Today is St. Nikolaus, a day I remember fondly from my childhood (see my essay Giving Up Christmas in Tablet, which, incidentally, is an excerpt from my book Jumping Over Shadows.)

St. Nikolaus is a day of small gifts, and so, since I have, as a contributor to Artful Blogging, the opportunity to host a giveaway, I’m offering it today and will bestow, on one lucky winner, a copy of the latest issue. Maybe, just maybe, passing on this magazine that really changed my writing career (see My Artful Blogging Story) will do some other wonderful thing for the recipient!

All you have to do is leave, by end of day Friday, December 9, a comment below, sharing what your dream travel destination would be, fitting in with my article “The Accidental Travel Blogger” in that issue.

Mine would be a trip on the Transsiberian railroad, all the way from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. These days I am on a Russian journey anyway as I have been listening, again, to Nabokov’s Speak, Memory in my car. More about that in my Reading List, which you’re welcome to subscribe to (see sign-up form in right-hand column). His language is so luscious, I find myself swooning more often than I am annoyed by some of his tediousness.

I have another giveaway coming up on December 15 for the new winter issue of Bella Grace as I have an article in that as well. Stay tuned!