This has been a difficult year for many, for the reasons we all know as well as a myriad of private reasons. The times feel dark, not made any easier by the time of year. And so we light candles for Diwali and Hannukkah, we drape strings of lights for Christmas. So many cultures celebrate light in the dark, quite literally.
For some, light is music, like my dear friend Farnaz Ohadi, who invented the genre of Persian Flamenco as a way for her to combat darkness. For others, it is the act of creation, while for many it is the appreciation of that creativity. For me and many people who call themselves readers, it is reading and literature (and one could argue film and tv as well).
And so this holiday season, I hope to read more than ever, to find my way lit by Emily Bronte and Nancy Mitford and Samuel Johnson and my favourite historical fiction writers.
I hope you will too, while holding those you love close, perhaps even putting aside differences to find common ground in your relationships.
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I was asked by Shepherd Books for my three favourite reads of 2023. Please type into the comments your favourite reads from 2023 – these could make some great holiday gift suggestions for the readers on your list!
The image above is the new Serbian cover of The Virgins of Venice – gorgeous!
I’m pleased to announce the winner of my recent giveaway: Melba. Congratulations to Melba! Her book has been mailed, and I hope she is enjoying it. And thank you to everyone who participated!
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Some light holiday reads (ebook only) you may enjoy this month from my pen name (written with my former coauthor Janice Kirk):
Christmas in Bruges: A Short Story – a contemporary romance set in Belgium
Christmas in Alcatraz: A Short Story – a contemporary romance set in San Francisco’s famous prison
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Happy holidays and happy reading!
Gina Buonaguro 