Use this thread to post the list of books that you most want from your 2011 HF Secret Santa. Please list a range of choices (between 5 and 10 books) -- include title, author, and binding (e.g., hard-cover, paperback, Kindle). Books do NOT have to be HF and do NOT have to be on your PBS WL.  You probably do not want to list books that are likely to get posted to you within the next couple of months.

Please try to post your list within the next 10 days -- we want to give Secret Santas plenty of time to shop. As we know from last year, sometimes online orders take awhile to come through.

Whether you're a newbie or a grizzled forum veteran, please feel free to tell us about yourself, how you celebrate the holidays, and/or your deepest, darkest secrets or most embarrassing moments (if you don't want to share these publicly, you can PM me in private -- I won't tell).

Here are our 2011 HF Forum Secret Santas:

• Holly P.
• Mimi M.
• Alice J.
• Christa H.
• Jerelyn H.
• Jill H.
• Carolyn R.
• Bonnie R.
• Aubree G.
• Aimee W.
• Sharla U.
• John L.
• Vicky T.
• Jeanne L.
• Lori L.
• Kelly P.
• Linda B.
• R E K.
• Becky T.
• Cheryl M.
• Colleen J.
• Jan C.
• Dee W.
• Daphne R.
• Donna W.
• Mary
• Kelly E.
• MK C.
• polbio

Here we go....

Starting my list...will have to check it twice....or three times...or more.... before it is finished!

I prefer Kindle books or paperbacks, but will love love love whatever I get!

Holy Warrior by Angus Donald
Any of the Elizabeth Chadwick on my WL, but particularly Lords of the White Castle or Falcons of Montabard
Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist
The first book in that series about the Laotian doctor you guys are always talking about??
Bring it Close by Helen Hollick
Josefina's Sin by Claudia Long
Demon Parchment by Jeri Westerson
Terra Firma by Ruth Downie
Moloka'i by Alan Brennart
Lionheart by SKP
Talking to Girls about Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield

Edited:
Coming back to add a little about me:  I'm married with two awesome kids..a 21yo daughter who is graduating from college in May, getting married in June and starting grad school in August and a 16yo son who is ...well...he's a teenage boy...I didn't understand teenage boys when I was a teenager and don't understand them much better now!  LOL!  I'm a project manager with a global engineering and construction contractor.  I've been traveling a lot with my job lately, so I'm really into travel gadgets these days, especially ones that make me feel comfy or less stressed on the road.  I love handmade soaps, lotions and balms in all kinds of sweet, floral and citrusy scents.  You might know that I've lost a lot of weight lately, but don't let that stop you from sending me chocolate!  

We are very active in our church and celebrate a pretty traditional, Christian Christmas.  I always have good intentions of sending Christmas cards, but somehow, never get around to it.  I probably have 8 boxes of unused Christmas cards that I have bought over the years.  I need to find a good craft project to do something with them!  I am very particular about my Christmas tree. I love Christmas ornaments, but they have to match my color scheme...deep reds, golds, neutral beige and wood tones, forest greens.  All those gaudy ornaments the kids made in school when they were little??  Uh, no...they don't go on my tree.  The kids always had "their very own tree" where their precious creations were proudly displayed...away from my tree! 

We live in Louisiana and most of our extended family lives in Florida, so we alternate going home for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year.  This is a Christmas year and we are planning to go on a Christmas cruise with my entire family...my parents, two sisters, their husbands, all their kids...I think it is 18 of us and probably the first time in ten years that all of us have been in the same place at the same time without anybody missing.  It's the first cruise for most of us so we are really excited about it.  I will be out of town Dec. 20 - 26, so, Dear Secret Santa, please try to get my package in the mail a little early so it doesn't sit outside my door for a week while I am gone.   Thank you!
 

I looked at my WL and a lot of them aren't published yet - or recently publised and waaay too pricey, so I'm trying to narrow it down here. Any binding/condition is fine. Kindle is fine too!  I'm sure that most of you know me by now, but for those that don't: I'm almost 68 yrs. old; collect eagles; like to crochet; have a couple of grandkids fairly close by; married to a great guy and of course, am retired. 

