Do Your Hobbies Find a Place in Your Stories? (Author Confessions) By Connie Vines #BWL #Author Hobbies #RoseGardens

FACT: Authors often engage in unique, active, or intellectual hobbies that enrich their storytelling.

Ernest Hemingway’s big-game hunting and Agatha Christie’s archaeology, to mention a few. 

Do you, as an author, include your hobbies or your personal culinary choices, etc., in your stories?  Or, as a reader, are you drawn into the story because of the sensory details and "realistic'' tone?

I know my choice of location/setting is from personal experience. While the name of my city may be fictitious, it is based on a 'real-life' place. 

What about your hobbies?

As a writer, do you find your heroine/hero likes to cook, play chess, or tend to a garden?

I like to include my pursuits. I find it enriches the characters of my stories. The reader will gain insite to a character. One pursuit will highlight a character's patience; another will highlight a skill, creativity, or impatience. 

From a reader's perspective? 

Care must be given not to "over tell" or to convert my readers.

I dislike green peas. It doesn't matter how the peas are seasoned, hidden, or blended. I will 'gage' when I try to swallow them. 

There are certain 'troups' that will not follow; certain 'historical periods" I have no interest in reading.

I recognize this to be a universal truth.

Do not be discouraged. I know a "great teaser", book cover, or promo can/will entice a new reader to purchase a book.

However, dedicated fans are really purchasing "your voice".  The 'author's' voice.

The way you weave your story, the tone, the humor/emotional intensity. 

It is the unique way you add bits of reality into your 'fictitious world.' Making your story a reality for your reader.

This post focuses on my rose gardens.  

The vivid colors, the scents, and, yes-- the thorns!

Authors, what bits of yourself do you add to your stories?

Readers, what draws you into the stories by your favorite authors?

What plot would you like to see? What hero do you adore? 

Your favorite novel?  

What story heroine is most like "you"?

Hobbies?

I have many. 

Today, I'll share my rose garden(s). 

While many of you are shoveling snow to melt, I'm dealing with a heat wave of 91 degrees / 32 Celsius. 

Happy Reading and Listening,  (Lynx is now an audiobook!!)

Connie 

Links:

books2read.com

https://www.overdrive.com/search?q=connie+vines

Amazon.com Search: Connie Vines ebook or audio

https://books.apple.com/us/author/connie-vines/id624802082 (audio and ebooks)

Also available at your favorite online book seller!

Where's Connie?

Instagram/Twitter (X), Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and my website: connievines-author.com 

Valentine’s Day weekend signing books for the Glendale Chocolate Affaire - by Vijaya Schartz

The shirt says: I write books, what's your superpower?
Glendale, February 14-15 2026 - Chocolate Affaire
find BWL Books here
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I forgot how much fun it is to do an impromptu book signing.

Glendale AZ is always sponsoring special events. One of the most popular is the CHOCOLATE AFFAIRE, a long tradition which started with the local Cerretta Candy Factory, and taking place around Valentine’s Day.

2013 - old covers tell the story. Chocolate on the table, of course.
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Before the pandemic, this event was held in Murphy Park, on the lawn around the old library, with vendors, food trucks, climbing towers, chocolate of course, live music, dancing, late night activities with glittering lights, and local romance writers signing their books for the duration.

2014 Chocolate Affaire Glendale, AZ
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As a member of a local authors group, I had been signing at this event since my first book was published, and I did it for many years. Then the pandemic changed everything. It became a small indoors event, geared for children, with none of the hoopla that attracted so many people, no night activities… and no authors signing their books.

2018 Chocolate Affaire, Glendale AZ
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This year, although it was still indoors and small, a well-known Antiques store (2 Share a unique boutique) decided to take advantage of the special event’s traffic and organize an author signing during these two days, in front of its entrance. The owner happened to be with us when we met with Jude in Arizona in late January, and she asked Dani Petrone and me to be the signing authors. We enthusiastically accepted.

2017 Chocolate Affaire - Glendale AZ
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After rushing to order the new titles, and Jude being wonderful as usual, making sure they would arrive on time, Dani and I filled our long table with our books. Only my latest books, to be sure (I have too many to display them all – It would take more than one table).

January 2026 Meeting with Jude (BWL), Dani Petrone, and John Hovey and his wife

On Saturday, we had a big draw and a little competition, as the window behind us was filled with lovely doggies for adoption (part of the 2 Share rescue program for working K9). Five were adopted that day. Yay!

