A PARLIAMENT HARVEST

The headquarter's (still) empty, and it seems the only beings occupying the hideout were the dust bunnies. Tomorrow's a day of feasting and merriment, and our hard-working ghouls are ready to spend a fulfilling weekend with their families, covens, you name it.

But first, our blog maven has coerced the Parliament Press staff into revealing just what—or whom—it is they're grateful for this harvest season.

Happy Holidays, dear reader. Partake in the merriment and be well.

Jessica, Marketing Intern

"I am thankful for being able to celebrate the holidays with my family and to indulge in all the amazing feasts! Of course, I am forever thankful for my and my family's health and safety, but this year, I am thankful for more as I find myself giving thanks to new friends and opportunities as well. Not only have I met some wonderful people through social media, but I've been given the chance to work in a field that I truly feel passionate about. I not only gained a new career but a new family within the Parliament House that I cherish deeply. Everyone--including all my lovely readers, fans, and online friends--has brought joy and motivation to my life this year and I couldn't be more blessed to have such a gracious community to be part of. So thank YOU, everyone, for being part of my journey as I work through all the things! You are truly the best! Much love and thanks! <3"

Alyssa, Editor/ Submissions Intern

Happy holidays! I’m Alyssa—one of the behind-the-scenes people here at the Parliament House. I’m thankful for my dog Deacon and the wondrous drink that is coffee. I’m also thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given at Parliament—and thank you to everyone that made that possible. I hope everyone has a very filling Thanksgiving and a great holiday season!

Michael, Public Relations Intern

Despite being down here in the dark (I can’t read down here!), this Thanksgiving I’m thankful for getting out of the past year mostly unscathed and that I feel proud of myself for dealing with personal problems in a healthy way, and that includes reaching out to begin my journey into publishing.

In 2020 I’m personally looking forward to reading All! The! Books! and also seeing Dune on the big screen (December, ugh).

Professionally, I’m very much looking forward to being part of The Parliament House and putting out awesome books. I feel like I’ve joined a sassy little family of badass women. Give me more sass! I know I’ve a ton to give as well.

Cindy, Publishing Assistant/ Author Liaison Intern

This year I’m thankful for having the strength I needed in the face of difficult times, and my continued personal growth. I’m thankful for my son and my dogs, and their good health and happiness, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to work with the amazing Parliament family. In the new year, I’m looking forward to taking some amazing trips with my family and visiting friends. On a professional level, I’m looking forward to seeing the continued growth here at The Parliament House and being part of this amazing company. I also can’t wait to finish my novel and begin querying!

Brianna, Blog Intern & Public Relations

This year, I'm so grateful to be near enough to spend our second Thanksgiving with my husband's family. I look forward to our aunt's famous pineapple stuffing every year, and I mean every year.

I'm grateful for Tim—thank you for holding the house down and wrangling the kids when I'm knee-deep in drafting or edits. If it weren't for you and your continued support, I would not be able to pursue my love of writing fairytales, especially those about cursed princesses and troubled monsters, so thank you with all of my heart and soul. As always, I'm grateful for my family and friends, for loving us from afar, wherever our careers bring us. And thank you to everyone at The Parliament House Press for being so generously wonderful in both professionalism and camaradarie.

Aloha, everyone. Hold your family close, stay clear of the tree line, and don't let the pesky Darklings steal your mead.

Amanda, Submissions Editor

Around this time of year I never used to think about what I was grateful for. In my household, we jumped around to family member's homes without a second thought. We ate, we had a few conversations, and then we all went home. But this year, I'm grateful for those memories and those times I spent with family. I am thankful for the small family I have now, which I never thought I'd have. I'm thankful for my fiance, who has been my rock; strong and steady these past few months. And I'm thankful for the people in my life, those who are new and those who have stuck around for far longer than I thought.

Chantal, COO/ Senior Editor

I think Thanksgiving is a great time to reflect on the people in our lives, and the events or opportunities that we might have experienced in the year - and how they might have helped us, or tested us. I know that each time this year, I always think about the people who have come into my life, and the people who are already in my life - and how grateful I am for each of them. I'm grateful for my Mom and my sister, who are always there for me: at my worst, at my best. . . I'm grateful for this Parliament House Team. Things have never been better here, and I'm so, so thankful to finally have a real-life, functioning team! I'm grateful for Shayne Leighton, who is both my working partner at Parliament, but also, my best friend. I'm thankful for Taran, the family dog - who is just so adorable and gives the best puppy-kisses ever. I'm grateful for the opportunities that I've had this year, in writing, in publishing - having a review from Publisher's Weekly is such a huge thing, and I know that would have never been possible without this team that we have! I'm thankful for the few friends that I have, for iced coffees on busy days, and for the memories that I have of lost loved ones. I'm grateful to the people who dream the same dream as me; to the readers who have taken a chance on my novels. I'm looking forward to writing more, experiencing more, meeting new and old friends, sharing laughter and love - and maybe, just maybe if I'm lucky - a dash of more success.

Shayne, CEO/ Editor-In-Chief

2019 has been an equally incredible and trying year. It’s provided a lot of growing pains, but also some peeks into what promises to be a brilliant future for The Parliament House and it’s authors. That said, I am SO incredibly grateful for my partner, Chantal. I know we gush about each other constantly, but it needs to be said again. There have been so many nights (and days) when she’s had to talk me off the ledge when somethings gone wrong, when she’s had to give me strength when there’s a particularly tough challenge, or even to celebrate the minor victories. There’s no one else I’d rather share those moments with. I am also so incredibly thankful for my family and friends in my personal life. This endeavor requires a lot of time and a lot of sacrifice. My family has been so supportive and encouraging and most importantly, understanding when there are days I need to focus. It’s been a hard year of grieving the loss of my grandmother. I know she would be so proud of this whole project. My mom has been so strong—being emotionally supportive of me while dealing with her own grieving period. I am so incredibly thankful for her and for Frank, my husband, who’s been gracious about half-fried eggs, half-washed dishes, and half-baked conversations when I’ve had to rush back to the computer. He’s always there to pick up the other half of whatever I cannot, and for that support, I am incredibly grateful. I am beyond grateful for the Parliament team. They are a group of the most intelligent, ambitious, kind, talented, and compassionate people. It took a while to carve out the perfect group, and I finally feel like we’ve done it. Our tribe is colorful and strange, brilliant glittering energies that contribute so many different facets to what we do every day and I am SO grateful to have found them. I am grateful for our authors—also brilliant, glittering, strange (in the best way), and inventive. Their stories need to be shared. They are inspiring. I feel so blessed and grateful that they trust us with their book babies. And I am grateful for our readers. Because without you, there would be nothing.