For the first time in four years, I haven’t been frantically drafting for NaNo, and it feels a little weird. However, I still have a lot of stuff going on this month and I’m glad I had time off the day job last week to rest before the chaos commences.
What’s happening this month?
Regarding my writing, I need to re-write sections on the last book in my Men of Trade series, The Radical Heiress. I’ve finished the planning, and while doing so, I came up with an idea for a story for one of the secondary characters. Now that idea wants to break free when I could do with it disappearing while I finish re-writes, but hey, the life of a writer never was easy.
The Austen Tea Party Anthology will also become unavailable from 8th November. If you still haven’t read it, get your copy before it disappears. So far, we’ve raised $998 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Christmas Baking
In my non-writing life, November sees the start of my Christmas baking. It may not surprise you to learn that I’m not one for jumping on the Christmas bandwagon early. I don’t like to acknowledge the festive season until December at the earliest, and I don’t put up my tree until mid-December. (Boo, hiss, Scrooge—yes, yes, terrible!)
However, I do like to eat lots of homemade treats at Christmas, which means I have to be organised and start baking in November. As I write, my Christmas pudding is steaming and filling the house with delicious, spiced aromas. (Check out my post about the history of the Christmas pudding to learn more.) Traditionally, Christmas pudding is made on Stir-it-up Sunday, which is the last Sunday before Advent. I make mine a little earlier to give it more time to rest and allow the flavours to develop.
Later this week, I’ll be making my Christmas mincemeat, which is delicious in homemade mince pies. Then, on Sunday 12th November, I’ll be making my Christmas cake. I’ve been making my Christmas cake on Remembrance Sunday for the last twenty years. My Grandma always made her Christmas cake on that day, and I’ve continued her tradition.
So, November is going to be busy, even though I’m not drafting for NaNo, but it will hopefully be an enjoyable busy, rather than a “pulling my hair out” busy.
What are you up to in November? More importantly, do you like Christmas pudding, cake and mincemeat, etc?
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