! Twenty!

THE PRIZES:
Grand prize – an autographed paperback, winner’s choice amongst my paperback releases. This includes the new releases coming out at the end of September / beginning of October.

3 additional prizes: one ebook of each of my Halloween stories, one per winner, assigned randomly. The stories are Forget Ever AfterOut of the Box 8 and Second Vision of Destiny.

16 swag prizes: assorted goodies such as romance trading cards, postcards, magnets, t-shirts, pens, notepads…

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
* If you are not already, become a follower of this blog.
* Check the paperbacks that are potential prizes and in a reply to this post tell us which you would like to receive if you win (and if you feel like it, tell us why!)
* Make sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win!

BONUS ENTRY:
* For an additional entry in the contest, ‘Like’ this blog on Facebook!


That’s it! If you have any comment or question, feel free to drop me a note in the comments! And much thanks to Leanne for inviting me to play along this week!


Kallysten



Here is the link to the other blogs so you can enter more giveaways! LINKS

Comments

Kym said…
Hi Kallysten, thanks for the insight into how someone from another country feels about American holidays. I agree once you have kids, it will pull you into the traditions and excitment.

I would appreciate winning any of your books, I checked them out and they look great !

Kym
Toni said…
I have always been interested in your books. Thank you for stopping by this great blog, I just love Leanne.

I read one of the shorts for Out of the Box. U was totally hooked. It was immediatdly put on my list.

I'm a follower of Leanne. I'd follower her anywhere! Wow that sounded stalkerish.

Tsteinerid(gmail)
Unknown said…
I'm so glad to see you both and I adore u a well :) Lots of luck on winning one of Kally's wonderful giveaways!

Thanks so much once again Kally, I'm super excited to have you as a partner for this blog hop :)
HUGS!

Hope everyone has a great time and be sure not to forget to post your email addresses!!!!

Leanne
www.booksnmakeup.com
mirrormera92 said…
Hi, I am excited for this blog hop. I am already following booksnmakeup here and i already like leanne's page on fb!

if i was to win the grand prize, i would want Aria and Will. I love the cover, and the description (blurb) of the novel sounds amazing! Hope I win =) good luck everyone. and thanks for the contest!
~Mera
books4me said…
I have read all of Kally's Out of the Box books and they were fantastic! From the choice of paperbacks, I would choose Aria and Will because to watch the relationship bloom would be a good read!

Thank you for an incredible giveaway!!

GFC: books4me
FB: Wendy Dee

books4me67 at ymail.com
Julie Jansen said…
Hi Leanne! Oh, tu es francaise! I love your site and your flash fiction story and hope to read your Halloween stories...Halloween is my favorite time of the year :)

Julie
Chrisbails said…
Hi Kallysten, I read your first book(a free nook book)and loved it. I would love to read some more of your books. You are a great author and wish you all the best of luck. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
I would love to win and read Fangs & Lullibies, this book looks great.
christinebails@yahoo.com
nightengale41 said…
I have been a big fan of Kallysten all the way back to fanfiction days. Love this site also.

Fangs and Lullabies would probably be my favorite. It has the ability to drag such emotion from me everytime I read it. Thank you for all of your devotion and hard work.

Leah
nightengale1824@yahoo.com
PamM said…
I would like to win any of the books they sound great.
FB Pam Perkins Mandigo
GFC PamM
Kydirtgirl68@gmail.com
Unknown said…
I wouldnt mind winning any of the books. :) i have never heard of any of them.

FB: mommy0306
GFC: mommy0306

Terri M
oklahomamommy0306@gmail.com
Anonymous said…
I would love to win "Fangs and Lullabies" it looks like an interesting read! Thanks so much for the awesome contest!

Kitty Bullard
greatmindsthinkaloud@gmail.com
MadHatter said…
Follwed blog and liked on FB

Would like Aria and Will :P

deathangel_vampires[at]hotmail[dot]com
MamaDukes said…
Hard to pick one from the list, they all sound so amazing. Would appreciate winning any of them, and will be adding them all to my to be read list!! thanks
Laurie Foley

MamaBear41499@aol.com
Hi Leanne and Kallysten. Fall means both those traditions and more. I ams so ready for Fall to get here once and for all...lol
One of the things I like about American traditions is that if you are from another culture you can follow those traditions with now fears, if you know what I mean. I like the idea of creating our own traditions as we become adults.
I would like to try Aria&Will.