Saturday, February 14, 2026, ready to go, with chocolate on the table.
The puppies have not arrived yet.
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We stood there, outside, from 10-11am to 5pm both days, talking to people about our books, selling a few, handing out postcards, bookmarks, and answering questions about where the Chocolate Affaire was happening, which was a few blocks away.

My latest book, CHI WARRIOR, was available there.
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Some friends came to visit and chat and buy my latest book. Dani and I were so excited, we totally forgot about lunch and survived the whole day on a single can of Coke. These two days were exhausting, but we were happy with the experience.

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The good news is, it looks like next year the Chocolate Affaire will be back in Murphy Park in all its splendor. Looking forward to the outdoors fun.

Happy Reading

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Kick-butt Sci-fi Heroines, cats, romantic elements

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Newbie shout out to Jane Austen, romance writing ‘OG’ by Jeff Tribe

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/accountant-with-benefits

Newbie shout out to Jane Austen, romance writing ‘OG’

‘There’s nothing special about Shakespeare,’ the joke goes, ‘all he did was take a bunch of famous sayings and string them together.’

The punch line being of course, it was ‘The Bard’ who made those sayings famous.

William and I have a respectful relationship, meeting in high school through The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet and King Lear. My sister Lahring would be far closer to his writings however. A masters degree in English and History from Western University, career selling books, and at least one well-thumbed version of his complete works, the Riverside Shakespeare in her possession, will do that. Unlike her, I have not taken in a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London, England. However we do trundle off to the Stratford (Ontario) Festival together annually to share the enjoyment from one of his plays.

‘Old, dead white dude,’ say some critics, others pointing out he may not have been above re-writing contemporary playwrights’ works.

‘Old dead white dude whose timeless truths resonate today as they did in the late 1500s’ at least two of his supporters might respond. That’s not to say we’re married to the past. We equally enjoyed Andrea Scott’s world premiere of Get That Hope, the study of a dysfunctional Jamaican-Canadian family based loosely on Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, and Hiro Kanagawa’s ‘Forgiveness’, a remarkable story of reconciliation.

In that spirit of trying new things, my wife agreed to vary a steady diet of Christmas romance movies. We settled on Pride and Prejudice based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name, figuring anything with Keira Knightley, Judi Dench and Donald Sutherland in it couldn’t be that bad.

Not only did we confirm it was better than ‘quite good,’ it wasn’t the departure we had expected. Lahring has embraced my foray into romance writing with an appreciated sense of humour, encouragement and advice while continuing to be a font of knowledge on things literary. You don’t know what you don’t know it turns out, including her confirmation Ms. Austen was a romance writing OG (original gangster), featuring the kind of brilliant dialogue which makes her books ideal candidates for movie adaptation. 

And like Shakespeare - who she was also a great admirer of - the quality of Austen’s work continues to resonate today.

Staying truer to original form than Shakespearean adaptations West Side Story (Romeo and Juliet) or 10 Things I Hate About You (The Taming of the Shrew), the Pride and Prejudice movie nevertheless underwent change. Austen’s brilliance shines through, as do principles both foundational to and echoed within modern romance: characters, one at least often wealthy or powerful who begin as enemies undergoing personal and character transformation, plot twists and turns featuring apparently insurmountable obstacles, gradual progression toward friends and then lovers surviving a late crisis to emerge with the happiest of endings. Add an interesting setting, sprinkle in a strong supporting cast - and some quality dialogue - and you’re halfway to a romance novel template.

The best part is, while Jane was arguably an early ‘be all’, she certainly wasn’t the ‘end all.’  Her work has led or inspired others through subsequent centuries. Across that time, romance readers may have a reasonable idea where a story is going, but individual author’s interpretations on how it gets there means the genre continues to evolve. Respecting the past, but moving forward into a dynamic future.

Take a look through BWL’s list of romantic offerings, and I’m confident you’ll find a writer, characters, setting and plot to your liking. Each will be original and each will have an author’s unique stamp, an attraction which continues to draw both new readers - and writers.

The list includes one ‘newbie’ bearing zero illusion his work will rival Jane Austen’s, but who has thoroughly enjoyed a journey leading to a first publication. Sincere thanks are in order to ‘OG Jane’, Jude, Jay and Nancy at BWL and of course, to anyone considering giving it a read.

I hope you enjoy it half as much as I have getting it here.

