Where has my Creativity Gone? by Jay Lang

                                                     

                                               bookswelove.net/lang-jay

                               To purchase: www.amazon.ca/One-Take-Jake-Last-Call

 Where has my Creativity Gone?

Lately, I’ve noticed that the weather here in BC can dramatically affect my creativity. In Vancouver, a rainforest, the standing joke among the locals year-round is, “We don’t tan, we rust.” But not much is ever said about the toll the constant winter weather can take—the dark clouds and endless precipitation can suck the energy out of you both physically and emotionally, which definitely affects your mood and creativity. So, I looked up some ways to combat the winter blahs, and here is what I found. I don’t think I’ll try all of these suggestions but there are a few that I will consider for sure! Here they are:

1.      Get outside, even on cloudy days: Even if it’s just for a short walk, the fresh air and natural light, even on overcast days, can help boost your mood and energy. Exposure to natural light helps regulate your circadian rhythm and improves sleep, which in turn supports creativity.

2.      Bring the outdoors in: Add plants, fresh flowers, or nature-inspired décor to your space. Studies show that being around greenery can reduce stress and increase creativity.

3.      Change up your environment: Sometimes a simple change in scenery can help reset your mind. If you’re feeling creatively stuck, try working from a new location—whether that’s a different room in your house, a café, or a co-working space.

4.      Exercise regularly: Physical activity helps release endorphins, combatting the winter blues. Whether it’s yoga, running, or just a quick home workout, staying active keeps your energy up and your mind sharp.

5.      Practice mindfulness: Meditation, breathing exercises, or simply taking a few quiet moments for yourself can help you reconnect with your inner calm. A clearer mind is often a more creative one.

6.      Embrace the cozy vibe: Winter can be an excellent time to lean into relaxation. Indulge in cozy, comforting activities like reading a book, making tea, or binge-watching a feel-good show. Sometimes, giving your brain a break can lead to fresh ideas when you’re ready to work again.

7.      Stay social: Isolation can intensify the winter blues. Reach out to friends, join a local class, or even just spend time with family. Social interaction helps boost mood and keeps your creative spark alive.

8.      Make time for hobbies: Whether it’s painting, knitting, journaling, or any other creative outlet, spending time on something just for fun can reignite your inspiration and help you tap into new ideas.

9.      Prioritize sleep: Winter’s shorter days can make us feel tired more often. Getting enough quality sleep helps restore both body and mind, which is crucial for creative thinking.

10. Set small goals: Winter can feel like it drags on, so breaking tasks into smaller, manageable goals can give you a sense of progress and accomplishment. Celebrate even the smallest victories to keep yourself motivated.

The trial and tribulations of researching life – and death – in 1734 by donalee Moulton

 

                                                                   Order Conflagration! here.

 

My second mystery novel, Conflagration!, is my first historical mystery. BWL has

a series of historical mysteries than span Canada from coast to coast. I was offered the 

opportunity to write the book and step back to 1734 when the colony of New 

France was ruled by King Louis XV. It was an opportunity I embraced. With trepidation.

 

At readings and book clubs, I joke that the I am not from Quebec, I do not speak French

as more than 80% of Quebecers do, and I do not write historical mysteries. So, of

course, I said “yes” when I was offered me the opportunity to write

Conflagration!. I am grateful I did.

 

What scared me most about the writing the book was getting something wrong.

Misspeaking. Misunderstanding. Misconstruing. The foundation for Conflagration! (and

for all historical mysteries) is accuracy. As a freelance journalist, I am used to writing on

topics that I knew little (and somethings nothing) about. I have written articles on

everything from buying cyber insurance to surviving a helicopter crash to paying the

tooth fairy. I know how to research, how to interview people, how to find people to

interview, and how to find accurate sources of information. For the most part though, the

research I’ve done was contemporary or contemporary adjacent. It wasn’t from 300

years ago.

 

Conflagration! chronicles the arrest, trial, and subsequent execution of Marie-Joseph

Angélique, an enslaved Black woman accused of setting the lower town of Montreal on

fire. When the flames were finally squelched, forty-six homes and buildings were gone.

The quarter, where the merchants lived and ran their businesses, was destroyed.

Fortunately, no one died.

 

I had never heard of Angélique, had never read her story in the many history classes I

took throughout school and university. I was not alone in this lack of knowledge. That is

because Angélique’s story is also the story of slavery in Canada, and for centuries we

have avoided the topic or rewritten the facts to shape the narrative. Fortunately,

Angélique’s story is more well known in Quebec, where a plaque has been erected in

her memory in Old Montreal.

