Jen Gilroy's Blog, page 11

“Try February:” A month of reading books by new-to-me authors

Some of you will be familiar with “Dry January,” a public health campaign in certain countries, including the UK, encouraging people not to drink alcohol for the first month of the year.

“Try January” is different in that it can be a time to try something new. I heard about it from my friend Kate Field who, in January 2020, committed to reading books by authors new to her. Kate did the same thing in January 2021 and I’ve enjoyed hearing about the books she read and also added some new titles to my to-be-read list.

Although a month late, I’ve decided to follow Kate’s example. Although it’s easy for me to stick with favourite authors (especially because I have so many friends, including Kate, who write wonderful books!), this February I’ve decided to shake things up and only read books by authors I’ve never read before—either borrowed from the library, from my physical bookshelves or tucked on my Kindle.

The library

Libraries are still closed here due to lockdown but my local branch offers curbside pickup and I can, of course, still browse the online catalogue.

Via that means I found the first book on my February reading list, The Evening Chorus (2015) by British/Canadian author Helen Humphreys.

Spanning the UK and Germany during and after the Second World War, it’s accessible literary fiction and a gentle, beautifully written story with a profound message about life and the interconnections between people and nature.

Read a review here. 

Shopping my own bookshelves

As a bibliophile since childhood, my bookshelves are filled with not only favourite books and authors but other titles that caught my interest and I set aside to read ‘someday.’

Since that ‘someday’ is now, for “Try February” I’ve chosen a book that has languished on my to-be-read shelf far too long, The Wardrobe Mistress (2017) by British author Natalie Meg Evans.

A story set in London’s post-war theatre world, it promises romance, family secrets and rich historical detail.

Read a review here.

Digging for digital treasure

I will not admit to how many unread books are on my Kindle but suffice to say that between BookBub Bargains, recommendations from friends, and Amazon also-boughts, I could read my way through several years of lockdown!

This month, I’m digging into this digital treasure trove with The Last of the Moon Girls (2020) by American author Barbara Davis.

An Amazon charts bestseller (with thousands of glowing Amazon reviews), it’s a contemporary women’s fiction novel about family, friendship and romance, along with mystery and magical realism.

Read a review here. 

Have you recently read any new-to-you authors whom you enjoyed and would recommend I add to my list? If you receive my blog via email, hit reply and let me know or, if you read it on my website, comment below.

N o matter which authors and books you choose, Happy February reading!

 

Lockdown weary

When out for a walk with Floppy Ears this week (one of the few forms of exercise still allowed here), she spotted canine friend Arthur.

Desperate to visit, she cried and tugged at her leash while I held her tight and waved at Arthur’s owner across our small town’s main street.

And in that moment, I realized that like my sociable hound, I’m tired of the restrictions we’re living under— “lockdown weary” as I described it in an email to my sister-cousin.

Yet, and with a stay-at-home order in Ontario, Canada and nearing the end of a month that has often felt like a year, I was once again reminded of my late mother.

Not only was one of her favourite expressions “count the pluses” (of which there are many in my life), but where possible, she encouraged me to reframe my grumbles into something more positive.

So, instead of lamenting what I’m missing, in the spirit of changing my perspective I’m sharing five things I’m looking forward to once Covid-19 vaccines are rolled out and a more ‘normal’ life resumes.

Travel

After months of not being able to leave my local area, I want to go somewhere, anywhere, and preferably by air because even waiting in an airport (people watching!) will seem exotic, fun and new.

Going to church

Even before the pandemic, much of my life was online but church wasn’t and I cherished that time on Sunday morning, gathered in worship with friends and neighbours. In additional to spiritual growth, for me church is social so I’m excited about once again sitting in a full sanctuary with live music and, after the service, chatting over coffee and treats.

A restaurant dinner and movie

Instead of a takeout meal and Netflix on the sofa, I want to go out for dinner with Tech Guy and see a movie in a cinema too. Having a ‘date’ outside our home helps nurture our relationship and that’s easier when laundry and a messy kitchen aren’t in view.