For those curious to learn more, following is a YouTube link to a 52-second video on my romance novel, Accountant With Benefits, and also, a link to a guest appearance on Dick Bourgeois-Doyle’s Dover Writes podcast.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F80CS3nDcc

 

https://soundcloud.com/user-447729085/jeff-tribe-doverwrites

 

My Agenda for Writing Mystery Novels by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

 

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/illegally-dead

https://www.amazon.ca/Illegally-Dead-Joan-Yarmey/dp/1773626655

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/the-only-shadow-in-the-house

https://www.amazon.ca/Only-Shadow-House-Travelling-Detective-ebook/dp/B075TFC2B1

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/whistlers-murder

https://www.amazon.ca/Whistlers-Murder-Joan-Yarmey/dp/1773627554

Authors have different ways of writing their novels. Some outline each chapter. Others wing it just going where their characters take them. Some start with a plot and add characters and some have characters around whom they build a story. A few take an event or an idea and build on it putting in characters and settings that go with it.

     I have never worked with a solid outline, or arc as it is sometimes called, for my novels, whether they are mystery, historical, or young adult. And this is mainly because I find that my characters seldom end up the way I first pictured them and the plot never takes the route I thought it would. I do start the story with a character in his/her everyday life so the reader can get to know them then I put in the trigger or problem that is out of the control of my main character or that starts the mystery. This puts the main character on his/her quest for a solution.

     I do have scenes pictured where characters are going to have a certain conversation or be at a certain place but unexpected conversations or character twists surface as I am writing the story. Some of these are surprises or mishaps or glitches that get in the way of my character’s quest. I strive not to make these predictable, nor so far out that they don’t make sense to the story. They should leave the reader with the thought that they should have figured that would have happen. Personally, I find that it is no fun to read a book in which you can foresee where the story line is headed and what is going to happen.

     If I get writer’s block or get to the end of an event and not really know what to write next, then I pick up one of the encounters that I know a character is going to have and I write that. Sometimes I will have two or three of them waiting to be put into the manuscript where they are needed.

     For the climax my character goes through the action of resolving the problem or solving the mystery. This has to be fast paced and sometimes at risk to my character. By this time the reader should be rooting for the main character and wanting him/her to succeed without injury. Hopefully, too, this is where the surprise comes in, where the reader goes. “Wow, I didn’t see that coming." or "I never thought it would be that person.”

     I have even been surprised or saddened or happy by the ending of my books. When I was nearing the end of writing one of 'The Only Shadow in the House', I still hadn’t figured out which of two characters had done the killing. Suddenly, a different character put up their hand and said, “I did it and this is why.” I was surprised but realized that it made total sense.

     I believe that if my emotions are rocked by the ending so, too, should those of the readers. When the book was published I had readers tell me that they had also fluctuated between the same two characters as I had and they, too, had been surprised by who was actually guilty. Something a mystery writer is always happy to hear.

The Art of Critiquing by Victoria Chatham

 

AVAILABLE HERE

Oh, that dreaded word, critique. I well remember finishing my first book, His Dark Enchantress, with a sense of doom hovering over my head. This was my baby, my first Regency romance. After carefully nursing it through the process from a barely formed premise to writing The End, I now had to run the gauntlet of another pair of eyes before I could consider submitting it anywhere.

My hesitation to pass it on stemmed from a one-off experience in a critique class – one in which the presenter showed no interest in reining in two women who jumped on everyone’s work and shredded it. One person in the class walked out, and another emailed the organizer to say they would not be back. Stubbornly, I hung on, determined to learn what not to do and to be as supportive as I could to the rest of the class, even to the two naysayers, who thought they had carte blanche to strip another’s work to the bones.

I entrusted my baby to two author friends, one who wrote Regency romance and the other, at the time, who was writing western historical romance. I breathed a sigh of relief when those first critiques came back to me. They both had many comments, and where their comments aligned, I knew I had work to do. One picked me up on some of my Regency accuracy. At the same time, the other asked questions about the era's terminology and customs, quickly eroding my blithe supposition that everyone would understand it. I wanted my readers (if there were any) to enjoy what they were reading without being tripped up by either situation, and I quickly learned that writing The End was, in fact, only the beginning.

