Friday, January 31, 2014

Valentines Day Blog Hop




Welcome to the Valentine’s Day Blog Hop.


It’s been wonderful flicking through and reading all the interesting and inspiring thoughts of my fellow writers around the fascinating subject of Valentine’s Day. It brings us back to the heart of what it's all about. As a celebratory day, it can be dismissed as a “Hallmark Holiday”, particularly given its natural popularity never quite reached that of its counterpart - Halloween - in Anglophile countries, and tends to be driven by commercial interests. But those of us who love it know that there is more going on than just a fresh new way to part with our dollars.

My book Take it as it Comes is a modern day romance between an older career woman and her sexy male "manny." Click on the image for a blurb about the book.


I was once a V-Day cynic. My contention was always that declarations of love flowed naturally, or if they needed to be ritualised, were far better done so in the intimacy of the connection, creating small patterns of gratitude and awareness between a couple that suited the relationship. This is all very well for a writer who spends every minute of every day trying to think of new ways to reveal the world through words, but one of the great loves of my youth (despite my love for my husband, I am and always will be grateful for my previous lovers) turned to me one day and said:

“Valentine’s Day is for men who badly want to profess their love and don’t know how.”

When I looked into the roots (!) of Valentine’s Day, I found that this is precisely why it was re-birthed in the late eighteenth century. Despite its deep foundations in our religious practises and otherwise, the modern version of Valentine’s day was born with the overwhelming success of a published book called The Young Man's Valentine Writer, a charming book of verse specifically designed to assist the enamoured young man trying to gain the attention of an admired female.

This book, coupled with the release of cards with verse and sketches that could be seent through the post at a discount rate sparked the drive for anonymous notes to be sent to admired others, a supply apparently so needed, by the early nineteenth century, entire factories were built simply to service the demand.


"Love is the magician that pulls man out of his own hat."Ben Hecht


So, over the next fourteen days, as we build to the climax (pardon the pun) of the love-liest day of the year, spare a thought for the men (and women) around the world who remain fashionably silent, but still relish the opportunities Valentine’s Day offer them to reach out and say “I love you” to the person who captured their heart at the same time as they tied their tongue.

To follow the Valentines Day Blog Hop, check out the wonderful writers below and take advantage of the competition that's there also. I'll be running more Valentines Day posts here, so be sure to pop back every now and then and check it out. 



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Date Name
31-Jan Annie Seaton 
1-Feb Tamsin Baker 
2-Feb Demelza Carlton
2-Feb Susanne Bellamy
3-Feb Bernadette Rowley
4-Feb Wendy Ross
5-Feb Georgiana Louis 
5-Feb Isabella Hargreaves
6-Feb Heather Kinnane
7-Feb Barbra Novac 
7-Feb  Lisa Knight
8-Feb Ann B Harrison
9-Feb Tarion Keelan
10-Feb HC Brown
11-Feb Kris Ashton
12-Feb Darry Fraser
13-Feb Amy O'Neal
14-Feb Annie Seaton and Prize Draw


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