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Feeling a Lot Like Christmas

by M.L. Buchman

I've been discovering one of the great joys of the Christmas season that comes with being a writer. Throughout the year I work at my craft, I develop my novels, I consider where I want my series to go. And, because I'm a research hound, I plunge off into the world of research to learn about attitudes, practices, equipment, world events, etc. etc. etc.

And then comes Christmas!

Christmas comes early for a writer. In July or August, we start to consider what story we want to tell. What character wishes for a cheery holiday season. Which one wants to just cut loose and find a holiday romance. Will everyone else (at least north of the equator) is sweating it out, writers wander off to far cooler climes.

Through August, September, even October (and occasionally November because after all we're writers and schedules can be a severe challenge when a book takes far longer than you planned), we delve away on Christmas tales. It is a splendidly merry time of year to be a writer!

And this year I realized that I have been gifted with the joy of diving into this particular Santa's bag of joy three years in a row, each time in my Night Stalkers world of military romantic suspense. How cool is that? And how much fun!

In just two days, my Night Stalkers series will grow its third Christmas story, a Christmas at Steel Beach.

Yes, that's a hovercraft in the background. After all, what's Christmas without a hundred-ton hovercraft? Right? Of course right!

A "Steel Beach" is a day off on the Navy ships when their part of the world is momentarily quiet and then can simply stop. There are barbeques, sporting events (like tricycle races, seriously), sunbathing, and swimming off a "Steel Beach."

The supreme joke on this writer?
I didn't learn that "Steel Beach" was a real thing until after I finished and named the book! (Writing is such a peculiar job...in all the best ways.)

Here's three years of Christmas Triple joy!

I can't begin to tell you how much fun it is as a writer to give yourself such a present each year. To have something like this to look forward to, to play with! I can only hope my readers have as much fun as I did when I jumped off the Steel Beach for Christmas (look for it in just a few days).


Oooo! I can't wait for next summer!

Comments

  1. They look like great additions to your delicious series! Thanks for sharing.

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