Since then, I have worked with a handful of writer friends who critique my work, and I return the favour. The choice of reader depends on the genre I’m writing in. If it’s a historical novel, I ask someone who writes contemporary fiction to critique my work, as well as someone who writes historicals. Thankfully, I have that mix in my close critique group. We know each other well enough that none of us takes umbrage at the results, but some authors are very thin-skinned. Learning to take an honest, fair critique is part of the process.

courtesy img.freepik.com

When I am asked to give a critique, I’m looking for rounded characters and well-thought-out plots. If I come across awkwardly worded sentences, I will suggest an alternative – this is not for the author to use  – more to give them an idea of how to frame that sentence in their own voice. I will pick up on word choice, repetition, misplaced modifiers, and run-on sentences.

That first draft is essential to commit the story to the page in the first place. Subsequent drafts are for improvement all around, and I know I couldn’t do that without input from my ‘Dream Team.’ Personally, I read my manuscript aloud when I think it is finished and still catch problems, usually with syntax, which a text-to-speech program would likely miss. Once that is done, I put it aside for a few days, read it again, and if I’m happy with it, I submit it to my publisher. Having done all that, it still amazes me that when I have my print copy in hand, I will usually find an error or two.

As much as writing is a skill, so is critiquing. It is not helpful to a budding or a seasoned author to give their work to a family member or friend who will probably say they love it and haven’t you done well to write a whole book! An author needs another author, or a very perceptive reader’s critical eye, to see a problem, address it constructively, and together build a better book.

Victoria Chatham

AT BWL PUBLISHING INC

 ON FACEBOOK

 MY WEBSITE

 

an author asked a Facebook group why his book wasn't selling

 

I'm intrigued by questions like the one posed on a Facebook author forum. A gentleman had self-published a book on Kindle Direct Publishing, then sat back, awaiting the book's arrival on the best seller list. After three weeks, not a single copy had sold. He posted the cover on his Facebook page and expected all of his Facebook friends to rush out and buy a copy and then tell all of their friends how great it was. They didn't.

He turned to the author forum to ask why? The responses to his question were frank, maybe painful answers provided by people who'd written, then actively marketed their books.

The most in-depth response was the person who explained, and I paraphrase: Think of Amazon as a big warehouse superstore and you just put a book on the shelf. It's sitting there with TWO MILLION other books. All of them are equally accessible to any customer. Without a dazzling cover, a wonderful blurb, and promotion, what differentiates your book from the others?

The most down-to-earth advice was: Close your laptop, get your butt out of your chair, and sell the book. Call libraries and bookstores and TALK TO REAL PEOPLE. Tell someone what your book is about and let them hold it while they read the blurb.

In a follow-up, the man posted his book cover and got barraged with comments about his tacky A/I designed cover art and terrible blurb. The author was convinced the cover and blurb represented the essence of his book and he didn't want to hear it was obviously A/I generated and unattractive. The blurb was poorly written and did nothing to draw in a reader.

Sadly, the author's final response was: "I like my cover. I don't like doing promotions. I want to write books, not SELL books." The responses to that were equally sad: "Lower your sales expectations unless you're going to actually market your books."

With 26 years of "selling" books behind me, I've learned the value of talking to people and building a readership. I've done that by signing in bookstores, flower shops, gift shops, and libraries. I've gone to bookstores and sold ONE book in two hours but know I've connected with dozens of people who may have been intrigued and picked up the book later. Two of my most unusual, and successful signing venues have been a bakery and a grocery store. One writer told me he'd sold out his entire stock of books signing outside of a liquor store on New Year's Eve.

The other reality is, very few authors make the New York Times bestsellers list. There are literary millionaires like J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, and John Sandford. Amazon having two million titles available, means there are thousands of us who have day jobs while enjoying an incredibly satisfying life as published authors.

I considered my early books successful if a quarterly royalty check paid for a trip to the Dairy Queen. 

Please check out my most recent release "Anchor Murder" on the BWL Publishing website and help subsidize a trip to Dairy Queen, or help pay for a doughnut and cup of Tim Hortons coffee.

Anchor Murder: Book 18 of Doug Fletcher Mysteries, by Dean L. Hovey — Books We Love Publishing Inc.

Norah resists her forbidden attraction to the German Major in war-torn France, by Diane Scott Lewis

 

To purchase, click HERE

I wrote this novel after watching a tv show about the German occupation during WWII. What if a young Englishwoman is trapped in France after the Germans invade and she must ask for help from the Commandant. She finds he's not at all who she thought he was, and a dangerous attraction develops. I hope you enjoy reading an excerpt.

Norah walked stiffly in, her courage waning, but her resolve anchored. She’d never been in this office before. And now with the Germans in charge, changing everything—and a child’s fate in her hands.

