Christy Gissendaner is on my blog today, to talk about her Christmas story, Christmas Spirits (and about what a pleasure it is to work with me. Bwahahaha.)
I have to say, I loved working on this cover. The floor is yours, Christy!
~Sotia
Cover Creations and Christmas Spirits
Thank you to Sotia for having me today! And since she is also the person responsible for the
lovely cover below, what better topic to discuss than the creative process that went into the
making of Christmas Spirits’ cover? Mostly her creative process… I was just here to ooh and ahh.
(Wait until you see what she cooked up for my Robin Danner Princes series!)
One thing I’ve enjoyed about going indie is the creative license afforded to authors. Not only do
I have complete control…bahahaha (rubbing hands together)…I also get to work with
fantabulous cover artists like Sotia Lazu.
Creating a piece of art and having it tell its own story is a bit like giving birth. There’s a lot of
team effort, maybe some crying, and then you have this beautiful little thing to gaze upon.
Luckily, whenever I work with Sotia, we typically go from start to finish in a matter of hours, if
not less. Great minds, ya know.
So do you wanna know how Christmas Spirits gained a cover? Well…honestly I don’t
remember. I just recall seeing this version and thinking “Yes! This is it. This is the one I want!”
We may have struggled a bit with font color and such, but I never had to worry. Sotia had this
one wrapped up in a pretty bow in no time.
So what does everyone think? Pretty, right?
Coming Soon
Christy Gissendaner
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary, African American, holiday romance
Publisher: Christy Gissendaner
Number of pages: 90
Word Count: 20,000
Book Description:
Kia Mays has little time for anything as her lifelong dream of being a fashion designer comes to fruition. For Christmas, she takes time out of her busy schedule to visit her family in Georgia where her beloved grandmother, Naya, reveals a secret of her Baoule heritage.
In Baoule, located on the Ivory Coast of Africa, the people believe in spirit lovers, which you are separated from at birth. Tedros, Kia’s lover from the spirit world, appears to her and reveals that he is there to assist her in finding a mortal lover.
Elliot Melton, the brother of Kia’s new sister in law, is also invited to share the season with the family. With the help of a meddling grandmother and an otherworldly spirit, Elliot and Kia soon find out that Christmas is the best time to fall in love.
Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Excerpt
One moment Tedros was there, and the next, his image faded away. She blinked and opened her eyes to find herself in a store, only a few feet from Elliot. He stood in the middle of the women’s clothing, frozen like a statue.
She circled him to admire his form. His taut buttocks and thick thighs looked delectable in a pair of dark jeans. A faded Hendrix T-shirt completed his ensemble. His casual clothes should make him look ordinary, but even in a sackcloth the man would entice a sane woman to madness.
She could stand there forever, but her body urged her to do more than look. She touched him, and he immediately came to life. He didn’t seem to notice the sales lady frozen at his side or the young couple stuck in an eternal embrace.
She drew him toward the dressing room, allowing him to see the promise evident in her eyes.
“Kia,” he said her name, but she shushed him with one hand over his mouth.
“Don’t ask any questions.” She ran her other hand across his firm pectorals before she reached for the hem and drew it upward. “I want you to think about what we’re fixing to do.”
“And what is that?” His lips tickled her palm as he ignored her command and spoke anyway.
She gave him a coy look. “What do you think?”
He snuck his hands around her waist and cupped her ass. “I think you’re being very naughty this Christmas.”
“Maybe I need a spanking.” She took a step back, intrigued by her reflection in the mirror. Her thigh length skirt and tall, heeled boots were unintentionally sexy when paired with a pink cashmere sweater. She lifted a leg to unzip her boot, but Elliot stopped her.
“No. Leave them on.”
She slowly lowered her foot to the floor. This could be interesting.
Without waiting for him to give another command, she reached under her skirt and peeled off her panties. The red silk slithered down her thighs and she balanced on one foot, then the other, as she tossed them aside.
Elliot’s jaw tightened as raw need flashed across his feet.
“Come here.” His husky voice promised untold delights.
She shook her head and crooked a finger at him before sinking into the padded chair opposite the mirror. “You come here.”
She spread her legs. The damp curls of her sex were clearly visible in the mirror. Her hand dropped to her lap and she flipped her skirt aside. “It’s time I gave you your present.”
He zeroed in between her thighs. His nostrils flared and his dark gaze met hers hungrily. “Baby girl, you’d better be damned sure.”
The familiar nickname on his lips warmed her heart. Other places, too. “Merry Christmas, Elliot.”
He moved forward. He bent his head to capture her lips, and his kiss left no doubt she would be his before they left the dressing room. She held onto his shoulders and lost herself in the forceful kiss. She rubbed against him, and her delicate tissue scraped the fly of his jeans. The rough material and cold metal made her shiver.
About the Author:
Christy Gissendaner is a paranormal and contemporary romance author who believes laughter and love should go hand in hand.
Christy lives in Alabama with her husband and three sons. She’s always hard at work on her next novel, but in her spare time she loves blackjack, karaoke, and anything resembling a vacation!
To find out more, please visit her website.
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