Meeting with friends and family 

From having a cup of tea with a friend whose house I can see from mine, to visiting a more far-flung friend in Wales and enjoying afternoon tea at a favourite seafront hotel, I’m looking forward to connecting with people in real life, rather than by telephone and screen.

Writing conferences

Although there are many benefits to virtual gatherings, reduced cost in particular, there is no adequate virtual substitute for physically being with people who ‘get’ what being a career author means.

I’m an introvert and will never be the life of any party, but I want to socialize in person with author friends and share the ups and downs of the writing life with like-minded peers.

Meanwhile…distraction

As I tugged a complaining Floppy Ears along a snow-covered path farther away from Arthur, I tried to distract her while realizing I needed to distract myself as well. 

When I got home, I ordered travel brochures, forgoing the online download for paper copies which are being sent to me through the mail. I also dug out recipe books to salivate over afternoon tea ideas and am browsing local restaurant menus with anticipation rather than regret. 

As for Floppy Ears? As soon as it’s safe to do so, play dates with dog friends are in her future! 

If you’re sheltering at home, what are you looking forward to when lockdown ends?

Lessons from 2020 and a new word for the new year

In the past few weeks, I’ve read many posts celebrating the end of 2020. From celebrities to ordinary people, the last year was one that many of us were glad to see the end of.

I too have been thinking about 2020 and, in looking ahead to 2021, how to take learning from last year into this new one.  

Patience…along with persistence and perseverance

In writing, one of the first lessons I learned was patience, as well as persisting and persevering despite difficulties and obstacles.

After starting to write seriously towards traditional publication in 2009, I published my first book in 2017 and, since then, the journey has continued to have twists and turns—some welcome, others less so.

In the process, though, patience has indeed been a virtue and persistence combined with perseverance has helped me remain focused on my goals and overcome obstacles to reach them.

Patience, persistence and perseverance have shaped most other aspects of my life too including an almost twenty-five-year marriage to Tech Guy, parenting a daughter with medical challenges, various international and cross-country moves and coping with losses large and small.

As a result, in 2020 I drew on inner strength I didn’t know I had and although I couldn’t overcome every obstacle, I nevertheless have a firm basis to build on for 2021.

Preparedness and possibilities

As someone who used to think she was prepared for most disasters (and had the emergency preparedness checklist and stored bottled water to prove it), the pandemic brought a new kind of emergency and invisible enemy.

Yet, despite my lack of preparedness for this particular crisis, my world kept turning.

We didn’t run out of toilet paper or hand sanitizer.

When flour and yeast supplies ran low, a local grocery store sold customers small quantities from their in-house bakery supply, thereby creating their own temporary ‘shop brand.’

And when red and green decorations for Christmas cookies were sold out, I bought pink sugar and rainbow sprinkles and started a new tradition.

While I still like to be prepared, 2020 helped me to be more open to possibilities in life as well as in my writing. 

Pause and play for inner peace

Last year, many aspects of ordinary life went on an unexpected pause. As a result, though, I have a new appreciation for things I once took for granted—getting a haircut when I want one, visiting the library, eating in a restaurant and getting together with friends and neighbours amongst others.

At the same time, however, I was reminded of the benefits of play, the kind of unstructured time that, in childhood, laid the foundation for much of my adult creative life.

Although Tech Guy, English Rose and I didn’t go far from home for our summer holiday, a break at a lakeside cottage turned out to be exactly what we needed and that time of rest and play helped me refill my creative well and life reserves more generally.

And instead of rushing around airports, the hours I spent watching the ebb and flow of lake water and paddling in a kayak gave me a kind of peace in myself that didn’t dissipate once I returned home.

New word for a new year

As many of you know, I choose a word (or words) to guide me each year. In 2020, those words were “resilience” and “transition,” apt as it turned out.

For 2021, though, I’m choosing to focus on “light” because if 2020 taught me anything it’s to celebrate and be grateful for each glimmer of light amidst gloom.

While 2020 was a hard year and much of the time I felt as if I was buried under a heap of rubble, light still shone in that darkness and it’s helping me go into 2021 with new hope, optimism and writing plans too.

Wishing you good things in 2021 with “light” of your own.

A bonus post for writers: “3 Goals Every Writer Should Make in the New Year!”  