Major von Gottlieb stood behind his desk, tall and imposing, his expression curious. “What can I do for you, Fräulein Cooper?”

“My young cousin did something foolish, but he’s only a child.” She rubbed her knuckle along her collarbone and explained what happened in barely controlled words. “Please, don’t let anyone hurt him. He’s ten years old, and impulsive.” Tears dampened her eyes, despite her effort to appear tenacious. “Release him to his mother. It’s all a mistake.”

She saw the Major’s gaze change from surprised to concerned.

“Extraordinary. I will investigate at once. Wait here, Fräulein.” The Major thrust on his hat and indicated the chair in front of the desk. He marched from the room and shut the door. She heard strong words exchanged in German, the shuffle of feet.

Norah sank into the leather seat, unsure what to do. Her heart beat so fast, her chest ached. She glanced about the office. A picture of Hitler on the wall made her cringe. On a glass-fronted bookcase full of books was a smaller picture of a woman. Broad-faced but attractive. The Major’s wife?

Mahogany furniture filled the cramped room. The desk was neat, with a tan leather inlay. The room smelled pleasant, of lemon oil. She tried to balance herself as her mind spun.

A small table held a partially finished jigsaw puzzle. She stood to see what it was, to distract her upset.

The door opened behind her. She nearly jumped.

The Major strode in, his gaze fixed on her. He removed his hat. “Fräulein, it’s been taken care of. The child is being escorted to his mother as we speak.”

She pressed her hand to her breast, almost swaying. “Thank you. I’m so relieved.”

“Warn him he should not be so impulsive. It’s dangerous.” Without his hat, she saw the Commandant’s hair was sandy-colored, almost golden, a wave over his high forehead. He had a strong cleft chin.

“I will, I promise.” Her words came out too breathy. She still believed it unfair the villagers hadn’t access to their own coast, but she couldn’t allow her resentment to show.

“It seems a problem in your family, this impulsiveness. You should not have been dancing before the cottage the other night either.” He raised an eyebrow, but the glint in his eyes was somehow a challenge. “The soldiers notice these things.”

Her cheeks burned. Had he watched her dance? “You’re right. It won’t happen again. I’ll restrict my dances to the rear garden.”

“Good. See that you do. I’m only trying to keep you out of mischief, if that is possible.” His tone wasn’t harsh, his glance almost teasing.

“I must go and see how my cousins are.” Norah inched toward the door. She should have asked about Mr. Kerguelen, what happened to him? But wouldn’t push her luck. “Thank you, again. I’ll try not to be such a problem.”

“You’re welcome. Be warned to follow the rules no matter how you might object. Guten tag, Fräulein.” He bowed his head for an instant, like an aristocrat in a play. He smiled wryly. “Yet I imagine this won’t be our last meeting.”

Norah blinked then left the office and hurried across the square.

Was Jean home already? Surely the Major hadn’t lied to her. He seemed a gentleman. She gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. What a bizarre thing to think about a Nazi commandant. What sort of man would follow the dictates of a tyrant like Hitler?

Find out more about me and my books

                              

Diane lives in Western Pennsylvania with her naughty dachshund.

They're sinking the Big U...by Sheila Claydon

 

Find my books here

An article about the cultural heritage of transatlantic liners has triggered a childhood memory. Exciting though it was at the time, I had long forgotten the day I ate lunch aboard the SS United States until I read about its imminent demise. Known affectionately as the Big U, it was the last word in transatlantic liner design. The biggest and the sleekest, it broke the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage from New York to Southampton (UK) in July 1952, a record it still holds to this day.

More than 40,000 people greeted its arrival in Southampton.  It then provided a regular service between New York, Le Havre (France) and Southampton until it was suddenly retired in 1969.  Since then its chequered ownership has included the US Maritime Administration, several individual owners and the Norwegian Cruise Line, all of whom attempted to make the ship profitable, but to no avail. Eventually her interior furnishings were sold and her interiors stripped to the bulkhead. Then, unloved and poorly maintained, she was towed to Philadelphia where she remained for many years while the United States Conservancy unsuccessfully attempted to raise funds to save her from being scrapped. 

Now she is owned by Okaloosa County in Florida and the plan is to sink her this year near Destin, where she will become the world's largest artificial reef. Artificial reefs have been created since Roman times, so this is nothing new even if it seems a sad end for such an elegant and famous liner. I don't know whether the plan is to promote marine life, control erosion, block ship passage or block the use of trawling nets. It might even be to enhance scuba diving and surfing.  Because Destin is a popular tourist destination I would guess it's for the latter. Sinking such a beautiful ship is sad but the good news is that at least the Big U will continue to be useful.

