BEEN THERE, DONE THAT… AND WANT TO DO IT AGAIN!

This phrase usually refers to something we’ve already done, and were not excited enough to want to do again. 

 

I see it with a slightly different filter. I think of the wonderful events and special moments I’d love to repeat.

Like what, you ask?

Participate in more anthologies, travel more, be more organized, spend more time with loved ones living far away, continue to weave the strands of our family tree, take more time to cook and bake, walk more with our beloved dog Rosie... and so much more.

 

T’is the season of gratitude and generosity.

Gratitude is always on my mind once summer fades and we enter my favorite time of year—autumn and winter. The time when leaves swirl and dance on gusts of wind, and trees bare their limbs and fields lie barren in morning mists. 

It’s time to go within, and I envy the trees. Can I possibly bare my soul as they do their limbs?

As a human being, I’m so very aware of how fortunate I am, this year more than ever. Hearth, home, food, family, friends, love. Supportive community, solid infrastructure, transportation, strangers with genuine smiles in their eyes as we connect briefly, passing each other like ships in the night… the list goes on.

As an author, I am honored to have been included in three amazing anthologies in 2015. 

My heartfelt thanks go to:

Marianne Stephens, the RB4U wizard. The Entice Me anthology was my first!

Rose Anderson, the fairy godmother of Exquisite Quills. The Exquisite Christmas anthology is all about romance in winter, and sharing from the heart and hearth. It brings a special sparkle to my Christmas this year.

 

Lois Winston, the magician behind the 88-author anthology, We’d Rather Be Writing. The pages are filled with to-die-for recipes and unique tips that make life easier for writers—and for everyone. A portion of the profit goes to the very worthy No Kid Hungry charity.

These women selflessly arrange forums, platforms, social media events and projects that benefit many writers. Our combined efforts go out into the world, uplifting and entertaining readers around the world. Thank you, ladies.

As I reflect on 2015 in the stillness of winter, I smile. It has been a delightfully enjoyable journey this year with all you wonderful authors and readers. A heartfelt friendship knits us all together. Thanks to each and every one of you.

Please share with us: what are you most thankful for this winter?

GEMMA JULIANA writes all kinds of love stories, from contemporary to paranormal. She has a penchant for romantic international settings. Gemma lives in a cozy cottage in Texas with her very own hero, teen son, and a dog who rules them all. Chocolate and coffee nourish her muse and fuel her creativity. She loves hearing from readers.

www.gemmajuliana.com

http://gemmajuliana.blogspot.com/

amazon.com/author/gemmajuliana

www.twitter.com/gemma_juliana

www.facebook.com/gemma.juliana

https://www.pinterest.com/gemmajuliana/

A Collection of Sparks by Rose Anderson

I have a new book out just in time for the holidays! It's an exciting collaborative born from my international Exquisite Quills reader/writer group. Buy here and elsewhere. I have two short stories in this anthology/cookbook: The Gift of Time and Star of Wonder. For my post today, I'd like to share the spark behind the latter.

I’m often asked how I come to write the stories I do. That answer is hard to pin down because I write all sorts of things from children's early readers to historical non-fiction. All I can say is  each writing had a spark that ignited it. For me, writing is the natural progression of a lifelong story collector.

I’ve been collecting stories ever since I was a child. Like so many of my generation, I grew up listening to my elders at the kitchen table. Important conversation could only occur there amid ritual items of adult conversation. In my house these were Melmac coffee cups and a chromed percolator. They sat beside large ashtrays of Pall Malls whose tendrils of eye-stinging smoke swirled to the ceiling like genies. The habit of conversation in the kitchen was long rooted in the past.  Even human language is thought to have come about when firelight extended the day. The hearth has always been the center of all activity. No matter the hearth is now a kitchen stove.

When my parents, aunts and uncles, and friends got together, they discussed everything from politics to the day to day business of their lives. They also played pinochle and laughed and told stories. I’d be there on the smoke-free floor drawing pictures amid the jungle of legs, all the while listening quietly and soaking up stories like a little sponge. I still remember bits and pieces of those stories. I’ve collected stories ever since.

When hubby and I moved our little family to this farm house 30 years ago, we immersed ourselves in the land and surrounding history. Everyday details of all the adjacent farmsteads were stories waiting to be discovered. To that end, we asked questions of elder residents whenever we could. I love when older folks share their memories. I could listen to seniors reminisce for hours. My active imagination and background in history hung on every word. My mind filled in the blanks and I could see their life and times unfolding right before my eyes.  Through their reminiscing, I learned about the man who went to California as a miner ‘49’er and came back after striking it rich. I discovered there are three children buried along the back road under pink peonies because the farm was quarantined when they lost their lives during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic. I learned about the pioneer cemetery where five children are buried and how the morbid sore throat (diphtheria) ravaged the family in the 1850’s. I know about the grisly murder of a farm hand. I also know where the lime pit is on the hill (that dissolved the body!). Through restoration work, I learned about the hidy-hole—a secret cellar in the house next door. Hidy-hole suggests Underground Railroad activity. I still wonder about the human molar and chauffeur’s license pin we found in that house’s cistern.

