What hobbies do you have? How would your characters deal with hobbies?

Incidentally, this post was written with a cat on my wrist and a baby tugging at my ankles. Apologies for any spelling mistakes!

All I can say is that I have had plenty of material for writing from it all!

In the discussions about how to rekindle romance, I noticed the same suggestion kept cropping up.  ’Go back to basics and remember what made you fall in love to begin with.’  That suggestion came up the most (paraphrased a touch but not by much).  This was rapidly followed by suggestions to do little romantic gestures.  It seems that no matter where you are in a relationship – whether at the beginning with all the hearts and flowers or thirteen years into it – you still have to go back to basics every now and again.

Let’s be honest, starting a relationship is frankly hard work.  You get caught up in the ‘does he/she like me?’; ‘how do I impress them?’; ‘will they like this or that?’; and the ins and outs of it all are exciting and exhausting at the same time.  We put lots of effort into figuring out ways to surprise, delight and enchant our new beau and can spend hours just wondering what to wear to go out with them.

Then, we settle down.  We let things go a bit.  We eat beans on toast because we are tired from our day and snooze in front of the television rather than chat.  We’ve all done it.  I know I have.  Then suddenly you realise that you haven’t been out with your other half in a long time.  You can’t remember the last time you gave each other a gift ‘just because’.  And then what?

That’s when romance is key.  Romance can revitalise a relationship.  It isn’t just the chocolates and flowers, it’s the smile when they come in the door.  The kiss on the cheek before they leave the house.  Doing the teeny tiny little things that make them smile just because you can.

Every relationship needs its daily dose of romance.  The sudden smile across the room and a feeling of light and joy in response.  How do you get your daily dose?

This last year has seen quite a few upheavals (I just remind myself it’s all good reference material) and usually hubby and I do the cards and flowers bit but not a lot else.  You see, we do romance a lot anyway (I can’t help myself).  We do the small things like picking up the other’s favourite treat just because we saw it.  This year, we are making a bit more of an effort.  Taking into account small child, we are actually going to make a posh(ish) dinner and have something sparkling with it.  We haven’t remember to get cards with small boy being poorly but we are going to pamper each other.

And that to me is very romantic.  Romance is different for different people.  What is romantic to you?

However, I just wanted to really quickly share with you one of the readings from his naming, I shall share the other one at a later time in the week.

An Old Celtic Blessing

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

May this week be kind to you all.

Yes, I know, I should write no matter what but just this week I have a bigger priority.  My baby boy is having his Naming Ceremony tomorrow.  I have written and planned this ceremony as much as is humanly possible.  Now, I simply have to show up and get it done.  Oh yeah and speak publicly in front of my closest family and friends.  Did I mention I dislike public speaking?  No? Well, I do.  A lot!  I freeze and stutter.  It’s a freaking nightmare.

However, I feel remarkably calm this time.  I think that all this writing practice in a strange way has led to an improved ability with public speaking.  Owning the name ‘Writer’ in public took guts.  I have owned it.  Now, I’m gonna own ‘Speaker’.

What fears has becoming a writer helped you with?

Oh and I will be out of circulation for the weekend, so have a good one!

Fairy (Photo credit: Alejandra Mavroski)

Fairies and Magic.  However, my take on these things isn’t necessarily the traditional image.  In my writing, magic is nearly always present along with a healthy sense of romance.  So, why am I obsessed with magic.

Magic is that sense of awe and surprise that we have as children.  It’s the sparkle of Christmas morning and finding things have appeared.  It’s that feeling when you see something extraordinary and can’t quite believe it must have come naturally.  I think that as we grow up our idea of magic changes until eventually we let ‘real life’ erode it completely.

I think people fall in the with fantasy creatures because they take us back to those half-forgotten days when at the end of the day Good won no matter what the odds.  The magic was good and it was fun but it was also safe.

In my writing, I tend to present magic is an everyday thing.  This doesn’t make it any less amazing but instead, I think, brings the everyday up to the level of amazing. It’s also a matter of balance.  Yes, my character can magic up the perfect cup of coffee BUT will the effort of doing so outweigh the benefits?  My version of magic tends to be practical but fun.  I like to play with the idea of magic as an extra sense rather than a miraculous one.  This doesn’t detract from the wonder but instead makes the amazing things more personal.  I love it when my characters react in a surprising, yet totally understandable way but with magic.

Magic will always have a special place in my heart, and I hope the hearts of others, as it will always find a way to surprise me.

So, do you believe in fairies?  If you have a magical ability what would it be? My magical power would be to freeze time for a while so I could everything I want done in a day.  How about you?

So, after the little happy dance, I suddenly thought ‘Wait there are rules?’ Then I promptly panicked about knowing 15 other blogs.  Turns out, I have been following more folks than I thought.

So, here are the rules!

1. Thank the award-giver and link back to them in your post (done)
2. Share 7 things about yourself (Oh heck, I have to be interesting now??)
3. Pass this award along to 15 others (Um.. oh there’s her.. and them.. and well see below for some cool blogs)
4. Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know about the award (Yay!)

Seven Things You Didn’t Already Know…

1. Until this moment, I wasn’t sure how to do bullet points and number lists.  Yes, I’m still learning how WordPress works.
2. I’m wheat intolerant which makes impromptu parties tricky.
3. My cat only has three legs due to a brain-fart on her part of epic proportions as a kitten.
4. The smell of filter coffee makes me dizzy but I love to go into coffee shops.
5. I am willing to sing nursery rhymes to my baby on the bus but can’t sing if people are looking at me.
6. I still have my first ever written story from when I was in primary school.
7. I will often wake up with a brilliant idea and I keep a notebook next to the bed for sanity’s sake.

Phew! That was harder than I thought it would be.  Now for ‘easy’ bit.  You need to go look at these fab people.

Fifteen Blogs You Really Ought to Know!

1. Elizabeth Barrow - Great writing advice and tips
2. Robotic Rhetoric - Always makes me laugh and gives great advice too.
3. Threadbare Gypsy Soul - Inspirational to me
4. Kristen Lamb - Giving out writer truths
5. Writing Sisters - Writing advice and tips
6. Kenra Daniels - Writes steamy paranormal romance, a girl after my own heart.
7. Kateschannel – Writer and Angry Bird addict
8. Nancy’s Notes from Florida – Another writer who tells me how she does it.
9. Everybody Needs a Little Romance – A fab site, chock full of info for romance writers.
10. Write 2 Be - Thoughts and inspiration about writing
11. Pennerstories – Always a thought provoking article to be found here
12. Kristine Kathryn Rusch – Lots and lots and LOTS of really useful articles here and she’s a great fiction writer too.  I kinda wanna be her when I grow up.
13. The Creative Penn - Great information on writing.
14. This Writing Life – Pithy articles and a really good series on freelancing.
15. Novel Spaces – Some amazing guest bloggers and fab giveaways.  Hey, would you say no to free books?

So there you have it.  Seven things about me, fifteen blogs I follow.  Now all I need to do is go tell they rock!  And yes I have only realised I seem to be obsessed with writer’s blogs.  We are truly not alone!