So where do my childhood memories come in? Well I was born and raised in Southampton and can just about remember the excitement of that maiden voyage because, as my grandfather was a merchant seaman for fifty years, ships were very much part of our family history. So I can remember being taken to see it as a tiny girl, not realising then that it was special or that I would be eating aboard it a decade later.

That's where my mother comes in. She was a florist, and in those heady days when a five day voyage from Southampton to New York meant that the ship's public areas had to be decorated with fresh flowers and foliage, and bouquet after bouquet had to be carried aboard and delivered to the cabins of departing passengers, she was very busy. As a young teenager I was sometimes conscripted to help during my school holidays and that is how I ended up eating with the crew on board the SS United States. The meals were large, hot and delicious, and I can see them in my mind's eye to this day.

Those experiences, together with my own journey through life, inform my books Cabin Fever and Bouquet of Thorns.

First of all Cabin Fever. This is the story of a cruise director and the lead dancer of the onboard entertainment troupe as the fictional liner, Oceana, sails from Aukland, New Zealand to Sydney in Australia. I have been on  that cruise but as as a passenger, not a crew member, and it was wonderful, not least because we have friends and family in both countries, all of whom we were able to see at the different stops along the way. The information about the life of the crew is, however, linked to what I learned from my grandfather, and to what I saw on board the SS United States. Times change of course and Oceana is a very different ship from the liners of the nineteen fifties and sixties. These were designed to deliver a fast and efficient intercontinental service in all seasons and all weather whereas the cruise liners of today are more like floating holiday resorts whose job is to convey tourists between ports. They are, however, still things of elegance and efficiency even if they are not looking to break any speed records. 

Bouquet of Thorns, while not set anywhere near the sea or a passenger terminal, contains much of the knowledge I learned about hotel floral displays, weddings, parties, in fact anything that can be enhanced by flowers, including, staying true to my writing genre, romance!

The Importance of a Well-timed Nap by Bonny Beswick

https://www.bonnybeswick.com/

  

The Importance of a Well-timed Nap

There are few things more comforting than curling up in a warm spot in the sunshine for an afternoon nap. It can be a luxurious indulgence, or a necessity after one of those pesky sleepless nights strikes. But it can also be a writing tool. You heard me right.

Used to be, I wasn’t a fan of napping. I was one of those people who would complain, “Oh, I can’t nap. I wake up so groggy!” Pro-nappers told me that was because I napped too long. Though I didn’t disagree with them, once cozy and warm, I didn’t have the discipline to get up and face the world again. By the time I struggled out from under the covers, I felt sluggish and ugh. (The Mayo Clinic advises that naps should be 20-30 minutes. Napping: Do’s and don’ts for healthy adults - Mayo Clinic.)

So, I avoided naps.

But recently, I’ve taken my blankets and moved decisively into the pro-nap camp. It happened unexpectedly when I was stuck on how to use the writing prompt, that’s so cliché in a short story contest. I’d bounced from idea to idea with an increasing sense of futility. Each time I put words on the page, they landed flat with no rhythm or momentum. Convinced I was a failure, I gave up and soothed myself by curling up with my favourite quilt in a patch of sunshine. In the moment just before I drifted off, when the traffic noise, hum of the fridge and my neighbour’s footsteps in the condo above me faded away, a story came to me, almost fully formed. The words tumbled onto the page, and I named it “Summer’s End”. It’s still one of my favourite short pieces and as a bonus, it won second place in the contest!

Since then, I’ve found that when stuck on a plot point, dealing with a recalcitrant character, or even coming up with the name for a story, sometimes a focussed and purposeful nap is when inspiration strikes.

Dad was a napper. As a little girl, I remember his after-lunch routine. He’d tune in to The Farm Report on the radio, then stretch out on the living room floor. Never the couch, though, because he said he didn’t want to get too comfortable. I could never figure out how he could both snore and still remember the prices quoted for cattle, wheat, barley, etc. When the news was over, or maybe a few minutes later, he’d heft himself off the floor and head out the door to the shop or tractor.

On the other hand, I never recall Mom napping. She was always in motion moving from one task to another, rarely sitting for more than a few minutes, and never resting. I don’t know how she managed because she was always the first one up (to put the coffee on, of course), and the last one to turn out the lights and go to bed. She was a remarkable woman (but that’s for another blog).

