ONCE UPON A DREAM; New Year's Eve

It has been a super busy year, especially the past two or three months, so I am enjoying a quiet New Year's Eve at home this year.  I always feel quite reflective as the old year passes and the new one is about to begin. This liminal space is a gentle nudge into new hopes and dreams, new plans and prospects. For me, December 31st has always felt like an exciting time.  

I have had a lovely Yuletide, with lots of festive outings - so many in fact, that by the time Boxing Day rolled around, I was exhausted! Mum and I had booked a table at a nice restaurant for our Christmas dinner this year, as neither of us wanted to cook, so we let the professionals handle all the culinary preparation, cooking and washing up! We just sat down and enjoyed a lovely festive roast dinner, with all the trimmings and a couple of glasses of bubbly. It was very enjoyable and took all the stress out of it, so I think it might become an annual tradition to just go out for our Christmas lunch from now on. Its so much easier. 

I was lucky enough to receive lots of lovely gifts, from books and films, to music, clothing, and perfume. I'm really looking forward to reading my new books. I try to put my feet up and read whenever I can throughout the festive season, but I also have books of my own to write and deliver in the first week of January, so I've been working all Christmas.  The dark season is always my busiest time, as I have a bunch of commissions and new books to write. It's a fun way to spend the season, working at my dream job, but I've worked every Christmas and New Year for the past seven years now, so I've decided I'm going to take next year off! My publishers close down their offices for the full two weeks anyway, so I might as well take the time off next year.

I am learning to pace myself more and requesting extra time when I need it. My New Year goal is to stop working weekends and bank holidays. Normally, I just keep working until a book is finished, without any breaks at all, but then I crash out at the end of it and I'm exhausted. So I'm going to make sure I have days off at the weekends, if I can. It isn't always possible however, as the deadlines are so very tight. We'll see how it goes. It is always nice to have lots of writing work on, and I am loving working on the current project as it is so suited to winter writing. I specifically requested that we swap the deadline for this project, with that of another book, so that I could write it in the depths of winter, as I think that seasonal writing will add to the magic and enchantment of the book.  So far, it seems to be a good plan that is working out well. I'm very happy with how the book is shaping up.  I have to finish and deliver this book by the start of January and I have another one to write by mid-February, then I can take a little break while my editor sorts out the next lot of contracts and commissions.

I've worked hard again this year, producing well over 200,000 commissioned words for publication, excluding blog posts and book reviews. As the year winds down, I begin to see the finish line of that final deadline in February, just before my rest period. Its a good thing I'm naturally more productive during the dark season, as I work flat out during autumn and winter when the world hibernates, and then I have a little rest in spring. Then when the world starts to wake up again and the first breath of spring is in the air, that's when I curl up and catch up on the winter rest I've missed out on! I love it though and I wouldn't want any other career. By late spring, the new contracts should start to come in, with projects to write for 2024. 

It's partly my own fault that I'm so tired as 2023 draws to a close, because I've had so many outings and events booked in since October. It was my mothers 70th and my 50th birthdays this year, so we did a lot of celebrating. I mean, a lot! We seemed to roll from one event to another, and the time in between, I was writing my mythology books, so its unsurprising that I'm coming to the end of my energy reserves. We only have one more event booked and that's not until later in January, so for now, all I have to do is settle down in my cosy home and write.  This will be the quiet, productive time that I'm more used to, as I'm really not a party girl. I kind of have been this year though! 

I've promised myself that next autumn and winter will be much more about hibernating, than going out to the theatre, ballet and pop concerts etc.  In winter 2024, I plan to stay cosy at home where its warm and just work on writing my books. That's a much gentler approach to the cold season and one that I intend to implement for the remainder of this winter too. It will be nice to hibernate for the rest of the dark season. It will allow me the soft, creative time that I need to finish writing the last two projects of 2023. 

I need to conserve some energy because I'm going back to university next year too! This is something I have been planning for a while. I do tend to start planning the next year during late summer, rather than leaving it until mid-December, or worse, New Year's Eve!  So I applied back in August and was accepted in September for 2024. It's a different university than the one I went to for my Masters Degree, and its a shorter course too, as I need to work it around writing for my publisher, but I'm still very excited about it.   I wanted to do something shorter to keep up with my academic training, as I am still not sure if I want to do the PhD yet, which would be a minimum five year commitment.  Doing a PhD is a big decision and I am not going to rush myself to make up my mind about five years of my life.  Even applying for a PhD is a job in itself, as you have to have research proposals, personal statements and written work in place, plus professional letters of recommendation, before they will even consider you, so I'm still working on those tasks to get a good application package put together and give myself the best possible chance of a place, should I decide to go for it at some stage. 

