Wednesday 19 December 2012

Christmas Shorts with... Liz Harris

My special guest today for the Christmas Shorts feature is author Liz Harris, 2012 has certainly been a good year for Liz with the publication of her debut novel, The Road Back, as well as her romantic comedy ebook Evie Undercover.

What is your earliest Christmas memory?  
When my sister and I were very young, our father popped out on Christmas Eve to see a friend who lived in our block of flats.  A few moments later, Father Christmas arrived.  Despite our excitement at actually meeting Father Christmas and being able to tell him how good we'd been all year, I can still remember the anxiety we felt that our father might miss seeing him.  We kept opening the front door and calling to him, but it was no good - Father Christmas had other children to see and couldn't hang on.  Sadly, our dad never did get to see him. 
     
What is your favourite Christmas tradition?
My favourite is the one started by my mother before I was born - we never open a Christmas present until after the Christmas dinner has been eaten and cleared away.   We get to open our stocking presents in the morning, and whoever is hostess puts a small wrapped gift in front of each place-setting for the meal, which we open, but the main present-opening takes place when every dish is in the dishwasher and we can all relax together.

I like leaving present-opening till later - our focus is on being together, which is the best thing about Christmas.      

What is your favourite Christmas book?
I love 'A Christmas Carol'.  I think  the final pages when Scrooge sends a lad to buy the largest turkey in the butchers for the Cratchits, and when he visits nephew, hoping to spend Christmas with him, and is warmly received by his family, are very moving.  I love being moved by a novel.
  
If you could spend Christmas anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Umbria in Italy.  I love the area and go every year.  I set a part of my rom-com, Evie Undercover, in Umbria as I wanted enterprising Evie to go with sexy Libel lawyer , Tom, to a place that was romantic and beautiful, and what could be more romantic and beautiful than Umbria, I thought.

But not even the loveliness of Umbria could ensure that the path of true love ran smoothly - not when Evie had a secret agenda.  Tom's focus for their time together in Italy was to be the 14th century stone house he'd bought there on a whim; Evie's focus was on Tom, and not for the best of reasons!              
Will you be making a new years resolution?   
Definitely!  My New Year's resolution will be to balance my time better in the coming year.  2012 has been a brilliant roller coaster ride, but I need to slow down and get a better balance so that I can relax as I write the next novel, whilst also keeping up with my friends through Twitter, and various blogs.  

What one thing would you like to receive in your stocking?
If he doesn't mind being referred to as a 'thing', Richard Armitage ;0)  

Who would you like to kiss under the mistletoe?
Yup, it's Richard Armitage again.
 
Finally a few quick fire questions to finish

Christmas at Home or Away?  Home (ideally with someone to clear away, load the dishwasher and do the tins that wouldn't fit into the dishwasher!)
Mulled Wine or Winter Pimms? Definitely mulled wine - I love the taste and the spicy aroma
Sprouts... Delicious or evil? Sprouts - but not put on in September, which was the way my mother-in-law did them. 
Yule Log or Mince Pie? Mince Pies - they are part of a traditional Christmas, and I think Christmas is a time for tradition.   
A Christmas Carol or Hogfather? What's Hogfather?
Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life? I like both, Miracle on 34th Street.  I'm a sucker for schmaltz and little children. 

If you want to know more about my rom com, EVIE UNDERCOVER, available for download to kindle/PC/iphone, take a look at my website, www.lizharrisauthor.com where you'll also find my blog.  Then drop by and say hello on twitter @lizharrisauthor  or I'm on Facebook as Liz Harris.   

Thank you for allowing me to take part in this, Sharon.  I've very much enjoyed answering your questions.  A very HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you and all your readers!!            

6 comments:

  1. Thank you very much for interviewing me, Sharon. I really enjoyed it - they were fun questions!

    Liz X

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  2. Ah, that's a lovely interview, ladies. It's made me feel even more festive than I already am :) Lovely to learn all about your favourite traditions and Christmas memories, Liz. Happy Christmas, ladies xx

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  3. Lovely interview, Liz. laughed so much about your mum-in-law's sprouts.

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  4. Sorry Liz, but I've already booked Richard Armitage for my Christmas stocking, you'll have to wait until next year!
    Great interview!

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  5. That's a lovely story about the strange disappearance of your father and the arrival of Father Christmas - amazing! ;)

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  6. Jan - many thanks for your comment. I'm all for traditions at Christmas.

    Liv - this once popular method of cooking sprouts (minumum boiling time: 3 months) is happily dying away.

    jaxx - dream on! I got there first. Mind you, if he's still in his Hobbit dwarf outfit, with a false nose, I think I will leave him to you this year!

    Chris - yes, it was amazing wasn't it; such bad luck that Dad missed him, and by only about 5 minutes!!

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