MIRANDA'S SEPTEMBER MUSINGS: THE TBR PILE!

 Hello my precious people and hello spring, you are both lovely!

Time to spring clean! I shifted a few shelves in my TBR (To Be Read) section, and discovered some extremely exciting and swoonworthy books I'm ashamed to say I haven't read! Don't judge, I'm sure you also have *cough* hundreds waiting for you, too. My excuse is I think mine multiply in the dark at night, being romances and all.

But omigosh, I found so much treasure waiting for me.

First up, the very patient and lovely Narelle Atkins sent me her inspirational Snowgum Creek series some time ago. I love Narelle. She's an inspiration not only in her books but in her life, and I feel terrible I haven't read this gorgeous sweet series yet. Now I've unearthed them I can't wait to start. The first sentence refers to runaway bride Kate: She had to escape now!... Wow, what an opener. Thanks so much Narelle. (Sorry I've taken so long!)

Picture credit: amazon.com

Next, I discovered four beautiful bride books by Nora Roberts. Gasp! New-to-me Nora books, unread - happy day! I feel like someone just gave me a birthday present! Everyone loves a bride book, don't they? Oh, the utter romance and wonderful-ness of a wedding. The first in the quartet - yes, four bride books with four wedding planner friends, is Vision in White. This is going to be good...

Picture credit: amazon.com

What next? Happily, readers, I won the following book in a competition from the fabulous Catherine Evans - oh dear, yes, a while ago. Never read but not forgotten. It's a spectacular 3-in-1 anthology, a teeny weeny hard to find now, so absolute gold on my shelf. Catherine's story is called The Healing Season, and there are books by Jennie Jones: A Heart Stuck on Hope, and Lisa Ireland: Honey Hill House. So much rural romance goodness in one book! Lucky, lucky me.

Picture credit: Catherine Evans

Here's a rediscovered blast from the past: Heartstrings by beloved author Rebecca Paisley. I found not one, not two, but three copies on my shelf. (Super reluctantly let one precious paper copy go because I do have an ebook as well...) Time to reread this little gem, published back in the 1990s. Not that I was alive then or anything. 😉 (Yes, I was.) This is a wild west story, where a prim spinster hires a wild west tough guy to sire her baby, so she can give the little one to her childless sister. So much tenderness and fierce family love right there. There's also a talking parrot that reduced me to helpless laughter every time it opened its mouth. Beak. I love this book, so it's going back onto the TBR pile. I'm sure it'll stand the test of time.

Picture credit: amazon.com

I'm going to cheat here and at least claim some success with my TBR. I plucked forth and enjoyed a recent Aussie historical romance, Alison Stuart's splendid The Postmistress, mainly because the next book in the series, The Goldminer's Sister has also just been released. The loosely linked books are set on the Australian goldfields in the 1870s. Yes please, I simply can't get enough of that era. It was truly a fascinating slice of history and romance, with lots of colourful characters, an intrepid heroine, and the best and the worst of the Australian bush thrown in. Such gripping reading, thanks Alison.

Picture credit: amazon.com

Last but not least, there's a brand new addition to the TBR I'm very excited about. I won a book from wonderful Aussie author Darry Fraser - Elsa Goody, Bushranger, set in 1896 South Australia. Our Elsa appears to be on a quest for buried treasure, and her freedom, and embarks on a perilous quest to find Ezekial Jones, the last man to see her brother alive. More exciting colonial history. Thank you Darry, you wonderful author you, and also thanks to Alli Sinclair, who featured the comp for the book on her blog. Lucky me.

Picture credit: amazon.com

So! Do you have a massive, teetering, years old TBR pile like me? Or are you one of those brilliant readers who manages to read everything on your shelf before you get distracted by more shiny new romance?

Confess.... No judging here.

Lots of love dear readers, and please stay safe and well,

Miranda xxx

Love to Love:

My TBR. True treasures await. You?

Love to Laugh:

At funny books, like Heartstrings. You?

Love to Learn:

How you manage your TBR. Random/blind selections, whatever suits your mood, or another method? 

What's on Your Reading List for Christmas?