 

As I delved into the events of April 10, 1734, I discovered others had gone before me.

There were books, websites, articles, documentaries, shorts. I embraced them all.

Some of these sources also referenced court documents, meticulously recorded, albeit

in French. One site translated those documents although translations from old French to

modern English are not always clear and understandable. The golden rule in journalism

is you must have at least two sources before you use any information. I also embraced

this rule.

 

As nerve-wracking as ensuring my story accurately referenced the trial transcripts and

sequence of events from the first flames to Angélique’s final breath, I discovered that

the justice system was only one element of research required. At one point, I had my

main character Philippe Archambeau, a court clerk assigned specifically to document

Angélique’s case, get up early and make himself a cup of coffee. Then I asked myself,

“Did they drink coffee in New France in 1734?” (They did, but tea was more common.)

 

This issue of everyday life came up in a myriad of ways. Philippe goes to put on boots.

(Did they wear boots three hundred years ago? What kind?) His wife, Madeleine, is

making supper. (How do you make supper when there are no stoves, no ovens, no

electricity? What do you eat?)

 

The answers to these and a multitude of other questions were answered thanks to

reliable sources on the internet, books written by authoritative sources, individuals

knowledgeable about aspects of the story, the time, the history – and more.

 

I owe them all a debt of gratitude.

 

BWL Publishing Inc. New Releases for January 2025

 Happy New Year everyone. I'm wishing for all of you a wonderful year filled with everything you need and desire in your life. Good health and prosperity, love from everyone in your circle and success in all your set out to accomplish.

A Glimpse into the Past by Eden Monroe

 

 

 https://bookswelove.net/monroe-eden/

A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST

 

When man invented the wheel, he was only limited by his imagination as to what to what he’d eventually use it for.

Over time horse-drawn carriages became a popular form of conveyance. They are featured prominently in the romantic suspense novel, Bound for Somewhere, Book One of The Kavenaghs, a series set in Eastern Canada during the 1870’s. Garrett Kavenagh was keen to rise above his humble beginnings and find his place in the industry that had long fascinated him:

“He’d seen fine carriages pass by on the road from time to time, pulled by equally fine horses. That had strengthened his dream and the opportunity to realize it had now been unexpectedly laid before him…. Someday he’d help build those carriages he told himself, and he would take great pride in that work.”

But first the wheel….

According to www.citeco.fr/10000-years-history-economics/the-origins/invention-of-the-wheel: “The wheel was invented in the 4th millennium BC in Lower Mesopotamia (modern-​​day Iraq), where the Sumerian people inserted rotating axles into solid discs of wood. It was only in 2000 BC that the discs began to be hollowed out to make a lighter wheel.

This innovation led to major advances in two main areas. First, transport: the wheel began to be used on carts and battle chariots.”

 

Interestingly, there are still chariot builders today, although of course not to the same extent as was practiced in antiquity. We think of chariots in terms of warfare or racing, or indeed hunting, but this open vehicle (two or four wheels) was likely first used in royal funeral processions says britannica.com/technology/chariot: “The chariot apparently originated in Mesopotamia in about 3000 BC; monuments from Ur and Tutub depict battle parades that include heavy vehicles with solid wheels, their bodywork framed with wood and covered with skins. On the earliest chariots the wheels rotated on a fixed axle that was linked by a draft pole to the yoke of a pair of oxen. To the axle was attached a superstructure consisting of a platform protected by sidescreens and a high dashboard. These Mesopotamian chariots were mounted by both spearman and charioteer, although it is doubtful that fighting was conducted from the vehicle itself.”

Automakers would eventually take their place too in the scheme of things, and we must remember who brung it to the dance. As set out in ingeniumcanada,org, that would be Henry Seth Taylor who “beat Henry Ford by about 30 years with a Canadian-made ‘steam pleasure carriage.’ “

So the first automaker in Canada established himself in Stanstead, Quebec in the 1800’s, again according to ingeniumcanada.org:

“Taylor was a skilled artisan and loved to build things, and decided to make a steam carriage after seeing an American model in action. Using his metal-working skills, he crafted the carriage’s two-cylinder engine and driving mechanism while a local blacksmith, Joseph Mosher, constructed the carriage frame. Taylor first drove his steam-powered car in 1867 and demonstrated it publicly on September 24, 1868, at the Stanstead agricultural fair. Powered by a rear-mounted coal-fired boiler, the car used a tiller instead of a wheel for steering. Taylor had no plan to produce his invention for sale: he built it to test his mechanical skill and satisfy his own curiosity. Once he’d accomplished these goals, he put the steam buggy aside and moved on to other projects, leaving the buggy stored in a safe place that protected its metal parts from the ravages of time….”

