Holiday Movies & Twinkle Lights

I am so excited to welcome Vicki Batman to Romance Beckons. She's brought along a real teat - we get to read an excerpt from her holiday release.

Hi, everyone and thank you, Paloma, for having me today.

Thirteen of something is a lot. But I went with my favorite; I'm an avid movie fan. Handsome and I go to at least one every week and frequently, I catch another during the week. I love romance, action, adventure, but not horror. The Pit & the Pendulum still scares me silly. With the holidays fast approaching,
I'm listing thirteen favorite holiday movies:

1/ It's a Wonderful Life
2/ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
3/ Merry Christmas Charlie Brown
4/Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
5/ Love Actually
6/ Stalag 17
7/ Christmas in Connecticut
8/ Good Sam
9/ Star in the Sky
10/ Sleepless in Seattle
11/ While You Were Sleeping
12/ Miracle on 34th Street
13/ Home Alone

SOON on December 5, my holiday story, "Twinkle Lights," is released.
Here's a fun excerpt:

"I don't believe it." Hands on hips, I stood in front of the large, white tent. No happy shoppers bustled in and out. No All I Want For Christmas is You blasting from a boom box. No holiday cheer at all.
Instead, I found under the same ol' AXEL'S CHRISTMAS TREES neon sign, which wasn't flashing, a notice, which looked to be hastily printed and stuck on the tent flap with gray duct tape: Closed. Heart attack. And as an afterthought:  Pray.
I shook my head, saying to the nippy wind whipping my hair, "Poor Axel. This is horrible. Where will the funds for the Sommerville Hospital come from?"
My stomach kinked into a hard knot as I hugged my tote to my waist. I'd been buying my Christmas tree here since...forever. Definitely since I was a blossoming idea in my parents' mind. Mom and Dad brought my brother and me to Axel's the first Saturday in December every year for the family tree. Who could forget the ensuing arguments over the perfect one—Mom usually won—and the joy of trimming it.
All grown up, I continued the tradition. Axel had the most beautiful trees. The stand benefited the hospital; this year, the children's cancer wing where his grandson had undergone treatment for leukemia. He always-always-always stashed aside a seven-foot Fraser fir for me. Nothing spelled Christmas better than a fresh, North Carolina Fraser fir.
Now what do I do? Where do I go? Should I call Axel's son and see if he needs anything?

Vicki Batman's Bio: 
Like some of her characters, Vicki has worked a wide variety of jobs including lifeguard, ride attendant at an amusement park; a hardware store, department store, book store, antique store clerk; administrative assistant in an international real estate firm; and a general “do anything gal” at a financial services firm. The list is…endless.
Born in Dallas, a graduate of Texas Tech, she is married to Handsome, has two big boys, an attention-demanding cat, and two adorable malti-poos.
She has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories. She is a member of RWA, and the DARA, Elements, and RWA-WF chapters. As a member of DARA since 2004, she has served in many capacities, including 2009 President. DARA awarded her the Robin Teer Memorial Service Award in 2010.
Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??"

Find Vicki's books at:
MuseItUp Publishing 
Amazon