In the meantime, I will be starting a shorter university course in 2024. I'll do another blog post about that soon, but suffice to say, I am incredibly excited about it and a little bit nervous too. It will be a great test of my abilities and intelligence, and if I pass the course, it should stand me in good stead in the future, whatever I decide to do next. 

So this New Year's Eve, I'm feeling rather tired but very grateful for all that 2023 has brought my way, including the chance to help a friend's partner by giving him some free bereavement counselling when the waiting lists were so long.  I've enjoyed lovely events and celebrations with my mother, fantastic holidays to Scotland, horse riding, and piano lessons which means I can now play some Christmas carols on my piano-harpsichord. There have been afternoon teas, including one with my publishers, lots of new book contracts and the assurance that my place with the House is valued and will continue. 

My editor even wrote in my Christmas card that it is "a privilege to publish you" and as I have always said how privileged I feel to be published, I think this shows why we get on so well. We are both so appreciative of the opportunity to work together again and we are definitely on the same wavelength!  We first worked together over twenty ago, when she was editor of the magazines I wrote for, so I was thrilled to learn that she was the commissioning editor of the publishing house I'd just submitted to back in 2020. At the time of making my submission, I didn't even know she worked there!  Now that's serendipity for you! 

And to top it all off, I'm heading back into higher education at university next year too! It all feels a little surreal, which is a sure sign that good magic is at work in your life. I feel very blessed and I'm looking forward to 2024 and seeing what wonderful things she brings.  I'm going to write out my goals, update my planner for next year and then curl up with a glass of buck's fizz and enjoy another festive writing session, working on the new mythology book. It has been another successful and productive year, and I am proud of what I have achieved in the past twelve months and of the books I have written and released. 

So while most people will be raising a glass at midnight to toast the unknown of 2024, I'm already moving into the future I put in place in 2023! Because to get ahead, you need to plan ahead. Whatever you are doing later this evening as midnight rolls round, however you tend to celebrate, know that you are in my thoughts and I wish you all that you deserve in the coming year.

Serene Blessings

Marie x

 

MUSICAL DOLL; Wish You Were Here

 

"Every minute's like a day when you're far away..."

Love the Winter Carols album by Blackmore's Night. I've been listening to it all December. 

xxx

MUSICAL DOLL; Christmas Eve

 Wherever you may be tonight, whatever you are doing, have a safe and blessed festive season...

xxx

WRITER'S DREAM; London Lunch With My Editors!

I've just recently returned from a fabulous festive trip to London to see my editors! It was our third trip to London in fifteen months and the best one so far. My mother and I really enjoyed it.  Whenever I have such a meeting to go to, my mother becomes my PA for the day! She keeps me calm. The weather was damp but not too cold, the transport was reliable and even the London taxi drivers were nice to us this time round, so it must have been the stress surrounding London due to the Queen's death that made them so rude and unfriendly last year. This time they were lovely and welcoming. 

My editor had booked us into the Great Court restaurant, inside the British Museum for a traditional afternoon tea and I have been looking forward to it for some time now. Its always nice to meet my editors in person. Much of the business of writing books is conducted via email, so to actually meet them face to face is a lot of fun.  This time, both of the main editors were able to come to the meeting, so we were a merry foursome, nibbling cakes and scones and dainty sandwiches. We even shared a bottle of Champagne, to celebrate Yuletide and all the work we have done together this year. It was simply delightful! I felt very spoilt indeed. 

It is a great opportunity to find out how things are moving along at their end, how the books etc are performing in the market place and what new projects might be on the cards for next year. My editor made a point of telling me not to get another job, so I'm taking that as a sign that lots more commissions and writing work are heading my way in 2024 and beyond! Fingers crossed.  Eighteen months after I handed in my notice at the vet practice, this is a great sign that they are happy with my work and wish to continue commissioning me to write lots more books. So I feel quite optimistic about my future with them.  They are the best publisher I have ever had. I know that my ideas and synopses are safe with them and they know that I am reliable with regard to the quality of my work and meeting deadlines, so its a good partnership. 

Its also nice to be able to talk about books and the publishing industry at large. It has been a tough year for magazines and some smaller Houses, so to know that our House is secure and in a good position gives me great peace of mind. I can't wait to see which of my synopses they will commission next and what new projects I will be working on in the new year. Its all very exciting!

