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A week today and it’ll be Christmas Day. There will be no blog next Monday … I’m taking the day off!

Christmas is a time for giving

The shops are all full of seasonal gifts. The TV ads are geared towards encouraging you to spend your money on the latest gadget – or a Christmas CD – or to book a holiday.

And you may be feeling generous. You maybe want to show your love to family and friends by buying them something …

Playing secret Santa

Today, I’m attending a lunch with the Red Hat Society ‘Ladies that live in Hope’.

Each of us will bring a wrapped secret Santa gift valued at only £5. It’s a token gift … and my contribution is a Sticky Notes Folder – one of the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady series. I’d love to receive one of these – look at all those different sized sticky notes.

William Ireland (owner of the Cottage Hotel) will dress as Father Christmas and, in return for a kiss, present each lady with a surprise gift from his sack. Here’s hoping William pulls out my gift from the sack when it’s my turn to give him a kiss.

It’s the thought that counts!

You may have taken the shortcut and sent money as a gift, expecting each recipient to treat themselves to something on your behalf. This works especially well for me; both my children live so far away and I’m totally out of touch with what the grandchildren might want.

So, what if you receive money?

On what will you spend your Christmas money?

In anticipation of receiving some money from someone (!), I’m treating myself to a course – not writing or anything to do with software. It’s a singing course. It’s the first weekend in September and located in a beautiful part of Cornwall. So I’ll have a weekend away … to relax … and to sing.

If you’d like to treat yourself to a course, there are two I can heartily recommend. I’m co-hosting both.

The Hope Cove Writers’ Workshop Weekend

Fri/Sat/Sun 9/10/11 March 2018

Hosts: Patsy Collins and Anne Rainbow

Tuition costs £120.

Residential (at the Cottage Hotel) or non-residential option.

• Writing, writing, writing!
• Creating story ideas
• Inventing characters
• Creating realistic dialogue
• Writing for a target reader
• Writing to a word count
• Editing
• Giving and receiving feedback
• Marketing yourself and your writing

You’ll leave on Sunday, more confident as a writer … with a greater understanding of the writing / editing process. You will have generated lots of ideas for future writing projects, and made some new friends and had an enjoyable break away from your normal routine.

Click here for more details.

Writers at the Watermill

Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon 9/10/11/12 November 2018

Hosts: Christine Cooke and Anne Rainbow

An opportunity to empower your inner writer …

• to develop your writing voice
• find inspiration to motivate your writing
• to explore your creativity alongside like-minded people
• to understand how to edit your work ready for feedback or print
• and to improve your writing and confidence.

Three nights’ accommodation, facilitation, all food, refreshment, materials and log fires for £499, which includes an option to stay for the rest of the week to write and relax.

Click here for more details.

… and a Happy New Year

Whatever you give – or receive – this Christmas, I wish you every happiness over the holiday season.

See you in the New Year!

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