An Italian Christmas Memory with Laura Kaye.

Nine days and counting until Christmas! Welcome to A Writer’s Mind’s, third annual WHAT EVERY WOMAN WANTS BENEATH HER CHRISTMAS TREE BLOG EVENT. Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over talented author,  Laura Kaye, to share a little bit of her holiday with us. Laura is graciously offering a giveaway. One lucky reader who leaves a comment will win a signed paperback (just released!) of the book, my first ever to hit the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists! Open to international!

YULETIDE NOTE: I encourage you to leave a comment for a chance to win each featured author's given prize (Include email addy). Their individual winners will be announced in a comment after their post. In addition, be sure to enter the Rafflecopter provided after each post as often as you like for a chance to win the grand prize, three $30 Amazon Gift Cards, 12+ ebooks and over six print novels. Three winners drawn and announced December 26th, 2012. Click on 'Ready to be Served?' at the top of this blog to find the itinerary.

Let’s hear from Laura…

An Italian Christmas Memory

I’m excited to be a part of Sky’s Christmas event this year! To celebrate, I thought I’d share a favorite Christmas memory—it involves a summer romance, a family making a wish come true, and making love in Italy.

This memory is from 1991. I was a college senior who had fallen in love with her college boyfriend the summer before senior year started. Only problem was, her boyfriend, a junior (*gasp* a younger man! LOL) was going abroad to Italy for the year at the end of August. We were determined to make it work. Oh, the money we gave to AT&T and the postal service during the fall semester! Then, come November, we had a crazy idea. What if I could get the money to fly to Italy over Christmas break???

Now, this was a crazy idea because, growing up, my family was poor. The first to go to college in my family, I had loans and scholarships up to my eyeballs just to attend school. So I asked my mom and everyone in my family to forego any gifts that Christmas, and instead to give me money I could put toward a plane ticket. I think my mom was as traumatized by the idea of my first international flight (by myself, no less) as she was by the idea of not having any gifts under the tree. But, after a lot of negotiating: success! My family came through with the ticket—and a few gifts, too!

On December 29, 1991, I flew to Milan, Italy, and from there took a train to Bologna, where my boyfriend went to university. The next nine days were some of the most romantic and magical of my life. I’d never been outside of the United States before, and Italy was just majestic and wonderful. And to go there when everything was still decorated—trees and greenery and strings of lights across every strada. There was so much to see that I’d never seen before. We did all the sightseeing we could pack in. We took train ride and day trips to neighboring towns, like Modena, Florence, and Venice. We bought and drank an entire case of Italian wine. We ate handmade tortellini and made love and fell in love even more. When I had to leave on January 9, I was nearly heartbroken, but we also both knew that my visit had solidified our summer romance into a life-long relationship. Five years later, I married that boy. Sixteen years later, Brian and I are still married.

Do you have a favorite Christmas memory?

Giveaway: I’m celebrating the release of my latest contemporary romance, One Night with a Hero, which has a romantic and humorous Christmas scene in it. One lucky reader will win a signed paperback (just released!) of the book, my first ever to hit the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists! Open to international!

Sky here. What a wonderfully romantic memory, Laura. I just love it! And yes, Italy is indeed a beautiful place to fall in love 'even more.' Thank you so much for joining us today. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

About One Night with a Hero:

Buy at Amazon | B&N | Kobo

He wants just one night…

After growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, Army Special Forces Sgt. Brady Scott vowed never to marry or have kids. Sent stateside to get his head on straight—and his anger in check—Brady’s looking for a distraction. He finds it in his beautiful new neighbor’s one-night-only offer for hot sex, but her ability to make him forget is addictive. Suddenly, Brady’s not so sure he can stay away.

…what they need is each other.

Orphaned as a child, community center director Joss Daniels swore she’d never put herself in a position to be left behind again, but she can’t deny herself one sizzling night with the sexy soldier who makes her laugh and kisses her senseless. When Joss discovers she’s pregnant, Brady’s rejection leaves her feeling abandoned. Now, they must overcome their fears before they lose the love and security they’ve found in each other, but can they let go of the past to create a future together?

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win Laura’s prize! After that, be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win even more.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/c587a91/