Romance and the Magic of Christmas

by Enisa Haines

It's a season many days away yet but everywhere I turn it's looking a lot like Christmas. Streaming services such as Netflix and Hallmark bring an enticing array of Christmas romance movies while publishers spoil us with a plentiful choice of Christmas romance novels. 

What to choose? Our voracious romance reader Miranda will be talking about that in her next post, just in time for a Christmas book binge. What I'm wondering about is this abundance of Christmas romances. 

These stories have lured readers since the time of Victorian England (yes, Christmas romances were popular even then). What is it about them that calls to readers and movie-goers alike? 

Christmas is a time where happiness abounds. Families get together, as do friends and even strangers. Gifts are exchanged, delicious meals served, reminiscences shared. Moments to celebrate, where joy, generosity, a sense of belonging, and love - of family, of friends, neighbours, workmates - is all around.

And it's love that is the highlight of these beloved romances. Though many stories may not focus on the true spiritual meaning of the season, always these romances are set in the days or weeks leading up to Christmas or through the three days of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. 

Magic exists at that time. Wishes are made and there's the promise that if you believe what you wish for it will come true. And what are romance novels but stories where readers get the happy-ever-after they crave in fiction. The heroine wishes the life she's experiencing at the beginning of her story will change by the end. The hero, a man beset with problems of his own, also wishes for something better. Circumstances  bring them together but it is love that heals past hurts and shows them that together they have the life they once thought would only ever be a dream.

Whether we immerse ourselves in Christmas stories for the setting and its spiritual meaning, or for the expectation that the hero and heroine will find their 'forever love', it seems to me that it's the happiness that fills us while we're immersed that we seek. And Christmas romances always give us joy.

As lovers of Christmas romances, is it the same for you?

Love to love: Several native plants fondly called Christmas Bush for their gorgeous displays of flowers from October to January are found throughout Australia. My favourite is the NSW native Ceratopetalum gumniferum and now I have one of my own for my balcony. 

Love to laugh: romantic comedies are both a joy to watch and oftentimes you can't help but laugh.

Love to learn: Christmas has so many traditions. Christmas trees, Santa Claus, the hanging of mistletoe, fruit puddings and cakes are ones that spring to mind. Each intrigue me as to their origin and so I have the urge to explore. 

Spring has SPRUNG!

I don't know about you but spring is my favourite time of the year (maybe because it opens with my birthday!) but how can you NOT love the mild, sunny days, the blooming flowers, the beginning of daylight saving, and the sense of emerging from the winter hibernation.

Spring is also a great season in which to set a romance or read a romance and so, this month, I thought I'd share a couple of my favourites with you (to help fill those TBR piles!)

Firstly, this one's been out a little while now but, if you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? The Vintner's Muse by Jennifer Westgarth is set in the spring in South Australia (mostly in the beautiful Clare Valley) and opens with one of the best scenes I've read in a while (no, I won't tell you what it is because that would be a spoiler!).

This is Jennifer's debut, and it's a great one... I have quite the soft spot for professional women (like our FMC Shannon) who are trying to make sense of their lives when their plans go off the rails. And our MMC, Ethan is her perfect foil, with similar dilemmas, and our two dummies clearly have to work out that they're made for each other. 

Secondly, an oldie but a goodie, Nora's A Bed of Roses, the second book in the Bride Quartet series. I've not linked this as I'm expecting that most of you will have already read this but, it's always great for a re-read and, if you haven't  read it, you really should - the series is a little older now, but still generally holds up. 

A Bed of Roses is a friends-to-lovers story involving the Quartet's florist, Emma and their architect, Jack. It's also a romance set amongst an abundance of weddings (and the occasional Bridezilla to balance the mood!). This book (and its series siblings) are also great because of the sense of family (especially found family), and the focus on women successfully navigating a successful business together. 

Thirdly, we have one that's not 'strictly' a romance but rather a women's fiction book, Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center. This one also isn't, strictly speaking, set in spring (in fact I can't quite work out the season where we begin) but I got it for my birthday, which is in spring, so I say it counts. I asked for this book because I'd seen one of my fave actresses (Missy Peregrym from FBI and Rookie Blue) had apparently optioned it for a movie, so I wanted to see what it was about.

It's an interesting book... and I'm still thinking about it so that means it must have resonated somehow. Cassie Hanwell, Texas firefighter, is our protagonist, who has to uproot her life and move to Boston, partly to deal with her own actions and partly to deal with an unwell parent. The story follows her finding her way through vulnerability and forgiveness, and it can be a little blunt instrument in parts but, overall, is worth a read. Note though, it doesn't seem to be available in ebook in Australia.

Finally, RUBY AWARD WINNING The Library at Wagtail Ridge by Janet Gover is my current read (a spring read, even though it's set in summer) and I'm loving it.

