I also do ten to fifteen minutes of yoga most mornings. Since I spend quite a few hours sitting hunched over a laptop each day, a few easy stretches keep my neck and shoulder from stiffening up. The flow of it also helps to settle my mind. For me, having a routine is also important to my self-care. When we had children, I struggled to become more flexible, to not let a break in the line throw me into a dither. I am better at it now, but I do find myself getting tense if I have too many days in a row with unexpected happenings tossed my way. What about you? What do you do for self-care? What keeps you sane, LOL! Let me know below, then hop over to Jill Haymaker to get some of her self-care tips.
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I’ve made baskets and scarves and hats, but mostly I make blankets. I buy a lot of my wool at thrift stores which means I am often working with limited quantities, and blankets are the best bet in that situation. I’ve complete several projects I’m quite happy with (and several I’ve ripped out and tried again more than once, LOL!). Here are three of my favourites. What about you? Do you have a crafty hobby that keeps you entertained? Let me know below, then hop over to PG Forte http://rhymeswithforeplay.blogspot.com/ and see what she gets up to when she’s not writing or reading.
Authors I trust to write a great story and who I will often binge read include Ilona Andrews (the Innkeeper series has made it to my autobuy list, too), T. Kingfisher (her Paladin series), almost anything by KJ Charles, and when Martha Wells drops another Murderbot book, I’ll start saving my pennies (they as so good but a tad pricey for me). I also have several authors friends that I can whole-heartedly recommend. Sara Whitney is a new favourite of mine, Natasha Moore and Karen Booth are solid, and for scorching hot rom-coms, try Mellanie Szereto. The last three write older heroines, too. I’m not going to name a favourite book of 2022. I read and enjoyed so many I wouldn’t be able to decide. But if you have any recommendations I’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment down below! Then hop over to PG Forte and see what her top reads are!
I hope you've enjoyed our blog hops in 2022, and invite you to join us when we return in 2023! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Hop over to PG Forte for your next Christmas greeting. Complete your collection of my books during the Smashwords End of Year Sale! All my books are marked down until January 1, and Smashwords has them available in formats for all devices. Just search "Brenda Margriet" here. A holiday gift from PG Forte! The Winterlude Steampunk Christmas Collection includes new stories (a prequel and sequel to her story This Winter Heart) and a sneak peek at what’s next for the Winter Clan! Download it for free—only during the holiday season! We’re getting into the home stretch of 2022. Next week will be our last blog hop of the year, and then we’ll be taking a break for a couple weeks to enjoy some rest, relaxation, and family fun. To get into the holiday spirit, this week we’re sharing flash fiction with the keywords stockings, gingerbread, and lamppost. And go… *** Virginia leaned against the lamppost, the icy metal searing the skin of her unprotected palm. Lifting one leg, she struggled to straighten the seam of her uncomfortably tight red and white striped stockings. The bells on the toes of her pointed slippers jangled as she tugged. A particularly frustrated yank unbalanced her and the next thing she knew, she was sitting on her butt on the frozen pavement. The thin velvet of her red Mrs. Claus skirt did little to cushion her fall or keep out the chilly dampness. Tears burned behind her eyes and she pressed her lips together. Ignoring the cold seeping into her bones, she pulled her feet up and dropped her head onto her raised knees. It had been hard to admit she needed a second job to supplement her pay as a teacher-on-call if she wanted to give her kids the Christmas they deserved. It had been humiliating to apply to be a mall elf and be relegated to Ms. Claus because she was over forty. It had been downright devastating to be clad in her ridiculously unattractive curly grey wig and padded costume when her ex-husband and his new twenty-something wife had appeared in the line up with their two-month-old son. Somehow, she’d managed to pretend everything was fine. She’d smiled until her cheeks ached, cooed at the annoyingly beautiful baby, and played her part exactly as she was paid to do. But the moment it was time for a break she’d fled to the back entrance of the mall for some much-needed solitude. The heavy fire door behind her opened with clang. She curled tighter into herself. Maybe whoever it was wouldn’t see her in the dim afternoon light. “Are you okay?” So much for that. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a black, shiny, knee-high boot with a red velvet pant leg tucked into it. Great. It was Santa Claus. This was her first shift with this particular jolly old elf. She didn’t even know his real name. He’d already been dressed and ready to go when she arrived, so had no idea if his rounded belly was as real as the full white beard he sported. He’d dealt with teary children and weary parents with bonhomie and patience, giving every indication he actually enjoyed the role. It was almost enough to make her believe in Christmas miracles. Almost. “Virginia?” A large, warm hand pressed her shoulder and she caught a whiff of gingerbread. “I’m fine,” she lied, keeping her chin pressed to her knees. “It can be a tough time of year.” The comment was so unexpected—especially coming from him—she jerked her head up. He was smiling down at her, no trace of pity in his eyes, just warmth and understanding. “The expectations can be overwhelming,” he went on. “To do all the things, buy all the things, make all the things. Especially when you have children.” “Yes!” The word burst from her and she jumped to her feet. “I have such amazing kids. They’ve had a tough few years and they’ve been champs. I want to give them everything.” She didn’t mention how tight money was or that they’d be spending the holiday with their dad, stepmom, and new half-brother instead of her. None of that was their fault. “They’ll know you love them, even if there aren’t dozens of presents under the tree.” She waved a hand. “I know that. But it’s still hard, not being able to give them what they want. And it’s not like they’re asking for the moon.” She told him what her son and daughter had wished for on their own visit to Santa few days ago. He nodded, the lips behind the silver whiskers upturned in a small smile. “What about you? What do you want?” That brought her up short. What did she want? “Is a peaceful life too much to ask?” She laughed wearily. “I feel like I’ve been scrambling just to stay sane the last few years.” “That might be a little hard to put under the Christmas tree.” Santa’s eyes twinkled. “But I believe in you. You’re a strong, resilient woman. You’ll be okay. I promise.” She wanted to ask him why he thought so, since they’d only just met. How could he say such things with such confidence? But break was over and they were expected back at Santa’s workshop. She clung to his words through the rest of her shift. You are strong. Resilient. Maybe she could make it true if she pretended hard enough. At the end of the day, he waved goodbye and headed out of the mall, still dressed in his costume. She changed out of hers in the small room allocated for the purpose and dragged herself to her car. Snow had fallen while she’d been working, blanketing the windows. She opened the rear door, grabbed the brush, and shut the door. Then opened the door again and stared. On the backseat were two unwrapped items. The exact items that she’d mentioned to Santa just a few hours ago. She blinked. They were still there. If he was responsible for the gifts, how had he managed it? He hadn’t moved from his seat in the workshop all afternoon. And though he’d left the mall before her, she’d only been a few minutes behind. Not nearly long enough for him to search out the items and buy them let alone sneak them into her car. Besides, how would he know which car was hers? And it had been locked, she was sure of that. Also, the snow covering it had been undisturbed until she’d opened the door. She was still puzzling about it when she arrived for her shift the next day, determined to ask him if he was the person she should thank for taking some of the load off her shoulders. But she never saw that Santa again. *** I'd love to know what you think of this little Christmas story. Do you believe in the magic of the season? Then hop over to Jenna Da Sie and see what she's come up with! NOW AVAILABLE in Kindle Unlimited…the NEVER TOO BUSY Anthology! What's that saying? Never too busy for love? The characters in this limited-edition anthology have been—until they come across the Never Too Busy Dating app. It caters to professionals thirty-years of age and older and promises to match them with the person of their dreams. After all, workaholics deserve a happily ever after, too. Enjoy sultry, sexy stories featuring strong female leads and their determined partners in this brand-new collection! Includes my story, MARGIN OF RISK. His heart isn’t ready to heal. Her soul isn’t ready to trust. Neither is ready for a fake wedding date to restore their fractured spirits. (Heroine 42, Hero 41) This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop… What is the one dish or treat you can't do without during the holiday season? If you make it yourself, share the recipe. This topic is right on schedule! Last year, my mother, two daughters, two grandchildren, and I gathered for a Christmas baking day. We each did one recipe and then we all took some of everything home. It was so much fun we decided to make it a tradition. This Saturday, it will be my mother, two daughters, my son’s girlfriend, three grandchildren, and I getting together. I love how our family is growing. I am not much of a baker, but Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without butter tarts and chocolate haystacks. Those treats are staples from my side of the family. But on my husband’s side, a Portuguese sweet bread called massa is the treat that must be made. Now, yeast and I have never got along very well, but I took over this task a few years ago. It requires patience (which I don’t have in much abundance) to wait long enough for the dough to rise properly. Now I go for a dog walk or do some other longish task to take my mind off it, LOL! Below is the