Miranda's Christmas Musings!

 Tra la la la la, la la la la...! 

Dearest readers (I've got this mad impulse to say 'Dearest gentle readers', imitating you know who - Lady W I'm looking at you), it's been a while! So here I am to spread a bit of Christmas cheer. 

Somehow or other Life seems to have gotten in the way of my reading this last month, which is when I start glomming everything with words in the title like Christmas, season, holiday, merry, mistletoe, sugar plum, holiday, etc. So - le sigh - I haven't read as much as I normally have. But never fear! I have suggestions on top of suggestions for you, and I suspect I'm going to be reading Christmas books all January... Oh the bliss.

First up in my Christmas suggestions is One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery. This is gorgeous. The story of widowed mum Julie whose adult children decide to skip Christmas at the family holiday house - and Julie's thrilled. Because unbeknown to said children, she's got a much younger boyfriend she's planning on getting to know away from family eyes. But best laid plans and all that, suddenly everyone decides that they will get together. So what will become of Julie and Heath, still feeling their way? So much Christmas gorgeousness in this one, and some very relatable funny family moments.

Picture credit: amazon.com

The Christmas Cottage by Sarah Morgan (or in the US, The Holiday Cottage) is a charming book about fairly uptight, work-focused, affection-starved Imogen having a bombshell dropped at her feet. A literal gasp-worthy bombshell. Trust me, it's a lot. But, you know, it's Christmas, and the warm fuzzies of the season plus a very handsome vet (and a dog) do help defrost her. So heart-warming, I loved this book.

Picture credit: amazon.com.au

Anne Gracie previously published her novella Wish Upon A Christmas Candle as The Virtuous Widow, but she's revamped it so beautifully I think you need to read it all over again. A lovely story about a widow and her child, and the stranger that changes their lives. Miracles truly happen at Christmas. And just look at that gorgeous cover.

Picture credit: amazon.com

I always read Debbie Macomber's annual Christmas book, and A Christmas Duet played out beautifully. (See what I did there?) Such a tender story about a woman working out her dream. Delightfully, her sister also has her own romance. Bonus! There's music, hot chocolate, hot guys, and lots of Christmas cosiness here. 

Picture credit: amazon.com

All I Want For Christmas by Karen Swan was the first I've read by this author. It was actually an impulse borrow from the Christmas display in my local library. Don't know about you, but I adore my local library! Happy to report it won't be my last by Karen Swan. A fab book set in Copenhagen (which is what caught my interest in the first place), with a mystery about a newly discovered painting and a will-they, won't-they romance. And just wow, the stunning cover is what initially caught my eye. So glad it did.

Picture credit: amazon.com

The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts takes a leaf out of Jane Austen's Emma. Widowed Frankie can't stop trying to matchmake everyone around her - with, cough, wildly varied results. So many merry mishaps and mistakes! And my goodness, who's waiting patiently for her, right under her nose? A book with a huge heart.

Picture credit: amazon.com

I know we're all time poor at Christmas, what with extravaganzas to attend, shopping, things to bake, decorations to put up and such. So why not grab an anthology, so you can read a slightly shorter story and still keep that Christmas vibe happening? 

I recommend:

12 Tropes of Christmas is an absolute treasure trove of Aussie authors married with 12 popular romance tropes for your delectation, such as friends to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, jilted bride. You name it, this anthology has got it, plus Christmas. It's just so much fun. I can't pick a favourite, it was fantastic to happily submerse myself - then discover a brand new fave trope I didn't even know I loved with each new story. And, you're welcome. You're going to love these festive romcoms.

Picture credit: amazon.com

Mistletoe Season has another three short stories to get you into the Christmas spirit. Look, you deserve a break from all your busy-ness. Sit down, grab your beverage (which might well be a iced something for Aussies, or a hot something for the northern hemisphere, or something with a kick in it, um, just because), and have a bliss bomb pick-me-up with this book. The stories are wonderful.

Picture credit: amazon.com

For those that enjoy an inspirational Christmas romance, Finding Love At Christmas is perfect. 12 Christmas novellas with faith at their hearts, including fan favourite authors Toni Shiloh and Jan Thompson. So very lovely. 

