Chrissy Munder and Clare London - Wishing you the Best for your Holiday 2011

Treat yourself for

the Holidays!

This article lists 65 ways to beat holiday stress. My favorite? Take time out of your busy holiday schedule to sit back and relax with a little romance and a cup of your favorite hot beverage.

Short on time and money during the busy season? Pick one of my short fiction stories available from Dreamspinner Press as a gift for a friend, or for yourself. With prices that range from $1.49 to $2.99, you can afford to indulge without breaking your budget.

New for 2011!

Winter Warmers - a seasonal anthology

click on the image for more info

Better with Sprinkles - College student Tom Molina isn’t too interested when his roommate Derek tries to convince him to leave his books and help out with the campus LGBTA Center’s annual Christmas cookie sale. But Derek has an ace in the hole to score the center Tom’s grandmother's sugar cookie recipe: fellow volunteer Jeanette’s cousin just happens to be the organic chemistry T.A. Tom’s been dreaming about. Now Tom just has to hope Isaac is as interested in baking cookies as he is in chemistry and HIV awareness

The Reason for the Season - All college student Adam Everett is trying to do is get to his sister’s house for holiday break. First his car breaks down, then his ride takes off to Vegas with his gas money, forcing Adam to come up with a Plan C. His last hope is a campus ride exchange, where he ends up with the reluctant Michael Brennan. When a “snowpocalypse” forces them to share a motel room, they soon find out there's more than one reason for the chance happenings of the season.

Season's Greetings - Russ Manners writes greeting cards for a living, except Christmas is fast approaching, there's no snow, and he's fallen behind on his big Easter Card project. He's blaming the new guy, Ian Fiorillo, because ever since Ian was hired, Russ spends all his time writing bad Valentine rhymes to Ian's best asset. What Russ doesn't realize is that Ian would love to help him appreciate the wonders of Christmas in Florida.

A Gift of Ash and Frost - (Historical Romance) When new residents come to the Grange, Mathias applies for a job at the house and is hired on at the housekeeper’s request for the Christmas season. He finds there a temptation of the body and heart in the form of the house’s master, one that he is ill-equipped to handle or resist … not that he has the desire to do so.

Brush With Desire - After a grueling day at work, Brian's only looking forward to heading home to his cat when he stops at an all-night mega-store for a few groceries.  The man he meets in the hair-care aisle wasn't on his shopping list, but after their first encounter, Brian suspects he's going to become a necessity. 

Business Before Pleasure - Joel had worked with Bruce/Brian/Bryce for months and never given the other man a second thought - heck, he couldn't even keep his name straight!  When a scheming co-worker tries to steal credit for one of Joel's ideas, a surprising offer of help opens his eyes to a way to keep more than just their customer satisfied. 

Giving Gifts - Seth is having a scarily good time at the office Christmas party this year. He owes it all to his hoped-for boyfriend, Oscar, who turned him into a carefree programmer from an uptight nerd. If Mr. Saroc, the company CEO’s assistant, would quit dogging his steps at work, Seth believes his happiness with Oscar will be complete in time for kissing under the mistletoe.

Hearts & Flowers -Jesse knows his love-life is in trouble when his most affectionate relationship is with an abandoned puppy.  Somehow, his slacker office assistant, a mix-up in classified ads, and an inebriated telephone conversation lead to the romance he'd begun to lose hope of ever finding.

The Journey Back - (Sci-fi romance)  Riley had it all. He was the king of Futureball, on top of the world, until a cruel plan stole it from him. Only afterward, sitting in the shattered remains of his life, does he begin to remember that it was the second life he had lost. And one man appears to remind him of what life once had been.

Just a Little Romance - the semi-sequel to Odds Are: Jeremiah Madigan isn't looking for any grand passion - just a little romance would do him just fine. A busy Valentine's Weekend spent babysitting his friend Jonah's gambling grandmother and man-chasing sister may give him an opportunity to find just that. 

Promise of the Heart- Jacob agrees to fill in as a wedding photographer for a friend, never expecting to come face to face with a ghost from the past: Alan, the man he loved and lost through his unchecked ambition. Will Jacob get a second chance to keep the promise he made in his heart?