One of the Elgin Marbles

This year has been geared towards writing on various world mythologies, so I took my editor's advice and ensured that Mum and I arrived in London early enough to have a look around the Museum before our afternoon tea. I knew that there were three things I really wanted to see - the Elgin Marbles, the Ancient Egyptian exhibition and anything Viking and Celtic. We managed to see them all!  Our first port of call was the Elgin Marbles, which were just beautiful. Temples, gods, goddesses, nymphs, satyrs and equestrian statues filled three large galleries, with another room full of wall carvings. The marble was so pure and gleaming in the lights. I have never seen anything like these magnificent pieces before, and I can understand why the Greeks want them back! They are truly stunning and I'm so happy we got to see them. It felt like such a privilege to be so close to that much ancient history. It made me feel proud to know that I have just delivered a project based on this Classical mythology, which will be published next year. 

Ancient Egyptian Exhibition

From the grace and beauty of Greece and Rome, we travelled straight to Ancient Egypt and into the Egyptian exhibition. This had a completely different atmosphere.  While it still had the grandeur and the beauty of the Elgin Marbles, it was much darker and had a more sombre atmosphere. It felt a bit spooky at times, due to the Egyptian's reverence for death and mummification (not to mention the dead bodies lying around!) but it was magical and very educational. Again, they had things that I never would have imagined, like the stone altar where Queen Cleopatra worshipped the goddess Isis! It was amazing and I felt quite wonderstruck by it all. There were beautifully decorated sarcophagi, stone tomes carved with hieroglyphics, shabti and canopic jars which held the organs of the dead. Basically, everything that I had been writing about this summertime, was right there before my eyes!  

One of many sarcophagi

There were also actual mummies, laid out in glass cases to preserve them. You could clearly see the bindings - some wrapped around the body as a whole, like a shroud; others wrapped around the individual limbs, so that you could see each and every finger of the mummy.  It was a rather strange experience to be so close to the ancient dead in this way. To be standing next to a body, with the death mask painted on the bindings to give the deceased a recognisable face - it was a little sad, as death always is, but it is also in keeping with the mentality of the ancient Egyptians, who feared being forgotten above all things. So to have a mummified body on display in a museum ensures that this never happens and the mummy will always be remembered, centuries after passing away!  For the Egyptian in question, this was the goal achieved! 

Viking stone carving

Making our way through the galleries, we came to the exhibits for ancient Britain, and here were the Vikings, Celts and Anglo Saxons. I love anything Viking or Celt, so this was extremely interesting to me and very inspiring for new books!  Of course, much of Britain has been influenced by Norse culture since the Vikings invaded, so I do feel as if Vikings are as British as they are Scandinavian. They are a part of our heritage and you can see echoes of their influence in place names to this day. They may have invaded centuries ago, but they have never really gone away.  It was fascinating to see their carvings, knotwork, weaponry and so on. This gallery wasn't quite as big as the Elgin or Egyptian ones, but I certainly feel like I got enough out of it to really get working on a new project over Christmas! Its very exciting to be writing about the ancient world. I love history and I hope that passion comes across in my new projects that will be dropping in 2024. 

Peggy Porschen!

After exchanging Christmas cards and gifts with my editors, we did a spot of souvenir shopping. I still had some birthday money left that I had been saving for London, so I bought a replica of one of the Isle of Lewis Chessmen. I got the Knight as he was my favourite. I also got a Queen Elizabeth II Beefeater teddy bear and a pretty tote bag from Harrods that has pastel pink images of London landmarks all over it! It's very pretty. Then I got a smaller pink bag from Laduree and a bar of their rose pink chocolate, which I can't wait to try. My mum also treated me to a pair of silver Bast earrings from the British Museum, so it was a good little shopping spree! London is so pretty at Christmastime. 

It was an amazing trip and I can plainly see why my editor suggested we meet at the Museum for tea and Champagne, so that I could see all the things that I have been writing about all year! It has cemented the research in my mind in a more tangible way. Experiential learning is a great boost to academic learning and research, so I felt that the long trip was worth it, being both educational and good for me professionally too. I can't wait to bring these experiences into my new books. I'm looking forward to spending the Christmas period writing about our visitors from the snowy North! 

