Do Real Men Shop for Hallmark Cards?

Winner, Winner & Winners!

Okay, since I had such a great response, pulling just one winner was hard. But . . . because I only have one ARC to spare at this time, I decided to pick one winner of the ARC and then offer 5 second place winners which can choose from my past releases.

The BIG WINNER—not in pant size—is: PAM.

The four second places winners are: Mary Ann Christian, Liz Kreger, Lois, Sabine G, and Beth Watson.

Please contact me at christie (at) christie-craig (dot) com. Second places winners email me which book you would like to receive.

And just for your FYI, I will be giving away three “early copies” ( in November) of Divorced, Desperate and Deceived to three people who belong to my newsletter group. So pop over to my website(www.christie-craig.com) and join my newsletter group for a chance to win.

P.S. I only send out a newsletters when a book is about to be released.

Congrats and thank you everyone who posted. It was fun hearing about your thoughts on men and cards

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST!

I just got my ARCs, advanced reader copies, of my November 24th release of Divorced, Desperate and Deceived and today one lucky commenter will win a copy. So don’t forget to post a comment!


Do Real Men Shop for Hallmark Cards? You noticed I wrote, “shop for” and not buy, right? Why? Because honestly, I’ve gotten some heart-tugging, couldn’t-be-more-perfect Hallmark cards from my hubby. So I know he’s capable of buying them, I’m just questioning if he really shopped for them.

Or did he walk into the store, go to the cheaper card section, spot the one that had the least amount of cards left in the little slot, meaning it had to contain the best sentimental mush that could fit more people’s lives, and he slapped down his two bucks. (Yeah, he’s frugal on cards.) Nevertheless, the man got lucky and the card’s message was just sentimental enough that I was convinced that he stood for hours in front of the card stand, shopping like a woman, looking for the card that said just the right thing.

You may be wondering what brought on my sudden doubt. Yup, hubby messed up again. Last week was my son-in-law’s birthday. Now, like all women, I had to figure out what we were going to get this much loved new family member. And I’ll be honest with you, I cheat on whole “surprise” kind of gifts. You see, my daughter and son-in-law are new parents and new home-owners and money’s tight for them. So instead of buying him a complete surprise gift, I pick up the phone and talk to my daughter and ask. “What does he want?”

I mean, when times are tough you always have things you really want and getting some weird shirt that your mother-in-law bought you that you can’t take back because it might hurt her feelings is just not right. So I’ve learned to ask.

I was told he wanted a gift certificate to a kayak place. Now, I got the gift certificate, but not wanting to just give a piece of paper, I went out and bought a nice bottle of red wine, which I know he likes, two different kinds of chocolate, which I know he likes, a gift certificate to a nice restaurant, which I know he likes, and a seventy-six pack of diapers. Hey, I think he really liked them, too, because we all know how expensive it can get buying diapers. But it was funny seeing his face when he opened them.

Needless to say, as my hubby and I left the store with all the gifts, I realized I hadn’t picked up a card. So, I turned to hubby and said, “When you pick up the French bread tomorrow, you can grab a card.”

You’d have thought I’d just asked him to rip off one of his boys and feed to it to a stray cat. “Oh, hell no! I’m not shopping for a card.” We argued a bit, but he was adamant and informed me, “I would rather give him a five dollar bill than have to buy a card.” Knowing how hard it is for my frugal hubby to let go of his five dollar bills, I said, “Fine. Don’t buy the card, but if you come home tomorrow without one, I’ll just put your five dollar bill in an envelope and give it to him.”

I was slightly shocked when the next morning, hubby returned from the store with French bread and whipped out the five dollar bill. So I did just what I said, I put the five dollar bill in an envelope and before my son-in-law opened it, I explained my hubby’s male abhorrence to shopping for cards. Much to my dismay, instead of being insulted that his father-in-law thought so little of him, he made him promise to always be the one shopping for his birthday card. I was tempted to take back my diapers.

What is it with men? Where is their sentimental spirit? Do they have none? Is showing a little love in the way of words so hard? I’ll admit I was concerned, but then hubby managed to get himself of the dog house.

Yesterday, hubby and I were sitting at the car dealership waiting for them to bring around my car that had needed a few things repaired. Hubby was talking about some guy at work, complaining about his wife and then he stopped mid-sentence and said, “You know, I seldom have to complain about you.”

My first thought was . . . Seldom?

He studied me for a minute and said, “Have I told you I love you lately? Sometimes I think I take you for granted.”

My heart did one of those big sighs. It wasn’t fancy words, or poetry. It didn’t cost him a buck ninety-nine; it wasn’t five dollars in an envelope and didn’t require he risk his masculinity by shopping for the right words, he didn't lose a testicle in the process, but I knew right then, this was better than a Hallmark card.

Men, they really may be from Mars, ladies, but sometimes, every blue moon, just when we are about to give up on them, they do manage to say or do the right thing at the craziest of moments.

So tell me, does your man shop for Hallmark cards? What has he said or done lately that made your heart sigh? How does he say I love you, without using those fancy words? Is it taking out the trash? Filling your car with gas? And have you told him you love him lately? Go ahead and try it, if nothing else, it may make them wonder what you’re up to.

Remember, one lucky commenter is going to win an early copy of my book, Divorced, Desperate and Deceived. Comment away.

Crime Scene Christie