Picture credit: amazon.com

Last but definitely not least, the Aussie anthology A Country Farm Christmas is just endless delight. Beloved Australian authors Lily Malone, Penelope Janu, Stella Quinn and Pamela Cook have teamed up to bring us Christmas stories from Australian country farms. And if you missed last year's A Country Vet Christmas with the same fab four authors plus Alissa Callen, simply choose both books to discover your new Aussie favourite. Win, win, win, win, win - win, win, win, win...

Picture credit: amazon.com

What a swoon-worthy line-up of festive fare to keep you going over the holidays. I could go on, I've got - counting - approximately 25 other books to come, including the much-anticipated Must Love Mistletoe by Kelly Hunter. I'm settling down now in my happy place to read, with Christmas lights twinkling in the background, tinsel everywhere, and Christmas cards on display. Quite frankly, I can't think of anything nicer. 

Picture credit: amazon.com

Happy reading, lovely readers. I wish you a merry Christmas and a safe and wonderful new year filled with books, books, and more books. And chocolate, of course. Be kind to each other and hug your precious ones. See you next year!

With much love from Miranda xxx

Love to Love:

Believe it or not, I love reading cosy crime as well as romance at Christmas. I can happily suggest for your enjoyment: Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson, Murder Under the Mistletoe by the Rev. Richard Coles, and The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose.

Love to Laugh:

At little videos of cats climbing the Christmas tree...and the trees 'fainting'. I used to find Christmas tree branches down and baubles all over the house when I had my beloved puss. 

Love to Learn:

What you're reading, especially if it's a festive romance! Please report back! 

Nurturing the Muse

 by Enisa Haines

Life in all its manifestations, with daily obligations and constant demands on our time, most often comes with no guarantee of 'happy ever after'. So, too, for a writer and the inner source of inspiration that fuels their creativity. 

A fickle creature is the muse. At times she eagerly inspires me to bring the story playing in my mind into vivid life on paper. At others she hides out of reach, unwilling to appear. It could be because life interrupts with unexpected happenings - emergency surgery for a life-threatening head injury from a car accident, a marriage breakup, the unexpected passing of a brother, those are a few of my experiences.  Or it could be an issue with the story I'm writing. There's a block that won't go away no matter how many times I sit down to write so I feel discouraged and a growing frustration so the story waits unwritten. 

When creativity refuses to cooperate I know my muse is still there. It's just asking for some nurturing before inspiration sparks to life. How we nurture differs for everyone and countless articles written discuss the ways, some I've listed below:

• Meet with other writers - whether a writers' conference/retreat, a writing group or critique partners, there's creative energy in abundance that's sure to inspire.
• Read a genre you don't write - and so stretching your imagination to other styles of writing.
• Carry a journal - the muse can appear in times both expected and unexpected.
• Go to a public place such as a cafe - watching and listening to people, seeing how they interact can inspire new scenes and characters 
• Catch up with friends - conversations can bring inspiration
• Clean and clear your writing space - uncluttering does wonders for imagination 

I've had great inspiration from each but for me evoking ideas and emotions is best achieved by:

Immersing myself in nature - taking a walk through the bushland around where I live or simply gazing through the window and watching the rain relaxes my mind and gets my creativity flowing.

Meditating (with lit candle, and crystal) - starting my day by focusing on breathing, , on being mindful and aware, brings a state of calmness and clarity that helps my mind stop wandering and instead concentrate, increase productivity. 

Being grateful - I always feels good when I've got to the end of a writing session and words had flowed, and acknowledging that with thanks feels even better.

Are there times your muse needs nourishing? How do you bring your muse to life? 

Love to love: listening to rock ballads. I'm visualising stories as I listen to the words.

Love to laugh: at the funny antics of characters in romantic comedies. 

Love to learn: all things writing.

Are You a Productive Writer?

By Marilyn Forsyth

Am I a Productive Writer? 

Image courtesy of giphy

Short answer: NO.