Miranda's Musings

Less than a month to Christmas, darlings! I've been shopping, working out who's been naughty or nice (actually, all my precious people are nice), and planning the cooking. Like everyone, no doubt! But every year, between Christmas Day and New Year's Day, I take a 'week off'. I feast off leftovers and wallow in the down time by - you guessed it - reading!

I have a billion trillion books on my Kindle (er, kidding) (actually, not really kidding) but I always ask for books for Christmas. I mean, what's a stocking without a book stuffed in it? And chocolate. Don't forget the chocolate.

On my Christmas reading list are my Go-To fave authors. I'm usually exhausted by Boxing Day and I want comfort reading, but I still want it to be festive in nature. Here's a few on my Christmas list, and I have been good, I truly have...

First up I'm going to dive into An Aussie Summer Christmas by our lovely guest blogger Narelle Atkins, and others. She talked about the box set here. I've already indulged in The Trouble With Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis. This is the second book in her new Heartbreaker Bay series, and so far it is fabulous, in a zillion ways. Can't say I've ever read a Christmas quite like the one portrayed here!

Picture credit: www.jillshalvis.com

I've also whizzed through the gorgeous-looking novella Christmas Wishes New Year Kisses by Michelle Douglas. Isn't that a gloriously happy cover? Somehow the hot summer beach and Christmas go together here in Australia. The perfect time to laze and enjoy each other's company...and read. Here two stressed out vets find true love. A sweet friends-to-lovers story.



Picture credit: www.amazon.com

To round things out and read about a bit of snow (one way to cool down!) I'll hop over to Sarah Morgan's Miracle on 5th Avenue. 'Tis the season for miracles, yes? This is the third book in her New York series, which is to absolutely die for. Thank you Sarah, for your marvellously wonderful books.

Picture credit: www.amazon.com



   Picture credit: www.amazon.com 

And thankyou Debbie Macomber, without whom it wouldn't be Christmas... I hang out for her thoughtfully beautiful festive story every year. This time it's The Twelve Days of Christmas. A truly special book, about the surprising power of kindness in people's lives. Pay it forward, people, and the reward will be all yours - and maybe not in quite the way you think it will be?! Finally, I think I need something wintry and comforty and foody like The Magic of Christmas, an oldie but a goodie from Trisha Ashley.




Picture credit: www.amazon.com

All in all, I'm sorted. What books are on your Christmas list?

Happy Christmas to you and all your precious ones, and may be there be books in your Christmas stocking.

 

Love from Miranda xx

 

Love to love: everything to do with Christmas! Everything!

Love to laugh: at the excitement of children at this special time.

Love to learn: what's been happening to friends through their Christmas letters.

Habits and Rituals of the Resident Writer

By Cassandra Samuels

Greetings Dear Readers!

Today I delve into the habits and rituals of some of our favourite authors. We all have them, those little things we do to prepare to let the words flow. Some are simple, some are perhaps even a little odd, but if they help us get the words down who is to complain?

Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Miserables, liked to work in the nude. It meant he couldn't leave the house and had to stay home and write.

Truman Capote,  author of In Cold Blood, liked to write lying down with a coffee and a cigarette. I guess he had formulated a rhythm of sip, puff, and write.

For me, I have to listen to music. I have several playlists but, generally, it is Two Steps from Hell (strangely enough, not a punk rock band but a group that do soundtracks to movies and games).

Once I am writing, the music fades into the background like white noise and I can concentrate on what I am doing without being distracted by the sounds of the house around me (phones ringing, doors banging, conversations etc).

Here are what some fellow authors have said about their writing habits and/or rituals.

Alyssa J Montgomery

I don't think I've got any particularly interesting or remarkable writing rituals. I do like to have made any important phone calls/attended to anything important before I sit down to write, and I always sit down with a cup of tea. I generally read back over the chapter I've left off at to get me into the character voices again and to refresh my mind so I'm not repeating word choices. I look at my plot outline (I've adapted a colour system I learned from Cherry Adair when I attended her plotting by colour workshop in Dallas a couple of years ago). Once I have firmly in my mind where I am, I just write. Chocolate was definitely a welcome part of the ritual but since my last cholesterol reading was too high, that is now sadly lacking when I write!

