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Ho! Ho! Ho!
It’s Monday, less than two weeks ’til Christmas, and I haven’t even started my holiday cards! But that is because I had something else very important to focus on over the weekend.
(It has nothing at ALL to do with the fact that I have totally lost temporarily misplaced my comprehensive mailing list in my oh-so-tidy office! My office is PRISTINE! Hahahahaha! Sorry! I couldn’t even say that with a straight face. You guys have seen my office (here and here and here) and “tidy” “pristine” and “organized” are not words that apply :))
Anyhoo…
I don’t know about you guys, but I spent a lot of the weekend working on my sample Holiday Contest story and guess what? Turns out it’s really hard to fit it into 40 lines! I think I’m more cut out for an epic poem version – ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas – The Odyssey Style 🙂
I’m having a lot of fun with it, though, and I hope you are too! I can’t wait to read all your stories, so I’m really hoping there will be more than one (mine) to read!
But enough about the awesomeness that is the Holiday Contest. (Please scroll down that link to see contest rules.) I know you are all here today to learn from the fabulous Erin, whose thoughts on Dee’s pitch you have been looking forward to all weekend.
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| This is me distracting you with cuteness so you won’t notice the glitch 🙂 |
I was looking forward to that, too. But it’s the holiday season. People are mucho busy. And Straight From The Editor notes have yet to land in my inbox. Even though I dawdled. Even though it’s 9:45 AM and I’m just posting… (Great Scott! The day is practically over :)!) So I guess we’ll be combining Straight From The Editor with Would You Read It on Wednesday – double the awesomeness!
So for a little fun and games today, I’ll refer you back to a couple of holiday season posts I wrote last year, before anyone knew I had entered the blogosphere so I’m pretty sure no one’s ever read them 🙂 I hope you enjoy them, and please feel free to leave comments because they have an inferiority complex and you would really boost their self-esteem by reading and commenting 🙂
If You Give A Writer Wrapping Paper
The Writer’s 12 Days Of Christmas
*#@*! or What To Give (if you click on the 150 tab when you get to Mother Reader it still works :))
Before you head out, one earth-shatteringly important question: egg nog, mulled cider, or other? (And if “other”, what other?)
See you Wednesday, hopefully with twice the fun!
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Mulled wine!
And, yes, I have been working on the rhyming Christmas story over the weekend.
And I guess we were both contemplating messy working environments this weekend (see my post today ;)).
Will check out the other posts after work!
Excellent choice, Joanna! And I seriously hope you are not suggesting my office is messy 🙂 I'm excited that you're working on a story! Can't wait to read it!
I love your take on writers turning every opportunity into a chance to write… Lovely post, past and present. 🙂 Good luck with the contest!
I tried a rhyming story with an idea yesterday…Hmm…not sure what I amd doing, so set it aside to finish some blogs.
Enjoyed the blogs you posted. I haven't started my cards or my wrapping. Never wrote a story idea on a piece of wrapping paper — that's creative. But, I did like your 12 Days of Christmas. Very clever.
Now to my Christmas Cards.
August – Thank you on both counts 🙂
Pat – if you can't rhyme it's OK. Remember the loophole – it's there precisely for those with rhymophobia 🙂
Do I have to pick just one because spiked cider and spiked egg nog sure sound like some great options?
And yes, your distraction worked on my like a charm…those darling cuddly wuddlies.
Angela – hmm, those both sound like good (very similar) options 🙂 And yay! I guess I have actual magical powers! 🙂
I like both egg nog and mulled cider! I'm off to check out your other posts. I'm not procrastinating, really! 😉
You can distract us with cuteness any time 🙂
I don't think I've had egg nog (shock horror) so I'm going to try that this year for sure. Like mulled wine. Have a great week!
Can I choose all of the above? I love eggnog, cider and hot chocolate! I also love hot chai tea latte's! Heavenly!
I need to get working on my story for the holiday contest! So fun!
Hot chocolate! No question. 🙂
Coleen – I know you would never procrastinate 🙂
Catherine – egg nog is not for everybody – it's very thick and creamy – custard-y sort of… Let me know what you think!
Leigh – I know, I love hot drinks! They're so comforting. And yes – please do get to work on your story. I'm anxious to read it!
Janet – ah! A person who know what she likes 🙂
I've drafted, thought, sorted lines, etc. Still working on my entry. Sigh. I sent my cards out late last week. The latest I have mailed Christmas cards since 2001.
other: Peppermint Hot Chocolate 😀
I really love Pumpkin spice
With frothy creamer….yum tastes nice!
I was doing well reading the post until I saw those cute puppies. Wow, the distraction worked well. 😀
You are funny! Don't have time to read your other holiday stories now, but I'm marking this as unread so I can come back to them. 🙂
Stacy – if Isent mine out this week it would be the earliest I'd ever sent them out … in history! )
Saba – oh, that sounds GOOD!
Penny – I see you're practicing your rhyme to gear up for next week's contest 🙂
Stina – I am a master of distraction 🙂
Julie – You are so sweet 🙂
I'm thinking about the holiday contest, but haven't found the time to see if I have anything spinning in around my brain that would be good for it. It's a great challenge, though!
Egg nog for sure. Over ice so it stays nice and cold! Although, in the coming weeks I'll be writing about and posting a recipe for Wassail…. Have not tried this yet, but I'm always up for the challenge when it comes to a cocktail.
Found my inner Eminem and working on the rhyming. Just need to type it up, cut, paste, reshuffle and probably rewrite parts, but it's really fun! Totally different and great for jotting down a line or two at a time and then creating a finished product.
Laura – you can do it! you still have over a week 🙂
Tracy – I don't even know what Wassail is! And I'm so excited your story is coming along! Can't wait to read it 🙂
Yes, I was going to suggest mulled wine, or wassail as well. And, I'll be submitting an entry, too. You certainly won't be alone, Susanna. Can't wait to read yours!
Susanna, I am working diligently on my Christmas poem! Just blogged about it-I'm at the very end and… and stuck!
I love reading your posts-you make me smile! And for me-most definitely mulled cider. Delicious!!
So there I was, imagining what a pristine office might look like (good thing I have a good imagination), thinking about all the Christmas letters I have yet to write, and …oooh! Puppies! (Shiny things also work well to distract me, just in case you ever need to do so again. Kitties are good, too.)
Wait, where was I?
We will read Erin's comments with appreciation whenever they appear. In the meantime, I'm so grateful that you pointed us back to your earlier posts, which were all excellent. I've left a comment on each, so that none of them would feel slighted.
And now for a nice hot drink of…. steamed milk with a bit of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon, please. I can't have sugar or alcohol, or even tea or coffee, so my choices are limited. But a nice steamer? Yum.
Gorgeous picture! A very good distraction.
My answer for a Christmas drink would be other. And that “other” would be chilled white wine. But that's because Christmas is the middle of our stinking hot summer season here in Queensland! 🙂
I am working on my Holiday Contest entry. I am trying to make it rhyme but it's HARD! My mom also challenged me to make it serious because I always write about funny things. I am trying that too. But the good news is that I have a writing assignment for the gifted class in school I am in so I am using my poem for that!
Vicki/Jarm – oh, I'm so excited! Can't wait to read it! And again, someone is going to have to enlighten me as to what exactly wassail is!
Kelly – I just read your post 🙂 And don't worry – you're nearly there. Only 2 lines left? You can do it!
Beth – I know – I'm good at that distraction aren't I? 🙂 I'm so glad you enjoyed the earlier posts and thank you so much for making them feel better! I've never had a steamer, but boy does that sound good! I'm going to have to try one!
Cally – good point! I forget that Christmas isn't in winter everywhere!
Erik – it IS hard, but I'm sure you're doing brilliantly! And how great that you can get an writing assignment out of it too!
Wandered over from Abby. Enjoyed the interview there. I love your 12 Days of Christmas for Writers, especially all those (per month) disclaimers. =D
Donna – thank you so much for visiting! Glad you enjoyed the interview as well as that not-very-well-written song 🙂
Egg nog. Definitely not a big cider fan!
Peggy – they really are at opposite ends of the spectrum! I think people are often pretty definite one way or the other. Me? I like both depending on the circumstances 🙂
Wow, that badge is gorgeous. How talented is Loni! And what wonderful credentials, I look forward to seeing more. Love the editorial feedback. Fancy being told to use a cliche, very cool. And I shall enjoy looking for that book in the library today.