Fifth Day of Christmas with Nancy Holzner

Day five brings Nancy Holzner, author of the Deadtown series, to Books and Barks!  She was kind enough to answer a  few questions about the holidays, and she's also offering up a signed copy of any current book from her Deadtown series.  Make sure you read to the end to enter.  She's even making it available to international readers!

Hot Cocoa or Apple Cider?
It depends on the season. I like apple cider in the fall and hot cocoa in the winter. If you add a dash of peppermint schnapps, though, hot cocoa wins.

Favorite holiday story?
I love ghost stories and I love Victorian England, so I'll say Dickens's “A Christmas Carol.”


Favorite holiday movie?
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas”—the original animated version, not the live action one from a few years ago. “A Christmas Story” is a close second.

Best gift received for the holidays?
Several years ago, my husband and I gave each other a holiday cruise on the Rhine and Moselle rivers in Germany. Christmas markets, history, good food, wine—that was pretty awesome.

Favorite holiday song?
I love Christmas carols. I can listen to them all through December without getting sick of them. My favorite is probably “O Holy Night.”


How many books do you have planned for the Deadtown series?
I've written four, and I'd like to write 2-3 more. Besides the full-length novels, I've also been writing some short stories set in Deadtown's world. I'm currently working on a novella-length prequel set during the zombie plague that brought Deadtown into existence.


Any news you’d like to tell your readers?
The main news is that Darklands, the fourth novel in my Deadtown series, will be out in late July 2012. And I hope to announce more books in the series soon.


What was your favorite book of 2011, and which are you most looking forward to reading in 2012?
I thought Dead Mann Walking, by Stefan Petrucha, was a lot of fun. It's about a zombie private investigator and has a very tongue-in-cheek noir tone. As for 2012, I'm a big fan of Ilona Andrews, so I'm always looking forward to the next Kate Daniels book.


Do you do any shopping the day after Thanksgiving or do you avoid the stores as much as possible during the holiday season?
When I go shopping, I prefer to avoid huge crowds. So that means I pretty much stay out of stores for the entire Black Friday weekend, as well as the days before and after Christmas. I'd rather be home reading and relaxing.


Do you have any special holiday family traditions?
My husband grew up celebrating Christmas in the German tradition, decorating the tree and opening presents on Christmas Eve. Now, we combine his family's Christmas traditions with mine. On Christmas Eve (when everyone else is out buying last-minute presents), we open our presents. On Christmas day, we open the “stocking presents” that Santa delivered during the night and have a big Christmas dinner. The best part is that we get to stretch the holiday over two days.


If you could buy yourself any present, what would it be?
I'd give myself a month-long writing retreat in a cottage on the Welsh coast. I love Wales, and I love the sea. Also, my Deadtown series is grounded in Welsh mythology, so writing there would bring that aspect of the novels to life.


If you could go anywhere or anytime for the holidays, where would you go and why?I'd be home in western Massachusetts with my family. I love the Berkshire hills, where I grew up. They're the perfect setting for Christmas. And as the years pass, it seems harder to get everyone together for the holidays. So my perfect Christmas would be the whole family spending the holiday at the house where I grew up.

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Bloodstone, the third novel in Nancy Holzner's Deadtown series, is now available. For information on Nancy and her books, visit her website. You can also find Nancy on Facebook and Twitter, and blogging with other fantasy authors at Dark Central Station.

One winner will have their choice of a signed copy of either Deadtown, Hellforged, or Bloodstone.  This giveaway will be open internationally as well.

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PS - Don't forget to check out Pawing Through Books & Alaskan Book Cafe to see what authors they are featuring today!  Also, check out the main post HERE for links to the grand prize giveaways! Also, make sure you check out the previous days for other guest posts/interviews and giveaways!