For most of us in North America, we’ve adopted a monophasic sleep pattern, adhering to the idea that you should sleep at night. A full 7-9 hours, most studies would suggest. This evolved in the post-industrial age, with the invention of electric lights and 8-5 work days. Prior to that, activity/sleep patterns were governed by the sun, seasons, and rhythms of nature.

Biphasic sleep patterns, where a person sleeps in two segments per day, is common in a number of cultures. Consider the traditional siesta where there is a shorter period of evening sleep and a planned nap lasting an hour or more.  Biphasic Sleep: What It Is And How It Works. For those of us used to the monophasic pattern, we sometimes look at this as laziness, but the pattern allows dwellers in hot climates to work during the cooler morning and late afternoon hours and to sleep when it’s hottest. Some studies also show that the extended nap in the middle of the day increases overall productivity.

Polyphasic sleep patterns (there are at least three “recognized patterns”) take the idea of long periods of sleep and toss them out the window. Adopting this sleep strategy is not for the faint of heart and is not without negative side effects. Polyphasic Sleep: Benefits and Risks

But let’s get back to the idea of a simple nap taken sometime during the day (although between one and three in the afternoon seems to be the sweet spot). About one third of North Americans regularly nap, and a higher proportion of those are between 25-34. I wonder if the proportion of those napping would increase if work schedules allowed for it? For individuals working from home, do they take advantage of nap opportunities? Before you tsk about the lack of discipline if they take the nap, studies have shown that memories and learning are consolidated in our brains during sleep, and overall retention is enhanced. If that’s the case, it would behoove all of us to enjoy afternoon shut-eye. Sleep Statistics in Canada | Made in CA .

I used to feel naughty taking a nap. Now, it’s part of my toolbox.

 

National Napping Day is celebrated annually on March 14 (the unofficial holiday was first observed in 1999).

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Cover Reveal for Jessie's Cafe by Nancy M Bell

 

Very happy to reveal the cover for my new novel coming in Spring of 2026. The image is an actual building in Castor, Alberta which was built in or around 1910. It has had many names over the years, Jessie's Cafe, The Royal Cafe, The Queen's Cafe, The Golden Crown. It was also known locally as Lewies and Andy's over its storied past.

The building has intrigued me ever since I move to Castor and it seemed natural to set a novel within its precincts. Sadly, the building is in sad need of restoration and as a heritage building I hope that someone will take on that task. Someone with very deep pockets. LOL

My story starts in 2026 but to do the building's history justice I have created a time travel journey with some interesting twists and turns. Another interesting thing about the building is the tiny shed that is clearly visible perched on the flat roof of the cement block addition at the back of the original structure. It looks suspiciously like an outhouse although I have been told it served as a garden shed at some point in its career. That humble shed plays an integral part of my plot...so stay tuned...

I love uncovering and discovering the legends and tales that seem to cluster around old buildings, as if they are just sitting and waiting to share their stories with anyone who is willing to linger and listen. So if you are ever in Castor be sure to stop by Jessie's/Andy's and then wander down the street to visit the other venerable building - The Cosmopolitan Hotel. This is also a 1910 structure that was in use up into the early 2000's. I'm sure if those walls could talk there is a plethora of stories regarding adventure and misadventure that has occurred over the years. Interestingly, there used to be another hotel directly across the street where the ATB bank is now. The National Hotel which burned down in 1924. Can you imagine the brawls that might have occurred with denizens of the two establishments duking it out in the middle of what was then referred to as Grand Avenue.

Until next month be well, be happy. Oh, and Happy Valentines Day even if it's a bit late.

Tuesday - Writing VS Olympics #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Skiing #Winter #Olympics

 

I'm always interested in the Winter Olympics and have written between watching a lot of athletic events. I really enjoy watching the contests and especially the skating, something I have absolutely no talent in doing. Only once have I tried to ice skate. This was way back when I was in nurses' training and my roommate invited me to her house for a weekend. Now ice skating was something I had never attempted. I was a failure at roller skating as a kid and have the scarred knees to prove my lack of dexterity. Ice skating was even harder. My roommate handed me two ski poles to help me balance myself. Worked for about 2 minutes and then down I went. Thank heavens my ski pants were well padded. The entire afternoon was spent with me more on the ice than in the air. 

