Thank you Carmel for inviting me to your Christmas Holiday Foreplay Event! It’s great to be here to help celebrate the season.
I was born and grew up in England, and for me Christmas is synonymous with woolly gloves and scarves, red noses from the cold and if we were really lucky, snow on Christmas morning. It would be dark soon after three in the afternoon, and all the shops would be brightly lit with sparkling coloured lights and decorations in their windows.
The air was frosty and every puff of breath a white cloud. We’d have hot mince pies, a huge turkey with all the trimmings and a flaming Xmas pud.
A very traditional Christmas 🙂
Then several years ago we moved to Australia, and I’m still recovering from the upside down seasons! Our first Christmas here the temperature hit over 100 degrees. We didn’t have air conditioning, but we did have the full turkey Christmas dinner. I thought I was going to expire from the heat! Suddenly, the funny Oz tradition of a seafood platter on the BBQ for Xmas day dinner didn’t seem nearly so weird.
But old habits die hard. Every single year we still have the full roast dinner (although thankfully we now have air conditioning to go with it!!!) Everyone thinks we’re nuts, but although we love the relaxed Aussie lifestyle it just wouldn’t feel like Christmas without the stuffing and cranberry sauce (although I must admit I’ve given up on the Brussels sprouts! Like, gross!)
Still, it is fun to walk on the beach on Christmas morning. We never did that when we lived in London!
My debut release as Christina Ashcroft, ARCHANGEL OF MERCY, was released yesterday (just in time for Christmas!)
Christina Ashcroft is an ex-pat Brit who now lives in Western Australia with her husband and three children. She is owned by three cats who graciously allow her the occasional spare moment to write hot paranormal romance for Penguin/Berkley Heat. Christina also writes hot historical romances as Christina Phillips for Berkley Heat and Ellora’s Cave You can keep up with what’s happening in her crazy writerly world over on Facebook and Twitter. She loves to chat with readers and would love to see you over there! You can sign up for Christina’s Newsletter. It’s not a chat loop so your inbox won’t be flooded. |
I have a copy of ARCHANGEL OF MERCY to give away to one lucky commenter on my post. The contest is open internationally, to wherever The Book Depository delivers. Just leave a comment or let us know do you have a least favourite food that you just couldn’t bear to eat, even on Christmas Day?
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About the Blogger
I review Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance books with a focus all things werewolf. Based out of Ottawa, Canada
Owner, designer and main blogger behind Rabid Reads. Avid book reader, snowboard bunny, video gamer and Supernatural fan. I love all things paranormal, werewolves especially. Oh, and I’m Canadian, eh!
I don’t like any sort of seafood. I would go hungary before I ate any fish, lobster, or shrimp. Blah-nasty.
Hope you have a Merry Christmas. This book looks great. This is a new author for me. Thanks for the giveaway.
christinebails at yahoo dot com
i’m allergic to seefood and nowadays on the restaurants’menu for chritmas they have a tendency to put more and more seefood so i stay at home with the homemade traditional meal
thank you a lot for opening your giveaway to international, i would be very happy to discover your book
Happy Release and lot of success^^
I don’t like shrimp or cranberrys. Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me. I love to read about angels. Tore923@aol.com
You will never even see beets enter my house. I hate them with a passion. There is some sort of reaction that occurs on my tongue with this nasty “natures candy” veggie – YUCK!
Congratulations on the release and thank you for the giveaway.
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
@Chrisbails I’m not a fan of seafood either although I do eat fish.
@miki I agree, I hate how prevalent seafood has become. Yuck. 🙁
@Tore Shrimps an cranberries is an odd combination… LOL
@Victoria Oh yes, beets are y-u-c-k-y!
greens! I don’t know if the phrase “eat your greens” means the same elsewhere as it does here in the UK but it’s usually sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower even though that’s white! From the stench of them when they are being boiled to the vile taste I haven’t touched any since I left home.
I’ve tried it a few times because they’re so popular around the holidays but
i don’t like eggnog.
