I’m in the middle of writing the third book in the Bodies of Art series. So much fun! I love writing from Laurel Beacham’s point-of-view, and globetrotting across the page with her and her snarky sense of humor.

While the book won’t be out until 2016, the manuscript is due to my editor at Henery Press on November 1st. However, since the book is set in early November, and starts in London, I’ve been happily finding U.K. holiday connections. And wow! Am I having a blast!!!

London Christmas lights start going on display the first week in November. Could I have picked a better time frame, or what? Oxford Street and Regent Street are both located in some very exclusive map coordinates. While Oxford Street is only a mile and a half long, it runs right through Mayfair (yeah, the really ritzy part of London) and on into SoHo. The shops through that Royal Mail quandrant are way out of my price range–Laurel’s too, if truth be told–but just imagine the great window shopping.

But that’s not all. Covent Garden and the British Museum are just a stone’s throw away once Oxford Street dead-ends into Soho. And take a right when Regent Street bisects Oxford at about the halfway point, and it’s just a short jog to the National Portrait Gallery or any of a number of theaters (or theatre if we’re talking with a Brit accent. lol), and even the Royal Opera House.

However, while Oxford Street is a haven for those looking for the most unique gift for that special person on the list, at Christmas time the best views aren’t even in the windows, but stretched above the macadam instead. Part of my research for book #3 required more than a little Internet touring to see the bright and shiny that comes out above Londoners and tourists alike. From early November until just after New Year’s, shoppers have the chance to ooh and awe over brilliant sights before they even get a glimpse into store windows.

I’ve sprinkled a few pics around this post to whet your appetite, but if you want to see more, check out these links for a couple of marvelous screen shows:

Christmas Lights in London

More Christmas Lights in London

So, if you’re as sick as I am of summer already, do a little Christmas shopping early. Not for gifts, necessarily, but for the wonderful displays cities like London offer to ring in the holidays. Here are a couple more if you haven’t yet gotten your fill. Me? I’m heading back to Laurel’s world and finishing up this book so I can start writing the next one!