All in all, it was the perfect editorial lunch meeting and I enjoyed it very much. What a fantastic way to round out a year of ancient world mythology writing! I feel incredibly lucky and very grateful to my publishers for the experience. Now all I have to do is curl up by the Christmas tree and write about Norsemen! Its not a bad job is it? 😃 

There are lots more photos from all the exhibits I've mentioned in this post up on my Twitter and Facebook. 

Blessed be

Marie x

BOOK NOOK; The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston

 

"And as for company...I do not crave the companionship of other women, for I have never found one who did not judge me against herself and find me either to be envied or pitied. As for the friendship of men...well, when the day comes when one is man enough to treat me as his equal, then, only then, will I allow desire to be my guide."

It is the time of year for snowy, wintry books and as we have already had our first sprinkling of snow in Yorkshire this winter, I decided to curl up with this seasonal novel.  The Silver Witch has been on my tbr list for over a year now. I knew it was a wintry read and so I wanted to wait until the days were colder and the nights dark and long, before I picked it up. I'm not sorry that I waited, because this is a book that begs to be read in the wintertime. 

It is set in the snowy Welsh mountains and the story takes place over the dark season of autumn and winter, encompassing a festive Christmas in a Welsh village. I do enjoy a good time-slip novel and this one is the perfect mix of past and present.  In this book we follow the main protagonist, Tilda, who moves into a remote cottage, by a lake in the Welsh mountains, following the death of her husband.  She is a potter and she has ambitions to turn part of the cottage into an art studio where she can work in peace, inspired by the landscape around her.  However, almost as soon as she moves in, Tilda begins to experience strange power cuts and bad dreams.  Terrified of deep water, she is uncharacteristically drawn to the lake and she often jogs around the shoreline in the early mornings.  Here she begins to have visions of a woman who lived there centuries ago...and so we meet Seren Arianaidd.

Seren is a shaman and a witch, the seer to a powerful prince who has many enemies, some within his own court. It is Seren's job to warn him of danger and keep the tribe safe. In doing so however, she makes powerful enemies. Those who do not understand her skills fear her and so she is always on the alert, looking out for any who would do her harm, so that she can exact her revenge in reprisal for their plots against her. As she says;

"I was taught to use my skills against anyone who would declare himself my enemy. Forgiveness is for mothers of small children, for wronged wives to give and petty thieves to receive. It is not for rulers or warriors. I do not love mankind. I cannot view the herd as any more than that. I keep my love for those deserving of it, and they are few enough."

Seren is a Celtic warrior witch. She uses her powers to protect her prince and those loyal to him, and to bring justice upon those who would betray him. She is a wonderful, strong female character, one who reminded me of Boudicca or Scathach. As Seren and Tilda's timelines become increasingly tangled together, Tilda becomes more courageous and proud of her true self, rather than hiding herself away in guilt and grief. 

This novel is full of ancient Celtic magic and romance, with guest star appearances by an ethereal water horse! Those were some of my favourite scenes. Here too, there are sudden snowfalls, a frozen lake and an archaeological dig that unearths more trouble for Tilda. 

Encompassing ghosts, visions and mysteries that need to be solved over a glass of wine, gathered round the fireplace with new friends, in the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree, the author has a similar writing style to that of Barbara Erskine, so if you like Erskine's time-slip novels you will probable like this one too. I had never read any of Paula Brackston's work before, but I shall certainly be picking up her other Witch novels, as I have enjoyed this one so much. 

The Silver Witch is an enchanting historical time-slip novel, with all the right wintry vibes for a gripping December read.  Definitely one to enjoy while curled up under a blanket, sipping hot mulled wine and nibbling on a festive mince pie. Happy reading!

Bright Blessings 

Marie x

AD: This book is available now in all formats. 

MUSICAL DOLL; Leona Lewis Christmas Concert!

 

"There's nothing I need under my tree, I just want Mr Right"

The festive season is in full swing and I have been enjoying all the Christmas events, from seasonal markets, to Christmas illuminations, to fabulous concerts.  Needless to say, it has been a very busy start to the month of December.  I've been having a great time!

On Wednesday evening I went to see Leona Lewis in concert. She is touring her Christmas album this year. I was a little nervous because she'd had to cancel a show a few days before I was due to see her, as she was sick.  Fortunately, she recovered in time and I got to see her perform all her biggest hits and Christmas tunes live, which was just amazing. I have loved her music for years. I remember the Christmas when she won X-Factor and I actually stopped watching the show after that because I knew it would never get any better than Leona. She's the real deal - a beautiful, shining star who just needed to be discovered. So it was a real treat to see her perform live in my home city.

