Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Guest Post w/ Samantha Kane + giveaway (open INT)


Good morning dearlings! We've got a fantastically talented author joining us this morning with a lovely Christmas post. Samantha Kane's one of our local NC authors and writes some amazing historicals. Some a little more mainstream (but still pretty steamy) <----and then, whew, she also writes an historical erotica/menage series Brothers in Arms.----->

I'm handing things off to Ms Kane now so come check out her guest post and the awesome giveaway she's doing for an ebook of the winner's choice from her backlist! (ooohhh so jealous!).  



The Perfect Gifts

I’ve been thinking and thinking what I could write in a Christmas blog post that hasn’t already been said. Today I was out Christmas shopping, like half the Western world, searching for the perfect gifts for the people on my list, and I realized that it doesn’t matter if it’s been said before. Some things need to be said time and again.

There are lots of different kinds of gifts. There’s the I’ve-been-thinking-about-you gift, and the very simple Merry Christmas gift. Then there’s the you’re-important-to-me-even-if-I-don’t-see-or-talk-to-you-often gift. The gifts that say “I know you better than anyone else, and I know you will love this.” The ever-popular hostess gift for holiday parties, the handmade gift for special loved ones, the expensive gifts for those to whom those things are important. Teacher gifts, sweetheart gifts, friendship gifts. And we can wrap them all up in pretty paper and ribbons and during the much too short Christmas season we exchange them and kiss each other on the cheek and then wait until next year to do it all over again.

But in light of recent events I began to think about the gifts we give each other every day of the year. The intangible gifts: love, time, understanding, patience. I have received many of those intangible gifts from the romance community over the last couple of months as I moved and then fell headlong into holiday season preparations and had to be reminded of blog posts and marketing obligations. I took a long time to respond to emails, I’ve all but vanished from social media, and I’ve been unreliable. And yet friends and strangers alike have given me the gifts of time, patience and understanding, and I want them to know how much I appreciate those gifts, and them.

You see, I was in the middle of giving my children and husband one of those intangible gifts: a home. I’m a nester, you see. I can’t sleep if everything isn’t in its place. And I wanted our lives to continue as seamlessly as possible as we made a major change. So I unpacked boxes and hung pictures and put out Christmas decorations as fast as I could. They may not realize the gift for what it is, but I know that they are happy here in our new home, and already consider their private spaces as uniquely and definitively theirs. And I gave that to them.

They have given me priceless, intangible gifts as well. Their smiles and happy faces tell me that my gift is precious to them. And isn’t that what the spirit of giving is all about? In little ways we give to one another all year long. But the root of all our gifts—to one another, to family, to friends—is  love.

May you receive many gifts—intangible ones and ones wrapped in pretty paper and bows accompanied by yearly kisses—this holiday season. 

                                                         ~Samantha Kane



Samantha Kane lives in North Carolina with her husband of fifteen years and three children, two boys and one girl. She spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full time writer and mom. Ms. Kane has a Master's degree in American History. She loves to hear from readers, so please email her today.




Samantha's giving away an ebook from her backlist to one lucky commenter!! How awesome is that? Thanks Samantha!!

So check out her guest post, leave her a nice comment and fill out that Rafflecopter!

40 comments:

  1. I love the holidays. To me the most important part is just being together. We play games have fun and, of course, give presents. I just love the atmostphere of being surrounded by those you love.

    *I have read The Devil's Thief and loved it! It was a great story! If you haven't read it yet definitely pick it up! I can't wait for the next one *grins*

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  2. It's so true, we often don't realise all we are receiving or we took some for granted when we should be so grateful
    I like to make personnalised gift because it's a way for me to show that the person count for me but i know it's only material and sometime snothing in comparaison to what i received

    happy holidays

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  3. Wonderful post: the holidays are NOT about gifts but about the spirit of the season, something so many (me included) forget about as we run around getting stuff done and ready for family/guests. Thank you for reminding us what is important!

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  4. Great post! :) Sounds great!

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  5. Thanks for sharing the great post. Have read the Devils Thief and gifted the book to my Aunt who loves historical romances like me as her Christmas :)
    (my review of the book is on GR)
    Quick question is the Devil's Thief going to be a series?

    Thanks again, hope you have a wonderful holiday season

    BeckeyWhiteATgmailDOTcom

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  6. I love Samantha's historicals. They are some of my fave reads.
    Happy Holidays,
    Lori
    lorih824@yahoo.com

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  7. I love historicals. I'll have to add these to my to-read list.

    Have a wonderful holiday!

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  8. Merry Christmas, I find that finding the perfect gift will always be a myth, The best gift you can give to your family and friends is time with them. Carin mawmom at gmail dot com

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  9. This is a very sweet post. Thank you! It seems that these days people don't seem to recognize ALL of the gifts in their lives. I read almost every kind of book romance genres out there so I will love these:)
    Nicole.nobles@aol.com

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  10. The things I remember most at Christmas now that I'm in my 30's are things like Christmas Eve with the whole extended family and all the zaniness that ensues.. decorating the tree with my parents, debating and teasing one another about the ornaments and which ones get sacrificed as "cat bait". I cherish those memories and remember those a lot more clearly than what gifts I may have received. I do like buying things for people though.. finding that indulgent, fun, or even silly gift. :)

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  11. Thanks for this guestpost Samantha, you sure made me think. I think I prefer the priceless, intangible gifts better, as I buy myself whatever I want :)

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  12. Thank you for this awesome giveaway and the opportunity to read your books :)

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  13. Thank you everyone! During this often crazy season I'm trying to remind myself about those precious, intangible gifts. So this weekend is baking Christmas cookies with the kids. We do it every year. :)

    And, yes, The Devil's Thief is the first in a new series called The Saint's Devils. Thanks for asking!

