A NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER…

By Rosemary Lord

“Remember, remember the 5th of November,

With gunpowder treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder treason,

Should ever be forgot.”

So begins the English children’s rhyme. Back in 1605, when Frenchman Guy de Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament, his plot was discovered, and he was stopped. And each November since, the Brits celebrate their victory with ‘Guy Fawkes Night’ or ‘Bonfire Night.’ The children make a ‘guy’ – a dressed-up scarecrow figure that looks like Guy Fawkes. They take their effigies around the streets (usually in a cart or pram) asking for “A penny for the guy!” collecting money to buy fireworks.

The evening festivities include huge bonfires, in your own garden or in community squares, with informal fireworks displays, chestnuts and potatoes roasted on the fires and hot cocoa to drink. A fun winter evening for all ages.

November is a busy month.

The Hindu celebration, Diwali: The Festival of Lights, is November 12th this year. It is a Hindu new year celebration to say goodbye to the negative and welcome the positive for the year to come. It is a five-day celebration of the triumph of light over darkness, where candles and lights abound, children with sparklers, music and dance (Bollywood style) delicious food and henna tattoos.

A more somber but very heartfelt event is Remembrance Day in England on November 11th.

It commemorates the Armistice of 1918, signaling the end of the First World War. In England, Australia, and Canada – the Commonwealth countries – people wear a red poppy in respect. At 11 am – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, at the Cenotaph in London, the guns fire a salute, broadcast throughout the countries, followed by two minutes silence. The buses, trains and traffic stop. The River Thames and various spots like Trafalgar Square are covered in red poppies in the tribute to the men and women who served in military and civilian service in World War I, World War II and later conflicts. The poppies are a reminder of the red poppies that grew in Flanders Field where so many perished and are buried.

In America, November 11th is Veteran’s Day: a time to thank and pay tribute to all the men and women who have served or are serving in the military. A grateful nation decorates their homes and gardens with the American flags, and as they pay homage to the veterans, they celebrate with barbeques and patriotic concerts. Coffee shops, restaurants, shops, pay homage to the veterans with welcome signs in the windows and gifts and special discounts. Flags are proudly displayed everywhere. It is a National Holiday.

So, with all this pageantry and celebration going on you might ask, what has this to do with writing? Well – for me, it’s the inspiration. As a historian and writer, I just love to write about these amazing points in history. I think the human angle to these great events gives us rich sources of personal encounters, heroic actions, missed opportunities for mayhem and miracles. Finding a personal account of someone who was there, an eyewitness. I like the idea of using actual historic events and traditions as a backdrop. And when we delve into the real-life stories, we uncover real people; from the big heroes to the ordinary folk just trying to survive the challenges of everyday life. We discover fascinating tidbits of human nature that raise our stories to make something very special.

 And November ushers in the winter months, when we turn our clocks back, the days are desperately shortened, with darker mornings and a chill spreads around us. (Unless you’re living in Australia, of course). We dig out that cozy, thick wool sweater, heavyweight sweatpants, fuzzy slippers and we’re ready to sit at our computers with a mug of something hot. The empty page beckons and away we go: off to write another best-seller!

Every November I promise myself that in these ensuing long, dark evenings I will get a lot more writing completed.

And the winter season presents even more back-drops for our mysteries, romances, horror stories or science fiction. Holiday themed novels are always popular. Christmas stories are especially fun to write and popular – except you’re not allowed to call them Christmas stories anymore. So, that’s a fun writer-challenge: how to write about Christmas without using the word Christmas! But I digress…

Another really good challenge for some of us during the winter months is… decluttering the computer files. I didn’t say it was fun challenge, did I? But it is surprisingly therapeutic.

I discovered this need, after spending almost an hour trying to find a file I had just been working on. You see, I couldn’t remember exactly what I had labelled it. If you add a ‘the’ or start with a date, you have to know where to search. (Sometimes, learning Greek seems easier than mastering computers!)  

In this quest I discovered dozens of files in a foolishly labelled folder “Assorted writing.” Lesson #1: NEVER file anything under “Assorted” or “Miscellaneous”.

That was another file: “Miscellaneous” with ‘2022’ added for supposed clarity! Didn’t help. I learned the hard way.

Despite the fact that my hunt for my file was lengthy and tedious, I discovered a few gems of old, forgotten, partially written tales and story ideas. Hmmm.

And so I resolved to declutter (there’s that word again!) my files and create a comprehensive labeling and filing system.  One that I could remember! A Herculean task, I realize. But one that I can work on during the long, dark, winter evenings.

It’s either that – or I’m diving back under the duvet –and reading my kindle in the dark, where no one can find me!

What’s your plan for the winter months ahead?

20 thoughts on “A NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER…”

  1. Writing books about things that happened in the past might end up being the only place the next few generations can find out about those events. History is being erased or revised at an alarming rate. Of course, readers might think it is only fiction, but maybe a few will realize writers are actually writing about real things. I’m rereading George Orwell’s 1984 and I am finding even more things that make me think it was written yesterday and not in 1948. But writers can tell some of those stories now and maybe a few folks in the future will understand some of that fiction is based in truth. Great post, Rosie. (posted by Gayle if my name doesn’t pop up)

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    1. Thanks, Gayle. Writers need to record our history – as you say, for future generations to know what really happened, instead of relying on sensational media reports! And as less and less history seems to be taught in schools, the only resources are in the books we all write.
      And you’re on our ‘anonymous’ list today, Gayle! Hmmm

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  2. Miko here. I have mixed feelings about November, the most difficult time of the year for me. Living near the Canadian border, we lose an hour and a half of daylight over the course of the month, and it’s the rainiest time of the year. The end of daylight savings time coincides with the end of my “squirrel” time, when I stock up on food and supplies in case of power outages or snowstorms, and prep the house and garden for the winter months ahead. On the other hand, I pay homage to those who’ve served their country on Veteran’s Day and gather with family on one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving.