I've had the tickets since back in spring and as December approached I was getting increasingly excited about the show. Leona wore some stunning gowns on stage, including a white sparkly one that reminded me of an angel, plus a very festive purple gown that made her look like the prettiest Quality Street in the tin! All her costumes were long and flowing, with bows and feathers and long evening gloves. She looked amazing and her vocals were out of this world!

The show had a very retro big band feel to it, reminiscent of the pre-war years, with trombones, saxophones and a grand piano. She was every inch the torch singer, belting out her debut hit Bleeding Love, as well as Run and lots of Christmas songs. The show opened up with Winter Wonderland and ended with One More Sleep. She also performed Mr Right, which is one of my favourites from her Christmas With Love album.  What I liked most was how down to earth she seemed to be.  She came down from the stage and walked among the crowds, meeting people and having photos taken. She also had fans up on stage with her. I don't know many singers who would invite people up on stage, then hand them the microphone and give them the chance to sing solo to the audience! It was just magical and I would certainly go and see her again. I got a signed copy of her Christmas album, on pure snow white iridescent vinyl, as a souvenir. It sparkles with rainbows as it plays in the light!

A few days before the Leona concert, I also went to see Andres Rieu's Winter Wonderland show at the cinema with my mother. She's a big fan of his and I must confess, I'd never heard of him until she told me he was coming to perform at the local arena back in spring and she wanted to go.  So we got the tickets and saw him live in May, which was an awesome show. I loved it. So when I saw that he was showing his Christmas concert at UK cinemas, I told my mum and we got tickets to see the Winter Wonderland show.  The thing I like most about Andres Rieu is that he always seems to have a few surprises up his sleeve. When I saw him live, he had a pipes and drums band walk down through the audience. They walked right by me and I was so thrilled, as I never expect to hear the bagpipes in my home town. Its up on my Twitter if you'd like to see eleven pipers piping.  This time he had a pair of ice rinks on either side of the stage and there were ice dancers skating around to the music. It was so festive! Mum and I had a great time and came out of the cinema feeling like we'd been swept away by the orchestra and the skaters. I dare say I'll be seeing him again at some point too, because my Mum just loves him! 

Then last night I went to see the light installation show at the cathedral. Sheffield Cathedral will always have a place in my heart because it is where my first graduation ceremony was held back in 2018. My second MA graduation took place elsewhere, but I still get emails from the cathedral updating me on their upcoming events.  Each Christmas they transform the church into a huge festive illumination, with a special light installation. It generally runs on a certain theme and we have seen The Angels Are Coming, The Manger and last night it was Starlight. The lights project onto the church, both outside and indoors, creating kaleidoscopes of colour and imagery.  The angels are always my favourite aspect of each show. Inside we had hot mulled wine and delicious mince pies, as the lights sparkled and glimmered all around us. 

Usually they put barriers around the church so that only ticket holders can see the lights, but this year, due to the cost of living crisis, the cathedral staff decided not to erect the barriers so that anyone and everyone could enjoy the external lights on the outside of the church, while ticket holders could go inside and see the rest.  It's not that expensive, but this was such a kind thing to do for families who might be struggling financially and are looking for free festive things to do with their children. It has become an annual tradition and something my mum and I look forward to each year. 

Christmas can be tough for a lot of people. It's a highly emotive time of year and no-one understands this more than I do. My grandmother actually died on December 21st 2002 and Christmas has never really been the same since then for mum and me. We get through it by getting out and about. It's impossible to hide away from Christmas - we've tried! It doesn't work. So now we throw ourselves into festive events instead so that we have lots to look forward to and that keeps us from being too sad and maudlin. My Nan would want us to enjoy the season, so we do our best and get through it this way. 

If Christmas is difficult for you, try to book a few festive treats so that you can distract yourself from whatever it is you are struggling through.  There is always much to be grateful for if you look deeply enough.  

I hope that December is treating you kindly this year.

Love to you all,

Marie x

ONCE UPON A DREAM; On Turning 50!

 

November has sped by in a blur of celebrations, trips, writing and deadlines. This is the month that I turned 50! Half a century old - how did that happen?! It seems like no time at all since I turned 40 in Oban.  People have been asking me if I'm bothered by this significant birthday, and I'm genuinely not at all. For the most part, I find it hilarious, which is lucky, as I recieved lots of cards and a huge balloon with my age printed on them! I love them and still have them proudly displayed around the house. Of course, I have my moments when I'm less jovial about it, but on the whole I think aging is something to be embraced and celebrated. I certainly wouldn't want to be in my twenties again, that's for sure. 