It’s why I’ve been researching articles that outline simple steps used by ‘Super Productive People’ to be…well, productive; developing habits like rising early, planning each day, incorporating exercise, etc. So, if what I've read is right, that something like 40% of our daily actions are driven by our habits, then it should be doable to create a new daily routine incorporating these steps, right?

To that end, I’ve taken a few of these suggested habits and looked into how I might actually do just that.

1.     Plan Your Day the Night Before

Knowing what your goals are for the day gets the ball rolling straight away in the morning. Setting 3 goals is manageable - you can always do more. Be sure to prioritise your writing.

Makes sense.

2.     Get Up Earlier

Gives you more time (everyone’s most limited resource) in the day. Works best by being consistent with a wake-up time. Might mean going to bed a bit earlier to get 7-9 hours’ sleep.

I can do that.

3.     Tackle Your (Writing) Goals First Thing

Skip the emails, social media and other distractions and get straight to work when your energy is at its highest.

Hmm. I’m not really a morning person; I’ve found my creative energy peaks later in the day so I do my social media stuff when I first get up. Might be worth a try if I’m going to commit to this, though. (Unfortunately, scrolling is not productive.)

Image courtesy of giphy

4.     Create ‘Office Hours’ (for social media/email interactions)

Social media sucks so much time. Set a hard limit for time spent on it.

Good idea. I really do need to do this if I want to get more done.

Image courtesy of giphy

5.     Do NOT Multitask

Do one task at a time and see it through to completion.

Oh crikey! Is that even possible??

Image courtesy of giphy

6.     Schedule Breaks

Get out of that chair! Not only does it give your eyes a rest but 20 minutes of exercise a day is good for your health and general well-being. And always have a glass of water handy.

I’ll see how I go with this. When I’m in the zone I find it hard to take time out.

Image courtesy of giphy

7.     Perfection is Unrealistic

Yes, we all want our work to be the best it can be, but don’t give in to the temptation of constantly revising and tweaking your writing. Set a time limit to finish your final edit and stick to it.

I’m already working hard on this as I am a bit of a perfectionist.

8.     Outsource

I wish! Realistically, unless you’re making money from your writing, this isn’t an option for most of us.

It’s obvious that just because these ‘habits’ work for other people, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll work for me and, reading back over this, I’ve realised I’m not going to be able to incorporate all the ‘habits’ (at one time) to increase my productivity.

So, maybe I’ll start with one. What’s that old saying? The longest journey begins with the first step? Wish me luck!

Love to Love: my new lifestyle. Living in an apartment in the city is fantastic!

Love to Laugh: at the Graham Norton Show. Love his interviewing technique. 😂

Love to Learn: anything and everything about ancient Egypt, which is why I bought tickets to the Horizon of Khufu experience. It was sensational! Here’s the link if you’d like to know more: Horizon of Khufu | Sydney Olympic Park

 

RWAustralia Conference round-up

 By Cassandra Ssmuels

Greetings everyone, what a month it has been. I had the great pleasure to attend the annual Romance Writers of Australia conference in the picturesque Glenelg in Adelaide.

Fellow Blogger and Breathless member, Enisa Haines and I shared a room, and what an amazing view we had.

Friday night was the cocktail party and what fun that was. The theme was Trope Actually and I must say there were many runaway brides that night. Enisa went as a fortune teller complete with Crystal Ball, and I went as all the tropes - most of which fell off during the night. I got in a quick hug with Hugh Jackman, and enjoyed catching up with writing buddies, and finding out what they have been up to since last year.

Saturday was full of amazing workshops including a key speech from BJ Daniels - "It's never too late to reach your dream". Followed by 50 years of Mills and Boon where Enisa was asked, as a founding member of RWAust, to sit on the panel to discuss her long love affair with Mills and Boon books. She is second in from the left.

I then attended a wonderful workshop on "Success with a Series" by Anne Gracie which was timely as I have a series I am writing.

