Tis the season

I love this time of year: the lights; the carols; the rich scent of a prettily dressed Christmas tree; stollen and mince pies. Many of us feel a cetain nostalia for the festive seaon which is intrinsically tied up with the traditions and memories we’ve created over the years. For me, going to see a show, whether a play, ballet or musical, always feels special, The Nutcracker being one favourite.

If you, like me, enjoy reading, I find that the darkening December afternoons are the perfect accompaniment to a good story. There’s nothing like getting through that growing pile of books with a hot chocolate and mince pie in hand. Heaven. 

What’s on my pile right now? Well, I can’t wait to start reading Booker Prize winner David Szalay’s ‘Flesh’ ; ‘The Correspondent’ by Virginia Evans and the latest offering by one of my favourite authors: ‘Dream Count’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

The slow winding down to the New Year is also an opportunity for me to get some writing done and I really enjoy working on my manuscript during these in-between days. And when writers block threatens all that planned productivity, I might get my skates on. Though like Mr Pickwick from Dickins’ ‘The Pickwick Papers,’ it’s often to comically disastrous results. 

Merry Christmas!