The invention of the automobile certainly impacted carriage making, but there was an overlapping of the two industries at one point because business was still booming in carriage factories during the mid to late 1800’s. There were once carriage factories aplenty in North America alone, and in some instances fascinating relics remain of this bygone era. Preserved as museums, they provide a tantalizing glimpse into the past. Such as the hugely popular Campbell Carriage Factory Museum (tantramarheritage.ca/) located in Sackville, New Brunswick. It proved to be a treasure trove of important information in the writing of Bound For Somewhere. The (factory employee) characters mentioned in the book are of course pure invention, but a much-deserved salute is in order for this wonderful historical facility.

Campbell Carriage Factory

 

Started in 1855 by Ronald Campbell, this family business would thrive for nearly one hundred years. It was John Beal who undertook the original construction of the building in 1838 and used it as a tannery, before it was purchased and converted into a carriage factory by the Campbell family. High-quality horse-drawn vehicles were the Campbells’ basic stock and trade, but they also made tools, agricultural equipment and funeral caskets. (Subsequent generations included hay dealership and funeral undertaking as part of their business plan.)

A blacksmith shop was added to the Campbell Carriage Factory in 1856, certainly a mainstay in carriage-making with the custom-made metal components for sleighs, wagons and carriages it was able to produce, and much more.

And production was brisk at the carriage factory, by 1870 turning out up to forty wheeled vehicles and twenty sleighs a year. Even that number was improved upon during their time in operation. Nevertheless, like most such factories they eventually had to close shop as the automobile increased in popularity. But back in those halcyon days of the 1870’s, there were many young men who shared Garrett Kavenagh’s dream and found the means to take it all the way to a better life:

“Garrett had a mind that whatever he said the old man would find it amusing. ‘Waiting on tables, finding out what people want to eat and bringing it to them,’ he explained. ‘It’s just for now though,’ he added when he saw Gault winding up for another guffaw. ‘I got a job waiting at the carriage factory. I’m going to be making carriages.’

‘For certain?’

‘For certain, and someday I’ll own one.’

Gault kept his eyes on the road ahead. ‘Sure you will, and a pair of fine horses to pull it too.’

He was expecting that. ‘I will,’ he said with conviction, ‘someday.’”

 

 

 

Canadian Historical Brides ~ Quebec

                                                                    Belle Canadienne at  Amazon

                                                     

This charming cover is a romantic 19th century vision of what was, according to my research, a far harsher reality.  Women were scarce in all frontier colonies, but those who did dare the journey were as strong and probably just as ready to put the past behind them as the men for whom they are destined.

Jeanne Joly is among them. Brought up in a comfortable bourgeois home in the port city of Brouage, Jeanne runs away with a handsome sailor to La Rochelle. Her outraged father predicts she will rue the day she allowed her heart to rule her head. Now, a teen-age romance will decide her future.

Jeanne believes that "love conquers all" and so it does--for a few years. The little family is poor, but her husband adores her and her new in-laws are welcoming. However, sea-faring in the 1630's is a fraught calling and the day comes when neither her husband nor any of his shipmates return home. Within a few years, Jeanne's little boy too, becomes a victim of the ocean when he ventures too close to the waves.

A chance encounter with a charismatic lady shows her a way to escape both her "ruined" past and her current poverty. Soon, Jeanne is on her way to the undiscovered, wild country along the St. Lawrence River.  

Here's an excerpt from the newest entry in the Canadian Historical Brides Series, Belle Canadienne. It is available as e-book in all formats and in print.

 All my historical novels may be found: 

 Kobo

Smashwords

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

********************************************************************************************************** 

Ocean and sky! Ocean and sky!

Jeanne had never before sailed out of sight of land.  To see nothing but the ship surrounded by so much deep, deep water and feel herself riding over such massive swells--like hills that endlessly traveled beneath the ship--was a new and frightening experience.  Agathe had sailed to the Canary Islands with her brother and all the way down the coast of Spain, too, but even she appeared full of wonder at the endlessness of the Atlantic. 

In Jeanne's earlier coastal voyages, the welcome shout "Land Ho" had come quickly, but now a month had passed and they were only half--or, perhaps a third – of the way to their next sight of land.  Only time alone would tell. A single heavy two-day storm through which they had passed had made both women seasick and afraid for the first time in all their sailing lives... 