Anything from my WL is fine with me - that's why they are on the WL! Some kindle books that I'm looking for are:

Fall From Grace (Inspector MeLevy Mystery 2) by David Ashton and Trick of the Light (McLevy 3) by David Ashton

Cavalier of the Apocalypse by Susanne Alleyn

The Long Ships by Frans G Bengtsson

Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

DTB books (dead tree books):

Eye of the Raven by Eliot Pattison

The Holy Thief by William Ryan

Instruments of Darkness by Imogen Robertson

The Waxman Murders by Paul Doherty

Wolves Among Us by Ginger Garrett

31 Bond St. by Ellen Horan

The Rhetoric of Death by Judith Rock

Delieverance From Evil by Frances Hill

(I didn't put Troubled Bones by Jeri Westerson on here because I'm #1 on the WL for it.)

BTW, Christa - that Laotian series is by Colin Cotterill and it's the Dr. Siri series, the first of which is The Coroner's Lunch!

Thank you very much to my secret Santa in advance! 

Vizards Mask by Diana Norman 

Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial America 978486285290

The Hell Fire Club by Daniel P Mannix 978074341152

The It Girls 9780151457748

I would love to get the hardcover editions of the first 3 Outlander series. 

About me,  I celebrate Christmas, I love folk art I have been into Jesters lately.  Avid gardener not allergic to anything.  But not a fan of coconut.  Just in case my SS sends cookies.  What I put poor Holly through last year I wouldn't want to repeat that.

Truly anythign from my WL is fine. Any binding is good.

Here are a few that I have been looking for

In a Treacherous Court:: Michelle Diener

To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine:: Christy English

The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily:: Nancy Goldstone, Nancy Goldstone

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici: A Novel:: C. W. Gortner

The Rose Garden:: Susanna Kearsley

Queen Hereafter::: Susan Fraser King, Susan King

Maids of Misfortune: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery:: M. Louisa Locke

Alice

I have two teenagers, 5 cats and a dog and  husband. The cats love to curl up with me while read a good book. Love a hot cup of tea with my reading time. Because of my lovely critters I have two small table top Christmas trees now. They love to take off the ornaments and chew them up.

I prefer paperbacks. Here's my list:

A Most Unsuitable Match - Stephanie Grace Whitson

Mozart's Last Aria - Matt Rees

Looking For the King: An Inklings Novel - kavid Downing

Shadows and Strongholds - Elizabeth Chadwick

Romancing Miss Bronte - Juliet Gael

The Scarlet Lion - Elizabeth Chadwick

Cottonwood Whispers - Jennifer Erin Valent

The Queen's Dollmaker - Christine Trent

Broken Wings - Carla Stewart

The Colonel's Lady - Laura Frantz

I'm an almost 40, stay at home, home schooling mom. I'm also a minister's wife and pianist and music teacher. I love cats and snowmen.

I'm not picky on binding...whatever's cheapest ;o)

On Gold Mountain - Lisa See

A Place Beyond Courage - Elizabeth Chadwick

84, Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff

Maids of Misfortune - M. Louisa Locke

Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks - John Curran

The Adventures of Alianore Audley - Brian Wainwright

Captivity - Deborah Noyes

or anything off my WL! A little about me: I'm 26, a newlywed (7 months), and am working on my multiple subject credential to teach elementary school. My other obsession, besides reading, is Disneyland! I also love, coffee, tea, chocolate (esp. dark chocolate), and purple is my favorite color.

Wow!  That was harder than I thought it would be.  1/3 of my WL I am 5 or under in line and another 1/3 are ones that haven't been released yet.

I prefer paperbacks :)

My list in no particular order:

The Conquest by Elizabeth Chadwick
Daughters of the Grail by Elizabeth Chadwick
The Kingmaking by Helen Hollick
The Galliard by Margaret Irwin
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
Wife to Charles II by Hilda Lewis
Agaat by Marleen Van Niekerk
The Queen of Diamonds by Jean Plaidy
Daughters of Spain by Jean Plaidy
The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

About me: I am almost 30 and will be married for 9 years on the 27th.  I have one child (AKA the Crumbsnatcher) and 3 fur children. I work for the Army. Loves: warm beverages, snowflakes, anything Gone with the Wind related.