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  14. Very nice post. Another one for the TBR list

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  15. I like to go the homemade gifts -- They are more meaningfull
    modularmates(at)comcast(dot)net

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  16. I read The Devil's Thief and love love LOVE it!!! I look forward to the rest of the books in The Saint's Devils series as well as Samantha's other books.
    Thanks for the giveaway :)
    kitcat76(at)hotmail.com

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  17. For me, the perfect holiday gift is just my family having a good holiday :)
    Thanks so much for the giveaway.
    manning_J2004 at yahoo dot com

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  18. My parents & I just moved 1000 miles away from our hometown in October & so understand how you've struggled to get properly nested in a new place, while letting your other obligations slide. Unpacking is going slowly at our new house, but it is starting to feel like home. This move has been especially hard on my father, who has alzheimer's that is stealing him away from us & leaving him very confused. The first few weeks were touch & go with him attempting to run away several times, but he is finally starting to feel comfortable & interact with us more. We will keep him home with us as long as we are able.

    drainbamaged.gyzmo at gmail.com

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  19. I won a copy of The Devil's Thief here on this blog and loved it. I am patiently( as patiently as a book lover can be, HA!) on the next in the series. I'm with you on love being an important part of this season. As long as I have my family and friends surrounding me I could care less about gifts. It seems the more our family grows the less time we can all get together at once and it's the holiday moments that bring us in one place at one time. Here's wishing everyone love for Christmas.

    leahweller(at)bellsouth(dot)net

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    1. Ahhh yay! So glad you enjoyed it Leah!! I'm *patiently* waiting too ;)

      Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! It's always wonderful to get the whole family together at once!

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  20. That was a great post and it made me a bit emotional.
    I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas in your new house :)

    renee-moore@live.com.au

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  21. I have read Samantha before. But it has been some time. Not sure why though. Reading this makes me think I should get back to her. :-)
    lisakhutson at cox. net

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  22. I love cookies. Please send me some. :)
    Samantha is such a great lady, so nice. Now that my Dad is retired, we make cookies together. It's a lot of fun and quality time spent with each other. Time with family is priceless and time goes by so fast. We all need to slow down and appreciate more fully what we have.
    luvfuzzzeeefaces at yahoo dot com

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  23. What a lovely post! You are so right about the intangible gifts.

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  24. Love this, =) can´t wait for my chance to read more!
    Thanks for the giveaway & Happy Holidays!
    //Linda

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  25. Thank for sharing, can´t wait for to read more!!

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  26. Samantha Kane is a new to me author. I look forward to reading some of her books.

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  27. Hi Samantha,
    I enjoyed The Devil's Thief and I'm looking forward to reading more of your stories.

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  28. Tho it can be a lot of fun to give & receive physical gifts it can also be stressful, so what I really enjoy about the holidays is getting together and enjoying a good meal.

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  29. perfect gift is gathering with family and get a gift from family :)

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  30. This year has been unbelievably eye opening for me and I agree with what you said. This Christmas my mom and I are focusing instead on what we already have which is each other. We're all we have (not counting the pets who are family to us) so it's important to let loved ones know how much they mean because tomorrow is not a guarantee.

    Adria
    Breath of Life Reviews

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  31. Your book sounds wonderful. I am really looking forward to reading this one. Merry Christmas!

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  32. Happy holidays, I love historical romances. sdylion(at)gmail(dot)com

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  33. I love your take on the perfect gift(s). Now when I give a gift, I have no expectations of receiving anything in return...it's the joy of giving I want to experience (including my birthday as well as holidays). The happy memories I can never buy or ever lose!
    ivegotmail8889(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  34. The Devil's Thief looks great!

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  35. I hope I'm not too late.

    Happy New Year!

    Adila (from Azerbaijan)
    adilasblog(at)gmail(dot)com

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  36. Hi Samantha!

    The favorite gift to give in our family is also usually the hardest to pick and it's the perfect book for each family member! My husband and I both loved reading before we even met and once we had children of our own we felt that the best thing we could ever give them was the love of reading as well.

    Both our sons have now passed the love of reading down to our 5 grandchildren and every year a gift of a book is on the top of their Christmas list!

    We've also believed that reading not only gives your the joy of reading but knowledge of dreaming, history, and reaching for the stars as understanding of people and places you may never be able to visit but through reading can come to understand all the is different but the same all over the world!

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  37. I love your gift to your family!

    susanmplatt AT hotmail DOT com

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  38. LOve her naughty books best. :) She's an amazing talented author.

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I always enjoy hearing what YOU think so come on and leave a comment. Everyone's welcome :) And feel free to leave comments on old posts. I'll check in on you there too :)

Bloggers don't forget to leave your links!
~Anna

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