The first half of the silly season is behind us, and now most of us are gearing up for 2024!
I have some awesome plans for next year, and rather than make New Year resolutions or set goals that will likely get me nowhere but disappointment, (yes, I’m speaking from personal experience LOL). Instead, I’m working on putting some really robust systems in place to make sure I’m as equipped as I can be to consistently knock out my to-do list.
If you don’t know much about me, I have five kids at home (four are mine and 1 I inherited) I work three days a week at a private hospital training new and existing staff. I’m a registered nurse by trade, I also write my own books, run this blog, and generally help out self-published authors in a range of capacities. In short, my life is busy! But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I have four books planned for 2024, we have a lovely schedule of authors planned for the upcoming months on the blog, and as always I will turn up, share the love, and spread some pixie dust where I can.
From my heart to yours, I wish you all a safe and happy 2024!
Now let’s welcome A.D Ellis to the blog!
Author Bio
Escape into addictive, sexy, emotional M/M romance.
A.D. Ellis is an Indiana girl, born and raised. She spends much of her time in central Indiana as an instructional coach/teacher in the inner city of Indianapolis, being a mom to two amazing teens, and wondering how she and her husband of over two decades haven’t driven each other insane yet. A lot of her time is also devoted to phone call avoidance and her hatred of cooking.
She loves chocolate, hot tea, sweet wine with friends, pizza, and naps along with reading and writing romance. These loves don’t leave much time for housework, much to the chagrin of her husband. Who would pick cleaning the house over a nap or a good book? She uses any extra time to increase her fluency in sarcasm.
A.D. uses she/they pronouns.
A.D’s Quirky Questions
Holly: What will I always find in your fridge?
A.D. Ellis: There is *hopefully* always milk or my teens will be grumbly. Ketchup, butter, apples, and cheese are pretty much ALWAYS in the fridge. Leftovers don’t last long with two teens, plus, I like to take leftovers for lunch at school.
Holly: What food(s) fuel your writing?
A.D. Ellis: Hot tea fuels my writing always. If I’m eating while I write, it’s likely an apple cut into slices or mini Snickers. Sometimes cashews. I guess, overall, I don’t eat a lot of times when I’m writing. But the hot tea is a must, and that’s just for life in general, not only for writing times. J
Holly: Were you a reader as a child? What was your favorite book/author?
A.D. Ellis: I was! My love of reading started with my mom reading to me and my brother. Little Golden Books, nursery rhymes, and books like The BFG were things she read to us. When I started reading on my own, I gravitated toward The Baby-Sitter’s Club, Beverly Cleary, Trixie Beldon, and Judy Blume. Once I discovered the steamier aspects of my mom’s romance novels as a young teenager, I was hooked on the genre—even if I was sneaking them from my mom’s basket at the time.
Holly: Where do you like to write?
A.D. Ellis: I do most of my writing at my kitchen table. Being in the kitchen makes me feel like I’m still “there” for my kids and not locked away in a cave.
Holly: What’s your favorite book that you’ve written and why?
A.D. Ellis: This question is SO HARD! Truly, I can’t pick just one. As usual, I always have a special place in my heart for the most recent release, so I have to say Once Upon a Christmas House. However, with over fifty titles under my belt, choosing ONE to be my favorite is difficult. I love Sawyer because it was my first male/male romance and it started me on this amazing journey as well as introduced me to one of my very best friends. Take Me Home was a lot of fun and I loved the city boy/country boy aspect. Forever Better Together just owned my heart way back when I wrote it.
My next release is February 2, 2024 and I absolutely adore this story. Fairest of All is a dark MM fairytale romance retelling and it pulled me away from my usual stories. Early readers have LOVED Zane and Holter’s story and I can’t wait for folks to read this title, plus all of the books in the Fallen Fairytales series.
Holly: If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
A.D. Ellis: I didn’t write Once Upon a Christmas House with plans for a sequel, but here I am J The book I’m currently writing is set in the same town and has appearances by some of the same characters, but it will focus on Kai and Colby in a single dad, best friends to lovers, holiday romance. I plan to release this title in November of 2024.
Holly: What would you and your MCs talk about if you went out for coffee?
A.D. Ellis: OMG everything. First, I’d have tea J My characters are real people to me so I imagine us laughing and chatting like I do with my in-real-life friends. I know we’d catch up on things, joke around, and just talk about whatever comes up. Just like my real friends, we’d never run out of things to talk about.