I felt very grateful to still have my Mum with me to celebrate, because I'm aware that a lot of people don't have their mothers around by the time they reach 50. My Mum certainly didn't, as my grandmother died the month before her 50th birthday, so I'm fully aware of how lucky I am in this respect.  Its also a bonus of having your kids young - my mum was just 20 when she had me. So we decided to make the very most of it, booking holidays to Scotland together for the very first time since I was a teenager.

You've probably seem my previous post about my holiday to Edinburgh, but we had other trips and things booked too. We also went to stay in a beautiful country house hotel in Aryshire. Again, I'd never been to Aryshire before so it was lovely to visit this part of Scotland. Being Burns country there were many references to the great Scottish Bard and the landscape is just stunning. The hotel was set in its own grounds, complete with tennis court and croquet lawn. It was a spooky looking building, as you can see, and it seemed as if it really ought to be haunted, but alas we didn't see any ghosts. Still, it was like living in a period drama for a while. My goodness it was cold though! Blue sky and winter sunshine, but freezing temperatures especially at night time. I was glad of my hot water bottle and bed socks, I can tell you! 

While in Scotland we went to Glasgow. This is a place that I have visited before, a couple of times, and although I don't like it as much as Edinburgh or Inverness, it is a very pretty city.  I love the architecture there. It's all very dark academia. Glasgow is an interesting place, with a unique mix of reverence and humour towards the great figures of the past. For instance, it is traditional for members of the public, usually drunken men, to place a traffic cone on the head of the Duke of Wellington statue.  This has been going on for some decades and is now so ingrained in Glasgow culture, that they sell miniature figures of the statue which they refer to as Coney in souvenir shops. I didn't buy one, but they made me smile. 

 

He was just one of many statues. George Square is full of them and these other statues seem to fair better with the locals than old Coney does as there is not a traffic cone in sight! Some of the statues were of people I've never heard of, but my favourites were the ones of Robert Burns and Queen Victoria. I also loved the white lions who guard the Glasgow cenotaph. The lion is one of the heraldic beasts of Scotland, and also of Clan Bruce, so it was nice to see such a majestic pair watching over the war memorial.  I've posted lots of photos of Glasgow and Aryshire on my Twitter, if you'd like to see more. 

On my birthday itself, we went to one of the stately homes because I wanted to feed the animals there. They have llamas, alpacas, ponies, goats, sheep and deer - and they were all greedy monsters! I love hand feeding them. They're so comical and sweet. We had a lovely time. The following day, we were booked in for a traditional afternoon tea at an old fashioned tea room on the other side of town.  Afternoon tea is my favourite! Some people like to go out for a curry, others like a fancy dinner, but for me it's afternoon tea.  I'm just an old fashioned girl at heart, so I like the traditionalism and elegance of china tea cups and a tiered cake-stand filled with dainty sandwiches, pretty cakes and cream scones.  As it was my birthday, we also had rose wine as well. Every morsel was scrumptious. I wore a long pink tea dress and my new birthday jewelry, so it was just delightful. We finished off the day with a wander around the Christmas market, mulled wine and a cherry bakewell cocktail at the Alpine bar, which was very festive. 

Of course I got lots of presents, cards, birthday cake and chocolates, plus a fabulous bouquet of roses and thistles, which sums me up as I am the rose and the thistle combined! So it was pretty much a month long birthday celebration! When I wasn't out on trips celebrating, I was busy writing my latest oracle deck - my fourth one to date!  The deadline was the end of November, so I've had to fit in writing sessions around all the birthday fuss and I've been writing furiously every spare moment I had.  It's been a very full on month of work and play. I could do with a nice rest, but December is exactly the same as I have another project to write for my publisher, plus lots of festive events booked. 

Its going to be a busy end to the year! I can't complain though, as I'm having so much fun with it all. I'm really looking forward to starting the next book, which is the perfect kind of writing project for the cold, winter season. I plan to spend my days snuggled by the fire and the twinkling Christmas tree, with my laptop, writing away. 

I have a publishing lunch meeting with my editors in London this month too, (another afternoon tea!) which will be very festive. Can't wait for that!

However you plan to spend this festive season, have a blessed and safe December.

Bright Blessings

Marie x