I recently completed a
few interviews for the His to Protect blog tour and the only question I had any
trouble answering was the one about hobbies. What do you think of when you hear
the word “hobby”? Activities like scrapbooking, knitting, crocheting and
painting come to mind but aren’t as relaxing as they once were.
Of course, I could have
listed gardening, but at our house, I’m not the one who digs in the dirt. I’m
the one who plans the garden and advises on the arrangement, so basically, I
am, according to my husband, the director. Doesn’t sound like much of a hobby
but it does require research and some detailed drawings—sort of like plotting
with pictures.
I do like cooking and
baking. Punching bread dough or whipping up a new dish is wonderful for getting
rid of frustrations or, you guessed it, letting part of my brain concentrate on
a pesky plot point while another part is working on the schematics of my latest
recipe. Still, I don’t think the activity qualifies as particularly relaxing.
I’m basically multi-tasking and thinking of work.
Thrifting sounds like an
odd hobby and I guess it is but I love browsing through thrift and antique
stores. There’s something relaxing about examining an interesting piece of
glassware or vintage clothing that catches my eye. I just know that each piece
has a story and yes, I’m aware that my writer’s brain is working on how a
particular treasure ended up displayed on a shelf or tossed into a pile but for
me, this is more about entertainment than work. The piece itself tends to let
me know.
No, I’m not psychic, not
one little bit. But I do pay attention. In the past couple of years I’ve
You can’t believe how much information was available
for 10 cents. Did I want to know how to refashion a man’s wool suit into women
or children’s clothes? No, but for 25 cents, I caught a glimpse of what life
may have been like for the woman who’d originally purchased the magazine and cared for it well enough that it lasted 73 years.
I can’t wait until the
weather is a little more cooperative and I can spend weekends searching through
some interesting shops. Who knows what I’ll find?
How about you? What
hobby or pastime makes you smile; relaxes or energizes you?
Until next
month,
Happy
Reading
Paris
Brandon
A member
of Romance Writers of America and published since 2009, Paris writes
contemporary, paranormal, erotic and historical romance, throwing in a little
mystery and suspense for good measure. When not dreaming up stories featuring
heroes who aren’t intimidated by strong heroines, she loves rummaging around
antique stores for vintage clothes and jewelry. She lives in the mid-west with
her husband of many years and is currently enjoying all of the period dramas on
Netflix and wondering where she can find a hat that makes her look as stylish
as Miss Phryne Fisher.