I love Janet - she was a 'newbie' at the Romance Writers of Australia conference in 2015, the same year as me and some of my closest friends, and we've remained friends since... Janet writes amazing rural romances, and this one seems no different.

The Library at Wagtail Ridget tells the story of Lou Taylor uncovering the story of her birth mother via her inheritance of a cottage, a mobile library, a scattering of letters, the town of Wagtail Ridge, and her new neighbour, Jake Barnes. And, who doesn't love a MMC named Jake?! They're always a little trouble and a lot worth it! 

I'm still in the middle of this one, so if you've read it, reach out and let me know your favourite parts.

So, what else has sprung in Spring? A little shameless promotion to end this month.

November 14 this year sees the launch of Love for Maui a jam-packed anthology of all kinds of romance shorts and novellas with all proceeds going to the University of Hawai'i Foundation, to assist those impacted by the Maui wildfires last August. I've submitted my award-winning, sexy contemporary short story, Cuffed. You can preorder Love for Maui here.

LOVE TO LAUGH: When is it impossible to plant spring flowers? When you haven't botany!

LOVE TO LOVE: The first blooms of my Mum's roses.

LOVE TO LEARN: I attended the Toronto Romance Writers Conference this month and while I confess to not attending most of the sessions in real time (as time zones are a pain) I really enjoyed hearing from their guests... Zoe York and Farah Heron in particular. And everything you hear is true, Canadians are the NICEST people!

Kristine Charles writes sexy tales where coffee (and red wine) is abundant, designer shoes and handbags are cheap, chocolate has no calories, and men always put the toilet seat down. Find her at her website, or on various social media platforms here. 

The Joy of Romance Reader events

 by Alyssa J. Montgomery

From the 1st to 5th June this year, I was in Houston, Texas, at the Book Lovers Convention and it was a fun, up-beat event, but there was some sadness and a lot of nostalgia too, because this was the last Book Lovers Convention.

Taking a step back in time...The amazing, and trail-blazing Kathryn Falk founded Romantic Times and the RT conventions. She created a unique environment where writers, agents, publishing houses, cover models, reviewers, librarians and readers were all able to come together. Behind the scenes, Jo Carol Jones was the wonder woman who organised the events for- I think - about 20 years. So, when Kathryn announced that the RT convention in Reno was to be the last event, all those in attendance were thrilled to learn that Jo Carol was going to pick up the baton and continue the annual event as the Book Lovers Convention (BLC!). The slogan "I can't wait for BLC"  was particularly apt.

We talk about having a 'tribe' that isn't familial and my tribe is my romance writers/authors and reading friends. I've always enjoyed the RWA and ARRA events and gatherings, but I was on happiness overload when I attended my first RT event in 2014 in New Orleans (From memory there were approximately 3000 people there and the event was one of the most well-attended RT convention of all time).. 

From that first New Orleans gathering, I reunited with the RT then BLC "family" in Dallas, Las Vegas, Reno, New Orleans and Houston. And, as silly as it might sound, the incredible group of volunteers who stuck with Jo Carol, other authors, and especially the romance readers embraced me as part of the "family". It became the norm for me to walk through the foyer of the hotel to calls of "Alyssa! Hey girl, how are you doing?" (The fact that I'm an Aussie and many "I just love your accent" comments were made, probably made me a bit of a novelty!). 

The joys of these particular reader events were:

- meeting and connecting with like-minded people (both romance readers and writers)

-discovering new authors (and models!!)

  With some models, Jade Lee/Kathy Lyons and at a Book Bash signing event. (Images Copyright: Alyssa J                        Montgomery)

                                                                     

                   

                                              

-learning more about the industry from other writers and from industry professionals

-all manner of fun in the form of dinner and dance parties, author and publishing house events, games to play and craft activities in which  to participate. (Better still, dressing up is encouraged at these gatherings)

(Fancy Dress Events! With my friends Susan and Libby

So, what's next?

Well, since Kathryn Falk first showed us the way with the RT Events, there have been several other large reader/writing/industry professional conventions that continue to 'spring up'. I've just been to the BABE23 event in Sydney (amazing event run by Tate James and Jaymin Eve), but they say this was the last BABE event in Sydney as well.

Next year I'm going to be at the READERS TAKE DENVER event in April. Tickets and accommodation are almost sold out, so if you'd like to attend, you'd better get your skates on!! 

Have you any international book conventions you're keen to attend? If so, please let us known about them.

Love to Laugh in sheer happiness at being in attendance at one of this incredibly up-beat reader conventions.

Love to Love reuniting with friends I've met through the Romance reading events and making new friends..

Love to Learn about what all my friends have been up to - what they are reading/publishing.

Best wishes to all,

Alyssa

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