Why Writing Romantic Fiction with Mature Characters

Posted on by G.Frerichs

Ever since I’ve been through all the Pippi Longstockings, the Karl May books (a German-style Western for youngsters), and matured through the rest of our tiny island’s library, I’ve been reading romance novels. I devoured them all my life.

Until a few years ago. I got bored with the flawless, beautiful, size ten, gorgeous, fashionable and funkily dressed young heroine. Yes, I remember those times… not very well anymore, but yes, I’ve been there, done that, and got the stretch marks to prove it. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t relate to these young girls anymore. And I would like to identify with the heroines I’m reading about and get lost in their worlds before I contemplate what to cook for dinner tonight. Continue reading “Why Writing Romantic Fiction with Mature Characters” →

4 Weeks to Christmas

Posted on by G.Frerichs

Zimtsterne ~ Cinnamon Cookies

Homemade cookies are a very traditional part of German Christmas. We start baking them just before the 1. Advent Sunday (4 Sundays before Christmas)

“Zimtsterne” cookies are one of my favourites. They are delicious and—glutenfree.

We have them for Sunday’s afternoon tea or bring them as gifts when we visit friends.

Try them out  ~ They are very easy to make! Happy baking… and let me know how you liked them.  Continue reading “4 Weeks to Christmas” →

Books Can Change Lives

Posted on by G.Frerichs

It took me years to find the books that changed my life in ways, nothing else has. I was a young mother with a 3 months old baby (said baby is today 44 years old) and had to seek refuge from a howling snowstorm with an older friend of the family. I still remember the scarcely furnished guest room. Over the bed, a little bookshelf was the only adornment in the room. I grabbed a book and read Breakfast at Six by Mary Scott. In German mind you, Mary Scott was famous in Germany! Go figure.

Our friend had a few more of her books and was friendly enough to let me borrow them. I loved the humorous stories of the life on a farm in the New Zealand backwaters. And forgot about it.  Continue reading “Books Can Change Lives” →

Whispers Of Love: Baby Boomers Don’t Give Up

Posted on by G.Frerichs

So, the third book in my Golden Series is now available on pre-order. If you want to know how Claudia is getting on with a ten-year-old orphan she’s taken under her wings, make sure you get a copy of WHISPERS OF LOVE. After the 20th of November, the price will return back to ‘normal’.

Life is what happens while you’re making other plans…

Connor Anderson leads a charmed life and knows exactly where he’s going. Men want to be him, women want to be with him, and Hollywood simply wants him. When he crashes his car in the backwaters of New Zealand on his way to the location of his newest film, it’s just an inconvenience. Right? Continue reading “Whispers Of Love: Baby Boomers Don’t Give Up” →

The Romance Revolution

Posted on by G.Frerichs

An article in the NYT caught my interest the other day. No, to be honest, it irked me like hell. As so often in the world of critics—hence not very original—the author Robert Gottlieb, had nothing better to do than comment in over 3000 words on the naivety or dare I say stupidity of romance readers (RR) and writers (RW) alike, even though we might be “squirming with desire”. Continue reading “The Romance Revolution” →

How to Avoid the Week From Hell

Posted on by G.Frerichs

I suppose everyone has a bad week now and then. And I don’t mind having a ‘bad’ week if that means, it rains all week or the Avocados are suddenly $6 a piece. For others that could be a disaster, for me, it’s not. Here is my suggestion for a reasonable decent week.

Never trust a new hairdresser(ess) with colouring your hair.

Continue reading “How to Avoid the Week From Hell” →

Movie Monday: Letters To Juliet

Posted on by G.Frerichs

It’s cold and rainy and windy in Wellington. The temperature inches barely into the two digits. So it makes perfect sense–to me–to watch a movie set in one of my favourite regions: Tuscany/Italy. Seeing the red Fiat with Claire, Sophie, and Charley drive along country roads studded with slender cypress trees… ahh. Is there anything more beautiful?

Maybe the scene almost at the end, when the whole family sits around a large rustique dining table in the lush Tuscan garden beats the car scene. It’s hard to pick because the views of Tuscany, Siena, and Verona are simply stunning. Trust me on this: the movie is worth seeing for the scenery alone. Continue reading “Movie Monday: Letters To Juliet” →

5 Ways to Spend a Winter’s Day

Posted on by G.Frerichs

Winter is coming to an end, but the weather forecasters already promised a cold, wet weekend ahead. Is there anything more relaxing than sitting with your favourite buddy close to the fireplace and enjoy whatever you are doing with a cup of hot chocolate? (Steffie and Sorcha asked “Is there anything else?). Yes, we should listen more often to our pets! Continue reading “5 Ways to Spend a Winter’s Day” →

Movie Monday: Blue Lagoon – Paradise Lost

Posted on by G.Frerichs

I love the movie BLUE LAGOON. I can’t remember when I saw it first, all I know is, we have it on our hard drive with Dutch subtitles. I must have recorded it on one of the old monster VCRs when we went to live in the Netherlands. My kids and I used to watch it on cold, rainy days. It was our ‘bad weather go to movie’. How often did we watch it? Your guess is as good as mine, but cold, rainy days were easy to come by in Holland and in New Zealand, where we moved to in 1988. Continue reading “Movie Monday: Blue Lagoon – Paradise Lost” →

Message From Your Past

Posted on by G.Frerichs

When we find an old bottle with a message inside on the beach, we get immediately excited and expect at least a romantic love note if not a hint to sunken treasure. I remember as a child I waited for the postman, convinced he would bring a letter from a forgotten uncle in America, telling me I inherited a fortune. Needless to say, it never happened.

I want to talk about the other messages, those that cause heartache and pain for years on end. Messages we carry with us–sometimes from early childhood on–that cause deep scars and can get in the way of a happy, fulfilling life. They are often given through hurtful words and actions or through the absence of caring and nurturing words and behaviours. They are emotionally crippling and can cause gazillions of problems. Continue reading “Message From Your Past” →