Greetings!

For The Highway Cafe Christmas Blog Tour,  my Elf name is Goth Elf!

My job at the North Pole is to polish the black leather boots, belts, reindeer harness, and anything else made of black leather (you’d be surprised how busy I am.) I also close the blinds at Santa’s workshop and dim the lights. It is my job to communicate with the spirits of elves who have passed on and to make sure they are as happy as they can be. In the toy shop, I paint dark blue eye shadow and baroque tattoos on dolls as well as create dark and disturbing artwork for delivery to the moody teenagers and vampires on Santa’s list.

I find my job intellectually fulfilling, though I often make up sad poems which predict my own death.

I’m an old school goth and I love listing to Alice Cooper while I work.

My favorite holiday snack and drink are dark chocolate and absinthe with a sprinkle of red peppermints to give it a seasonal look.

The lucky elf I’ll be presenting a gift to this year is Sparkle.  When you get a present wrapped in silky smooth paper and bound with shimmering bows, she’s the one who did it. I’m giving her a couple of things to make her work easier as well as a little something I think she’ll like for herself.

I recently discovered steam punk so I’m giving her a black cast-iron, steam-powered paper cutter and matching ribbon curler. In addition, I’m packing in a bottle of sparkling cranberry juice because I drank the red wine I was going to give her.

Goth Elf’s Craft Adventure

As a registered and committed Goth, I find Christmas a bit trying. All those perky elves; all that cloying good cheer. (Shudder.) Gives me the heebie jeebies.  To deaden down the festivities, I decorate with an eye toward the macabre. These spider snowflakes make me smile – slightly.

This is a great craft idea for those sunny days when no one wants to go outside.

First, supply your children with razor-sharp knives and scissors. Then send them running to the craft dungeon for black paper and glitter. If any of them return with all their fingers still attached, hand them the handy template below and show them how to fold the paper and cut out lovely, black widow spider snowflakes.

spider-snowflake

Add glitter and hang on the tree or put on the windows to properly set the scene for a Merry, Scary Christmas party.

Be sure to enter the giveaway for an e-copy of Zoraida Grey and the Family Stones—Book 1 in my Zoraida Grey Series PLUS a Celtic Cross Tarot Reading by Yours Truly. Contest ends December 7 at 11:59 p.m. I’ll pick a winner on December 8 and post it here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And be sure to add Zoraida Grey and the Family Stones to your shopping list for all the Goths you know.

How Many Scottish witches does it take to destroy one small-town fortune teller?

Granny’s dying, but Zoraida can save her with a magic crystal of smoky quartz. Too bad the crystal is in Scotland––in a haunted castle––guarded by mind-reading, psychopathic sorcerers.

Getting inside Castle Logan is easy. Getting out––not so much. Before she can snatch the stone, Zoraida stumbles into a family feud, uncovers a wicked ancient curse, and finds herself ensorcelled by not one but two handsome Scottish witches. Up to their necks in family intrigue and smack-dab in the middle of a simmering clan war, Zoraida and her best friend Zhu discover Granny hasn’t told them everything.

Not by a long shot.

Find out more about the book HERE or Buy a copy HERE!

Now, scuttle off like a big, fuzzy spider to the other sites on the Highway Cafe Christmas Blog Tour:

Darlene Fredette – http://www.findingthewritewords.blogspot.com/

Tena Stetler – http://www.tenastetler.com/my-blog/

Barbara Burke – https://barbaraburkeauthor.wordpress.com/

Stacy Holmes – www.writerknapsack.com

M.S. Spencer – http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com/

Maureen Bonatch – http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/

Nancy Fraser – http://nancyfraser.ca/wordpress/holiday-blog-hop/

Carol Henry – http://www.carolhenry.org/

Hywela Lyn – www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com

Casi McLean – http://casimclean.com/casis-christmas-…cal-mystery-tour/ ‎

Kayden Claremont. –  https://kaydenclaremont.wordpress.com/

Mariah Lynne – http://mariahlynneauthor.blogspot.com/

K.K. Weil –  http://kkweil.blogspot.com

Clair de Lune – http://www.clairdelunebooks.co.uk/

Linda Carroll-Bradd – http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com (participating on Dec 6 only)