'TIS THE SEASON TO TAKE A WALK ON THE DARK SIDE...Silhouette Nocturne is proud to present these two sensual, heartwarming tales of love during the holiday season. True, the heroes may not wear red suits or be very jolly. But tall, dark and handsome, with the unusual power to thrill, can sometimes be the best gift of all.

In Christmas Cravings by Maureen Child, a vampire finds himself in need of a miracle, and discovers it on the doorstep of his childhood home in the form of Theresa Franklin.<.p>Most women dream of being swept off their feet by a man--not whisked away by a devastatingly handsome vampire. But for Connie Morales in Fate Calls by Caridad Pineiro, Hadrian's tempting kisses make her long to deliver the gift of life to a man who thinks he has no soul...

Maureen Child is a native Southern Californian who is still waiting for evidence that autumn actually exists. She's written 40 books since making her first sale in 1990, and is as excited about writing today as she was then.

When she's not writing, Maureen and her husband like to travel, and usually drag her parents along for the ride. There's nothing quite like a road trip with three people reading different maps and shouting instructions to the poor driver, Maureen's long-suffering husband. But all that traveling gives her a lot of research material for more books.

When she's at home, Maureen rides herd on a busy house filled with two grown children, their assorted friends, and the world's most confused golden retriever, Abbey. Abbey, unfortunately, is afraid of the wind. She knows something is out there, but she can't see it, and refuses to leave the shelter of the house alone on windy days. So look for Maureen on cold, windy nights. She'll be in the backyard, holding Abbey's paw.

Maureen loves to hear from fans. You can write her at: Maureen Child, P.O. Box 1883, Westminster, CA 92684-1883.