Below the main deck were those who were emigrating.  A few had wives with them.  Some of these folks were tradesmen--cobblers, coopers, and smiths--who had been engaged to work only for an indenture's term in New France.  There were soldiers and some carpenters too.  Two of those were indentured, but there was also the ship's carpenter and his apprentice. 

As well, peasant farmers were among the passengers, men who were promised land after they served a three-year term of indenture to the gentlemen seigneurs among whom the new land had been divided.  Their job would be immense for they would be clearing virgin forest, breaking sod, and facing the savages.  After their term of indenture was over, just as such peasants did in France, they would continue to pay rent to the mostly absent seigneurs who held title to the land on which they labored.  It was a hard bargain, this Jeanne understood, but she also knew that farmland was almost impossible to obtain in France if you were a younger son.  These brave paysan were willing to take the chance...

****************************************************************************************

Also in the Canadian Historical Brides series:

Fly Away Snow Goose

a residential school story set in Northwest Territories

Amazon

Kobo

Barnes & Noble

Teens caught by the Mounties and sent to an Indian Residential School in 1950's. Based on actual survivor stories, this is a tale of terror, endurance, escape, survival, and love, as 4 children journey home through the Canadian wilderness.

~~Juliet Waldron

A Christmas Gift to my BWL Readers (Free short story) "Rachel and Lynx--Rodeo Romance" By Connie Vines #A Cowboy For Christmas, #Lynx #Rodeo Bull Rider

 

canva book cover

Readers have emailed me and posted messages on my social media accounts over the years requesting a sequel to Lynx and Rachel's story...

I've always hesitated. This was my first published romance. And Lynx Maddox and Rachel Scott will forever hold a special place in my heart.

This month, I've been dreaming of thunder, lightning, and the freezing winds of Amarillo, Texas. The scent of rain drenching the Great Plains was a magical moment from my nomadic childhood.

So, during this time of Christmas and Hanukkah, I am giving my readers a long-awaited short story. 

©  2024 A Cowboy For Christmas  By Connie Vines

Rachel listened to the wind wrap itself around the ranch house. It shook the double-paned windows, and the icy cold penetrated the glass. Lynx had warned her that the Texas Panhandle had the harshest winds in the country. And the family ranch was miles from civilization.

Rachel said it didn't matter. 

She'd adapt. 

And so she had.

Until now.

Adjusting her fleece robe, Rachel leaned over the sofa to check on Mattie. Borrowed beneath a hill of blankets and quilts, her four-year-old daughter was toasty warm and blissfully asleep. Resisting the urge to stroke her daughter's soft auburn curls, she glanced back out the window.

Lynx was due back from San Angelo yesterday. He reminded her that a Texan always kept his promises. 

"You had better keep that promise, cowboy." 

Minutes passed. Rachel continued to pace across the room, holding back tears.

  

The crackling fire from the brick fireplace warmed the room. 

Rachel felt the baby kick, and she placed her palm protectively against her stomach. "Everything will be alright," she whispered.

Winters in the Bittterroot Valley of Montana were different. She lived in a small town, and her neighbors were nearby. 

She considered herself strong and self-reliant.  

After she married Lynx, she changed. They shared life's burdens and joys, and she felt safe. 

Until now.

She was on a ranch. Located in the coldest county in Texas. It was snowing. She had a three-year-old daughter and a baby who was due to be born in nine days. 

 "Lynx Maddox, you'd better not leave me alone with two..."

There was a loud thumping sound at the door.

Mattie jumped from the sofa before Rachel could process the sound and headed to the door. "Daddy. Daddy!"

Lynx stepped inside the room, followed by a guest of wind and snow.

He closed the door while their daughter scampered around him in delight.

Rachel stared at him. She was angry, frightened, and unable to speak.

Lynx walked over and gently kissed her tears away. "How often must I remind you to lock the door?" 

Rachel laughed, and a deep, rumbling chuckle erupted from Lynx's throat. 

"Welcome home, Wild Cat," she whispered.

The End (for now)

I hope you've enjoyed "A Cowboy For Christmas."

This is the story of Rachel and Lynx.

Award of Excellence, HOLT Medallion, The Orange Rose, and Colorado Gold Award.

 

Smashwords:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/887552

BWL site:https://bookswelove.net/vines-connie/

All Of my BWL ebooks:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/vinesbwl

May 2025 bring you love, joy, and many, many ebooks!

