Merry Christmas!

This picture was taken in the front yard of my old house some years ago. The figures were inherited from my grandmother. The manger was built by my husband and oldest daughter.

So far this year, we haven't had any freezes or snow. I'm sure we are due some.

Wherever you are, whatever your situation, I pray you all enjoy a beautiful holiday season full of your favorite traditions. May your best wishes come true.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Freebies and Traditions

There are only two weeks left until Christmas. Have you already finished your shopping, or do you wait until the last minute? If you tend to procrastinate, and you find yourself scrambling to find that perfect gift for someone - or even if you just want to treat yourself - this list of 25 ideas might help.

Whether you're shopping for yourself, a loved one, or just for some basic holiday ideas - this list has a little something for everyone!

1) FOR KIDS - If you have the Amazon app, you can download some children's Christmas books for FREE. While this link in specific to Christmas reads, there are some out there for non-holiday themed reads as well. To learn more: http://www.amazon.com/iMarvel-Christmas-Story-Books-Free/dp/B0062NFLBM

2) FOR KIDS - Interested in more free books for kids? This site offers both holiday and other popular reads for free: http://www.kcedventures.com/blog/free-kids-holiday-and-christmas-books-online

3) FOR MUSIC LOVERS - iHeartChristmas Classics offers a free variety of traditional and contemprary tunes to get you in the holiday spirit: https://www.iheart.com/live/iheartchristmas-classics-6137/

4) MOVIES FOR ALL AGES - 28 of the best Christmas movies on Youtube in time for the 2018 season:  https://www.lifewire.com/watch-christmas-movies-on-youtube-3486071

5) 10 SHORT CLASSICS - some of my favorites are in this list: https://ebookfriendly.com/christmas-stories-free-download/

6) 31 BEST CHRISTMAS READS - Classics most everyone will recognize and love:  https://www.bookbub.com/blog/2017/11/21/classic-christmas-books-to-read

7) CHRISTMAS RECIPES - nothing puts me in the Christmas spirit faster than some of my favorite holiday foods. Check out these free recipes: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/187/holidays-and-events/christmas/

8) Free, Printable Christmas Gift Tags

9) Free Christmas Card Templates

10)  Free Letter From Santa

11) Printable Christmas Coloring Pages

12) Free Christmas Party Invitations

13) Christmas Party Games That Won't Cost You a Cent

14) Christmas Word Search Puzzles

15) Free Christmas Sheet Music

16) Free Christmas Clip Art

17) Printable Christmas Tree Templates

18) Free Christmas Fonts

19) Printable Christmas Stationery

20) Printable Christmas Wish Lists

21) Letter to Santa Templates

22) Christmas Newsletter Templates

23)  Gifts Needs: 13 Can't-Miss Christmas Freebies You Didn't Know - The Krazy Coupon Lady

24) MORE MISCELLANEOUS - https://www.thefreesite.com/Seasonal_Freebies/Christmas/

25) 121 Christmas Freebies: Amazing Free Stuff to Celebrate the Season With - MoneyPantry

Are there any freebies out there that you want to recommend? What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? 

IWSG: Cliffhangers

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

DECEMBER QUESTION - Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

MY ANSWER - I'm not a fan of cliffhangers at the end of a story. I think they are fine for the end of a chapter, but not for a book - not even if that book is part of a series. Life is uncertain enough. I want closure at the end of my story. Even if it's not a "happily ever after".

How about you? Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

Happy Thanksgiving!

 
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.

                                                          -Psalm 107:1 NIV

It's the week of Thanksgiving in the United States. I’ll be spending time with family and hopefully doing very little actual work :-). I also plan to enjoy some of my favorite foods, reading, and writing time! 

I feel so very blessed. Despite the craziness of this year, I have so much for which to be thankful. Just as many of you probably do, this is the time of year I enter a particularly reflective mood. My heart is full of gratitude for so many things: I still have a job I enjoy, a home I love, and a family I adore. 

For some fun reading, here are ten reasons I'm thankful to be a writer.

I'm also extremely thankful for my online family. As a thank-you to my readers and fellow bloggers, I wanted to share a short Thanksgiving romantic fiction piece I wrote a few years ago (it's about 800 words long). I hope you enjoy! http://writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/2017/11/thankful-every-day.html

Want to impress your dinner guests? Try: https://parade.com/1072705/jessicasager/thanksgiving-trivia/

I pray you all enjoy a wonderful week full of what you need. Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for having in your life?

Winning NaNoWriMo in Just 9 Days!

As most of you know, I chose not to participate in NaNoWriMo this year. I won't bother recapping my reasons now. 

However, if you are struggling to finish, or if you find yourself wishing you had joined in - it's not too late. There are two weeks left to November, and thanks to Melissa Maygrove I found the article How I Won NaNoWriMo in 9 Days.  

That's right - nine days! The author, Ava Jae, shares her tips to completing her work in such a short amount of time. She also offers statistics to show you how she achieved her goal. It's worth a look.

Best of luck and HAPPY WRITING!

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? How are you doing?

Veterans Day and Writing: Submissions Open

Happy Veterans Day!

Thank-you to all veterans and active military. We may not show it enough, but you are so very appreciated!

More than ten years ago, my interview of Vietnam War Veteran and author Tim O’Brien appeared in Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors, Volume 2.  

The publishers have since continued the tradition of supporting our troops. 

This yearly anthology presents essays, fiction, poetry, interviews, and photography by military-service personnel, veterans, and their families. It is an annual series published by Southeast Missouri State University Press in cooperation with the Missouri Humanities Council's Veterans Projects and the Warriors Arts Alliance.

"The stories and poems of service and sacrifice are essential in understanding what has so broadly been termed 'the American experience.' For me, Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors is required reading and worthy of a thousand tears."     ―St. Leger Monty Joynes, veteran, Vietnam

Books can now be ordered from the Southeast Missouri State University Press and Amazon.

Interested in submitting to Volume 14? They are already accepting submissions which are due by April 26, 2025. Contests and prizes will be awarded in each of the five categories. To learn more, please visit: https://thelaurelreview.submittable.com/submit/297869/proud-to-be-writing-by-american-warriors-volume-14

Want to check out more "support America" reads? How about reading more veteran related material? Try Noir and Returning War Vet Sub-Genre, or Being a Veteran.

Have you thanked a Veteran for their service? Have you written with our military in mind? What military reads would you recommend?

IWSG: Creativity

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

NOVEMBER Question - What creative activity do you engage in when you're not writing?

MY ANSWER - Photography, travel, crochet, etc.

How about you? What creative activity do you engage in when you're not writing?