Countdown to Holiday Spirit Blogfest...meanwhile tell us about your November. NaNoWriMo? Another writing project or two?

Hello RFWers! Welcome back!

November is over - December is flying by and still no word from Donna and Denise - until now.

We'd like to hear how your November went. What did you get up to writing-wise? I'm happy to report my most successful NaNoWriMo yet, with 50,000+ words completed of a Harlequin-style novel set in Fiji . I am trying to find time to polish it most days, so I can get this one edited and off to the publisher at Harlequin Escape.

Donna didn't participate in NaNo, but had various writing projects to complete. She even finished a couple and felt pretty good about the results

As well as NaNo, I attended RFW and writing group member Charmaine's book launch for her middle-grade novel, My Zombie Dog. That was a fun-filled morning at Black Cat Books and Cafe in Brisbane. Indie bookstores are very strong in Oz! For the whole of November - and continuing still -  Charmaine and I were/are writing buddies, meeting in the State Library of Queensland and writing up a storm.

Our Holiday Spirit Blogfest linky goes up next Wednesday 12 Dec. or even a little earlier if the spirit moves me.  I hope you'll join us - post the badge on your blog and spread the word if you haven't already! There are no word limits - you can read the updated guidelines in the previous post by Donna and on the Challenges page. Go for it - anything holiday related - we want to hear about it. Remember, you can post more than one entry. 

Please say hi in the comments and let us know about your writing successes/projects...

HOLIDAY BREAK AND A BLOGFEST

Hello out there, fellow RFWers (and other visitors).  A warm welcome to new followers and members! As previously announced, Romantic Friday Writers will be on hiatus for the month of November due to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and other writing commitments of your hosts. Are you participating in NaNo this year? Have you got your NaNo buddy? Signed up at the Official Site? We wish you good luck with your writing project, or whatever else you will be doing during RFW hiatus.

However, we couldn't finish out the year with all that spookiness of Halloween, so we're planning one more BIG BIG celebration to finish out 2012 and get us ready for a fresh New Year.

Memoir, Fiction, Recipes, Traditions...and more

THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED
For this Holiday Spirit blogfest, we are looking for excerpts of up to 800 words involving fiction or non-fiction stories of family tradition, favorite/unique recipes, inspirational articles, etc.; that involve the essence of the holiday spirit.  (Recipes and news articles do not have to adhere to the 800 word limit.)

RFW, and the blogsphere itself, include a multitude of countries, cultures, and citizenry of the world.  Not every culture celebrates Thanksgiving, Christmas, Yom Kipper, Hanuka or any variety of holidays of the “giving spirit” during the same season.  Because the RFW hosts are a part of western civilization, we choose this month for our yearly celebration, Christmas, and would like you to post whatever passes for the Holiday Spirit in your neck ‘a the world.

Your submission does not need to include an element of romance; however, we at RFW acknowledge that ANY writing involving family (their values, traditions, and conflicts) is a Romantic writing. What is more romantic than Family?

Because of the special nature of this Holiday Spirit blogfest, we are allowing up to two submissions; however, they must be in two separate categories. Meaning, you could post your favorite recipe AND an inspirational 800 word excerpt; or a link to an inspirational news/magazine article and a recipe or true story; but not two of each (two recipes, two memoir posts, two articles). If you are posting two separate submissions, please add your blog link twice and add to your name/link what it contains - eg ; Donna Hole, 1, Recipe- so participants know to look for two separate posts.

The linky will open on December 12 and remain open thru December 31 to encourage linking to the direct post. However, if you decide to link then schedule a post (or two) later, just leave a comment to let everyone know when your excerpt will be available. The RFW hosts will be checking the comments and links, and if a direct link is available, we will edit your link(s) if you haven't done so.

Please join us in celebrating life, love, presents, good food, and of course Family Traditions of all types within all cultures.

This is not a competition - it is a sharing. We hope we'll all get to know each other better!

We hope to have the Holiday Spirit wrap up posted by Jan 4 and post the link for the first 2013 RFW Challenge by Jan 7.

Happy Holidays everyone; and best wishes for your NaNoWriMo projects. Let us know how you go. Leave a comment any time. Your hosts will be checking in from time to time when they need a procrastination activity!