recipe I’ve adapted. Since I only make this at Christmas and Easter, I’ve laid it out really clearly so I don’t forget anything! And be sure to hop over to PG Forte for another holiday recipe! Massa (Portuguese Sweet Bread) 1 c. milk Zest of 1 lemon 2 tbsp yeast ¼ c. warm water 1 c. sugar 1 tsp salt 3 eggs 3 c. flour* (total of 5 – 6 c. needed) ½ c. butter, softened 2-3 c. flour* 1 egg Warm milk and lemon zest, being careful not to bring to a boil. Set aside. In a LARGE bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. While milk is cooling, let yeast start to work. Once milk is cool, add to yeast mixture. Stir in sugar, eggs, salt, butter and 3 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until it is double in size (about 3 hours). Punch down dough and divide into 10 “bun” size pieces. Grease round pans and arrange in in a flower pattern (5 to a pan). Cover and let rise until double (another 2 to 3 hours). The longer you let rise at this stage, the lighter the bread will be. Beat remaining egg and brush over tops of loaves. Bake in 300F oven until golden brown, about 50 - 60 minutes. What readers are saying about Turn the Next Page... "I love reading about seasoned characters and this author writes real people. A cozy, second chance romance set in a friendly town." Tracey - 5 Stars "What I’m Starry-Eyed Over: Second-chance romance—but make it a double. Unique and interesting meet again. Fun & spunky older generation." Leigh-Ann - 4 Stars Get it now before the price goes up! Only One Week to go! Her love will light up his night. If they can both survive that long. Heather is having the worst Christmas ever! Or, at least, the worst Christmas since she was forced to become a vampire. Her sire's distracted, her nestmates have forgotten her, weirdos have taken over the lair. The only bright spot in her life right now is Drew--who didn't even used to like her! She knows he's fond of her now, but that's not good enough. She wants more. She wants everything. She wants him. And she's not giving up. Drew Geiger gave up on love a long time ago. Such tender emotions have no place in a vampire's heart. But, somehow, the girl he once described as a "feral kitten" has got her claws in him, and she's not letting go. That would be fine, if only someone didn't want her dead--and if her sire didn't recall that it was Drew who once suggested that maybe she'd be better off that way. Light Up the Night Releases December 13! Pre Order Now! We’re opening the cupboard door on deep dark secrets today on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop… What's the weirdest thing you've ever Googled in the name of research for your writing? Okay, maybe not too deep and dark, LOL! It’s not like I write murder mysteries or horror, so my Googling isn’t too macabre. I do honestly wonder how writers did it before the internet, though! I find myself searching for all sorts of things, from big to small. I recently used a business name generator to come up with a name for the motorcycle shop in my work-in-progress (Book 5 in the Silverberry series, Too Good for Words). And I frequently use an online thesaurus. Whenever my stories take me away from my hometown (where most of them are set), I spend a lot of time using Google Streetview to get the little details what bring location and setting to life. For After Words, I searched for videos of a tidal bore in Nova Scotia so I could give a credible description. I’ve studied black bear poaching (Mountain Fire) and university tenure qualifications (When Time Falls Still). I took a free online course to learn basic computer coding (Gateway Crescent) and looked up what it felt like to do a polar bear dip (The Promise of Frost). I spent a lot of time reading about the Barkerville Gold Rush (Richly Deserved), cancer diagnostic procedures (Secrets Under the Covers) and DNA testing (Turn the Next Page). I’ve even used Vancouver’s public transit website to get a character where she needed to go (Reservations of the Heart). Even though I write fiction, I like the details to be correct, even if most readers won't know (or maybe even care!). I also greatly enjoy learning new things and always have. Now hop over to Leslie Hachtel and see what she's researched! Pre Order Turn the Next Page here! Only two more days until you can read Aubrey and Phillip's sexy second chance love story. They haven't seen each other for thirty years...but the attraction that burned between them in high school hasn't dimmed over the decades. Fifty+ year-old character Steamy open-door sex Silver fox Divorce Adoption Strong woman alpharoll hero Search for family The Dream Dancer The Lady Bryce has a gift. She can enter dreams and persuade. It has served her well, especially in eliminating unsatisfactory suitors of her father's choosing. When she encounters Lord Rowland, she knows he is a man who likes women. Bryce decides to visit him in his sleep and make him desire her above all others. When she has driven Rowland to the edge of longing, she extracts a promise that he will marry her. She goes to Court to ensure he keeps his word. When he finally agrees to honor his word, Bryce is consumed with guilt. She knows she has extracted his promise unfairly and tried to demur. But he insists and they are wed. But what will happen when he finds out the truth? |