Tag: Romance

For the love of old words.

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One thing Niclas, from Stubbed Toes and Dating Woes, and I share is a love of words. In school, I took Etymology as an elective for a couple years, mostly because I loved the subject. Studying the origin and meaning of words was fascinating to me–then and now.

Grammarly emails me once a week with updates on my writing stats, and it’s never a surprise to be informed that I have a ‘unique’ vocabulary. I’ve always inhaled books and absorbed words. I think it comes from being autistic.

So, in writing Niclas’s character, I knew I wanted him to use some very old words. Ones that no one uses anymore. It required a lot of research on my part. I wanted to find the obscure and rare because that made it more fun.

And felt more like something Niclas would use.

My favourite, aside from the swear words, is myne owne hertis rote. The literal translation is mine own heart’s root.  Macabre and romantic.  A medieval term of endearment which just really struck me as perfect for Niclas and Falk.

It was sweet and weird so perfectly Niclas.

8 Things to Love about Niclas

Stubbed Toes

  1. He’s adorable.
  2. Obsessed with old words.
  3. A little cinnamon roll.
  4. Hordes language like a dragon hordes treasure.
  5. Also, he has a small treasure horde.
  6. More likely to stumble off a cliff or accidentally drown than the average person.
  7. Loves preserving history.
  8. Spends his vacation hunting for ancient artefacts.

Things I googled for Stubbed Toes & Dating Woes

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  1. Metal Detecting Laws
  2. Treasures found on beaches and in rivers
  3. What happens when treasure is found
  4. Seeds to plant in winter
  5. Best places to find treasure in UK
  6. How metal detectors work (especially waterproof ones)
  7. How treasures are handled/archived at museums
  8. First aid
  9. Best times of year to search for treasures
  10. Walking videos of Cornish beaches

2021 Reading in Review

This is what I wrote about my 2020 reading:

2020 was an odd year for reading. I usually read on average a book or two a week. This year I went through phases were I didn’t read for ages then I read five books in a week.

If I thought 2020 was odd, it had nothing on 2021. I read thirteen books this year–three of which were re-reads of Patricia Briggs novels. I think the last ‘new’ book I read was in June–the latest Phryne Fisher mystery.

I just couldn’t get into the mood to read new things. My goal was to read 48 books in 2021. A goal I quite obviously failed.

I think I read well over a hundred different fanfictions in various fandoms. So technically I did hit my goal, I suppose.

Of the few books I read this year, Bounce by Becca Seymour is probably my favourite.

The review I wrote for it:

I adored this book. Despite being forewarned, I wasn’t quite emotionally prepared for some of depths of human emotion that were delved into here. A lot of authors tend not to want to touch tougher subjects. They were handled beautifully and brilliantly in Bounce. It’s a wonderful romance between two loveable characters who’ve suffered through traumatic events of one variety or the other. The trigger warnings at the start of the book should definitely be paid attention to.

Here’s hoping next year is a better year for reading.

What about you?

What were some of your favourite reads this year?

Favourite Reads of 2020

2020 was an odd year for reading. I usually read on average a book or two a week. This year I went through phases were I didn’t read for ages then I read five books in a week. So I thought I’d share a few of my favourites from the past twelve months.

They are in no particular order. (Well, technically I’ve put them in alphabetical order)

  • A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau
  • Demons Do It Better by Louisa Masters
  • Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera
  • Knit One, Girl Two by Shira Glassman
  • Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole
  • Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspooon
  • The Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries series by Kerry Greenwood – No lie, I read the entire series about three times this year.
  • Thicker Than Water by Becca Seymour

What about you?

What were some of your favourite reads this year?