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Christmas Lights

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

Woven into the Christmastime series is the celebration of the season, where the brightness of the holiday contrasts with the darkness of war – opposing elements that help to shape the storylines.

Much of the bright cheerfulness of Christmas comes from deep-rooted traditions: enjoying family and friends over delicious meals,

the sharing of festive treats,

the old-fashioned joys of finding your Christmas tree and decorating it,

the child’s delight in Santa Claus and flying reindeer,

the thrill of a white Christmas.

Layered into the spiritual element that defines the season is the pervasive beauty that fills this time of year:

the deep resonance of traditional music and the joyful togetherness of caroling,

the fragrant woodsy beauty of pine trees, garlands, mistletoe and holly,

decorations that delight the eye and lift the spirit.   

And perhaps the oldest and purest source of comfort and beauty comes from light in the darkness: the original form of fire found in bonfires, fireplaces, candles,

the old-fashioned multi-colored bulbs of my youth,

and the more recent fairy lights that bring a sense of twinkling magic.

All add nighttime magic, and comfort in the longer, colder nights.

I try to capture this contrast of light and dark in the covers of the Christmastime series. Lampposts glowing in the twilight and a city lit at night, symbolizing hope and the end of war,

Fewer, or a lonelier, single lit lamppost to reflect the darkest years of the war,

and the beauty of lamplight on snow, tinged with wistful yearning, for the new 1946 cover.

Christmas lights. In the long, cold nights of winter, they offer hope, comfort, magic, and beauty.

Click here https://a.co/d/0AdKGsB to begin the series

The Garden House novel

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

A beautiful garden. A woman searching for meaning in the second half of life. A glimmer of hope when she rents out her garden house to a stranger.

Hope turns to suspicion, to dread, to the unimaginable, to … understanding. A beautiful garden.

A story of home and family, love and friendship.

A story of mid-life rediscovery, reawakening, rebirth.

A story of the beauty, creativity, and the healing power of gardening.

Ebook $.99 for the month of April. (Amazon, Nook, Apple, Google, Kobo)

Amazon – https://a.co/d/iH360wh

Winter reading

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - Author4 Comments

Cold weather, long nights, snowy days – all help to create the perfect atmosphere for snuggling into a good story.

I like to imagine my readers settling in to read the Christmastime series with a hot drink close at hand,

whether at home

or in a cozy cafe,

in a favorite reading chair,

or a reading nook.

Outside,

or in front of a fireplace.

Whatever your reading habits,

I hope you include the Christmastime series as part of your winter reading –

which begins with the 1939 prequel and ends (to date) with the 1946 Valentine’s Day book.

https://a.co/d/3SQIV8w

Wishing you all a wonderful new year and the enjoyment of many good books!

The scents of Christmas

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - Author5 Comments

There are many scents that evoke the Christmas season – pine and citrus,

peppermint and gingerbread,

the spices of mulled wine and cider,

cookies being baked.

In the Christmastime series, https://a.co/d/7VG17Qu , old-fashioned ways of celebrating Christmas are woven throughout,

and the scents of Christmas play a big part. Especially the use of citrus and pine.

Greenery decorating a doorframe, mantel, or table,

sprigs of pine and cedar scattered throughout the house.

The cloves and citrus of pomander balls,

the preparation of orange-slice ornaments scenting the kitchen.

Scents can be powerful triggers of holiday traditions and good memories. Evergreens and colorful citrus fruits have the added benefit of also being beautiful and wholesome –

old-fashioned, natural seasonal decorations with scents that are both invigorating and calming.

This holiday, add some beauty and scent to your holiday decor with a bit of woodland greenery and refreshing citrus.

The Christmastime series (to date, years 1939-1946) https://a.co/d/7VG17Qu

November

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

My November Guest – by Robert Frost

My sorrow, when she’s here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She’s glad the birds are gone away,
She’s glad her simple worsted grey
Is silver now with clinging mist.

The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.

Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise.

Apple season

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - Author1 Comment

There is something inherently cozy and comforting about apples.

Besides being beautiful and wholesome, they mark the beginning of the fall season — back to school, cooler temperatures, harvest time.

In the Christmastime series, apples abound. In New York City, Lillian packs them for sack lunches, and Mrs. Kuntzman uses them in her baking.

On Kate’s farm in the Midwest — and of course, at Annette’s upstate New York orchard —

apples are grown and turned into foods that can be enjoyed throughout the year, such as apple butter and applesauce.

There are apple pies and apple tarts.

Apple cider and apple cider donuts.

