I am a queen and this is my castle by @elle_rush

Just because I live in

doesn't mean I exist in a world of ice and snow.

Except when I do. For the first time ever, we in the 'Peg we visited by the ice castle fairy. It was created during our brutally cold December, but I got lucky and was able to visit it during the warm (-5) streak we had in the middle of January. This amazing #icecastle was created with over 25 tons of ice and had lights built into the wall, giving it an ethereal glow.

It was spectacular.

You may be saying, "Elle, what kind of date is this?" For most people, date night means fancy clothes, nice hair, and maybe a fireplace. They generally don't mean layering on the long underwear, snow pants, toques and scarves.

But those people don't live in Winnipeg.

For one night, we got to wander through this:

Be jealous, Elsa. Be very jealous.

The walls were made of icicles. There were twenty-foot tall  ice arches to walk under And I don't know how they did it, but they had a fountain made of ice that was actually shooting up streams of water. We went when the temperatures were just below freezing. I don't know if this would even work when it's -20C.  (That's the Museum of Human Rights in the back right.)

They also had an ice slide, but the line was insane. I held mittened hands with my sweetie, and only part of it was because it was really slippery inside. It was freezing and dark and still romantic.

For those of you who are interested, it was down at the Forks, which also had a skating path through the area and onto the river, a skating ring, a toboggan hill, and a crockicurl patch, so it could have been an all day date. But the ice castles were enough for me.

If you haven't had an outdoor winter date with your significant other, I highly recommend it. Bundle up and go for a walk in the dark (it's extra romantic if you do it when there is snow lightly falling.) (LIGHTLY falling, don't do it in a blizzard.) (And shovelling your driveway doesn't count.) Go somewhere with lots of lights that can reflect off the snow, smile with your eyes since that's the only part you'll be able to see of each other, and when you get home, make some date plans for summer.

Loving Stories and Love Stories with @NathanBurgoine

While the Husky loves the ever-cooling weather, his intrepid thrice-daily-walker (a.k.a. me) is less thrilled. I struggle with the season of wet (followed by the season of snow and ice), though he certainly helps. It's hard to begrudge the frost-covered leaves when it makes the husky run in circles of abject delight.

See? He loves it.

Me, on the other hand? I want to run and fetch a blanket, some white hot chocolate, and sit down with some short stories or novellas. Happy ones.

I think this reaction to the cooling weather mostly came from working retail for a couple of decades. The tilt of our lovely planet's axis means that pretty soon, those of us in Ottawa will be waking up in the dark, and coming home from work in the dark (though, this weekend, we get some light back in the morning for a while, at the price of early evening sunsets). Heading to a retail job in the dark, returning in the dark, and not seeing the sun until a day off? Doesn't breed love for late fall nor winter's approach.

It may sound silly, but November and December are months where my reading habits completely change. For one, I re-read things I've loved. I need to dive into waters I've already explored, and swim along with the current knowing it's going to take me somewhere nice, or just get back out of the water when I'm ready, since I already know how it ends.

On the re-read side of things, a few books of the season: A Coventry Christmas by Becky Cochrane is a book a re-read every year at some point in November, and it starts my "find the joy of the season" quest. Similarly, no December is complete without a re-read of A Christmas Carol. And it's not always about the holidays. I often dive back into the early Harry Potter books.

For another, I read shorter things almost exclusively. The same way the sun seems to fade, so goes my ability to hold attention on a longer story. I need my jolt of happy endings to come faster.

Enter short stories and novellas.

I'll re-listen to Blame it on the Mistletoe by Eli Easton (usually while baking cookies), and page my way through The Firflake by Anthony Cardno. I'm looking forward to revisiting A Little Queermas Carol by Sassafras Lowrey, too, which I discovered last year. I'll re-listen to I Heard Him Exclaim, by Z. A. Maxfield, too (usually while walking the dog). Basically, all the happy holiday stories I can find? Gimme.

I dig out my Year's Best collections, be they science fiction, romance, mystery, or otherwise, and stack them beside the bed, often reading a story a night. I find my magazines, too, and load my e-reader with short fiction and novellas I've picked up throughout the year.

Heavy on the holiday romances, of course.

Between the dog's joy in the snow, and all these small tales of happy loves, (and ginger cookies and white hot chocolate and a lot of commiseration with my husband, who feels the same way and generally adds video games to his list of coping mechanisms), I get through the dark months.

As a writer, I hadn't done a holiday romance story before. Mostly that came from working retail (I swear there's little to top that in sapping a person's love of the holidays), but since I stopped, a few ideas circled in my brain, and eventually, I sat down and wrote one. It wasn't on contract, and it wasn't for a specific call, and when it was done I realized I didn't have the slightest idea where I could give it a home.

Happily, NineStar Press was willing. So this year? This year one of those holiday novellas out there, hopefully adding a bit of light to the dark for readers like me? One of them is mine.

*

At nineteen, Nick is alone for the holidays and facing reality: this is how it will be from now on. Refusing to give up completely, Nick buys a Christmas tree, and then realizes he has no ornaments. A bare tree and an empty apartment aren’t a great start, but a visit from his friend Haruto is just the ticket to get him through this first, worst, Christmas. A box of candy canes and a hastily folded paper crane might not be the best ornaments, but it’s a place to start.

A year later, Nick has realized he’s not the only one with nowhere to go, and he hosts his first “Christmas for the Misfit Toys.” Haruto brings Nick an ornament for Nick’s tree, and a tradition—and a new family—is born.

As years go by, Nick, Haruto, and their friends face love, betrayal, life, and death. Every ornament on Nick’s tree is another year, another story, and another chance at the one thing Nick has wanted since the start: someone who’d share more than the holidays with him.

Handmade Holidays is available for pre-order at NineStar Press.

Where No One Really Goes...

Hey Everyone!

I survived! I made it! Two days after Romancing the Capital (which was crazy epic and I'll do a post about that next month), I packed up my family (3 kids and 1 husband) and we flew to Calgary to start the first leg of our epic journey toward the 60th parallel and which ended up being even further than that.

So we landed in Calgary 9 a.m. their time, but for us it was lunch time. A funny story, as soon as I land I realize I have to conduct some urgent business. So while we were in Drumheller my husband set up a hot spot. The kids were busy digging for fossils at Fossil World and under the shade of a dinosaur, I did work.

That dino's trying to steal my hot spot password!!!

After that was concluded we spent a couple of days exploring West Edmonton Mall. Yep, it's gigantic.

We all had a blast, but on Friday we had to head north. The north was calling me.

I love the north. My father is from Northwestern Ontario and most of my Dad's family still lives north.

I've been obsessed with the north since I was a little girl and would stare at this plate my uncle Charlie sent from Frobisher Bay (Now Iqaluit).

The furthest north I had ever been before is Edmonton five years ago, which is a lot farther north than some places in Ontario.

I wanted to go north of 60 and with family now up in Fort Smith, NWT I had my chance! *fist pump*


Driving from Edmonton to Fort Smith Northwest Territories is a 17 hr day because you have to go up and around Wood Buffalo National Park. Wood Buffalo is Canada's oldest and largest National Park. It's bigger than Switzerland. The only time you can cut travel time off to visit Fort Smith is when the ice road north of Fort McMurray is open and it wasn't. And we weren't going to make a 17 hr day with 3 kids in tow. So we decided to stop for the night.

Our first stop was High Level, Alberta which is about 120 kms south of the Northwest Territory border. It's the last stop. Seriously. Gas up here. Since we were going in August, the midnight sun was no longer an issue. The sun was setting at a reasonable time again. I was very hopeful to see the Aurora again and I did!

In High Level you still look north for them. I'll explain in a moment. This picture was taken about 1 a.m, and there was light pollution, but still, pretty dang amazing. I hadn't seen them in 25 years. It was my hubby first time too. He actually didn't know what they were and woke me up to ask. Which I'm glad he did. Honestly, the first time I saw them I didn't know what they were either. You hear about them, but...I can't explain seeing them really. They're truly amazing.

Bright and early the next day we drove north and finally hit the 60th parallel. OMG. What an awesome moment. Definitely something off my bucket list. The lady at the visitor centre even signed certificates for my kids stating they had cross the 60th. Not many people do.

  

The road was suddenly very void of cars, gas stations and fast food. I didn't see fast food until Yellowknife days later and it was a McDonalds. That was all I saw.

Pack food and gas up when you can, because from the 60th it's 543 km to Yellowknife, but we were head to Fort Smith. We fuelled our car in Hay River, which is the south shore of Great Slave Lake. Beautiful sandy beaches, clear water and NO ONE WAS THERE!! They were even having a heat wave so it was blistering hot. NO ONE WAS THERE!!! A beach like this in Ontario on a Great Lake would be packed.

*crickets* We had this amazing beach to ourselves.

At my brother's we got to explore the amazing Wood Buffalo National Park. Just the northern part, because it's huge. Sink holes, waterfalls, salt plains, wild life ...just amazing peace and quiet intermixed with stunning subarctic scenery. Camping is free and it's not just for Canada 150, campsite s that would rival any provincial park in Ontario were free! FREE! And no one was there, except for Pine Lake, which is three sinkholes that merged and formed this glorious sandy, shallow haven for swimming. There were four campers there.

At night, about 11:30 p.m. my brother and his fiancee drove us down this twisty, windy road to the boat launch of the Great Slave River and instead of looking north, I looked up and saw this:

They do hum. They were dancing and moving for us. Just stunning and to stand under the Aurora oval is just magical. Awe inspiring.

After a couple days in Fort Smith, we were about 743 km from Yellowknife, but the main junction that joins the few highways in the Northwest Territories is Enterprise. From Enterprise (a hub of 190 people) it's 4 hrs over the mighty McKenzie River at Fort Providence.

We had to do it. So we did. It's about 8 hrs from Fort Smith to Yellowknife, the last 100 km is driving over permafrost that is like crazy bumpy. If you didn't slow down, you'd get air, plus you have to slow down for what's walking out in front of you!

These guys:

Buffalo! And yes, we saw three bears and a wolf too.

Standing at the north shore of Great Slave Lake was amazing. That lake is huge and Yellowknife used to be land locked part of the time. Before the construction of the impressive Deh Cho bridge which opened in 2012 you either crossed the McKenzie by ferry or ice road in the winter, but when the melt was happening and the ferry couldn't cross because of ice floes and obviously the ice road was closed Yellowknife was land locked.

We saw signs to winter access roads, because Yellowknife is about as far north as the road goes. We watched the float planes loading up groceries and gear to go even further, to places like Norman Wells, Paulatuk, Deline on Great Bear Lake.

The might McKenzie. Fast flowing, wide and headed north to dump in the arctic ocean.

This is Canada's frontier. It was also a very spiritual experience for me being Metis. Because of where that part of me comes from, Northwestern Ontario was a part of Rupert's Land or the Northwest Territories during the fur trade age.

I learned so much about my heritage in the Northwest Territories and in Alberta (that's a whole other post).

If you get the chance to EVER go to the Northwest Territories, please, please, please do. It's not full of tourist traps. It's hiking and connecting with the land and bugs ...I won't lie there's bugs.

It's very laid back up there and it can be scary when you have no cell service and your 300 km from the next gas station and there's just bush around you.

Still, I'm super glad I went. I want to go back. I want to see more tiny communities. I want to spend more time in Wood Buffalo and connect more.

My mind totally cleared and I felt rested. I felt regenerated.

After our trip, I knew that once was never enough. I want to go back to where no one really goes, but where everyone should. 

You can find out more about Amy here.

Reading To My Nieces #GirlPower #Equality

I'm blessed with two incredibly, wonderful, little, girls in my life...my nieces, Emily and Natalie.

They come and spend time at our house as often as I can swing it and to be honest, I miss having little ones running around. (My two daughters are fast approaching 20.)

Much like I did with my own kids, I read to them a lot and try to have lots of books around. But, after fifteen years the book selection for toddlers at our house has been replaced by more advanced reading material.

Thus began my hunt to rebuild my home library. I started by asking my girls what their favourite books were and then picked up some of my favourites.

Things have changed so much in the last decade and to be completely honest, the girls are being raised in a very conservative home. So, it's up to their Aunti, Uncle and cousins to ensure that they are exposed to some life lessons on equality, understanding and acceptance.

I was shopping today and ordered a copy of Robert Munsch's Zoom and We Share Everything because I read those books to my girls and I still like the lessons in them. Then I went looking for books about strong women and girls who are amazing role models.

There is a new books called "Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls" which looked amazing, but after shipping and exchange rates, it was going to cost me a mint. So a quick search on the 'Zon and I found it there, but then I discovered another book that fit my needs perfectly!

Canadian Girls Who Rocked the World

Take an adventure with some of Canada`s most interesting and accomplished young women. An inspiring book, Canadian Girls Who Rocked the World tells the stories of Canadian girls who won Olympic medals, discovered dinosaurs, explored their country or shaped its history -- all while still in their teens. For example, when she was just 16 years old, Marilyn Bell stepped into the icy waters of Lake Ontario and became the first person in history to swim across it. Subsequently, she became the youngest person to swim the English Channel and changed the world`s ideas about women`s athletic abilities and endurance. And pop star Avril Lavigne released her first album when she was 17, which skyrocketed to the top of the charts, selling 12 million copies. This revised and expanded edition is packed with yet more tales of adventure and achievement. New profiles include hockey player Cassie Campbell, music exec Denise Donlon and environmental activist and leader of the federal Green Party Elizabeth May. Every day, Canadian girls find new ways to rock the world. This fun book profiles women who have achieved greatness and contains quotes from the girls who aspire to follow in their footsteps.

Not only are these stories about Canadians but they are focused on girls who accomplished amazing things before they were 20! Much easier for little girls to relate to teenagers instead of adults.

While I totally believe in Girl Power...equality is just as important. I was thrilled to discover there was a Canadian Boys Who Rocked the World ready to be added to my car as well.

30 lives that achieved greatness before age 20. No one ever said you had to be a grown-up to do something great. The boys in Canadian Boys Who Rocked the World have proved this to the world. Breaking world records, winning hearts in the limelight, changing the face of the scientific world - these boys have shaken the planet with their achievements. At 17, Louis Cyr bested the reigning Canadian strongman by lifting a 180 kg granite boulder. Wayne Gretzky was breaking NHL records by the time he was 18. Oscar Peterson won his first radio contest for piano at 14 and was awarded his own 15-minute weekly radio show. Every day, Canadian boys find new ways to rock the world. This fascinating book profiles young men who are born to greatness as well as young boys who aspire to it.


I can't wait the next time the girls come to visit and we can get reading!
If you have any suggestions for amazing books geared for elementary ages then please put them in the comments!!

Keeping Warm in Canadian Winter...How Hot Do You Like It?

How Hot Do You Like It?

There are mixed opinions about winter in Canada. There are those who love it, and those who hate it. 

I'm somewhere in the middle. How can that be, you ask? There are many variables to take into consideration. So here's my list:

             Love:

• Extra reasons to cuddle
• The crackle of the warm fire on a cold winter's night
• The smell of wood burning in the fireplace
• Hot Cocoa or a great cup of tea
• More time indoors attached to my laptop
• Snow days where Mother Nature determines if I leave home
• Watching my minions building snow men
• Sledding
• Cozy Sweaters
• Leggings and long pants
• Scarves made with love
• Curl up with a glass of wine and snuggle under a blanket

 

             Hate:

• Salt-stained boots
• The crowded and cluttered mud room
• Schizphrenic weather
• Ice storms
• Muddy cars
• Dangerous commutes
• Not being able to BBQ as often
• Limited bond fires outside 
• Yellow snow
• Bitter cold (below -20 c)
• Unburying your car, your porch, your driveway...
• Any kind of shoveling in general!

Most of all, I love steamy Canadian Romances that chase the chills away. 

I love reading them, I love writing them. Without spending a fortune to travel to romantic getaways with balmy weather and smexy men in next-to-nothing, romance stories can sweep you off your feet.

There is nothing better than to be curled up with your favourite bevvy, a fantastic book and a cozy blanket with the crackling fire just feet away from you. 

This winter and early spring, I'm so excited to be bringinng not one, but two fiery releases with dragons to warm your hearts!

Coming in February, 2017:

Mythic Iron 

A Wiccan Haus-Dragon Menage 

(Official cover still to come)

Coming in March, 2017:

Stoking the Flames 

A 13 Story Anthology with 13 Fantastic authors!

My story in this anthology is another smokin' hot dragon menage called

Curse of the Dragon's Eye

So tell us, what is your favourite way to keep warm in the winter?

Happy reading, 

Are You Naughty or Nice?

Naughty or Nice?

Well we are less than a week away before the big guys squeezes his tushy down the chimney. Are you on the naughty or nice list? 

Us Canadian romance authors need to keep our inspirations going, and I have to admit, the last few months, I've ventured into the naughty zone!

Why? Well, I can only show you a few photos to really demonstrate the path of temptations, but once you see, I'd bet you wouldn't have resisted either!

Two recent outings with the girls have led me to the land of Down Under, where the men are gorgeous and their dance moves are hot! This girl was on fire!

Then last month, a handful of us devoted Shemar Moore fans ventured to Toronto to meet the man himself, and all I can say is WOW! Sexy, silly and flirty and that man knows how to work a crowd!

Don't get me wrong, the coset of eye candy and divine entertainment hits the spot, but I'm more than happy to come home to my own real life hottie, who dotes on me and makes me feel like a queen. 

So, what are some of your naughty experiences? Or are you just too good to be true? Will Santa be generous, or like me, will you be receiving a stocking full of coal?

Happy holidays, from the Willows household!

Romancing the Capital ~ Romance is alive in Canada #RTC2016 #books @jsubject

Hello everyone! This past week I returned from Romancing the Capital, a reader/author conference held in Kanata, Ontario (near Ottawa), and hosted by the wonderful Eve Langlais. This was my second year in attendance, and just as much fun as the first.

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During the conference, I hung out with many of my fellow authors from this blog, including Kacey Hammell, Kali Willows, Layna Pimentel, Deborah Cooke / Claire Delacroix, Kayleigh Malcolm, and Tricia Daniels.I also had the opportunity to chat with fellow sci-fi romance authors Susan Hayes and Donna McDonald, and was on the sci-fi romance panel with Susan, Eve Langlais, S.E. Smith, and Viola Grace. Kali and Kacey hosted another fabulous speed dating with authors event, after which I had a very sore throat. But, it was worth it to chat with so many readers. Kacey, Layna, and I also hosted a snack on the Friday afternoon and had the opportunity to meet even more readers. I was involved in and attended a few other events, which were so much fun, especially the 80s-inspired dinner after the book signing, where I braved getting up on the dance floor. I just couldn't sit still, especially when The Safety Dance started playing.

Overall, it was a fabulous event, and I look forward to attending again in the future. There were many authors and readers I wish I had the chance to chat with more, and I plan to seek them out at future events. Here are some pictures from Romancing the Capital...

Kacey Hammell, Jessica E. Subject (me), Layna Pimentel, Phoenix Prime, Kali Willows

Shirley (reader), Jessica E. Subject (me), Sharon (reader)

Kali Willows, Kacey Hammell, Eve Langlais, me

Me and Layna Pimentel

Susan Hayes and Kacey Hammell

Me and Kim (the winner of my basket at Speed Dating)
- I don't do selfies well.

Donna McDonald, me, Robyn Peterman

Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you could not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk with her giant, hairy dog her family adopted from the local animal shelter.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

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It's Spring! It really is! I have pictures to help. ~ Jessica E. Subject @jsubject #Canada #waterfalls

As I write this post for my scheduled day, there is still the occasional bit of snow on the ground, and snowfall forecast for this afternoon. And the temperatures definitely remind me of winter. But, it is Spring. It really is. So, I must remind myself that this is only temporary, and that the nice weather is on its way. This weekend, according to the seven day forecast. If you need help believing that Spring has come to this part of the world, I've decided to post some pictures from various waterfalls I've visited in Ontario.

Now, the most famous waterfalls in Ontario is Niagara Falls. But, there are some other beauties you might want to check out...

Duchesney Falls in North Bay

 

Inglis Falls in Owen Sound

Indian Falls in Owen Sound

Okay, so there are several others, but these are the ones that I have visited more than once, and have my own personal pictures of them. In Owen Sound, there is a waterfall tour you can take, to visit multiple falls. I did that when I was pregnant. LOL

So, here's to Spring finally arriving, so we can get out to hike the falls, go for bike rides, and just go outside without having to bundle up.

Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you could not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica is not reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk with her giant, hairy dog her family adopted from the local animal shelter.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers.

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