My friend Sweta Vikram, who, in addition to being an award-winning and bestselling author is also an Ayurveda and Mindset Coach and global public speaker, wrote an essay for Brevity Magazine on “3 Goals Every Writer Should Make in the New Year!” and invited me and three other women writers to contribute. 

Check out Sweta’s essay here for helpful advice to start your writing year including my tips on self care, setting manageable goals and not comparing yourself to others. 

If you’re not familiar with Sweta’s work, visit her website and connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. She’s a huge supporter of others, women especially, and inspires me in both writing and life. 

Holiday memories in music

Although I don’t usually start playing holiday music until December, 2020 has been such a grim year that I dug out my seasonal CDs and created a Spotify playlist in the middle of November.

And from traditional carols to sacred music and popular festive tunes, now more than ever music, is giving me much-needed cheer.

Childhood singing 

Like baking familiar treats, holiday music triggers memories of Christmases past and people now gone but still kept close in heart.

Whenever I hear “Joy to the World,” I’m taken back to childhood Christmas Eve church services, a time when my nose barely reached the top of the glossy wooden pew in front of me.

Those long-ago Christmases are infused with the scent of peppermints (“church candy” that came from a tin in the depths of my grandmother’s handbag), wet wool as fresh snow dried on winter coats, and blasts of frosty air whenever anyone opened an outside door.

Other music brings memories of school concerts.

While I don’t remember the actual event, the first notes of “Jingle Bells” bring back rehearsing for once such holiday concert in Grade 2 when a classmate threw up his lunch across the gym floor.

The arrival of the school nurse in tandem with the custodian with mop and bucket is still vivid, as is the voice of the music teacher urging a group of excited seven-year-olds to “settle down” while simultaneously trying to roll the heavy upright piano away from the “incident scene.”

Music on screen 

Before Netflix, Amazon Prime and other such services, holiday programming was only available on a limited number of television channels and I looked forward to it all year.

From special editions of favourite programmes to watching movies like A Charlie Brown Christmas, holiday viewing (usually singing along to the soundtrack as a family) was an important and fun part of this season.

This year, I was reminded of that fun when American author friend Rosey Lee put together a playlist featuring songs from Disney’s Holiday Sing Along 2020, recently broadcast on the US ABC network.

I’ve now watched/listened to Rosey’s playlist several times (access it on YouTube here), and this collection of songs not only makes me smile but reminds me why music is such a special joy at this time of year.

Favourites old and new

One of the things I love about music is that it’s always evolving and each holiday season brings me new favourites.

While my December ‘music to write to’ has a Canadian theme with Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong album and Michael Bublé’s Christmas, also on my playlist are two new releases.

The first, Christmas Harmony by Indigo May, came out in November 2020 and is available on all major streaming and download platforms. With gorgeous renditions of traditional and modern seasonal music, as well as raising money to support Barnardo’s, a UK children’s charity, it’s a festive treat.

And secondly, Tamesis Chamber Choir based in Reading, England (where I lived) has launched a special recording of John Rutter’s “Angels’ Carol” (a modern Christmas classic first released in the 1990s) in support of Thames Hospice.

That recording (watch/listen on YouTube here) is extra special to me because a friend sings with Tamesis Choir and another friend was cared for by Thames Hospice.

A festive book party and blog hiatus

A week before Christmas, I’m helping British author friend, Suzanne Snow, celebrate the paperback release of her debut, The Cottage of New Beginnings, a cosy, feel-good romance that celebrates happily ever after and English village life.

Held on Facebook, “Christmas in Thorndale” will be an hour of writerly fun including a virtual holiday party with characters from Suzanne’s book, festive Q&A with special guests (including me!) and a chance to win some fabulous prizes.

Join the party on 17 December 2020 at 7.30 p.m. UK time/2.30 p.m. North America Eastern time here.

No matter what you celebrate this December—Chanukah, Christmas or Kwanzaa—I wish you and yours a safe, healthy and meaningful holiday season—complete with your own favourite music and, of course, books!

I’m taking a break from blogging for Christmas and New Year but will be back with a new post on January 8, 2021.

