When Santa asks his worker, Olja, to help make another elf’s Christmas wish come true, she believes the job calls for a love potion. Brewing it up will require her to travel all around the North Pole gathering unusual supplies, and to take a few dangerous risks. But she’s never failed Santa in the past and doesn’t intend to now. Elf Runi’s in the business of guiding Santa’s sleigh and making other people’s wishes come true. This year he’s dared make a wish of his own, one from the heart. When he meets Olja, he hopes he’s found his forever. But it will take assistance from a reindeer, a generous helping of love and a whole lot of magic to make his wish come true. That is, if Olja and Runi can just outwit the three troublesome trolls who decide they’d make a fine winter’s snack.
Laura Strickland
Give us the one to two sentence tagline for your book.
It will take assistance from a reindeer and a whole lot of Christmas magic to make this elf’s wish come true.
What is your favorite scene/moment in your book?
The scene when the trolls trace our hero and heroine down the mountain is lots of fun!
Does your heroine prefer a real or artificial tree for Christmas?
Real, most definitely.
What’s the one present your hero least wants to open Christmas morning?
A sweater knitted by his father.
Would your hero hang mistletoe?
You bet your elf boots!
What scene did you adore writing in this book?
The Christmas wedding with a reindeer as a best man.
What is your heroine’s favorite Christmas tradition?
Secret Elf gift giving.
Does your hero love or hate snow?
He loves it. There’s always snow at the North Pole!
For Christmas, will you be having turkey, goose, ham, prime rib, or something else?
Irish Pot Roast with Guiness, a tradition at our house.
What’s the strangest Christmas tradition your family does to celebrate?
We leave carrots outside for Santa’s Reindeer.
Excerpt from Northern Magic
“Why, hello,” a voice said from beside him. “Would you like some apple punch?”
Runi looked round and straight into the same emerald eyes that had been haunting him. The beautiful black-haired elf looked lovelier than ever dressed in a robe of deep green. She held a mug of steaming punch in each hand.
He smiled. “It seems you are always bringing me refreshment.”
“I’m helping make sure everyone has what he needs.”
I need you. Runi pushed that alarming thought to the back of his mind and accepted a mug. “Well, thank you.” And now would she move on through the crowd, this graceful elf who smelled of frankincense? But she showed no sign of stirring from his side and, instead, smiled back at him.
“You don’t remember my name, do you?”
“I am ashamed to admit I do not.” He inclined his head. “I am terrible at names.” Tell me, please. Tell me and I will burn it on my heart.
Multi award-winning author Laura Strickland delights in time traveling to the past and searching out settings for her books, be they Historical Romance, Steampunk or something in between. Her first Scottish Historical hero, Devil Black, battled his way onto the publishing scene in 2013, and the author never looked back. Nor has she tapped the limits of her imagination. Venturing beyond Historical and Contemporary Romance, she created a new world with her ground-breaking Buffalo Steampunk Adventure series set in her native city, in Western New York. Married and the parent of one grown daughter, Laura has also been privileged to mother a number of very special rescue dogs, and is intensely interested in animal welfare. These days while she’s writing, you can always find her latest rescue, Lacy, nearby. Her love of dogs, and her lifelong interest in Celtic history, magic and music, are all reflected in her writing. Laura’s mantra is Lore, Legend, Love, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ellen Mint 