VALENTINE'S DAY IN CHRISTMAS TOWN LeAnne Bristow

Valentine’s Day in Christmas Town

Yes. You read that right. My two favorite holidays smushed together! Before I get to that, let me introduce myself.

My name is LeAnne Bristow and I love meeting new people, which is why I’m so excited to be here! This is my first visit to Whispers In Purple, but I promise, it won’t be my last! Unlike many writers, I’m a complete extrovert. The more people around, the better. When my children were small, they dreaded standing next to me in line at the grocery store because, you guessed it, I struck up conversations with everyone around me. My husband hates going anywhere with me because I have to stop and talk to people. I can’t help it. I’m a people person.

People often ask me how my husband and I manage. He’d be happy living the life of a hermit, while I thrive on new experiences. At a party, he sits in the corner while I mingle. When my oldest daughter was stationed in Germany with the US Air Force, I flew to Europe and traveled with her while he stayed home. He is a math whiz, I can’t balance the checkbook. He hates to read. I love it so much I became a writer. Our opposites are endless, but after almost thirty years of marriage, I can confidently say that it works. He keeps me grounded and I push him out of his comfort zone just enough to try something new occasionally.

This year, I have a story in a wonderful Valentine anthology and I have to admit that I used some personal experiences to create my characters. My heroine is a feisty, outgoing, people-loving teacher who can’t do math and my hero would rather stay home and play with numbers. Sound familiar? He’s cynical. She’s optimistic. He’s guarded. She’s willing to take chances. They are complete opposites who don’t realize how much they need each other. 

Before I introduce you to them, let me tell you about Christmas Town.

Two years ago, I was asked to join the Heartwarming Christmas Town anthology and I was thrilled! The Christmas Town anthologies have been going on for several years now and the town and its characters have taken on a life of their own. From the shenanigans of the Knotty Elves (a group of retired women who ban together to do some serious matchmaking), to the magic of a kiss under the mistletoe at the gazebo in the town square, Christmas Town has quickly become one of my favorite places.

This year, we decided to shake things up a bit and do a Valentine anthology. Here’s what is in store for you!

Be My Heartwarming Valentine

Christmas Town to the rescue! An abnormally cold and snowy winter wreaked havoc in Christmas Town. Pipes froze, snowy roofs caved in, and even the famed gazebo in the town square was blown over! But the hardest hit was the historic town library, where pipes burst – flooding the main floor and destroying all the books and computers. While insurance helps, it won’t cover everything. Christmas Town’s solution?

Calling all bachelors!

The Knotty Elves decide a Valentine’s Day Bachelor Auction kills two birds with one stone – raising money to save the library while working their matchmaking magic. From a personal chef to the town’s snow plow operator, there’s one thing all these handsome, homespun heroes have in common: they’re about to find love, Christmas Town style.

The anthology consist of eight connected stories by Harlequin Heartwarming authors, and releases on February 11^th.
Here is a quick blurb about my story in the collection.

Head Over Heels.

High school English teacher and former college gymnast, Karen McFadden, wants nothing more than to open her own gymnastics facility, but a math learning disability makes completing the paperwork for a business loan almost impossible. The last thing Daniel Lassiter wants to do is get stuck with an attention-seeking diva who wants to relive her college glory days, but when his accounting services put him in the library's bachelor auction, he has little choice but to help her. He doesn't believe that she wants to open the gym so she can help underprivileged teens. She doesn't think he'll stick around long enough to find out. Will they realize what's right in front of them before it's too late?

You can find out more about Christmas Town by visiting 

http://www.heartwarmingChristmasTown.com. Get a free copy of the Prequel to the anthology by signing up for the newsletter, which by the way, is awesome! It is full of recipes, decoration tips and all kinds of fun! We also have a really fun Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1091942694272780/
 You can pre-order your copy of Be My Heartwarming Valentine now!

·       Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Be-My-Heartwarming-Valentine-Christmas-ebook/dp/B07Z8CXBWP

·       Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/be-my-heartwarming-valentine-anna-adams/1134146353

(Available on Kobo and ibooks soon!)

  LeAnne Bristow often hid books inside her desk and read during class. When she outgrew Laura Ingalls Wilder and Beverly Cleary, she graduated to Walter Farley and Judy Blume. Then her favorite aunt gave her an old box of Harlequin romance novels and she was hooked. After reading the entire Americana series by Janet Dailey, LeAnne dreamed of becoming a writer. Life happened and LeAnne followed her country boy from a small town in central Texas to a smaller town in southern Arizona. She spent the next 25 years corralling three of her own children and 20+ kindergarteners. Now an empty nester and grandma, pursuing her dream of bringing you emotional stories that make you hold your breath waiting for that first kiss.

She loves to hear from readers! Find her on her website: http://www.leannebristow.com or connect with her at:

·       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leanne.bristow.1

·       Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeAnneBristow