Dec 28, 2016

Four books and a calendar - Kandy Shepherd



I hope you all enjoyed a very happy December 25, however you might have celebrated. We had wonderful festive feasts with family and friends on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and then did the Aussie thing of a swim at the beach on Boxing Day, the next day. Perfect!

Part of the festive fun is exchanging presents. I was fortunate to get some lovely, thoughtful gifts. Books are always a favourite, of course. And I do count on a gift of a calendar as I still prefer a good, old-fashioned calendar as well as the electronic kind.

My daughter is an incredibly thoughtful gift giver. She really takes note of people’s likes and gifts them accordingly. I’m very fond of cookbooks by Aussie/international chef Bill Granger.  She hunted me down one I didn’t have, Bills Open Kitchen. and it’s fabulous, packed with light summery recipes just right for this time of year Down Under. 



Note the tags on the pages—we’ve gone through and marked recipes we want to try. Already by Boxing Day we’d made two, a delicious savoury French toast and a roast chicken with a wholemeal stuffing flavoured with pancetta, herbs and lemon. Yum! The entire family is destined to benefit from this gift.

Husband surprised me with the recently published autobiography by musician Phil Collins Not Dead Yet. Phil Collins is a long-time favourite, I still love his songs. Years ago in the days when I saw as many rock concerts as I could, I saw both Genesis and his Phil Collins band. I found him to be a wonderful, generous performer. As a romance writer I’m also interested in his well-publicised multiple marriages and divorces. I’m into the second chapter and loving it!



Hubby also gave me a gorgeous journal with a cute vintage typewriter cover. I keep a journal for each book I write, keeping it with me at all times to jot down ideas, phrases, descriptions, plot twists and so on. The journal stays with me especially at night. I’ve learned to my frustration that those great ideas that come to me at night in dreams or fleeting thoughts are never remembered in the morning. I have to write them down immediately!



Then there’s the mystery book that arrived in the mail via an online book store with no clues as to who sent it to me. I have some ideas and will do some detective work! In the meantime I’m ready to settle down in some post-Christmas downtime and enjoy Goodwood by Holly Throsby, it looks fabulous. Has anyone read it?



There’s also the book I tracked down for my rabid cyclist husband: Lonely Planet’s Epic Bike Rides of the World. It’s a marvellous book full of incredible rides and thankfully he loves it! He’s even getting me interested in some picturesque (and very flat!) rides in Europe.



Then there’s the Christmas present stalwart, the calendar. I kinda guessed from the shape of the parcel that another present from my daughter might be a calendar. I prepared to ooh and ah at cat and kitten pictures, as people usually give me cat calendars. Instead I swooned at images of Tom Hiddleston, one of my very favourite actors. I fell for Tom as Loki in Avengers and then proceeded to love him in every movie I saw him in. My daughter didn’t see the appeal until she saw him in The Night Manager. It’s not just his looks but his presence and voice that appeal but the calendar is very nice, thank you very much!



What about you? Did you get a good book or calendar for Christmas this year or any other year? Or a different kind of present? Please make a comment, I’d love to hear about it!

Happy New Year!



26 comments:

  1. I will look for Phil's book. I saw Genesis is concert too. I have many of their albums and Phil's solo albums too. I love Tom in The Night Manager too. I got a Peanuts (Snoopy) calendar. Got my daughter a 5 Seconds of Summer calendar which she adores.

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    1. I'm enjoying the Phil Collins book, Tammy. Hope you will too if you get the chance. Sounds like there are some good calendars in your family this year!

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  2. Hi Kandy

    Sounds like your Christmas was lots of fun :)

    I was spoilt as well firstly with a lovely photo book that our daughters put together starting with photos from our engagement through to now love it I also got 3 new Pandora charms of hubby a new fitbit HR :) and also a neck and shoulder and foot massager and some Amazon gift cards so I can shop for the books I want :) and there was chocolate as well

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Wow Helen, you got some awesome gifts! I love the idea of the photo book. You know I've never actually done one and all my images are digital. I think I now have a plan for the new year!

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  3. Sounds like a lovely Christmas, Kandy. Love that you received a mystery book.

    I was given the latest Michael Connelly book which I devoured immediately. I love crime books.

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    1. Jen, I love crime books too. But I haven't yet read Michael Connelly and everyone tells me I should!

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  4. You got some wonderful gifts, Kandy! Recipe books are the gifts that keep on giving. Ha ha.
    the Phil Collins book is on my list of memoirs to buy. I love his music. I've got to read Jimmy Barnes's one first.
    Happy holidays!