XOXO

Connie Vines

Follow me on:

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and more.

 

 

The Frogs

 

THE FROGS WHO WISHED FOR A KING

The Frogs were tired of governing themselves. They had so much freedom that it had spoiled them, and they did nothing but sit around croaking in a bored manner and wishing for a government that could entertain them with the pomp and display of royalty, and rule them in a way to make them know they were being ruled. No milk and water government for them, they declared. So they sent a petition to Jupiter asking for a king.

Jupiter saw what simple and foolish creatures they were, but to keep them quiet and make them think they had a king he threw down a huge log, which fell into the water with a great splash. The Frogs hid themselves among the reeds and grasses, thinking the new king to be some fearful giant. But they soon discovered how tame and peaceable King Log was. In a short time the younger Frogs were using him for a diving platform, while the older Frogs made him a meeting place, where they complained loudly to Jupiter about the sleepy do-nothing government.

To teach the Frogs a lesson the ruler of the gods now sent a Crane to be king of Frogland. The Crane proved to be a very different sort of king from old King Log. He gobbled up the poor Frogs right and left and they soon saw what fools they had been. In mournful croaks they begged Jupiter to take away the cruel tyrant before they should all be destroyed.

"How now!" cried Jupiter "Are you not yet content? You have what you asked for and so you have only yourselves to blame for your misfortunes."

Be sure you can better your condition before you seek to change.

 

What are you doing for the holidays? - by Vijaya Schartz

My latest release, Standalone, Find it at BWL
or at: amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo

For most, the holidays are a busy time, with parties, guests, food, shopping, drinks, presents, travels, family, friends, charities, and some work in between. I try to avoid most of that and only accept invitations from very good friends. This picture was taken the 20th, with JD Shipton, my BWL editor, and other BWL authors living in Arizona.

From left to right: Beverly Petrone, Vijaya Schartz, JD Shipton, Dean Hovey and his wife Julie

December 27th also happens to be my birthday. A rotten date for a kid expecting presents, but hey, that’s life. The picture was taken at Macayo’s with the traditional birthday hat and baked ice-cream. My Tai-Chi students surprised me with a birthday celebration in early December.

 

I do put up a Christmas tree… which Pasha (my feline companion) enjoys very much, especially at night when I’m not watching. On the picture (bottom right) he looks innocent enough, but believe me, he is not. Every morning, I find ornaments on the floor, all the way under the furniture. Maybe I spoiled him, holding and kissing him and telling him I love him even when he has been naughty. My philosophy is: cats will be cats.

The truth is, I’m a hermit at heart (typical Capricorn), and when I have a few days off, I like to lock myself in my cave and write… especially when I am starting a new series, like right now. Immersing myself in the story, without interruptions or obligations, is essential for my muse. My title coming next year will be about a group of Protectors, on another planet, after a cataclysm almost destroyed it. The philosophical background will be Tai-Chi.

I hope this holiday season finds you healthy, happy, loved, and surrounded by warmth (or snow if that’s what you like). Wishing you happiness, good health, and success for the year 2025.

Check out my latest series: amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo

Happy New Year

Vijaya Schartz, award-winning author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo - FB

Christmas Eve by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

 

https://books2read.com/The-Twelve-Dates-of-Christmas
 

https://books2read.com/Single-Bells

https://bwlpublishing.ca/donaldson-yarmey-joan/

Christmas Eve includes the full day December 24. In some religions, celebrations begin on Christmas Eve because of Chapter 1, Verse 5 in The First Book Of Moses, called Genesis: And God called the light Day and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. They believe because of that verse, the day of worship begins in the evening. Many churches ring their bells and hold services in the evening.

Also, according to Luke Chapter 2 Verses 6-8, Jesus was born at night. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

A small nativity scene is set up indoors or a larger one outdoors and has figurines showing Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. There may also be a lamb and the shepherds mentioned in Luke.

Christmas Eve day is considered a partial holiday and part of the Christmas celebrations. The two days are significant to areas in the world where Christianity is widespread. Families and friends gather Christmas Eve to go carolling, or walk their neighbourhoods to enjoy the lights, or go to church. Many even have their turkey dinner and unwrap gifts that evening.

Children go to bed Christmas Eve hoping they have been good enough throughout the year to receive a gift from the man in red. There are many different names around the world for the man who delivers to gifts: Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, St. Nicholas, and Father Christmas. May everyone who celebrates have a wonderful Christmas this year. And happy holidays to everyone having a celebration this season