The Scenic Route - It's the first time Ed Baldwin has ever taken his boyfriend Joe Sutton home to meet his parents, and nervous, he keeps trying to pick a fight with Joe to relieve his stress while they drive. When Joe's had enough they pull over in a very small town where the choice in motels only adds to Ed's anxiety. A series of strange happenings puts them back on the road sooner than expected, and it's at an all-night diner that they find out why the Easy Rest Motel didn't live up to its name. That's what Ed gets for letting Joe take the scenic route.

 Looking for stories with more humor and romance and a little less spice?

A Halloween Tail - When Lionel gets strong-armed into baby sitting and taking his niece trick-or-treating, he suffers the humiliation of the big purple costume and follows through. Little did he know that the hideous purple tail would catch the attention of the one black-dressed man he couldn't resist.

A Simple Life - Frank wasn't sure what to think when Clark gave him a present in a little white box. It wasn't his birthday; it wasn't their anniversary. But what he finds will become a precious piece of his life.

Bridge of Dreams - It took a special kind of man to work the tall iron on the Straits of Mackinac Bridge crew. Construction foreman Daniel Morris expected his new "tall walker" to be a brave man - but Phillip Sands proved just as courageous in matters of the heart. Danger and possible sabotage lead to an incident that could claim Daniel's life - or convince him to believe in his dreams again.

It Takes One to Know One - Tow-truck driver and car enthusiast Zeke Darden is a connoisseur of well-tuned engines and well-turned asses - and a late-night call to rescue a classic beauty turns into an introduction that just might lead to the enjoyment of both.

Santa's Little Helper - Left in the lurch without a Santa, Rob grabs a gorgeous guy he sort-of recognizes from the office to wear the red suit, and it's immediate attraction on both their parts. But Rob's ex, John, knows something important about the jolly ol' fellow, something he hopes doesn't ruin the holiday magic.

Undiscovered Territory - Little Miss Colburn's music recital attracts both mommy and daddy, a man for whom music teacher Layne feels an immediate attraction. But three strikes – he's married, he's a father, and he's straight – convince Layne that it's never to be. Then Mr. Colburn calls about finding a new instructor for his daughter…

Need even MORE Holiday gift ideas? Visit the magical Clare London's Holiday Page or click on the links below:

Pop-Ups - Jack’s stressful, high-powered life leaves no time for anything except a casual friendship-with-benefits with his neighbor Henry, a laid-back, outdoors type with excellent computer skills. It’s the perfect arrangement for two men who are attracted to each other but don’t have much else in common. Then a few days before Christmas, Jack’s holiday plans are thwarted, leaving him home with just his volatile PC for company while Henry--his usual tech support—is on his way to a secluded Christmas hideaway. So what’s Jack to do when, to his horror, weird pop-ups start appearing?

Where's Santa?  - Chris has been hired as the new Santa at Danny's store, and he's just the guy Danny wishes he had on his personal Christmas gift list.  When Chris has a crisis of confidence and Danny finds him hiding in the stock room, it looks like Danny's Christmas wish will be granted by a Santa who's very real.

Secret Santa - Seb and Jamie argue over everything, even Christmas supper.  But when they both receive an unsuitable Secret Santa present, it helps cook up something rather more exciting between them!

Just Like Scrooge - Last Christmas was a romantic disaster for Ben.  But will the ghosts of Christmas past spoil his chance of a future with Jacob, or will his dreams persuade him otherwise?

One Night Stand - Teddy realizes he drank too much at the office Christmas party when he wakes up in a hotel room with confused memories of a night of fierce, fabulous sex and a man asleep beside him. He doesn't know how his outrageous behavior will be judged by his boss, but he'll find out soon... when his boss wakes up.

Ghost of Christmas yet to Come - "It's the most horrible time of the year." Isn't that the way the song goes? Dan has let years of pain, indecision and upset get to his head, and now he's managing to drive off his lover, Aaron. But one dream helps Dan find the right road to happiness. 

Discover more about Chrissy and Clare and their work at their websites:

www.chrissymunder.com and www.clarelondon.co.uk/

To returnto Chrissy's GLBT Bookshelf page: click here

KEYWORDS: gay book, gay bookstore, gay fiction, gay literature, gay writers, gay book reviews