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