With such a head full of details, how could I not write books?

One of my favorite stories comes from older neighbors who remembered when the 1930’s brought rural electrification to my area. They told of how the Christmas tree was lit for the first time when electricity finally came down the line on Christmas eve. This truth is the basis for my story Star of Wonder. The rest is a tribute to love. As with all of my stories, Star of Wonder has its share of metaphor. 

Many of our oldest neighbors have passed on since we came here 30 years ago, but I still have their stories. I cherish the details of their lives and share them wherever I can. Like now. Through the retelling, those lives and times are remembered. I encourage everyone to ask questions of their elders. The details of their lives are as precious as the time left to tell them. As you gather with family and friends this holiday season, ask them to share those memories. Make their stories yours and share them. And then share your own. Stories live forever.

From my family to yours, I wish you the happiest of holidays.

Do you have a precious little story that you've collected?
Please share in comments!

>>۞<<

Rose Anderson is a multi-published award-winning author and dilettante who loves great conversation and delights in interesting things to weave into stories. Rose also writes across genres under the pen name Madeline Archer. She lives with her family and small menagerie amid oak groves and prairie in the rolling glacial hills of the upper Midwest.Stop by my blog for interesting topics all month long

http://calliopeswritingtablet.com/

Find Rose Anderson's scorching novels wherever love stories are sold.
Sample Rose Anderson's Scorching First Chapters 

Anthologies Galore!

We wish and dream of things we’d love to do. As an author, I long dreamed of participating in an anthology with other authors. The concept of everyone bringing something to the table in addition to their novellas, and pooling together to create a successful project, is very appealing. 

My story, Riviera Rendezvous, is in the first RB4U anthology, Entice Me: Luscious Love Stories, along with eight other delightful stories. 

Entice Me: Luscious Love Stories is available on Amazon at this link: 

http://amzn.com/B015YEHP9U

I had so much fun writing my story, a new series called Riviera Romances was born.

RIVIERA RENDEZVOUS

Amalie Pallas flees when she runs into danger on the cruise ship she calls home, but soon realizes she can’t afford to buy an airline ticket home from Italy.

Xandros Xenakis is more than the shipping agent everybody thinks he is—he owns the cruise ship and many more. He’s had his eyes on Amalie for months, so when she suddenly becomes a stranded damsel in distress, he is quick to offer her a solution.

Can Amalie be his pretend fiancée without losing her heart to him? After all, their contract is only for a weekend. What could possibly go wrong at a family event on the French Riviera?

~*~*~

This year marks my third story in the Exquisite Quills Winter Anthology, and the 2015 release will be a splendid project. Not only will it contain most of the stories from the earlier volumes, there will be new stories and a fine selection of scrumptious recipes. It will be available in paperback, too. Guess what my friends and family are getting for Christmas this year?

Here's a sneak peek of the stunning cover, but our Exquisite Magician-In-Chief, Rose Anderson, is likely to tweak it further before the release date.

My new short story, Midnight Sleigh Ride, features two characters from Riviera Rendezvous. Decades after they met, they are finally able to acknowledge their love for each other. Set in the exquisite ski resort Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Italian Alps, this short story reminds us that love, like fine wine, grows richer with age.

Exquisite Christmas should be available for pre-order around November 23^rd. You can stay tuned by visiting: http://exquisitequills.blogspot.com/

~*~*~

Another worthy and wonderful anthology that just went live is We'd Rather Be Writing, a non-fiction collection of tips and recipes from no less than 88 authors. Lois Winston is the Magician-In-Chief, and she has arranged for a donation to No Kid Hungry from the sales. This book is also available in paperback, so guess what else my friends and family are being gifted this year?

If you are interested, you can check it out at this Amazon link. It is also available on other platforms.

http://amzn.com/1940795346

As November is the month of gratitude, I wish to thank my fellow authors and readers for all the sharing, support, and enjoyment that is always to be found in this community. The leaves are finally turning ruby and gold in my neck of the woods, and as the days grow shorter, a time of reflection is prompted within me. On a personal level, I'm most thankful for a long overdue reunion with my brother and his family this year. 

What are you most thankful for in 2015?

GEMMA JULIANA is a multi-published author who writes love stories of all kinds, from contemporary to paranormal. She has a penchant for romantic international settings, whether real and fictional. Gemma lives in a cozy cottage in Texas with her very own hero, teen son, and a dog who rules them all. Chocolate and coffee nourish her muse and fuel her creativity. She enjoys traveling for research and spending time with family and friends. Gemma loves hearing from readers and making new friends.

AUTHOR WEBSITE & BLOG:

www.gemmajuliana.com

http://www.gemmajuliana.com/blog/

www.twitter.com/gemma_juliana

www.facebook.com/gemma.juliana

https://www.pinterest.com/gemmajuliana/