It’s Day 5 of my Twelve Books for Christmas blog, where I introduce you to twelve romance books to warm your heart and make you feel all Christmassy. 🙂 They’ll all make wonderful presents for a friend, or you could even treat yourself. Today’s festive treat is Christmas Island by Natalie Normann. Let’s find out a bit more about the book then talk to Natalie about how she spends Christmas in Norway.
Blurb:
Cosy up in front of a fire and discover Christmas the Norwegian way…full of romance, cosy traditions and hygge!
In the bleak midwinter…
A really frosty wind is making Holly’s life absolutely miserable
After all the years of hard work it took Londoner Holly Greene to become a doctor, now it could all be taken away and she only has herself to blame. She’s retreating to her brother’s rustic home on an island off the coast of Norway to lick her wounds. Only, it’s the middle of winter and icy slush plus endless darkness isn’t exactly the cheery, festive getaway she had imagined.
Nearly stumbling off the edge of a cliff in the dark, Holly is saved by Frøy, a yellow-eyed cat of fearsome but fluffy proportions, and his owner – grouchy, bearded recluse, Tor. Tor has his own problems to face but the inexplicable desire to leave a bag of freshly baked gingerbread men on Holly’s doorstep is seriously getting in the way of his hermit routine.
Call it kindness, call it Christmas, but Holly’s arrival means midwinter has never looked less bleak.
Want to see if Holly manages to have a merry Christmas after all? You can get a copy of the book here: https://linktr.ee/NatalieNormann
Welcome, Natalie. Your book is set in Norway, where you live. Can you tell us a bit about your own Christmas. When does Christmas begin for you? When do you put up your Christmas tree?
We used to put up the Christmas tree on the 22 or 23 of December. That’s the tradition, but when we stopped buying a real tree, and went artificial, we put it up a lot earlier. Not on the first of December, but absolutely by the 15th for sure. And then we’ll probably keep it way into January. I live in a really dark country …
Do you go mad with the decorations or do you just put up a tree?
There’s always a new decoration, but mostly I go mental with the lights. I have double sets on the balcony, at least three different types on the tree, with colours, and then everywhere else I can put lights. Did I mention I live in a really, really dark country?
What is your earliest Christmas memory?
Opening the advent calendar with my sister. We always had the same calendar, this was way, way before chocolate calendars existed. These had a Christmas picture, and 24 four white paperbags hanging on. And every bag had a tiny toy in it. You’d think we would have about a million of these little plastic toys, but I can’t remember we played with them after Christmas. Anyway, I loved that calendar, and refused to have any other kind.
What is your favourite Christmas tradition?
One the things I like best, is how quiet it is on Christmas Eve. I’ve always loved that. At five o’clock churchbells ring out all over the country, ringing in the Christmas peace, and everything comes to a full stop for a few hours. No public transport, no traffic, no open shops, no bars or restaurants, nothing at all. Everyone is at home, having Christmas dinner, presents, and, hopefully, fun. There’s a hush, and everything is just peaceful. It’s my favourite tradition, that, and of course stuffing my face with chocolate marsipan and every other sweet I can get my hands on.
Which author, dead or alive, would you like to invite for Christmas dinner?
Charlotte Bronte. I love Jane Eyre and Villette, and I need her to write more books.
And if any TV/movie producers read this; please make a new version of Villette. There are great movies/series based on every Jane Austen book and of Jane Eyre (I’m really happy about that), but no Villette.
If you could travel anywhere you want in the world where would you like to spend Christmas day?
I do like my lounge on Christmas Day, but if I could travel now, I’d go to London.
What would make a perfect Christmas for you?
I’m not that complicated; good food, good friends and some nice presents, and I’ll be fine.
Meet Natalie
Author bio.
Natalie Normann grew up in a small shipping town on the west-coast in Norway.Since 2007 she has written Historical Romance in Norwegian and recently published her 66th book. Summer Island and Christmas Island are her first books in English.
Contact links
You can find out more about Natalie – and buy her books – here
https://linktr.ee/NatalieNormann
Thanks so much for dropping by to talk to us today, Natalie. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
Karen King – Writing about the light and dark of relationships.
Amazon Author Page: https://tinyurl.com/y2q5audb
Website: https://karenkingauthor.com/
Karen King: Author 