 

Losing a loved one in the time of Covid

As some of you know, Tech Guy’s mother (English Rose’s grandma) passed peacefully in the first week of November.

Although not unexpected—she had advanced dementia and other serious medical issues—this time of pandemic made a difficult situation even more so.

It also made me appreciate, though, how many families are also grieving in this year when almost everything we once took for granted, both in our own lives and the wider world, has been turned upside down.

In Tech Guy’s case, Covid-related restrictions meant he hadn’t been able to visit his mom in her care home since February, leaving her more isolated at a time when she and other older people need companionship and human contact more than ever.

Those same restrictions meant planning my mother-in-law’s funeral was more complex than would ordinarily have been the case, necessitating an outdoor, graveside service with only immediate family attending.

And, not least, the ongoing pandemic meant that ordinary comfort rituals at a time of grief—from hugging (and Tech Guy’s family are big huggers) to gathering for a post-funeral reception or meal—were no longer possible.

Giving thanks

Yet, and as my brother-in-law who gave the eulogy at the service, said: “Mom always told us to be thankful for what we had and not focus on what we didn’t.”

As his words wrapped around us, a small group of mask-wearing mourners on a sunny and unseasonably (for central Canada) warm November morning, they reminded me of gratitude, even at a time of grief.

We were there to celebrate the life of a woman who’d lived a long and fulfilled life, rich in the love of family, friends and community.

She hadn’t been taken by Covid but rather passed peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by treasured family photos and mementoes in a place where she felt safe and received devoted, high-quality care.

My mother-in-law was a private person whose focus was family. As such, and in some ways, the intimacy of the graveside service was almost exactly what she would have wanted. Her five children, eight of her nine grandchildren, several small great-grandchildren, and spouses were all able to gather to honour her life. 

Although we couldn’t hug, we could still meet in a way that, only several days later, increased Covid restrictions would likely have precluded.

And not least, just before what would have been their wedding anniversary, my mother-in-law was reunited with her husband whom she loved and missed so very much.

Keeping memories alive

When grieving the loss of a loved one, there is also grief for what the person meant in your life.

Yet, as the minister who led my mother-in-law’s service reminded us, a person dies three times.

Once at the point of physical death. Once again at the funeral or memorial service to mark their life. And once more when there is nobody to remember or say their name.

In that sense, my mother-in-law and all those we’ve lost will live on in both our memories and stories we, including English Rose, here as a small child with her grandma, tell across generations.

And this holiday season, as Tech Guy makes his mother’s apple pie, and with trepidation I attempt my mother’s Nanaimo Bar recipe (which helped inspire the Nanaimo Bar cheesecake in my Irish Falls books), we will mourn but celebrate the lives they lived too.

Because in this hard year, we need our memories more than ever and to be thankful for those who lived, loved and shaped our lives—and will continue to shape generations to come.

My heart goes out to those of you also grieving the loss of a loved one.

And while I hope those of you in the US had a meaningful Thanksgiving, I also hope that no matter where we live, we can all find something to be thankful for.

If you didn’t receive this post via email, do you know that you can subscribe to my blog? 

Every two weeks, get short posts about life or writing with the same heartwarming feeling as in my books. Sign up here. 

Please note: After signing up, you’ll receive an email asking you to confirm your subscription.

If not, check your spam/junk folders as confirmation emails sometimes end up there.

Laughter is indeed good medicine

When I was a child, my grandparents had a subscription to Reader’s Digest magazine and, once they finished with each issue, it came to my house to be read and enjoyed again.

Back then, a favourite column was “Laughter is the Best Medicine!” and as an adult, it’s one I always turn to whenever I spot a copy of what my grandmother called “the Digest.“

This year most of us haven’t had much to smile about, let alone laugh.

Yet, in the past few weeks especially, I’ve been reminded of how laughter can be a helpful antidote to stressful times.

Laughing at myself

Although I’m by nature a serious person, laughing at myself helps me be less self-critical, reduces my worry and boosts mental health.

Last week at my scheduled mammogram appointment, I accidentally wore my facemask upside down.

The result? Since the mask’s nose wire appeared in the image, the technician had to add a note to my file explaining what it was and that it was nothing to be concerned about!

