December Already – Barbara Baker

 

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Thank goodness for the picture option on my phone that lets me scroll through the last 12 months to see what I’ve been up to. Otherwise, I’d be wondering where the time went and if I actually accomplished anything. 

 

  

Unfortunately, my writing progress was not as active or colourful as my pictures.

I started 2025 all gangbusters with good intentions to write every single day because I wanted this to be my best writing year ever. Unfortunately, my good intentions were intermittent at the very least. And the more intermittent they got, the easier it was to walk away and turn down the guilt volume. 

Of course I racked up many excuses why I wasn't writing. I also made compromises and even bribed myself with rewards (often chocolate) to do better tomorrow. All of that squeezed out 22,000+ words. Many more required to finish the tale.

But hey, I attended a writers’ conference, so I get points for that, right? And I’ve edited many words from writer friends – possibly worth a few more points? I talked writing with writers and read numerous articles about writerly stuff. Does that count? 

 

I’ve mentioned before that each book I’ve written has come together through a different process.

·    Summer of Lies - I plunked away from the beginning to the end.

·    What About Me? - I had numerous scenes and a theme before I started.

·    Jillian of Banff XO - I knew what the beginning, middle and end were going to be before I started.

But Book 4 has been brutal. My muse will not let me leave a scene unless I’ve nailed it. Back and forth. Line by line. Over and over. Again. I have jot notes on what happens next but when I go to write them, the previous scene pulls me back. Sometimes it even needs research – so down that rabbit hole I go.

It’s frustrating in a funny way because I know it’s happening. And yet I can’t fight it. If you have any hints on how to move forward, let me know.

After the craziness of the holiday season passes I promise to get back to my productive 5 AM wake up routine and hammer out a complete draft of Jillian’s Book 4 by the end of 2026. You know I’m a procrastinator so I need you to hold me to it.

  

Enough about my writing dilemma. With the holiday season upon us, here’s more trivia:

        Weird Christmas traditions:

• In some parts of South Africa, fried caterpillars are considered a festive delicacy for Christmas. I think I’ll stick with turkey.
• Spiders and spiderwebs are considered good luck on Christmas. I will not be doing any housecleaning prior to this holiday season.

• In Germany and Austria, St. Nicholas has a menacing partner named Krampus, a devilish figure who punishes naughty children and, in some folklore, drags them to hell. Also in Austria, they have a Krampus Parade where a goat-like demon punishes naughty children. Kind of puts a damper on the festive guy in red and his team of reindeer.
• A bizarre but beloved Christmas tradition in Catalonia, Spain involves the Tió de Nadal (The Pooping Log). A wooden log is decorated with a face that is "fed" treats throughout December and kept warm under a blanket. On Christmas Eve, kids hit the log with sticks to make it ‘poop’ candy and presents. I don’t know what to say.
• Eating KFC in Japan became a popular tradition after a successful 1974 marketing campaign. Again, I'll stick with turkey.

• Only in Iceland - 13 troll-like brothers visit children's homes during the 13 nights before Christmas. They leave gifts in shoes for good children or rotten potatoes for the naughty ones. If adults were included and the troll-like brothers knew of my current writing status, I'd find potatoes in my shoes.

As I start planning our annual Christmas games night, I want to wish you all a wonderful and festive season and the very best of wishes for 2026. Be happy. Be thankful. Be kind.

And thanks to everyone who's checked in to see how the snow conditions are. I very much appreciate the love.

 

Baker, Barbara - BWL Publishing Inc. (bookswelove.net)

Barbara Baker Author Page Facebook

 

 

Summer of Lies by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

What About Me? by Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing

Jillian of Banff XO — BWL Publishing