There are actually a bunch of things I won’t eat….lol…I don’t like turkey, beets, or turnips. I have added some veggies I didn’t used to eat like brussel sprouts and asparagus – I like those now but I just don’t see me ever changing my mind on the others…lol…
Congratulations on the new release and thanks for the giveaway!
junegirl63 at gmail dot com
There are lots of different types of foods that I don’t like, as every year it seems like at least one person will complain that I’m a picky eater. The big things that I will never eat are brussel sprouts, beets, and onions. I will always refuse to eat any of those.
Waldorf Salad! Gross!
I HATE Saurrkrau. Never, Never will I eat it.
Hi Chrisbails
I love some seafood but don’t think I could ever bring myself to eat anything chewy like eel or squid! Just the look of it makes me squirm!
Hi miki
I love prawns, but a few years ago we got some huge kingsize ones. I had one tiny nibble and puffed up like a balloon. It was awful! I’ve never touched them since and I really miss them!
Thank you for your good wishes! Also thank you Christballs too, hit publish too quickly 🙂
Hi Tore,
Ooh I love cranberry sauce. I have to have that with my turkey otherwise it just doesn’t taste right!
Hi Victoria,
I like sweet beetroot but since I’m lazy I never get the fresh stuff, it’s always tinned :-)I didn’t know it was called nature’s candy! Thanks for the congrats!
Hi Irene
I was always being told to eat my greens as s child! I always swore I’d never say that to my kids. I do, of course, haha! I’m not a fan of cabbage or sprouts but don’t mind steamed broccoli.
Hi Na,
I’ve never had eggnog! I’ve always wanted to try it because I have no idea what it’s like. I always think it must be made from eggs?
Hi Maria,
Turkey is one my most fave foods in the world!!! I never get tired of eating it over the holidays 🙂 Thanks for the congrats!
Hi Crystal,
I was always a fussy eater as a child and so were my kids. My son was the worst, he didn’t even like Macca’s fries so that never worked as a bribe with him!
Hi Eva,
The only nuts I like are peanuts, can’t stand any others so Waldorf salad is right off my radar!!
Hi Jennifer,
Eew no, I don’t think I’d ever like to see that on my plate either!!
I don’t like bacon. I’m probably one of the only persons on the planet that will say that. I know. I’m strange that way.
I am not a big fish eater. I definitely wouldn’t want that at Christmas.
My least favorite food is seafood.
I love the cover and very interesting description of the story. Thanks for the giveaway.
@Irene Jackson Sprouts, eww!!
@Na I don’t care for eggnog either. What’s worse in French it’s called chicken milk. How gross is that?!
@Maria D. Sounds like you’re a bit of a picky eater. :p
@Crystal Every couple of years I force myself to eat things that I don’t like to see if my tastes have changed. LOL
@Eva What the heck is that??
@Jennifer Bielman I can’t blame ya, with a name like that. LOL
I hate hard boiled eggs and anything made from them. Love eggnogg lattes from Starbucks but not eggnog. sdylion(at)gmail(dot)com
I absolutely hate any kind of red meat. Call me insane..but I just can’t look at it and eat it. I’m weird…*shrugs* LOL ;p But thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
~ Maida @ Literary Love Affair
Thanks for the fun post! I’m so jealous that you have a beach to walk along 🙂 Ummm… call me weird but there’s not really any foods that I don’t really like. Brussel Spouts sauteed in olive oil, pepper, garlic, and butter… yum…
Love this, =) i eat almost anything on the christmas table, but i guess that comes with age. When i was younger i didn´t eat anything but swedish meatballs & sausages =D
Thanks for the giveaway & Happy Thursday!
//Linda
Raisens I love grapes but hate raisens.Thank you for this chance to win.Have an amazing week.
flanagan@mebtel.net
I love seafood but hate oysters. Havent had one yet that I cared for.
@Stéphanie I don’t mind bacon so long as it’s not too smoky, I do occasionally love the full English breakfast!!!
@Susan It wouldn’t feel like Christmas to me if we had fish! I look forward to the turkey all year 🙂
@Olga Sergejeva Thank you! I love this cover so much!
