Hard to believe it's December already. Seems like I was just flying out to New Mexico for GayRomLit 2012 and it was mid-October. A few days until Chanukah and a few weeks until Christmas, and we've got 60 degree weather in North Carolina. I'm liking it! Honestly, it's part of why my husband and I left the North and settled in the South. That, and the beautiful coast and mountains at either end of the North Carolina.

So with December here, the upcoming release of Aria (Blue Notes #3) is just around the corner (3 weeks from today exactly)! As a matter of fact, I shipped off the galley proof to Dreamspinner Press yesterday. To celebrate, I've got three contests going (a new one starting today!).

Contest #1: Comment on my blog (you can comment on my GR blog, too) to be entered to win a Blue Notes Series t-shirt of your choice (Blue Notes, The Melody Thief, or Aria). I just got the Aria t-shirts in the mail last week and they are gorgeous! Contest ends midnight on the first night of Chanukah, 12/8/12. And yes, unfortunately, since I've been bombarded by spam, you will have to register on WordPress to comment now. After I got over 500 spam messages in 6 hours, I decided I needed to block the computer spammers. But it's easy to register and you'll be set to comment on any WordPress blog.

Contest #2: Enter on Goodreads to win an autographed paperback copy of Aria. You must register to enter, but I highly recommend this wonderful social networking website for writers and readers. Goodreads has some wonderful romance groups, including the kick-ass MM Romance Group that just featured The Melody Thief as one of the November 2012 Books of the Month.

BRAND NEW CONTEST #3: Aiden Lind, the opera singer in Aria travels all over the world to perform. Comment below and tell me where you'd most like to travel if money wasn't an object, and you'll be entered to win your choice of Blue Notes or The Melody Thief in ebook format. Contest ends at midnight on 12/15/12.

Interested in reading an excerpt from Aria? Click here and scroll down to the "excerpt" tab. You can also read excerpts from Blue Notes and The Melody Thief by clicking on the links. Aria is available on Dreamspinner Press for preorder now. Oh, and The Melody Thief is on sale until 12/8/12 to celebrate the honorable mention "One Perfect Score" it received in the 2012 Rainbow Awards!

So be sure to check out all the goodies and get your name in for the contests. I'll be sharing some never before seen excerpts from Aria in the weeks leading up to release date. In the meantime, good luck and enjoy your December! -Shira