koonie2888 at yahoo dot com
tammy ramey said…
Hi Kally and Leanne,
thank you for having this great giveaway. i love these blog hops, they are so much fun.

i would love to have any of Kally books but if i had to choose just one i would like to have "Tales From The Edge". it has several different stories in it and it is a menage story, i love books like that because the relationship dynamics are so interesting.
i follow via network blogs and i tried to follower thru blogger but couldn't ger it to work. sorry.

trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com
satins booki said…
Kally you know im a really big fan and which book i want lol.
felinewyvern said…
Having read a fair few of your books and enjoyed them I would love to read Moonstruck. Three guys getting lusty what's not to like about it?
Unknown said…
OMFG!!!! Tales from On The Edge is up for grabs, and autographed to boot!! *swoon* LOL

I'm a HUGE fan of Kally's - let's be honest, I'm in love with her - Hey Kally! And I'd do anything to win this book. ANYTHING!!!

I follow both blogs ;)
madamedsboudoir(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk
Unknown said…
Madame D thank you so much for being my 200th follower! Thank you to everyone to for following my blog, it's very much appreciated!!!

Leanne
Unknown said…
i would love to win any one of your books they all look great.
alot of people have duck on thanksgiving i myself like to save turkey for Christmas so we have ham and that ahem up there could be alot of fun if you add some sexy costumes to your candlelit dinner on Halloween ;)
good luck to all!!

terri_dion@hotmail.com
Deena said…
Hey sweets! Finally got over here tonight! I can tell you're having a ball! Me, too! Hugs!
Ronda Tutt said…
Wow, I just got through looking over all your books and it is hard to choose from. I havent read any of them.

Would love to win any of them but if I have a choice I would like to try Out of the Box, I love reading stories when individuals go into a sexual encounter only wanting pleasure at first and then falls in love unexpectingly. Totally love it.

I find it entertaining how the enjoyment of the holidays have wedged their way into your life. Truthfully now days most holidays do not have much meaning anymore and are all just too comercial.

When the kids were young and still at home I totally went way overboard with every holiday just to please my kids.

Now all the kids are grown and am now giving me grandkids so I dont fix my house up anymore, I go to their houses and watch them do what I did - LOL Enjoy seeing them grandkids faces with excitement in their eyes.

New follower

mrsqueentutt@yahoo.com
Anonymous said…
I would LOVE to win Fangs and Lullabies...it's got Jacob. Though my son's name is spelled with a K instead of a C I ALWAYS love books with his name in it. Plus it just sounds supertastic! Thanks for hosting!

I liked this blog on Facebook, Following it via Networked Blog and follow you on Twitter and via GFC.

MollyATreviewsbymollyDOTcom
Hey babe! Great seeing you here! I'm a gfc follower and liked this blog on FB. I'm also following via Network Blogs.

You know me. You know I want OotB or Living OotB. Why? Because Anando and Virginia rock!
Oh dang it! I forgot my emai addy!

rootml1 AT hotmail DOT com
Anonymous said…
I love all of the Out of the Box/On the Edge stories. I have all of them on my Kindle. If I won i would have to try something new and I think i would like Fangs and Lullabies. elfjen@yahoo.com
Oh, all of your books sound great! I'd have to put them all on my list, but I think I'd like to read Moonlust first. That one sounds very interesting!

tricia(at)triciaschneider(dot)com
Unknown said…
Great blog! I look forward to trying a few of your stories out!
Anonymous said…
Thanks a lot for this give away !
Liked FB page.
Following the blog.
If I win I would want Aria and Will ! This book looks really good and I would love to read it ! :) Best of luck to everyone !

Thanks,
Ifrah
starlight023(at)hotmail(dot)com
Nay Nay said…
Hi. I would love to have the Out of the Box complete series if I win.
Following blog,(Renee Bennett)or (Nay Nay){ can't remember which one I used} liked Facebook page, and really would love to win any of the books or swag you have.

Thank you for the chance to win.

reneebennett35 at yahoo dot com
Sherry Gloag said…
Kallysten, like you we did not 'do' halloween as children, so I do understand where you are coming from.
I enjoyed your blog but live in the UK so am opting out of your goodie giveaway. :-)
Jennifer said…
I'd like Aria & Will. It sounds like a classic love story (and more!).