@SdyLion I can’t stand hard boiled eggs, even the smell of them as they’re boiling – urgh!
@MåїÐ»-(¯`v´¯)-» I can eat most meat, but I can’t bear even the look of offal – and liver makes me want to do unspeakable things!
@erin You’re welcome 🙂 Yes, it’s great having the beach so nearby. Your recipe for sprouts makes me almost want to try them again – almost!!!
@Linda I eat a lot more things now than I used to and thankfully so do my kids! Hope you have a great day too 🙂
@wanda f I don’t mind a few raisins in my cereal but they always put too many in – I have to fish them out!! Hope you have a great week too 🙂
@donnas I’ve never tried oysters. Just the thought of it makes my stomach churn!
@Stéphanie Wha!? You. Don’t. Like. BACON!? Bacon is good with/on e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g!! LOL I’m razzing ya. If you don’t like it you don’t like it. 🙂
@Susan Fish doesn’t exactly say “Christmas” to me either.
@Olga Sergejeva Good luck!
@SdyLion Starbucks can make anything taste good!
@MåїÐ»-(¯`v´¯)-» I used to be a vegetarian so I sympathize.
@erin A beach sounds mighty appealing right about now… I’m on the cusps of being buried under snow for the next 4+ months.
@Linda Very true. As you get older I find you get less picky.
@wanda f I hate raisins too. I’ll pick them out of the stuffing. Yuck.
@donnas The texture of oysters freaks me out!
Hi Christina,
The one christmas food I have never really liked is ….. Christmas pudding. It is a little too rich for me, as is traditional Christmas fruit cake. Visitors to our house at Christmas usually have to put up with chocolate pavlova topped with rasberries or maybe a summer pudding instead (although I usually have a little christmas pudding on stand by for the die hard traditionalists)
My favorite food was Lasagna.
I don’t really have any least favourite food..I eat like everything 😀
@Filia Oktarina Was lasagna? Are you saying that you hate it now? Hmm…
@Andreea Prus Wow, you’re easy going!
@Filia Oktarina
I like lasagna, but my husband won’t eat cheese so over the years I’ve stopped making dishes that involve cheese. One thing I really miss is Cauliflower cheese – love that!
@Christina Phillips
Oops it had to happen. I was signed in as my other self *red face*
@Andreea Prus
That’s great! It’s so embarrassing when you’re at someone’s house and they’ve made something completely delicious to eat – except you can’t stand the food they’ve used 🙂
You can keep the prawns – on the barbie or not.
Congratulations on you debut Christina.
@Mary Preston
Thanks so much for the congrats!
i love seafood especially crab and prawn..
thx u for this giveaway 🙂
@nurmawati djuhawan
I love crab too! Fingers crossed I haven’t become allergic to that yet!!
Thank you for donating your book for a giveaway. Have a fun holiday!
@Anne Consolacion
Thanks, Anne! You too 🙂
We have a tradition here I live and we eat only fish on Christmas. But I don’t like any other seafood (never tried to be honest xD).
Merry Christmas to you!
@Veronika
Hope you have a Merry Christmas too!
Can’t stand Brussell Sprouts or Asparagus! Thanks for the contest! Looking forward to reading your book.
@Liz S. I can’t bear Brussell sprouts but I don’t mind asparagus!
Many actually… I could never eat broccoli. I hate the stuff. I can’t even smell it I’m afraid 😛
@Anna Ch
I don’t mind broccoli, but I steam it and it has to still keep a bit of crunch otherwise it’s just urgh!
there is this terrible dish made with pinol and pig’s blood. I COULD never eat that
@Reading Mind / The Loyal Book Eek. I had to look up what pinol was, and mixed with pig’s blood, um no thank you!!!
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My least favourite food to see on Christmas would be seafood. Can’t stand it! Thanks for the giveaway and happy holidays!
This comment has been removed by the author.
I’m Polish and we do the big, traditional Polish dinner every Christmas Eve…and I still can’t stand beets. Just smelling them grosses me out!
Happy Holidays & thanks for the amazing giveaway!
elizabeth @ bookattict . com