Alli Sinclair

I never used to have a ritual when writing but a year ago I saw a Reiki Master and mentioned how I was feeling blocked on my story. She asked how I like to write - which is usually on the couch with my laptop - and she said to try writing at my desk with my feet placed firmly on the ground as it is supposed to help with the flow of creativity. I gave it a go and, lo and behold, the words came out fast and furious and the block I'd been suffering disappeared into the ether. I've been sitting with my feet firmly placed on the floor for a year now and my productivity has increased tenfold!
 

Narelle Atkins

I plug my headphones into my iPhone and listen to 80's music when I write. I mix up the playlists, depending on my mood.  

Cathleen Ross

I take the dog for a walk and then write until about 4 p.m. for six days a week. I aim for 1000 words a day unless I have to do research. Because the book I'm currently working on requires a lot of research, I do as much study at night. 

Amy Rose Bennett

I don’t need much to get me into a writing mood other than booting up my laptop and turning off social media. Fortunately, I can pretty much write anywhere, anytime; in fact, I actually don’t have a particular writing desk or space. The only ‘must-have’ I can think of is making sure I have a good cup of coffee at hand. Then I’m good-to-go.

Maggie Nash

I think my most successful method of preparing to write is not to prepare at all. Sometimes I am guilty of overthinking ..so I find I get a lot more done when I don't prepare and just make that decision to sit down and write, and get on with it.

Do you have any habits or rituals before writing?Please do tell!

I love to love: Watching Poldark Season 2

I love to laugh: At old guys dancing.

I love to learn: About the writing habits and rituals of other authors - hence this post!

An Aussie Summer Christmas by Narelle Atkins

BITB welcomes inspirational author Narelle Atkins!

Photo credit: www.amazon.com

I love reading Christmas romances. I often dream about experiencing a white Christmas like the characters in the inspirational romances I read by my favourite North American authors. My real life Aussie Christmas experience is very different to the winter-themed stories.

I grew up on the northern beaches in Sydney. My aunt and uncle lived across the road from Long Reef Beach in Collaroy. When I was younger I'd enjoy our Christmas day family lunch with turkey and all the trimmings. After lunch I'd head to the beach with my sister and cousins. Swimming in the ocean on Christmas Day is a foreign concept to most of my friends who live in the Northern Hemisphere.

The contemporary inspirational romance novellas in An Aussie Summer Christmas are set in coastal Australia and reflect our hot summer Christmas. We play in the sun instead of the snow and love our outdoors lifestyle.

I've invited a few of my co-authors to share what they love about Christmas.

Andrea Grigg lives in Queensland. She says: 'I love our family barbecue brunches on Christmas Day and the fact we have a Christmas baby! She'll be 29 this year. It's a special time.'

Photo credit: Andrea Grigg

Meredith Resce lives in Victoria, and says: 'I love the warm summer Christmas Eve, where we get together with family and friends to sing carols outside, under the stars. If it's not too high fire danger, we might carry a candle as well.'

Marion Ueckermann lives in South Africa, and says: 'The Christmas Eve dinner - the table, the food, and then the presents - my favourite tradition, everyone's favourite memory. My latest favourite tradition is making a gingerbread house.'



Photo credit: Marion Ueckermann      

Photo credit: Marion Ueckermann

GIVE AWAY ALERT!!

What do you love about Christmas? I'm giving away an Amazon Kindle copy of An Aussie Summer Christmas to a reader who leaves a comment on this post. (Winner announced on next week's blog!)

 

Narelle Atkins

 

Love to love:

Everything about Christmas. I agree with the song - It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. My family enjoys watching Carols by Candlelight on television on Christmas Eve and seeing the Christmas lights in our neighbourhood.

Photo credit: Narelle Atkins

Love to laugh:

...about how our daughter learned the truth about Santa at the age of five. She snuck out of bed and caught us wrapping presents at midnight! We made her promise not to share her discovery with her friends.

Love to learn:

More about the craft of fiction writing. My New Year's Resolutions always include professional development goals for my writing career.