Gemma Bruce Icon

The thing about writers is that it’s hard for us to rush through anything, except maybe copyedits. Take setting up my Dickens village. You know those houses and figures right out of Oliver Twist and The Pickwick Papers.

Over the years my village has grown into a metropolis, filled with people, animals, carts, stage coaches. Last year, I didn’t even take it out. Instead, I put together a seaside village of just a few pieces and wrote right through the holidays.

This year my daughter was adamant. So the storage boxes were brought up from the basement and each piece was lovingly taken out of its Styrofoam box. Days later, I have one street completed, while I contemplate such questions as: Should the poultry woman stand outside the Poulterer’s Store or should she travel door to door selling her chickens?

Each year, the master of Brownlow Manor waves to his children as they go out to sled. Haven’t they grown after all these years? Should I change their names and send them to another family? Maybe, Mr. Brownlow should be welcoming guests. Who would they be? Friends come to stay for the holidays? His grown children, now married with children of their own?

But the big question is will I have everyone’s story and place in the village decided before Christmas is over.

What are your December rituals?

In keeping with the holiday, I’ll randomly choose someone to send a copy of A Very Merry Christmas, the anthology that includes my Christmas novella, “Bah Humbug, Baby.”

May your month be merry and bright. And all your holidays be right.

UPDATE!!
MERRY HO-HO TREN !!!
Send me an email at Gemma@gemmabruce.com and I’ll get your present in the mail.