After a full day of workshops we swapped the jeans for frocks, and attended the HQ and Mills and Boon Gala awards dinner which was fabulous. Having been a bit of a contest addict in my early years, it was so nice to see up and coming authors winning and placing in the same contests. Special mention to one of my fave authors and friend on her Historical Ruby award - congratulations Amy Rose Bennett.

Sunday was again chocka-block full of workshops and key note speeches. "I Don't Just Write Kissing Books" by Elana Johnson was emotional and really made me think why I write what I do.

I didn't get to hear all of Christina Laurens key note, but I heard it was really good, and there were plenty of laughs.

Next year, the conference will be held in Wrest Point in Hobart Tasmania. So if you are interested, check out the RWAustralia website.

I love to love spending time with my writer friends at conference every year.

I love to laugh with my crit partners.

I love to learn  New things and ways of writing

I'm late... I'm late...

For a very important date... or two... or three!

There's been a lot going on in my life lately... job change, some family stuff and some illness (you know, all the usual stuff!) and it feels like I've been constantly chasing my tail (which is why this blog is going up a little later than normal!) but tomorrow I leave for the annual Romance Writers of Australia Conference, the theme for which this year is TROPE ACTUALLY! 

(Guess who hasn't packed yet?)

I'm very excited about this year's conference as one of the special guests is my ALL TIME FAVOURITE WRITING DUO Christina Lauren (Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) (you should have heard my squeal when they were announced!).

So, as I sat down to write this blog (late, of course!) I thought that in honour of the TROPE ACTUALLY Conference and the special guests, I'd talk about two of my favourite things - Christina Lauren and the first book they published - a workplace romance - Beautiful Bastard.

Beautiful Bastard started its life as one of the most popular Twilight fanfics back in the day - an alternate universe story where Bella was an intern and Edward the demanding asshole of a boss. It was originally written by Christina, and then re-worked by Christina and Lauren into the form it is today - published as Beautiful Bastard.

The story combines a workplace romance with a touch of student/teacher, forbidden love and enemies to lovers. It is funny, very spicy, and also quite sentimental in parts, and gives excellent grovel. Bastard is also the first of a 10 book series (five novels and five novellas) that are well worth your time (Beautiful Secret is also one of my favourites with one of the greatest grovels and sweetest make up sex scenes of all time).

What is it that makes us love workplace romances? 

IMHO, it's because they're usually smart books, with smart characters and nothing is better than 'watching' people be GOOD at something. It's like the Olympics right, watching people excel at their thing (whatever that thing might be) is hot!

It's also got a taste of the forbidden (although, as a HR professional I can tell you that in most cases workplace relationships are allowed, you just have to disclose them - which is the step at which most people fail!) and a taste of reality - as most of us have some experience of a workplace... and maybe have had a wee workplace crush!

And, finally, there are often solid stakes - be it the consequences of non disclosure, or competition over a job or something else, love in the workplace can be a challenge!

Do you also love workplace romances? If yes, I'm taking a moment here for shameless self promotion! 

I have a workplace romance novella coming out on Wednesday 14 August as part of an anthology of workplace romances called Love on the Clock. You can buy it here.

Keeping Writing Fresh and Fun!

by Alyssa J. Montgomery

I was a guest lecturer recently at a writer's course and one of the questions I was asked was, "How do you keep your writing fresh?"

It was a really good question as after having 18 books published (still very new to the field comparatively), I started out trying to keep things fresh by changing tropes: enemies to lovers; friends to lovers; second chance romances; ugly duckling heroine; accidental pregnancy etc.

Then, because particular characters simply "appeared" to me, anxious to have their stories told, I started exploring different sub-genres within the romance genre. A lover of history, I really enjoyed writing my three medieval titles (written as Alyssa James). Historical fiction presents its own set of challenges to the writer as the details have to be accurate (and I've seen some very cutting comments to authors from readers when the detail hasn't been correct!). I have learnt so much! Even the vocabulary has to be checked. For example, in Knight of Her Desire, I referred to a stretcher used to shift an injured knight, but my historical expert fact checker and friend Nicky Galliers informed me that it was called a litter not a stretcher back in those times!

