Cathie Dunn writes...

Hello friends, Are you busy with your Christmas preparations? Cookies baked, shopping list written for the holidays? Or are you trying to escape it all? We're still fairly calm here. Shopping isn't done yet, though we already have plenty of logs and coal to keep us warm at least. And wine, bubbly and beer chilled. But we'll do the food shop tomorrow. Not looking forward to facing the desperate crowds that pile up their trolleys like there's no tomorrow. Well, in this case, no post-Christmas. We'll see... Right, so in the midst of all this festive chaos, Highland Arms was re-released through Crooked Cat Publishing. I'll always be grateful to The Wild Rose Press for giving me my first signed contract, but I'm also looking forward to new ventures. Highland Arms is the first in  The Highland Chronicles series – a selection of historical romance adventures set in the Scottish Highlands during different time periods. Highland Arms is set in 1720, five

Today, as my 2nd part of the fabulous and popular  Christmas with the Crooked Cats event, I'm chatting about birthdays. Mine, and that of others. December children. It's tough being a December birthday child. Or is it?  Many of my online friends are Sagittarians like me. We're a creative bunch! For example, authors Nicky Wells, Mandy James and Rose McClelland are all pre-Christmas birthday girls.  But I can see the pity in your eyes. "Poor you," you say. Must be tough getting less attention as everyone is so focused on Christmas.  And then, "Did your parents not combine celebrations when you were little?"  Umm, no! From an early age onwards, I pointed out an important difference to my nearest and dearest: Christmas Eve is on the 24th. My birthday is on the 20th! There are three full days in between. They may as well be three months! ;-) "But don't you get fewer presents?"  I never thought so. There was equal focus

6th December is St Nicholas Day. This is not really noted in the UK, but it is commemorated every year in Germany, where I grew up, in a really nice way. On the night of the 5th to 6th December, kids put one boot outside their bedrooms (yes, I did; well, up to the age of around 12). Legend has it that during the night, St Nicholas fills it with nuts and tangerines, apples and chocolates and a couple of small presents. So, on the morning of the 6th, children find a small treasure when they wake up. :-) (Note: choose a non-smelly boot for better effect!) But who was St Nicholas? And why does he go around German houses during the night before his name day, dishing out goodies? Russian Icon of St Nicholas, c. 1500, ( (c) National Museum, Stockholm) The original Nicholas was Greek bishop of Myra, in Lycia, Asia Minor, around 300 AD. Very little is known about the actual person – even accounts of his parents vary – although it appears he was very religious from an early age onward