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    1. Ooh, yes, Melanie I think the Jimmy Barnes one would be good too. I like reading the life stories of creative people taking different paths than the ones we as writers have taken.

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  5. Fantastic gifts Kandy.
    Um, can't share what I got as Christmas gifts as I didn't get any (at this stage) this year unless I count the stuff I bought for myself in Boxing Day sales.

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    1. Lyn, I sometimes think the gifts we buy ourselves are the best. After all, we know exactly what we want! I haven't hit the stores yet for the sales. Just the online ones!

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  6. Ooh, what a nice haul you have there, Kandy. :-) You must let us know what you think of 'Goodwood'.

    Mr Douglas has instituted a new tradition this year -- gifting me an unexpected and hopefully odd book. This year's offering is Murakami's 'Kafka on the Shore'. It's getting ticks on both counts...it's also strangely riveting. Am savouring it.

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    1. That seems like a good new tradition to establish Michelle! The book sounds interesting.

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  7. Gosh I love the cover on that bike rides book - so pretty! Looks nice enough to have out on display.

    No books for me, although that's not surprising. I don't usually receive a book unless I tell J which one I want and he's always worried about buying me one I already own. But I got a lovely, luxurious bath robe which I'm already making good sue out of :)

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    1. The bike book cover is gorgeous isn't it Stefanie. My hubby is very pleased with the content too!
      A lovely bath robe is always welcome.

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    2. The bike book cover is gorgeous isn't it Stefanie. My hubby is very pleased with the content too!
      A lovely bath robe is always welcome.

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  8. Kandy, what great gifts. If you've never seen Tom Hiddleston in Henry IV as a Prince Hal and Henry V as King, do indulge. They are part of the Hollow Crown series. By the way I've read Goodwood and loved it. The author conjured up a brilliant small town feeling - you could have been there. Enjoy.

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    1. Malvina, I've heard how good Tom is in the Hollow Crown. Have put it on my must-watch list. Thanks for the thumbs up on Goodwood. Can't wait to get started!

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  9. No romance books (they wouldn't know what to buy me) or calendars (I only use free wall and desk calendars, but splurge on a monthly planner at the dollar store every year), but I DID receive some Sudoku puzzle books to keep me busy until next year's supply comes in again at Christmastime, LOL!
    My daughter (also) got me an organizing cart on wheels with 8 (I think) different-coloured tubs in it. I put it together but still don't know how I'll use it. Oh well. When I DO figure it out, I'm sure I'll wish I'd had it years ago, LOL!

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    1. Laney, I had to smile at your comment on the romance books. No one in my family would risk buying me one either, though my romance writer and reader friends might. Aren't you clever doing Sudoku! I'm somewhat innumerate and just stare hopelessly at them!

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  10. Fab gifts, Kandy!
    Hubby got me a gorgeous new keyboard that makes the most satisfied clack noise when the keys are pressed and it's also backlit with a virtual rainbow of coloured lights which you can custom to whatever you want, each key can be a different colour if you like. I freaking love it :-) Soooo pretty.

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    1. Oooh, that sounds super appealing to this magpie :-)

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    2. Oooh, that sounds super appealing to this magpie :-)

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  11. Amy, your keyboard sounds awesome. What a fabulous gift!

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  12. Hi Kandy. Love your journal and I also know someone who would love your Calendar. Cherry adores Tom and he was brilliant in the night manager. Tom is also in Wallander, which I got the dvd box set.
    My usual Chris Hemsworth calendar that I bought ;) Lots of bubbly and clothes and a camel's head mug. Still trying to work out how to drink from it. I do have a Cherry Adair's book coming soon from USA sighed. So looking forward to that. Jan.

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  13. You got quite a stash of lovely things, Kandy. It's always good to be spoiled. My hubby bought me Base noise cancelling headphones (possibly self preservation on his part since he's home for 5 weeks on leave and I'm on a new deadline), two lovely dress from Little Miss Fashion and the Drill Sergeant and Mr. Plod gave us three mounted photos from their wedding in September. Quite the treasure trove!

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  14. You got quite a stash of lovely things, Kandy. It's always good to be spoiled. My hubby bought me Base noise cancelling headphones (possibly self preservation on his part since he's home for 5 weeks on leave and I'm on a new deadline), two lovely dress from Little Miss Fashion and the Drill Sergeant and Mr. Plod gave us three mounted photos from their wedding in September. Quite the treasure trove!

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