A Day For Romance

Happy Valentine's Day!

Have you ever wondered how St Valentine's Day came about? Here are a few things I discovered.

The Victorians considered it bad luck if a Valentine's card was signed.

In Medieval times, young maidens would consume an array of strange foods in the hope of seeing their future love.

Wearing your heart on your sleeve is an expression believed to have originated in Medieval times when young men and women would wear a name, selected from a bowl, on their sleeve for a week for all to see.

King Henry VII declared February 14th the holiday of St Valentine in 1537

Chocolate became synonymous with St Valentines' Day when Physicians of 1800's suggested it would calm pining for lost love. The first box of Valentine chocolates was produced in the late 1800's.

Why a red rose? It was the favourite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of Love.

Do you have any fun facts you can add? 

Pinterest - My Guilty Pleasure

I’m currently beginning work on a new book and what better excuse is there for whiling away time looking at inspirational pictures! Each time I start brainstorming a new book idea I create a new board on Pinterest for the story. I usually keep it secret for a while – just until I have settled on the hero and heroine and their story.

I’m a visual writer. I need images to stimulate my imagination and set my creativity free. Well, that’s my excuse for adorning my writing room wall with photographs of hot men, sometimes in varying degrees of undress. Above my desk I have a board I use to display some of the images I have selected for my work in progress which means I can sit there looking at the photographs and slip into their world.

My Pinterest Board for Xavier and Tilly's story, New Year at the Boss's Bidding

Since I seriously began writing romance, I have always looked for images that stir the imagination and often find just flicking through a magazine can trigger an idea. If I’m not ready to explore that idea I will write it down in my notebook and revisit it one day.

My Pinterest Board for Zafir and Destiny's story, The Sheikh's Last Mistress

Images are also useful when you hit one of those walls they call writers’ block. I find that if I spend a bit of time on Pinterest, even if I’m just looking and not pinning, something pops up that helps to open up my mind and get me back on the right side of the wall and writing.

I also have personal boards there too. Places I’d love to go and Things that make me smile are perfect for wasting time filling a few spare moments. So if you haven’t already done so, give it a go!

You can view my Pinterest account here.

Happy Pinning!