So excited!  Can't wait to start shopping!

Remember, Holly, you have to stay calm through all of this. DH probably can't handle a repeat of last year's performance! 

BTW, in case you have a Kindle, they haveThe Kingmaking by Hollick for $1.99 - on Sourcebooks Landmark. 

Here's my list (hardback or paperback is fine, but no ebooks):

The Conquest - Elizabeth Chadwick

Dreaming the Serpent Spear - Manda Scott

Godiva - Nerys Jones

Hereward - James Wilde

The King's Man - Angus Donald

the Leopard Unleashed - Elizabeth Chadwick

The Lion Wakes - Robert Low

The Reluctant Queen - Freda Lightfoot

The Hostage Queen - Freda Lightfoot

Revenger - Rory Clements

My list follows.  Any book binding is fine, whichever is least expensive.  Do not have an electronic reader at this time.  I am almost 59, married, have 4 very small dogs.  Along with reading, I enjoy crochet and gardening.  Pink and red favorite colors --- coffee addict!!!  I may add a few more books to make it easier for Santa to find the least expensive ones!!! 

The Dark Horse                                  Craig Johnson

Junkyard Dogs                                   Craig Johnson

Outlaw                                                 Angus Donald

All My Patients Have Tales                Jeff Wells

An Impartial Witness                           Charles Todd

The Sanctuary Seeker                       Bernard Knight

Where Death Delights                         Bernard Knight

Christmas is for family gatherings for our crew.  Each year I look for a unique ornament to put on my tree, often from a thrift store.  Because hubby's brother has a Christmas tree farm it has become tradition to have one of his trees and a wreath that his wife makes from the trimmings.  Hubby's favorite is balsam.  In addition, we cut a cedar tree that needs to be removed for our front porch which is decorated only with lights.  Because we are environmentally conscious, we use our lights only during the family gathering.  I trim trees on our hillside with bows I've made from the colorful foil wrappings on holiday plants, rather than lights.  Stockings knit by hubby's mother are filled with trinkets and useful stuff for each member of the family.  Always I try to give each member a book!      

Paperback copies of any of the following are great as they are less expensive for everyone!   PBS books from other members are wonderful or it's a good idea to buy from PBS, too, when you can.  I did last year.

Charlotte and Leopold The True Story of the Original People's Princess  Author: James Chambers

Anathem  Author: Neal Stephenson

Clockwork Prince  Author: Cassandra Clare

A Dance with Dragons - A Song of Ice & Fire  Author: George R.R. Martin

The Knife of Never Letting Go - Chaos Walking, Bk 1   Author: Patrick Ness

Kushiel's Mercy (Kushiel's Legacy #6)  by Jacqueline Carey

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1)  by Michael Scott

Every Secret Thing (Kate Murray #1)  by Susanna Kearsley, Emma Cole

The Invisible Bridge  by Julie Orringer

Tigana  by Guy Gavriel Kay

Grail - Pendragon Cycle, Bk 5  Author: Stephen R. Lawhead

Patrick  Author:   Stephen Lawhead

Or, anything from the Celtic Cycle by Stephen Lawhead, beginning with book 1, of course

The only HB I would like is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hi!

I'm looking forward to Christmas this year but will be missing my kiddos. All 5 will be away and it will be just me and my new hubby (not a bad deal I know but it IS Christmas!). I love things that have to do with art (painting, drawing and photography - I do all three) and I'm a gadget junky...love electronics and new ideas. Love my Kindle but someday I need to upgrade to color! lol  Love tea, movies, popcorn and nuts and am addicted to silly things like desk calendars, address labels and things like that from office supply stores (I know I'm just weird!).  I'm only telling you all this to give you an idea of my personality.  So don't worry...I'm not expecting an electronic gadget to use while painting and keeping track of the month!

I'd just love absolutely ANY audio CD or Kindle of any HS on my WL is appreciated.  LOVE to have a book by the bed, one on my IPhone and one in the car at all times.  

