MERRY CHRISTMAS

I'm having a bit of a break from writing and blogging, but I just wanted to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

I hope your days are filled with family, good friends, great food and awesome books!!!

I'll be back again in the New Year.

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE

Well, I've done it again, done a disappearing act. I can't quite believe it's been another two weeks since I last blogged. I've been busy getting everything organised for Christmas and for the first time in years I'm totally organised before the school holidays start, which is a wonderful feeling.

The tree is up:



 

And my favourite angel ornaments are gracing the piano:

By the end of this week everyone in the family will be finished school and six long weeks of summer holidays await us. We're hoping to complete a couple of projects in the garden, go for day trips in the car and find some new places to explore on foot. And for the inevitable cooler, rainy days there is a pile of books and another pile of movies to get through. What are your plans for the holidays?

The writing has taken a backseat for just a little while (just for the Christmas season), although there are the results of a couple of short story competitions coming up at the end of the month. (Fingers crossed!)

Wherever you are - knee deep in snow or basking in the sun - I hope you have a blessed and peaceful time leading up to Christmas.

HELLO SUMMER

Today is the first day of summer and it is a perfect hot sun-shiny day. This morning I took a scrubbing brush and hose to the table on the deck to remove all that winter had thrown at it. Then I pulled up a chair and ate breakfast under the sun. A couple of resident fantails swooped around me and I spotted a large dragonfly. A lovely start to the day.

Along with the coming of summer is the end of the school year. This week my oldest finished school - forever. Second son has spent the week performing in the school show, playing a mighty mean bass guitar. Last night we went as a family and it was loads of fun. And my youngest is winding down her last year of homeschooling. She's off to high school next year and we are both looking forward to the change. There will, hopefully, be a much more prolific writing schedule for me next year.

An almost completed first chapter got an airing on Tuesday night at Mad Scribblers (the awesome critique group I attend). It received favourable reports. So with that boost to my confidence I'm dying to get stuck in and write up a storm!

I still have no title for this new novel, so I'll refer to it as Tegan's Story for the moment. I must admit to thoroughly enjoying writing a modern story. There is very little research needed, which is a nice change, although I do need to interview a friend with the same illness as Tegan's brother. I've never interviewed anyone so it will be another learning curve.

And I'll finish up with a big shout of CONGRATULATIONS!!!! to all those who have completed NaNo. Well done to you all.