Once Upon A Christmas House
Ivyrson is the quintessential Scrooge when it comes to anything having to do with the holidays. However, the chance to win a hefty chunk of money and free repairs on his old home is enough to entice the man to take part in a holiday-themed reality game.
Emory has had a crush on his older brother’s best friend for years. When the chance to help Ivy possibly win a reality game comes along, Emory doesn’t hesitate. After all, that’s what friends are for.
The two men have known each other forever, but living together and pretending to be a couple means getting to know each other on a whole new level. Can they convince the viewing audience their fake relationship deserves to win the grand prize? Or will Ivy and Emory get swept up in the holiday magic and find themselves falling in love for real?
Once Upon a Christmas House is a steamy, forced-proximity, fake relationship, M/M Christmas romance between a grumpy Scrooge and his best friend’s cheery little brother.
Excerpt
Season’s Streaming
Your favorite holiday streaming channel is back with the cheeriest of line-ups for you and yours.
This season’s streaming programming includes old favorites like holiday movies, baking shows, shopping tips and tricks, news about the best light displays across the country, children’s shows, and MORE!
New Addition!
This year, we’re adding in a fun competition show called Once Upon a Christmas House.
We’ll follow ten couples from around the country as they compete for viewer votes over eight weeks. Each couple will live in their own home as our team records their daily goings-on and completion of challenges. Viewers will vote each week and the couple with the lowest scores and votes will be removed from the show. At the end of the competition, we’ll be left with our final two couples. The winners of Once Upon a Christmas House will share $500,000 and get their home remodeled. And YOU, the viewers, decide who wins! Who will be your favorite couple?
STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES AS THE SHOW DRAWS CLOSER!
If you’d like to be considered as one of our competing couples, head to the Season’s Streaming website and submit an application. We’ll pick our ten couples in late October and begin recording in early November.
Rules and regulations apply and can be found on the application.
Nothing says Season’s Greetings like a little bit of competition and teamwork, a dash of romance, and a splash of holiday magic with the Season’s Streaming channel.
***
On the way to the elevator, Ivy cleared his throat. “You know you don’t have to do the show with me. I’m not in dire straits—I’d survive without the money. There’s a good chance we’d get knocked out in the first round anyway—even if they let us do the show with you instead of Trevor.”
“I know I don’t have to, but I’m willing to help if we can make it work.”
“I really do hate Christmas,” Ivy said, an edge to his voice. “So, like, best not to expect anything super holiday-ish from me.”
I smirked, my next words making Ivy scowl. “No expectations, but I can’t promise you won’t love it by the end of our time together.”
If we even got to do the show.
If we lasted past the first week.
We exited the elevator and made our way to the parking lot.
“You know I’m not worried about you turning me gay, right?” Ivy said, a serious look on his gorgeous face. “I’m not against shit like that. Gay, straight, bi, pan, demi, ace, all of it, none of it, that shit doesn’t matter to me, you know that, right? Labels aren’t my thing, but I’m cool with people needing them. I figure, you’re attracted to who you’re attracted to. You love who you love.” His cheeks pinked. “If you’re into love and shit. It’s not for me, but I’m down with people loving their person, no matter the label or whatever.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck, I think the day is catching up with me. Imma shut up now.”
Ivy being flustered and vulnerable was something I’d never really had the pleasure of seeing. Not going to lie, it was adorable.
A.D’s Socials
https://www.adellisauthor.com/mylinks/
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~ “Have courage and be kind.” -Cinderella
Shout out to some of my friends!
Anne Barwell
SALE!
Echoes Rising is set in occupied Europe during WWII.
A game of cat and mouse across war-torn Europe.
#friendstolovers #enemiestolovers #spies #mmromance #action #drama #WWII #hurtcomfort #foundfamily #diversecharacters
Doktor Kristopher Lehrer is a scientist working on a top secret project in Germany. When his illusions are shattered and he discovers what the Nazis plan to do with his work, it isn’t long before he is on the run with both the Gestapo and the Allies after the plans he carries.
Follow Kristopher and Michel (the undercover Resistance agent sent to watch him), and the Allied team as they attempt to stay one step ahead of their enemies and reach safety.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4225LDC
Jackie Keswick
Winter Whispers: Holiday-Flavoured Book Treats
Dive into mystery, magic, and tenderness served with lashings of cinnamon-laced hot chocolate
Check it out: https://readerlinks.com/l/3854344
I hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of Holly’s Quirky Questions.
A huge thank you to A.D. You are awesome!
Next week in our first blog of 2024 we have CD Rachels!
As always: Find a Spark of Magic Every Day.