 

I self-published my medieval stories and they were a lovely side-step from the titles that were being published with Escape which were very much along the billionaires/royalty lines.

I was starting to feel a little pigeon-holed and was tremendously relieved when Johanna Baker (acquiring editor who heads up Escape) told me that "rural romance is hot right now" and that I could try writing in this sub-genre. 

The difficulty was that I'd never been a reader of rural romance. So, Sue Brockhoff, from Harlequin handed me two rural romances at the RWA conference last year and suggested I "read these". I saw that rural romances had a slower pace than I was used to writing, with a lot more secondary characters and the lovely feel of community. That was a very different style and story than I was used to, but I rolled up my sleeves eager to stretch my capabilities and explore new creative horizons. Return to Hope Creek was published on April 1st this year and has been well received.

I had so much fun exploring the community of Hope Creek and meeting different people in the community that I'm looking forward to writing books 2 and 3 in the Hope Creek Series. What I have realised is that although I needed some new skills to develop this sense of community and to bring the secondary characters alive, at the end of the day the most important thing for me was to know my characters and to let them tell their story. That is, of course, vital in every story.

Changing up the genre or sub-genre can give authors fresh enthusiasm, greater flexibility and writing skills, and can reignite the passion and motivation. 

Some of my later contemporary romances included elements of suspense and I suspect that once I retire from my day job and can devote more time to honing my writing craft, I just might find my niche in romantic suspense. However, I'd also like to try my hand at a romantic fantasy; and I definitely have a regency romance already mapped out in my mind. Time will tell if I ever get to those  - time and seeing just how pushy the regency and fantasy characters are in getting to the forefront of my mind!

It's said that the negatives in changing sub-genres are a loss of established readership, difficulty building new readership and the risk of unsuccessful transition. However, I see writing as a fun task that is an outlet for my creative energy so I'd like to embrace new challenges, avoid pigeon-holing and be able to expand my skills and identify my writing strengths. I can always return to billionaire and royalty or to the medieval realm. For now, however, I'm looking forward to developing my Hope Creek Series and building into the rural romance sub-genre.

If you're an author, how do you keep your writing fresh? And, as a reader, how do you feel about authors who dabble in different genres or sub-genres?

Love to love developing my skills as a writer and constantly attempting to hone my craft

Love to laugh when I forget myself and say something that is way too modern while writing a medieval romance.

Love to learn what the reader expectations and boundaries are in different sub-genres of romance

Celebrating Love Around The World

 Celebrating Love Around The World

by Sharon Bryant

It's almost Valentine's Day. Have you planned to do something special? There are so many ways to celebrate. You might be celebrating the love you and your partner share, or the love you feel for someone you care about. 

Love Around The World

Love is celebrated in different ways around the world. I thought it might be fun to explore this a little.

Japanese women traditionally give men chocolates on Valentine's Day. They used to give inexpensive chocolates, giri choco, to co-workers though this is less common these days. Honmei choco (special chocolate which is often homemade) is reserved for romantic partners. Japanese men generally don't give women Valentine's Day gifts. They reciprocate one month later on White Day by giving gifts that are two to three times the value of what they have received.

In Germany, it's traditional to give Valentines gifts of chocolates, flowers, or cartoons or keepsakes of pigs. Pigs symbolise good luck in Germany and are just as much a part of Valentine's Day as cupids in some other parts of the world.

Saint Valentine is a patron saint of spring in Slovenia. Valentine's Day is celebrated as the time when life begins to stir again. One traditional Slovenia idea is that birds "propose" on Valentine's Day. Traditionally people walk barefoot through the icy fields to see and appreciate the changes that springtime brings.

There are so many other beautiful loving traditions: Welsh love spoons, mountainous wedding ceremonies in Thailand, a four day festival in Verona with a letter writing contest to Juliet, and mass wedding ceremonies in public spaces in Manila.

I hope you thoroughly enjoy February 14 either thinking of or being with someone you love.

How do you plan to spend Valentine's Day?

I love to love spending time with my husband, family and friends.

I love to laugh with friends and family.

I love to learn more about love around the world.