    I also want to echo Gayle’s observation about history repeating itself. I’ve uncovered first-hand accounts of significant historical events in my research, including an eye-witness account of HItler’s failed beer hall putsch (which ironically occurred 100 years ago this week) that sounded eerily like a more recent insurrection.

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    1. Dear Miko, it must have been especially painful for you researching your family history, with all of the Jewish persecution in World War II. Which is why your Petal In The Wind books are so special and invaluable to have a record of what happened. And your fictionalized version of actual history gives readers an opportunity to relate to historical facts. Thank you for your dedication to historical accuracy.

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  3. So much here to contemplate, Rosemary. November is one of my favorite months, for many reasons. Here in Virginia the fall colors are at their most brilliant in November, at least for the first half. Thanksgiving and family birthdays also make it special. My husband is a veteran, so he is honored on Veterans Day.

    I wish you well with your decluttering. I’ve started a decluttering project (haven’t tackled the computer files yet) and find it satisfying and, at the same time, frustrating (so much to do!)

    Thanks for your thought-provoking post, Rosemary.

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    1. Maggie – thank you. And thank your husband for his service. And I did not even get to the end of November to talk about Thanksgiving! I was focusing on this beginning. And good luck with your decluttering. It is both frustrating and therapeutic!

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  5. I always wondered what Guy Fawlkes day was. Wow. Weird that it coincides almost with Halloween. Every year with the elaborate gruesome decorations, I expect a bonfire! Or a hanging.
    In church History, it is also Reformation Day. (I always thought it was Nov. 1, but a friend said no, Oct. 31. Ah well.
    Thanks for all the other info, Rosemary. But…. dear lady….. I think your computer-file-declutter may be an excuse to avoid pounding the keys for some wonderul historical fiction!! (Love you!!)
    Jackie

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    1. Oh Jackie – you know me too well! At least I’m no longer cleaning out the fridge, instead of writing! But I have been doing bits of writing. Just not faced writing the next 50,000 words…
      And I forgot to mention that the kids burn their Guy Fawkes ‘doll’ on the bonfires!
      Your ‘chivvying’ and your encouragement do really help – a lot!

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  6. Hi Rosemary – well, tomorrow is supposed to land ice on the sidewalks here on the East coast, so my winter thoughts are of bundling up and downing several cuppas of hot, sweet tea. I, too, have a rather strange filing system on my PC whereby I cannot always remember what I labeled a document. I will pass on this tip – I often start the label by calling it Amadio and then the subject so that it is in the forefront of my document directory and thus quicker and easier (ha!) to provide a hint. Very interesting post, Rosemary.

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    1. Oh Jill, at least you can keep cozy and focus on your writing. And I’ll take a shot at your filing tip. My old PC was easier to store files. I’m still learning how to do this on my MACBook. Thanks.

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  7. I’m probably one of the few people who love November. It’s the month before Christmas (okay – I know, I said it – but it’s Christmas here in the UK) and the build-up is my favorite time of year. One of the craziest celebrations here is Tar Barrel Racing at Ottery St. Mary – I hope you can open the link https://www.tarbarrels.co.uk/. It’s VERY dangerous and exhilarating and is also held on November 5th. Re: decluttering – I am pleased you said you had the same challenge finding files. Me too! In the “old days” I could visualize the position of the files in a filing cabinet – and I had color coded labels which helped. But filing on a computer isn’t the same. You’ve inspired me to sort my files out as well … and perhaps I’ll be lucky and unearth some story gems I’d forgotten about. Thanks for this Rosemary – I feel inspired!!!

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    1. Whoa! No tar barrels for me! I thought your hedge jumping was weird/dangerous. Hmm. I can’t think of a bonfires or flaming barrels equivelent in the US, except maybe Burning Man, but I’ve never participated. I did do a stand-up paddle surfboard for a while. It was fun – but in a lake, not the ocean. And NO FIRE. haha.

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      1. There are some VERY strange customs here … and congrats for the stand-up paddle surfboard – it’s on my to-learn list!

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    2. But November where you live is different. It is COZY and people know how to have fun in the simplest of ways. With the pretty lights, decorations and log fires – tea and crumpets too. What’s not to like? I just realized that us Brit Bloggers are all West Country Girls: Jill from Cornwall, you in Devon and me from Somerset and Devon.
      And I, too, like my color-coded files right where I left them in the filing cabinet. Ooh, these new fangled things!! Maybe a quill pen and an abacus would be better…. I’m sure you will find something in your treasure trove of files. Thanks, Hannah.

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      1. Yes! We are West Country Girls!! It’s certainly a little different down here (at least that’s what I think). I thought you’d like to know that since reading your post I have been sorting out my files on my computer … so thank you for that!

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  9. Sorry I’m late, but Great post, started me thinking about how and if I change with the seasons. Here in the Mojave went from 100 to 60 degrees in a few days…summer to Fall, hmmm

    And time changing this weekend, sigh

    Decluttering…continue to fail (smile)

    Mad

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    1. Not to worry, Mad, about being late or not getting excited about decluttering! Each in her own time, they say! But we’re still here – sharing thoughts, ideas and friendship…
      Fall and winter in the Mojave must be interesting. Do you ever get snow?
      Miss seeing everyone at Dennys or Lancers….

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