New Year, Old Times

Hi everyone!

As part of Carrie Ann Ryan's New Year's blog hop, today we're discussing New Year's memories. And giving away fabulous prizes including an $80 gift card to Amazon and a Kindle Fire (insert colllective 'oooooo' here).
If you leave a comment for me, you can win your very own copy of One Day In D.C. More about that in a minute.

When I was a kid, we always had big family get-togethers on all the major holidays. So I have several New Year's memories, but the one that stands out most to me is 1999. You know, pre-Y2K. I was 16 years old and for whatever reason, my parents (read: my mom convinced my dad) to let me have a slumber party with two of my closest friends. In our house, alone.

My parents and my older brother went to stay at the motel where my mom worked and left three teenage girls at home by themselves.

I'm not saying this was a bad idea, because it's not like the porn channels weren't blocked and there wasn't any liquor in the house and we were sworn to not go anywhere or enter my parents' bedroom, which was supposedly locked anyway (my dad had a gun collection). It was more like, here are some rented movies, here's a Super Nintendo, and all the Dr. Pepper/Pepsi and snacks you can consume. Which might be a little crazy, giving teenagers that much free rein.

We played Uno and Crazy 8's, watched movies and got big ol' sugar highs. Ah, the age of innocence. When midnight rolled around, we listened to Auld Lang Syne and sang along to the parts we knew--which amounted to Should old acquaintance be forgotten and never brought to mind... we'll drink a cup of kindness yet... something, something Auld Lang Syne. *Clears throat* music isn't really my area.

Man, I miss the metabolism I had back then and the care-free hijinx of youth. This year I was practically nodding off before midnight rolled around. Husband and I watched a movie and I sat there wondering if he'd notice if I closed my eyes.

Putting the past back in the past, let's see about making one lucky commenter a winner! Tell me about your New Year's, past or present, or heck, just say anything at all and leave your e-mail address or send ME an e-mail at allisonmwrites@gmail.com and we'll try to fix you up with a copy of my novella, One Day In D.C. Here's the blurb:

Katlynn works hard in order to achieve her dream of someday opening her own daycare. When she meets Duke at the all-night diner where she's a waitress, she's drawn to his physique and his sense of humor. But she doesn't believe him when he tells her he's a secret service member in charge of watching over a presidential candidate.

Duke's attraction to the quick-witted redhead starts from the moment he looks into her eyes. He never picks up women for a one night stand, but he wants Kat bad. They spend a very special day together at her apartment where he tries to convince her that he really is with the secret service. But then she slips out in the evening, seemingly unwilling to continue what could have been the relationship of a lifetime.

One snowy evening fate brings them together again and this time Kat must make a choice that will make them a family or leave them out in the cold.

And don't forget to drop by the other blogs and comment to increase your chances of winning the gift card or the Kindle Fire!

Thanks for dropping by! Happy reading and writing, y'all!