romantic fiction | Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers

Bibliophile’s Collective Tuesday – The True Origins of Valentine’s Day

February 15, 2022
mandyevebarnett

We are all more than familiar with the modern Valentine’s Day and it’s commercialism, but do you know the various origins of the day?

The first celebration was actually a Roman festival called Lupercalia that welcomed spring. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had just slain. Certainly, something, I think we are all glad did not continue!

The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern day of love. Emperor Claudius II executed two men — both named Valentine — on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D.

Pope Gelasius Ist muddled things in the 5th century by combining St. Valentine’s Day with Lupercalia to expel the pagan rituals. Also around the same time, the Normans celebrated Galatin’s Day. Galatin meant “lover of women.”

A drawing depicts the death of St. Valentine.

William Shakespeare and Chaucer helped romanticize Valentine’s Day in their works, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens-du-jour in the Middle Ages.

Eventually, the tradition made its way to the New World. The industrial revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. And in 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City, Mo., began mass producing valentines. February has not been the same since.

So, not the fluffy begins we may all think of the day of love.

Please celebrate the week with a great romance all available on the online purchase site of your choice.

Bibliophile’s Collective Tuesday – Why I Write in Multiple Genres & Reincarnation Book Review

February 4, 2020
mandyevebarnett

fantasysubgenres_reduced

When I am asked about the stories I write, one question arises quite often. Why do you write in multiple genres instead of just one?

To answer this is not as simple as it first appears. It is linked to my process of writing. I allow the story to evolve as I write and do not steer it in any specific direction. Enjoying where the characters take me is, for me, the best part of writing. I may have an idea what the story is going to be about but more often than not, it diverts into another direction – many times to somewhere I have not thought of. There are many writers that need a lot more structure to their writing, such as complete plot notes from start to finish and I admire that but it is not something I can do. It stalls my creativity. Once the first draft is written then I begin refining the narrative and decide on the genre it suits best.

For example, my Edmonton Best Seller, The Twesome Loop began as a light-hearted romance with a few characters finding their soulmate. However, the complexity of writing in two time periods required a significant amount of detail to be incorporated to allow my readers to understand the backgrounds and personality traits of these people from their past lives to the present. Other secondary characters also began to take on a life of their own and the subsequent narrative follows several love stories intertwined with the main characters.

Clickety Click

https://www.amazon.ca/Clickety-Click-Mandy-Eve-Barnett/dp/1927510856

In my YA novella, Clickety-Click, I had what I though was a definite plot arc but young Alice, the central character and the circumstances of her finding out about her true self went in a surprising direction. It still deals with self discovery and self confidence but also has a twist that I hope will delight the reader.

As a reader what captures you about a book?

Do you prefer one genre over another?

111 Reincarnation themed

Past Presence by Nicole Bross

42856212 Absolutely loved this book! Well crafted characters, a sense of place and a great plot, I didn’t guess the culprit! Woven with regression tales, which is an interest of mine it has wonderful elements in the story to propel you onward.
Can’t wait for the next book, Nicole.