GFC follower as Jennifer E

jenemard@yahoo(dot)ca
Liesa Manis said…
I follow the blog.
I liked your and this sites fb pages!! = Liesa Stafford Manis

Any of the books would be fine with me. I haven't read any of them, but would love the chance to!!


liesa008@comcast.net
Shadow said…
Hi! Thank you for the awesome giveaway! Id love to read any of your books. If i have to pick one, it would be Blurred Nights. :)
gfc- shadow_kohler
fb- shadow kohler
shadowluvs2read(at)aol(dot)com
geschumann said…
GFC - Gloria
FB - Gloria Sell Schumann
I would love Aria & Will
Thanks for the giveaway!

geschumann at live dot com
GFC-Kristina Haecker
I couldn't find the blog on FaceBook otherwise I would have liked it.

All of the books sound good! :) I'd probably pick Blurred Nights or Living out of the Box just because the sexy covers!

Kristina
kristinaleigh1@hotmail.com
I love your books:)
Thank you for the great giveawy!!

I would love Fangs and Lullabies
Iv herd so many great thing's about it.

elliott2668(at)yahoo(dot)com
Meg said…
Just wait till you spend hours sewing a costume, and then your kid REFUSES to wear part of it!! LOL

Loving the blog hop!
Barbara said…
Wow, great giveaway! I would choose Tales From the Edge.

GFC follower - Barbara
'Liked' on FB

barbbattaglia@yahoo.com
TiDubb said…
Great post! Thanks for the awesome giveaway. I would love to win Aria & Will- what can I say- I love stories about vampires.

GFC follower: TinaBuriedUnderBooks
Liked FB page: Tina Brown Wheatley
Network Blog follower

kamwh1207(at)att(dot)net
June M. said…
Great post and I loved the little story about Lilia and Vincent. I would probably pick TALES FROM THE EDGE, if I won.
Follow as GFC: June M.
Liked on FB: June Manning
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Anonymous said…
Really enjoyed the short story. If I were to win, I would like Aria & Will.

GFC follower - Lori Zalewski
FB - Lori Kraft Zalewski

Thanks for joining the blog hop.

knitrix29 at gmail dot com
ArtemisG said…
Hi, thank you for the great giveaway and hop!
GFC follower as Diana
I would like Fangs and Lullabies. The book has the most interesting story I have ever read except the wonderful cover.
Μy FB name : Demitra Giote

artgiote at gmail dot com
E. B. Walters said…
Just making my rounds, K, joining blogs and tweeting. I read your excerpts and can't wait to read your books.
Ashley said…
Any of them!!!!

Hot damn!

There all... GAH! I'm drooling!

shadowestr@aol.com
msmjb65 said…
Hi, there and thanks for the story. It's kind of funny (or sad, not sure which) I grew up in the US and don't feel connected to Thanksgiving! Maybe it's because almost all of the holidays here have been commercialized that many people just think about getting gifts, giving the best gift, etc. I guess I'm just in a cynical mood, but the best T-Giving I ever had was with a few friends. We had a very simple meal and talked about what we were really grateful for in our lives. We all ended up laughing and crying and I enjoyed myelf so much more than when I was forced to attend the "big family meal" which was always fraught with drama!
Anyhoo...I love your stories and would love to win Blurred Nights.
I'm following on GFC as MJB and liked this blog on FB.
Thanks for listening and the giveaway!!
MJB
msmjb65 AT gmail DOT cpm
msmjb65 said…
I always forget something!
I also liked you, Leanne, on FB as well as the blog.
MJB
msmjb65 AT gmail DOT com
Unknown said…
It is now MIDNIGHT September 26th, 2011 and the GIVEAWAY is now CLOSED!

Thank you so much to each and every one of you who entered or even stopped by to check out the blog hop. Your support and friendship is very appreciated! Until the next giveaway I send you all many good wishes and luck.

Leanne
Unknown said…
Thank you to everyone who participated! I was swamped last week and didn't get a chance to reply to comments, but it was great to see your thoughts and how all the books seemed to get some love! And now to get numbers out of the randomizer...
AshleyS said…
I would really love to read Fangs and Lullabies!

ashleylittlehandprintsdaycare@yahoo.com
i love your giveaway. I'd love to read Fangs and Lullabies..

i follow the blog and liked you on facebook.

raynekitten@gmail.com

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