So now I watch the events on the Olympics and sigh with envy as the skaters do their thing. Now sking is another of the events I envy. Here, I have managed to go down the bunny hill and remain standing but when I went up higher. I spilled my way down with frequent stops to regain my position on the skis and standing.

I will say sled riding was fairly good but that's because my friends and I used a long sled where four of us fit and at least one of the riders had some skill.

So here's kudos to all those winter athletics. May they continue to enjoy their sport. I will enjoy watching.

The 5 Fs, by J.C. Kavanagh

To order your copy of the award-winning Twisted Climb series, click on the link below!

 https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/series/the-twisted-climb 

There are so many 'never-have-I-ever' moments since last July that I've lost count. We sailed from Georgian Bay, Canada, through three of the five Great Lakes, through the United States waterways and canals, and reached the Bahamas four months later. Last week, in order to retreat from gale force winds and 3-4 metre waves (12-16 feet), we anchored beside the wee island of Little Farmers Cay. It is the second smallest isolated community in the Exumas, part of the Bahama islands.

The 'never-have-I-ever' moment came when my partner and I were invited to participate in the local 5 Fs.

Um, hello? Five what?

The male locals are not averse to using the 'F' word. It's a favourite verb, adjective, adverb, noun - well, you get it. So you may understand my hesitation to participate in the 5 Fs. Nonetheless, I nudged my partner, Ian. "You might be good at it," I said, smiling sweetly.

Ian gave me the side-eye but the local man gave Ian a huge smile. 

"You'll be on my team, then," he stated. "You are a sailor, right?"

Ian nodded.

"Have you raced boats before?"

Again Ian nodded. In Ontario, he raced sailboats for many years. 

The man continued. "We race 10, maybe 15 other boats this coming Saturday. They'll be coming from islands all over the Exumas. It's our annual 5 Fs."

Ah, I thought. Not a swearing contest.

The man pointed to his t-shirt. "5 Fs" was blazoned across the front. Below it, in smaller letters was the meaning behind the 5 Fs: First Friday in February Farmers Cay Festival. The highlight of the event was the sailing races - three categories. The first category was for non-residents to race in their own sailboat. There are no restrictions or handicaps. All you need is your own sailboat, whether it be a catamaran or a monohull. Unfortunately, due to the gale force winds, this Class was cancelled. What a relief. While I love my boat, as does Ian, he would use every trick in the racing book to pull out a win. That means all the other sailors are in trouble. 

The second category (C-Class) is for young, teenage sailors. The sailboats are all home-made, using material from the Bahamas. There are no motors and only one sail. These youngsters race in a wooden, 12-foot boat, a crew of just two in each boat.

E-Class represents a 17.5 foot vessel, each with a crew of five. As with the C-Class, the boats are handmade in the Bahamas. After all, sailing is the national sport of these beautiful islands. Similar to the C-Class, there are no motors and only one very large main sail. In fact, the boom which supports the sail from the mast, is almost twice as long as the boat. Crew use two 8x12 wooden beams to 'hike' out and, for additional ballast, ingots of lead are placed in the hull. The boat on which Ian was a crew member, named "Miss Rowie," had 600 pounds of lead! 

An E-class sailboat (one of many) delivered/lowered by crane at Little Farmers Cay for the annual race.
Note the full ocean-style keel, painted white, on the bottom of the boat.

The sliding boards used for the crew to 'hike' out and prevent the boat from tipping :)

The crew of Miss Rowie prepping for the race.

Ian and a second crew member (Scott) hiking out on the boards

The proud crew of Miss Rowie. 

With a 4th place finish out of 12 boats, I'd say they had much to celebrate. They were in second-last place after the first leg of the race, so kudos to their sailing (and hiking) skills. 

In The Twisted Climb trilogy, many adventures take place in a watery environment. I have to admit the sailing knowledge I've learned from Ian ensured the water scenes were genuinely accurate, and in some cases, frightening. If you haven't checked out this award-winning series, now's your chance. Click on the link below for your purchase choices!

And don't forget to tell the ones you love that you love them :) 

J.C. Kavanagh, author of
The Twisted Climb - A Bright Darkness (Book 3) Best YA Book FINALIST at Critters Readers Poll 2022
AND
The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2) voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll and Best YA Book FINALIST at The Word Guild, Canada
AND
The Twisted Climb,
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll
Voted Best Local Author, Simcoe County, Ontario, 2021
Novels for teens, young adults and adults young-at-heart

Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com 

www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh 

www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh 

Instagram @authorjckavanagh 

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/series/the-twisted-climb