Here are links to books on my WL that I've been waiting for a long time and don't think will come any time soon:

Everyday Matters

Georgia GACE Professional Pedagogy  

Choose Them Wisely; Thoughts Become Things

Idiots Guide to the Middle Ages

Cook This not That

What fun! Thanks, Santa!!!

Sorry for the double post!

I had my list all typed and lost it!!!!!

Any binding is lovely (just do the cheapest you can find) and if nothing on this list catches your fancy, anything on my WL is PERFECT!!!

• India Black (bk 1) by Carol Carr
• Let the Dead Lie by Malla Nunn
• Ice Road by Gillian Slovo
• A Curtain Falls by Stephanie Pintoff
• Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay
• A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee
• Shadow of the King by Helen Hollick
• The King's Witch by Cecilia Holland

I am 41 and just obtained an empty nest.  Can honestly say I'm having a hard time adjusting to the quiet and "free" time.  Work too much, sleep too little, but love to relax with a hot cup of tea, blankie and book.  While I'm not very crafty (well, maybe in other ways), I do like to crochet, especially with scrap yarn to make crazy blankets.  My favorite color is green, have 2 dogs (1 sweet, 1 psychotic) and 2 cats...all 4 of which are my childrens, but I am now raising.  I live in a small town, which I love, but I like to stay home over being a social butterfly (that is one thing I have never been accused of).   

I'm 42, married for 20 years, no kids, a cat. I have a long commute every day (1.4 hours each way) from far north suburbs of Chicago to the Loop. And I read, read, read. I love my Nook, but all of the above books are keepers that I want in physical books. Any binding is fine. Besides books, I love coffee and chocolate. Favorite color is purple.

Elizabeth Chadwick:

                The Conquest

                The Marsh King’s Daughter

                The Winter Mantle

                Lords of the White Mantle

                The Leopard Unleashed

Tuck by Stephen R Lawhead 

The Silver Eagle by Ben Kane

Devil Water by Anya Seton

True Grit by Charles Portis

I have a deep abiding love for all things to do with the Christmas season...The Christmas Carol by Dickens, television specials, cookies, presents, sweets, Santa, candy, decorating the house, baking, shopping, entertaining, midnight mass, my family gatherings, that somehow has survived a bajillion years of retail work. It is truly my favorite time of the year.  Because I think I spend so much of my time with the public I also enjoy solitude, thus my love of books and reading (especially on a glorious beach in Florida or Mexico!)  Anything on my wishlist is fine with me...new, used, PBS, any format, whatever you can find; but here are some "special" ones.

Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick

Ransom: A Novel by David Malouf

Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik

Within the Fetterlock by Brian Wainwright

Wheel of Fate by Kate Sedley

The Midsummer Crown by Kate Sedley

The Dance of Death by Kate Sedley

Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

Empire of Silver by Conn Iggulden

Hi everyone!!

Well, a little about me:

I have had a very hectic life the past few years with 6 moves in 5 yrs. I'd love to say this one was our last move but i know better .

I am a historian, however i am not working in that field at the moment. I am homeschooling my 17 and 12 yr old daughters. I love everything about fall and christmas. These few months are my favorite time of year. I love the smells and sounds of Christmas. My favorite color is Green. My daughters and I are HUGE animal lovers.   I have three main passions History, Reading and Baking. I do a lot of baking especially this time of year.  I like to read historical books, mainly non-fiction. I also love historical mysteries.

Anything from my wishlist would be fine.I dont have a preference of hardcover, paperback or audio (CD or Tape are fine, but no ebooks please).  I also dont care if it is used, new, library book, etc.  Below are a few of the ones i have been anxiously awaiting:

1. Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs
2. Dark Secrets of the Old Oak Tree by Dolores J Wilson
3. The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry
4. The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez-Reverte
5. The Fifth Servant by Kenneth Wishnia
6. The Unbelievers by Alastair Sim
7. Cleopatra's Heir by Gillian Bradshaw
8. Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews.
9. Pacific Rising by Simon Winchester
10. The Holy Thief by William Ryan

Thank you in advance to my Secret Santa.

