My favourite moment from the 2026 Olympics so far.
Piper Gillies and Paul Poirier won a medal with this emotional performance of Starry, Starry Night. While the medal might be bronze their performance was golden.
Absolutely breathtaking.
Until next time…
What’s been you favourite moment at these Olympic games?
It’s been awhile since my creative well has felt full. Or, at least, full enough that thoughts of my work-in-progress have begun making themselves known. I suppose I could go into a long, detailed explanation as to why. Maybe. But I know exploring my reasons will take more than a blog post. It’s a tapestry of thoughts and circumstances I might weave some day, but not right now.
For now, I’m happy to be concentrating on Charlotte and Ridge and what’s happening in my fictional town of Whisper Creek.
Things are starting to gel. I’m excited to be torturing these two again.
What I’m loving going into February:
Reading: 10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall
Watching: Bridgerton, Season 4 Part 1
Until next time…
Who else wants to see more romance novels adapted for TV? I’m here for it!
Pretty much anything Heated Rivalry related. Rachel Reid has long be a favourite writer of mine and Jacob Tierney’s adaption of her Game Changers series is absolute perfection. It’s the brightest of lights in what is a horrifying news cycle.
If you know, you know…
What else am I loving?
My ‘orange’ poinsettia was going strong until a couple of days ago but it’s definitely been a bright spot this month. I’ve been doodling away experimenting with shapes and colours and patterns. I’ve been wearing my favourite pink and red sweater by Nettle’s Tale, a Canadian sustainable clothing brand, on repeat. I bought a new game! Wingspan is proving to be lots of fun. It was a bit daunting at first but we’re getting the hang of it. This game is a must if you are a bird nerd, or even if you’re not.
Until next time…
Remember to breathe. Take a few moments for yourself?
What’s everyone else doing to stay sane in January?
Well…it’s been awhile.
Not sure why. Or, if I do have some idea, how to put it into words. So many beautiful things and so many terrible things happened in 2025. So many things that took a lot of mental energy to get done or sort through globally. At the same time, personally, there were so many joys and things to be grateful for. Maybe that’s why I struggled.
And here we are a couple of days into a new year. 2026 doesn’t look like it’s going to be any kinder to the people who need it most. Kate Bowler, a Duke University Professor and four time New York Times bestseller, says, “…despair is also withdrawal and we need to stay hopeful.” So, here’s to championing empathy, creativity and joy. Here’s to seeking it in the most unlikely of places. In the smallest of ways. To sharing those small, unlikely glimpses. To listening. To learning. To compassion.
I’ve been busy doodling, cross stitching, and easing my way back into writing again. The urge to write was gone for awhile there. Maybe not gone, but drowned out. I’m so thankful that once again those ideas are flowing. The words are coming. I want to sit my butt in the chair and feeling the keys moving under my fingertips.
Write, doodle, knit, do a jigsaw puzzle, plan next year’s garden. Listen to music. Read Heated Rivalry. Then watch Heated Rivalry. Watch and read it again. Practice gratitude. Celebrate creativity. We can’t and shouldn’t ignore the suffering happening all over the globe but we can choose to open ourselves up to those precious moments of joy.
Here’s to making sure the humanities remain safe from political pressure, from underfunding, from people who want us to believe that ‘the arts’ are irrelevant and the future is all tech.
Until next time…
What are you doing to fill your creative well? Are you struggling to find inspiration? Want to share what inspires you?
When the temperatures warm and it looks like spring might actually arrive, I just want to be outside watching things grow. Creativity speaking, my energy switches to gardening and flowers and our yard. Or small projects I can do outdoors in a patio chair.
Neurographic art is a great project for outdoors. You don’t need a lot of things to do it. It can be as simple as a using just a pen and paper. So many other art and craft things can be done outside. Embroidery, cross stitch, tie dye, refurbish a patio table, paint some small rocks. The possibilities are endless.
Wanting to spend time in the sunshine, means less time spent in my office. A good spring office cleaning of my office was much needed. There were stacks of paper that needed filing or recycling. A jumble of things that needed to find a home.
Until next time…
I hope you get a chance to get outdoors this weekend! I’ll be working in our yard. What’s everyone else doing?
Tropes are an interesting concept but, while I have my favourites, I don’t chose books according to trope. I think that’s a slippery slope. For me, anyway. I like variety. I love reading the beginning of a book and recognizing hints at different tropes. Usually a book has more than one. Sometimes they are have a bigger influence and help shape the the base of the plot. Or sometimes they are more like a plot point. Either way there are so many different and interesting tropes that it’s too restrictive to chose to read just a few. This way you might find one you haven’t encountered yet.
There are lots of things I love about the Always Been You trope. The main characters history together is an important part of the story. Eventually we learn what went wrong during an earlier relationship. Was it a matter of immaturity, different life goals, familial interference, a major misunderstanding. The possibilities are endless. But despite the reason why it didn’t work, in the end, they’ve never loved someone like they love each other, even if they’ve had other satisfying partnerships. They always find their way back to each other.
This trope has the potential for great angst and big emotion and I’m here for it all.
And who doesn’t want to believe in the concept of soul mates? Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty all met theirs and a lot of us were fed those fairy tales for dinner. You don’t need to believe in that kind of relationship is necessary in real life to want to read about that possibility for fictional characters.
Some of my favourite It’s Always Been You books:
The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid (Canadian Romance Author) A standalone contemporary M/M Romance Read my review HERE.
Him by Elle Kennedy (Canadian Romance Author) and Sarina Bowen The first book in a short series. contemporary M/M Romance
Forget Me Not by Julie Soto A contemporary Romance You can read my review HERE.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune A contemporary romance You can read my review HERE.
Face The Fire by Nora Roberts The third book in the The Three Sisters Trilogy. A contemporary, supernatural romance
Until next time…
Leave a comment on anything you like! Book recommendations. You’re favourite tropes.
So, my very favourite romance author who just happens to be Canadian released a new book. I loved everything about The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid.
The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid From Carina Press
Categories: Romance / Contemporary Romance / MM Romance / Hockey Romance
Blurb:
After moving back to his hometown ten years ago, Riley Tuck thought he had left his major league hockey career—and his broken heart—far behind. But when an unexpected tragedy strikes, it brings ex-teammate and former best friend with benefits Adam Sheppard back into his life.
Coming to the small town of Avery River, Nova Scotia, might have been a mistake. Adam’s not sure he’ll ever win back Riley’s trust after the way they left things—and the attention he’s getting as a huge hockey star isn’t exactly helping. Yet the chemistry that crackles between them is undeniable, even now.
As Adam helps Riley navigate his grief, long-buried feelings start to resurface. But they’ll have to square off with their complicated past if they’re going to have a real shot at a new beginning.
It’s Always Been You is one of my very favourite romance tropes! I’ll be talking more about about this trope next week. This book is full of heart wrenching history between to best friends shown in flashbacks which Reid is an expert at writing. But maybe the best thing about this book is the ages of Adam and Riley who are both in their early 40s. Their ages lend credence to the trope. It makes for a more mature story that is both sweet and sensual. The amount of work Adam puts into making reparation for the hurt he inflicted years earlier is…just…swoon. This slow burn, second chance romance is also full of wonderful secondary characters and takes place in an interesting fictional town in the province of Nova Scotia. I couldn’t put it down even though I was trying to savour it and make it last longer. Highly recommend.
Until next time…
What romances have you read that are written by a Canadian author and set in Canada? I love to know what to read next?
We’re heading into a federal election here in Canada. There is a lot of information out there and ensuring I’m thinking critically as I filter through it is proving to be a challenge. There’s a meanness out there that’s spreading from south of our border. A sense cruelty. Of intolerance. The use of threats and humiliation as bargaining tactics.
Deep breath in. Deep breath out.
Shoulders down.
Relax my jaw.
But then what? What else can I do to regulate myself?
Creativity is one of the ways I quiet my brain. I want to remain soft and empathetic in the face of learning or in times of turmoil. I don’t want to become numb or get angry. I don’t want to stick my head in the sand and ignore current events or pretend everything is fine.
I can’t fix the world and we are not built to carry the weight of it.
That is not to say I will do nothing. I will consciously choose where to direct my energy. I will remain grateful while acknowledging times are hard. I will find joy in the small moments of quiet, of connection and I will celebrate the simple things.
I will make art.
Lately, I’ve been doing more neurographic art doodles. And finally I finished a tree of life macrame project I started during Covid. I’m also still working on my origami skills. Whew, origami is hard!
And I will listen to Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan over and over again.
Until next time…
What’s everyone up to creatively?
Welcome to February and the tariff wars nobody asked for. The American political right’s cruel attack on trans people. The suggestion Canadians want to be the 51st state. Sigh. Seems the seeds of chaos have been sown away and powerful people’s egos are in play.
Feel angry? Me, too! And it’s okay to be angry. But we also need to clear our heads of the noise for a few moments.
And Breathe.
For real. Don’t forget to breathe.
Big, deep belly breaths of air in and long slow releases of air out. And keep writing even if it’s angry. Make art using a black crayon. Using your hands to stitch, sew, or knit resistance pieces.
And Breathe.
Plan your garden. Rearrange your furniture. Bake a cake. Chop vegetables and make soup. Paint your fingernails.
And Breathe.
Will everything be perfect? No. But the constant flood of information might be a bit more manageable.
Until next time…
Share a small win in the comments.
Today is a bonus episode. I mean, post. I might be spending a little too much time listening to podcasts. Where’s that wide eyed unblinking emoji when you need it?
Today is January 23rd and it’s also National Handwriting Day. I’m not much for paying attention to ‘special days’ on the calendar because there seems to be one for everything. But Handwriting Day? I can get behind this one. Especially because there are so many creative benefits to handwriting.
For me, one of the biggest creative benefits of putting pen to paper is the fostering of ideas. One of my favourite ways to work through a story thought is to start listing the what-if possibilities. I usually aim for ten ideas. This way you can move past the obvious and perhaps find a different angle. It allows me to slow down and think.
Handwriting improves our memory. It has more mediative benefits than keyboarding. It’s very individual and can change with our moods creating for an emotional outlet. It activates your senses: the sound of pen on paper; the pressure of pressing down, seeing the words come to life. Those things connect different parts of our brain together and create a stronger memory than typing.
Also, you can make things pretty and have special pens, even glittery ones. You can colour code things. You also don’t have to be precious about it or have a fancy pen, to reap the benefits of handwriting. You can just hastily jot down notes in your messiest scrawl.
Until next time…
Do you use pen and paper to work through things? Make a to-do list? Or journal? Maybe you love to send handwritten notes to friends? I want to hear about it all.