I also regularly search for my reading glasses only to ultimately find them atop my head.

I’ll spare you more examples but laughter helps turn potentially embarrassing experiences into one of those (and to borrow from another Reader’s Digest column) “Life’s Like That” moments.

Watching comedy

For me, comedy is a way of de-stressing. At this time when I’m mostly confined to home, I’ve been binge watching Still Standing featuring Canadian actor and comedian Jonny Harris.

In each episode, Harris visits a small Canadian town and finds heart and humour in often struggling, out-the-way places.

Currently available free on CBC Gem in Canada, and through Amazon Prime in the US and UK, Still Standing is a dose of armchair travel, geographic trivia and gentle, laugh-out-loud wit when I need it.

Floppy Ears

My sweet dog is also a frequent source of laughter and no matter how bad the day, she always makes me smile.

Oblivious when she’s called by name, she nevertheless appears in the kitchen within seconds of the fridge door being opened.

And she can always find fun whether with one of her own toys or adapting household items, usually from the laundry basket, for impromptu play.

Family memories

Memories are the strands that link both my own, and the families I write about, together.

When English Rose was a toddler, I had to put a lock on my closet door because she was determined to take my shoes to her bedroom to “try them on,” meaning I was often missing matching pairs before work.

And after I met my lovable but inept Tech Guy, it took him THREE WEEKS to get in touch with me after he’d said he would because he was “busy!”

These anecdotes are now part of our family’s lore and, as well as making me laugh, they also remind me of how we’ve grown and changed together.

Everyday life

Although everyday life is currently grim, it still has funny moments if we look for them.

Want to find more reasons why laughter is good for us?

HelpGuide, an American non-profit organization, has useful tips for bringing more laughter into your life, along with listing the many physical, mental and social benefits of humour.  

Evidently, that old Reader’s Digest magazine that arrived in my grandparents’ mailbox each month was right all along.

Happiness is…Talking about books

Books have been part of my life as far as back as I can remember and almost as soon as I learned to read, I shared and talked about books with others.

In childhood

At school, book reports were a feature of elementary (primary) school and in sorting through old papers, I recently came across this ‘gem’ capturing my thoughts on a book I read when I was eight.

“I didn’t like it. It was scary.”

Clearly, as both reader and writer, my preference for heartwarming, feel-good fiction began early!

I also remember talking about books with my school and local branch librarians who were often a source of new book recommendations, something the librarians in my current public library still do via their “staff picks” section.

Growing up, I had pen pals in various parts of the world and in addition to letter writing, some of them shared my interest in books and reading. Indeed, I still have a book of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytales sent to me by one such pen friend in Denmark.

Sharing books with family and friends

My mother and I talked about books too and even during my years of teenage angst when there was much we didn’t agree on, books were always a bridge between us.

Talking about, shopping for and sharing books was something we enjoyed doing together, and I cherish books with Mom’s pencil notes inside the front cover.

“A good book, read Easter 2011,” says a comment in a paperback edition of Debbie Macomber’s Back on Blossom Street, a book now on my own shelf.

As an adult, talking about books with friends, whether through a book club or informally, has helped me forge bonds in life, not only fiction.

And with participation in my real-life book club on hold owing to the pandemic, I’m drawing bookish sustenance from several Facebook book groups.

Although I’m an author, I’ll always be a reader first, as keen to discover a new-to-me and must-read title as anyone else.

My ‘bookish’ author life

Now as an author, I talk about my own books with others and sometimes offer recommendations of books I’ve enjoyed in my monthly newsletter. If you haven’t yet subscribed to my newsletter, do so here.

In terms of talking about my books, October has been especially busy.

For fans of Floppy Ears, I guested on The Writer’s Pet to talk about my sweet dog and how animals in my fiction help characters grow and change. 

Read my chat with Zazie Todd, PhD, an author and founder of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, here. 

For the recent Ontario Public Library Week here in Canada, I was interviewed by the founder of a local writers circle about my books and writing life. 

Watch our chat at North Grenville Public Library on this YouTube video here. (Given the ongoing pandemic, I’m wearing a mask in line with regional public health guidance for indoor venues).

Not least, I was interviewed by author Ruby Moone on the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) blog and we chatted about my latest release, A Wish in Irish Falls. 

Ruby also asked me to share advice for my younger writing self and aspiring authors.

My two top tips? Self-belief and perseverance. 

Read that interview here. 

Share your love of books with authors & leave a review

If you like talking about books too, make an author’s day and tell them so, including leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub or elsewhere. 

Reviews are one of the easiest (and free) ways to share book love and they also help your favorite authors find new fans. 

Since I’m all about recommendations and finding new favorites, what book have you enjoyed recently?

Flash book sale, a writing tip & a cookie

In between my regular blog post schedule, I’m writing to you this week to let you know about a flash sale on A Wish in Irish Falls and share a writing tip.  

Get A Wish in Irish Falls for only 0.99 cents/pence

If you’re in the US or UK, my publisher has put the Kindle edition of my most recent book, A Wish in Irish Falls, on sale for 0.99 cents/0.99 pence for THREE DAYS ONLY—Friday 23 October through to Sunday 25 October 2020.

If you missed it earlier, it’s a sweet, small-town contemporary romance about second chances in love, as well as life, family and community—with a cute rescue dog and septuagenarian matchmaker too. 

Find out more and get a copy (free with Kindle Unlimited) here.

What reviewers are saying…

“A magical story of love, loss, and wishes wrapped up in hope. I highly recommend.” Novels N Latte

“Everything about A Wish in Irish Falls is wonderful. The small-town setting, the gossip and protective community, and the wishing tree bringing hope to Tara and Walker.” A Soccer Mom’s Book Blog

A writing tip: Finding my writing voice

When I give talks about writing, I’m often asked about “writing voice” and, specifically how to find it so I recently wrote a guest post on this topic for Frost Magazine.

If you’re a reader, I hope you enjoy this glimpse into why and how writers write what they do.

And if you’re a writer who follows my blog? Voice is an aspect of writing craft many of us (me included) have struggled with so I hope you find my perspective helpful.

“Although finding my voice was one of the most difficult parts of my writing journey, it was also the most rewarding. And, perhaps most importantly, writing with the warmth and intuition that comes from the core of who I am is the most honest gift I can give.”

Read the article (including a picture of me with dear author friend Susanna Bavin) here.

And not least, a cookie (biscuit for British friends)

As promised in the headline, and as a thank you for reading, here’s a pumpkin spice cookie made by English Rose to her secret recipe.

For me, happiness is a sweet autumn treat with a book and cup of tea.

What makes you happy?

In the continued and often described “dumpster fire” that is 2020, there are many things that aren’t making me happy. From the pandemic and other world events through to a myriad of concerns in my own life, it’s far easier to focus on stress than joy.

Yet, and especially in this particular year, I need to focus more on small everyday joys and savour moments of calm when I find them.

So, in the spirit of small things that make me happy, here are five from this week.

Being in nature 

Last weekend, a friend and I went for a socially distanced, mask-wearing walk in a nearby nature conservation area.

Crunching through fallen leaves, admiring trees decked in brilliant autumn foliage and breathing in the crisp, fresh air pulled me out of myself and my worries and “grounded me” in something solid and necessary—and gave me a sense of timelessness too.

Friendship 

Like most of us, I’m  missing social connections so being able to see a friend for that walk in “real life” was a blessing not to be taken for granted.

My friend is having her own challenges and while “a problem shared wasn’t a problem halved,” being able to talk about those problems made some of our worries seem a bit less daunting.

A sense of achievement 

In a chaotic world, ticking a few manageable things off my “to-do” list like tidying a kitchen storage unit gave me an inordinate sense of achievement.

And the bonus? My candle holders are now more accessible to use and enjoy candles on these dark autumn evenings.

My books 

Not ones I’ve written (although those give me joy too) but looking at my bookshelves and the reading memories and encouragement they hold brings me a sense of comfort, happiness and connectedness to other times and places that’s invaluable right now.

I’ve also been dipping into old favourites—a return to a reassuring world I need.

Family photos 

With not having many close living relatives, and the pandemic meaning I’m not able to visit with extended family, looking at the photo albums my late dad compiled and sorting through boxes of even older family pictures (some going back to my great-grandparents’ generation) has reminded me of roots, history and more.

It’s also made me laugh (my teenage hair didn’t look nearly as good as I thought it did!), recall happy memories and remember old friends.

Hitting the “reset” button…

In these days of isolation, chaos and fear, I still have much to worry about but there are also things that make me happy.

And hitting that “reset” button to focus on those things has made an important difference to how I’m managing stress and finding more joy. 

What makes you happy now?

Sale alert…Get Back Home at Firefly Lake for only 1.99 ($2.99 in Canada)

Looking for cozy, feel-good reading? The e-book of Back Home at Firefly Lake, the third book in my Firefly Lake trilogy (although it also stands alone) is currently on sale in Canada and the US for only $1.99 (up to $2.99 on some retailers & in Canada).

I don’t know how long this sale will last so if you haven’t read it or would like to gift the story to a friend, grab a bargain now.

“Gilroy’s wistful third Firefly Lake contemporary brings two sad and lonely people together for a second chance at love…But when these two broken souls come together, magic happens.” —Publishers Weekly.

Amazon |B&N Nook |Kobo |Google Play |Apple

Finding baking memories

As summer’s warmth becomes a distant memory, I’m doing more baking, a favourite pastime but one I haven’t had much time for in the last few years.

To bake, though, I needed to sort through my overflowing kitchen cupboards and the boxes stacked at the foot of the basement stairs, a legacy of clearing out my late mom’s home and several moves in quick succession.

Apart from discovering I own no fewer than three egg poaching pans, six springform cake tins and enough mixing bowls to stock a small bakery, I also uncovered several boxes of cookie cutters, both my own and those I inherited from my mother and grandmother.

And as I opened those boxes, the memories came back.

Baking cookies (biscuits) in England with English Rose when she was small and using the pink princess cutters that were once her favorite.

A stash of holiday cutters, including my mom’s, used every Christmas as far back as I can remember, even when I was so small I had to sit on a wooden stool to reach the counter top at her side.

Several sets to cut cookies or sandwiches into the shape of spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds that echo a time when my grandparents invited friends for “card parties,” an important social event in their small-town life.

Canadian-themed cutters with maple leaves, a polar bear and a moose. Shamrock cutters for St. Patrick’s Day (a nod to my mom’s Irish heritage) and gingerbread people in all sizes.

And, not least, numerous round metal biscuit cutters, some so old and battered they likely came from my great-grandmother or one of the venerable great-aunts who were so much a part of my mother’s childhood.

Unpacking those boxes was a trip down memory lane—a wander through the winding path of both my own and my family’s history.

That history has been intertwined with baking for not only sustenance and comfort but, in many instances, contributing to a greater community good whether through giving baking to a neighbor in need or as part of a local fundraising “bake sale.”

As I make cookies and other treats this autumn, at a time when almost everything in my life and the wider world feels as if it’s out of control, I’m returning to my roots and the women who came before me who also baked during difficult times. 

And when those sweet baking smells waft from the kitchen, much as they do from the fictional Quinn’s Bakery in Irish Falls, I’ll remember those women and lessons they taught me.

As my heroine, Tara, says in my latest book, A Wish in Irish Falls:

“I learned [to bake] from Nana Gerry, and she was the best…Her scone recipe is legendary in Irish Falls, but not many people can make them anything like she did. She said ingredients only go so far and that you should always include a part of yourself in everything you bake. For her, and now for me too, it’s a dash of love…that’s what she taught me and so I honor her memory in my baking.”

Happy autumn and, for those of you who bake too, may you find your own comfort in the kitchen this season.

If you haven’t yet got a copy of A Wish in Irish Falls, find the Kindle version here.

Sale alert…Get The Cottage at Firefly Lake for only 0.99!

If you haven’t read the first book in my Firefly Lake trilogy, the e-book is currently on sale for only 0.99 cents/pence (or country equivalent) worldwide.

I don’t know how long this sale will last so download The Cottage at Firefly Lake now from any of the main e-book vendors. Or, if you’ve already read it, why not gift it to a friend?

Amazon |B&N Nook |Kobo |Google Play | Apple