Dear Secret Santa --

No stinkin' books for me....

Paperbacks and hardcovers (new or used) are preferrable.  

Pirates of the Levant by Arturo Perez-Reverte

Queen of the South by Arturo Perz-Reverte

The Fencing Master by Arturo Perez Reverte

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte

The Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis

The Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell

The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett

Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst

The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati

The Rebel Princess by Judith Koll Healey

About me: I'm currently writing a novel while working on multiple film/tv scripts.  Deeply love the Italian Renaissance.  I don't have a Kindle, Nook, etc.  PBS might be the best thing that I've ever discovered 

ETA: I took out Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom, as I ddn't realize it was already sitting on my shelf.  How it got there, I have no idea....

I LOVE finding out more about each of you -- who knew that you all had lives outside PBS?? But I'm a bit disappointed that no one has PMed me their dark secrets or most embarrassing moments. Really, you can trust me -- I promise I won't tell!

For those of you who are still a little confused, please read the first post in the "It's here...the 2011 HF Forum Secret Santa" thread. I have tried to anticipate your questions, but if you still have any, feel free to PM me.

lol, Deb, you crack me up. I love the pictures!!

Santa, my list is fairly modest this year, as I am intently working to lessen Mt. TBR. However, there are some longstanding items on my WL that I would love to have:

Assasin's Prayer                     Ariana Franklin

Dragonwyck                              Anya Seton (for the challenge 'Dragon' book!)

Journey to the West                 Vols 3 and 4, Anthony C. Yu translation

Secret Magdalene                     Ki Longfellow

Calligrapher's Daughter          Eugenia Kim

Forever Amber                           Kathleen Winsor

Sweet Mandarin                         Helen Tse

I am binding indifferent--paperback, hardback all ok, just no audio books. ebooks ok as well, i have an iPad and all formats.

I feel like my TBR shelf is judging me as I type this, telling me I need to lighten its load before I wish for any more books. But oh well, I loves me some Secret Santa! Oh uh, about me. Right. I'm 24, I work in pharmacy currently but am working towards a degree in library science. I live with three cats and a Pekingnese who thinks he's a cat, and spend every winter desperately wishing for that White Christmas that we haven't had since...1989. I love tea, anything having to do with birds (especially owls), funky jewelry, nail polish, and the colours blue and yellow. I have a Kindle but found that I prefer "real" books, and mainly use it just for travel.

A lot of my WL books are either still pretty pricey or not released yet, but I managed to narrow it down. PB or HB, whichever is cheaper:

Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson

Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent

New and Selected Poems, Volume 1 by Mary Oliver

Victoria's Daughters by Jerrold M. Packard

The Giver by Lois Lowry (would like this one in HB)

Anything on my WL is fair game, though. These are just a few that are already released and that I've found online at reasonable prices.

I love Secret Santa time!  I'm a librarian, mid-50's, one daughter and one step-daughter that are both the light of my life; we have two German Shepherds.  My hobbies are reading, doing cross stitch, and finding stray kittens to give to my dd.

Fall is my favorite time of year, but as I get older, I truly appreciate all our seasons.  I love the colors green and blue.  I'm married to a great guy who is so tolerant of my book addiction!

Now, about the addiction: I would truly love anything.  I am only going to list a couple of "real" books, as I'm trying to cut back and use my Kindle more.  Okay, so it's not working too well yet, but hey...I put it out there, right? 

Kindle books:

Lady of the English, by Elizabeth Chadwick

Murder in a Mill Town (#2) by P.B. Ryan

Death on Beacon Hill (#3) by P.B. Ryan

Trick of the Light by David Ashton

Goodnight Sweet Prince by David Dickinson

Knight's Fee by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Shield Ring by Rosemary Sutcliff

Paperback, hardcover, used, new...whatever is cheapest!

Hodd, by Adam Thorpe

Company of Liars, by Karen Maitland

The Hand of Isis by Jo Graham

What Alice Knew by Paula Cohen

The Swan Maiden by Jules Watson