And there is apple picking, and walks through the orchard, where Lillian finds inspiration as an artist.

The fall and harvest time is upon us. Why not indulge in a caramel apple, bake an apple pie, or simply bite into a crisp, flavorful apple.

Holiday coziness and a sense of well-being

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

It’s easy to create the feeling of contentment that comes from coziness and simple pleasures. Fresh flowers, the scent of baking pervading your home, music softly playing in the background.

The colder weather — especially with the approach of Christmastime — lends itself to creating such an atmosphere. It can start with using a favorite cup for your morning tea, or a piece of toast with jam, or the scent of coffee and a warm muffin.

I like to think that my Christmastime series captures, to some degree, the sense of pleasure and comfort: the scent of pine, a fire crackling in the fireplace, a radiator hissing and filling a cold apartment with warmth, the laughter of children.

Though the backdrop to the series is WWII and life on the home front is full of struggles and hardship, the overall tone of the series is uplifting and comforting.

Sad things happen, shocking events take place, but the characters roll up their sleeves and do their part to make the best of things. Love, family, friendship, and neighborliness are in the forefront and shape the stories.

Celebrating life — its holidays, the seasons, small day-to-day beauties, the quest for meaning — fill the pages of Christmastime.

So as the temperatures drop and the holidays approach, experience a sense of well-being for yourself. Fix a cozy hot drink, turn on a lamp or light a candle, and grab a warm blanket. Then nestle into your favorite reading chair and snuggle up with CHRISTMASTIME.

(Images from Pinterest)

She is rich who owns the day…

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

I recently came across a line (incorrectly attributed to Emerson?) that nevertheless caught my attention: She is rich who owns the day…

I love the sentiment and recognize the same spirit in my character of The Dreams of Youth, a very short collection of stories that tell the larger story of one woman.

These six interrelated pieces tell the story of Maggie, a vibrant individual who is also Everywoman: daughter, dreamer, nurse, friend, wife, mother. Spanning over eighty-five years, they follow her from her youth in Depression-era Illinois to the time when she ventures forth to 1940’s Hollywood and coastal California, and her return to the rural Midwest. Bittersweet and poignant, celebratory and inspiring, these stories portray the exuberance of youth, the delight of friendship, the adventure of going forth into the world, and the disappointment and heartache that are a part of life.

Maggie.

Always running, dreaming, adventurous, and daring.

Where others saw weeds, Maggie saw wishes.

Leafy treetops were enough to fuel her dreams.

And the dream of the ocean sustained her for a lifetime.

https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Youth-Linda-Mahkovec-ebook/dp/B01N8QK2S7

(All images are from my Pinterest boards.)

Vintage Books

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

When I come across vintage books, I am often surprised by the beauty of the covers – and the amount of time and effort and creativity that went into them.

It reminds me of how important artwork and photography were for the record album covers of my generation and how people lamented the loss of “creative space” when cassettes and then CDs replaced them. Which isn’t to say that covers are not still extremely important, even in this digital age. I have spent countless hours working with designers on my own book covers to try to capture the mood and tone of the stories inside.

But there is something immensely appealing in the original artwork of those old hardback covers that evoke the aesthetics and charm of an earlier era.

Like other people, I sometimes use old books as decorations around the house, just to enjoy the vintage feel and beautiful colors of these little works of art.

The next time you’re at a used book store, or a garage sale, or at an odds and ends shop, keep you eyes open for these beautiful treasures from another time.

(All images are from my Pinterest boards.)

Christmas Shopping

Published on by Linda Mahkovec - Author4 Comments

Ah, the bustle of Christmas! Decorating your house for the holidays, cooking traditional family favorites,

shopping. Braving the crowds, the weather, the choices —

and returning home to relax with a mug of hot chocolate or a cup of tea.

In the Christmastime Series, Christmas shopping adds a sense of merriment and celebration to the season — whether it’s Lillian preparing for Christmas Night at the Brooklyn department store where she works (Christmastime 1939),

or Mrs. Murphy taking a store escalator up to the “North Pole” toy section to do some shopping for her nieces and nephews (Christmastime 1941),

or Izzy stopping to enjoy the window displays as she walks to work (Christmastime 1943),

or the sisters Ursula and Jessica browsing at the small-town stores in rural Illinois.

Christmas shopping. The sparkle of lights and tinsel, the scent of pine and cloves, the sounds of bells ringing and Christmas caroling heighten enjoyment of the season and deepen the pleasure of gift-giving.

Then —

And now.