Blissfully Sweet Event with Barbara White Daille

Barbara White Daille lives with her husband in the sunny Southwest. Though they love the warm winters and the lizards in their front yard, they haven’t gotten used to the scorpions in the bathroom. Barbara also loves writing, reading, and chocolate. Come to think of it, she enjoys writing about those subjects, too!

Barbara wrote her first short story at the age of nine, then typed "The End" to her first novel many years later...in the eighth grade. Now she's writing contemporary romance on a daily basis, with a brand-new series from Entangled Bliss (Snowflake Valley), an ongoing series from Harlequin Western Romance (The Hitching Post Hotel), and many more books on the schedule.

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Celebrating Christmas…any day of the year?

Hi, everyone! I’m Barbara White Daille, and I’m happy to be here to chat with you during this Blissfully Sweet Event. My brand-new release from Entangled Bliss has so many of my favorite story elements wrapped up in it, writing the story was like opening a Christmas gift.

I hope you’ll find a few items you like on the list, too. Among other things, Snowbound with Mr. Wrong includes:

~ a hunky hero

~ a conflicted heroine

~ a trio of conniving kids

~ some comic moments

~ some sweet romantic moments

~ and Christmas…

…lots of Christmas!

The heroine, Lyssa, is very big on holidays and family and tradition. And the hero, Nick…well, he might be playing Santa, but he’s not at all into the whole holiday thing. With two such different personalities thrown together—literally, since they’re snowbound in an isolated mountain lodge—this was a very fun book to write.

One of the best perks for me was getting immersed in the holiday so far ahead of the season. Imagine writing about a blizzard just as spring flowers are blooming!

To play up the contrast between Lyssa and Nick, I needed to spend time thinking about all the things that make Christmas or any winter holiday special. In my opinion, that includes the traditions we carry forward—the chance to celebrate with events and decorations and food and drink we may see only around that time of the year.

Back in the early spring, I took out some of our favorite Christmas mugs and a couple of the long-stemmed glasses we use for the holidays. To get into the spirit, I was drinking “champagne” from those fancier glasses. (The photo includes another of our traditions, a set of handmade placemats we received from a friend many Christmases ago that always has a place with our holiday decorations.)

To tell the truth, the “champagne” was really plain old bottled water! Still, using those glasses made every day feel like a celebration. And when I wasn’t drinking faux bubbly, I sipped hot chocolate.

As I’m a huge chocolate fan, it had to be mentioned in the book. Here’s a peek:

Lyssa could so easily see Nick with children of his own…and hers… But she had already decided there was no point in dreaming about a future with him. Considering his single-minded focus on work, he could never be the man for her.

She got to her feet and, forcing a smile, said, “I think it’s time for some hot chocolate.”

Four voices rose in agreement, and she escaped gratefully to the kitchen. The more she saw of Nick connecting with the kids, the harder it was for her to watch and the more she wanted to stay away. Yet she knew this trip to the kitchen was only a temporary reprieve.

She just hadn’t realized how temporary.

She had barely started heating the milk in a pan on the stove when Nick entered the kitchen. He came to lean against the counter beside her. “Need something?” she asked brightly.

“Yeah. To tell you I forgot how much fun it is being around you. It’s been a great afternoon.”

She flushed. “No thanks to me. That’s all on the kids. They’re quite a bunch.”

“And you’re quite a woman.”

“No, I’m—”

He reached up and touched his finger to her lips. “Don’t do that, Lyssa. Don’t sell yourself short.” He moved his hand to trace her chin. A shiver tickled along her jaw. “You know what else I need?”

“Hot chocolate?”

“That, too. And this.”

He leaned down and brushed his mouth against hers. He tasted so like the man she had fallen for months ago. His kiss was so tender, so sweet, she couldn’t help but want more. Another thought hovered at the edges of her mind, a thought she felt sure she didn’t want to know. Not now. Not here. Not when his taste and his touch and his total concentration on her were all exactly what she needed.

One dizzying kiss led to another and then another, until she had to curl her fingers in the fabric of his T-shirt to keep herself standing upright. But finally she forced herself to come to her senses. She tilted her head back and whispered, “Stop.”

“Why?” he murmured.

“What would we say if one of the kids walked in?”

“That the chocolate will be ready as soon as I’m done kissing the cook.”

Hope you enjoyed the excerpt. I’d love to chat, so feel free to leave comments and questions!

And here’s a question for you. Nick, Lyssa, and the kids are snowbound with a refrigerator full of party leftovers. What’s your favorite Christmas party food?

Worst. Day. Ever. After Lyssa Barnett’s sister tricks her into reprising her role at Snowflake Valley’s annual children’s party, she doesn’t think anything can be worse than squeezing into her too-small elf costume. Then tall, dark, and way too handsome Nick Tavlock shows up to play Santa…and an unexpected storm leaves them snowbound in the isolated lodge.

The last thing Nick wants is to spend a cozy Christmas Eve with a trio of kids and the woman who dumped him. But as much as Lyssa frustrates him, he can’t stop thinking about her. And soon, he’s fighting very un-Santa-like thoughts of kissing a certain sexy Miss Elf under the mistletoe. As Nick starts to fall for Lyssa all over again, he knows it will take nothing short of a miracle to have Lyssa in his arms on Christmas Day.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo |

Up For Grabs:

• 1 $10 Amazon Gift Card

To Enter: 

• What’s your favorite Christmas party food?
• US shipping ONLY.
• Please fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter giveaway.

**Don't forget to enter the grand prize giveaway!

Good Luck! 

Special thanks to Entangled Publishing for sponsoring this giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway