Writing About Holidays

First, thank whatever Diety(ies) you believe in for being a creative person! And everyone is creative.

Second, if you are writing, thank the Diety(ies) that you are exploring your creativity and not stifling it. I did that for a long time and it was miserable, I mean, I couldn't even watch "Singing in the Rain" because of the "Gotta Dance" number -- I wanted to write but wasn't following my dream.

Now, for the topic. Writing Holidays. This can be a great challenge because you'll want something in the holiday to focus on your plot, or more likely, the relationship between characters. If a love relationship is failing, there could be an "echoing" effect of how previous holidays were so full of love and joy. If there has been a loss -- well, you know. What of a boss and a employee -- are they stranded at an airport? Does the boss do the old Scrooge manipulation thing? Does that relationship finally break?

I haven't done any holidays in Lladrana (Luna). But I've spoken of some in the Heart Books. Discovery Day was a big deal in HeartMate -- but my characters missed it, and because Danith (heroine) missed it, it was a Bad Thing for the relationship between her and T'Ash. I thought of Discovery Day as a mix of Independence Day and Thanksgiving...the colonists ships were lost, mutiny was rife (yes, I have a prequel novella, sometime about that later) finally they probe a star system and find a planet, send another probe (hey, where did you think that crater that the Great Labyrinth came from anyway?), and find a new home. A tough place to live, still, Celta, but it's home for them now.

If you're writers (and not doing the party/cooking thing) you're probably observant and perhaps especially on holidays. So look around...and enjoy. May peace and prosperity come to you this Thanksgiving Day.

Robin