It’s that in between time of year again. The oft reflective hours when folk bemoan vanished bank balances and retailers are desperate to flog surplus seasonal stock that pilfered the balances in the first place. Still, a great time to grab a bargain. Wonder how many ask, “Why do we put ourselves through all this stress and expense for one day?” Humbug!

With no youngsters want-want-wanting, there’s no excuse for me to imbibe the annual Christmas stress, but, like a stealth, it’s out to get me. Creeping, slithering, and whoosh, before long, I’m drowning in festive mania. Guess it comes down to reliving childhood memories and a never-fading love of Christmas trees and lights.

Every winter, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) comes to visit and Yuletide lights are welcome before the depressing January low. In Scotland, Hogmanay’s a bigger tradition than Christmas, extending into January for 3–4 days. In my youth, I’d celebrate like a fool, and it took me years to determine if I don’t want a hangover, don’t drink, or do so in moderation. Reckon the same mentality should apply to Christmas. Keep stress levels down, don’t go overboard, and that should cause a lesser Christmas hangover. I have it in mind to make next Christmas low-key, although I’ve uttered that platitude for years. Will I ever?

As a child, I dreaded the post-Christmas period. The magic was over for another year, twinkling fairy lights no longer enchanted. Yes, there were presents to play with and tasty selection boxes to demolish (and boy, did I demolish them). Fast forward a few decades and I’m relieved when Christmas and Boxing Day are done. With madness over, thoughts turn to serious matters. Another year down the pan and off Wenark Green goes for a new one full of who knows? We’ll be making changes and looking for a new rural retreat because tranquility is us. We’re huge fans of stargazing—the night sky’s better in the countryside. Less light pollution means more visible stars in the sky, but, unlike Oscar Wilde, we won’t observe from the gutter, we hope.

During this period of reflection, it’s a good time to say this will be the last monthly blog before switching over to quarterly/seasonal in 2025. (Next blog in March/spring.)

With another Christmas over and 2024 soon hitting the annals, let’s reflect on this diverse year for the Wenark Green collab. Laughter, tears, triumphs, losses, but always a whole lotta soul. We:

  • Published Fatal Fungus, our second Windy & Darling mystery.
  • Started Horrid Herbs for a May 2025 launch.
  • Equipped ourselves with the necessities to narrate, including enrolment on an audiobook course.
  • Built a website for the March launch of Whisper Press, a new enterprise that harnesses our combined years of experience and skills to help writers publish their work.
  • Attended a book festival at Rosewell Primary School, a small do but worthy and productive.
  • Built content themes for engagement on various platforms.

This year has also seen achievements in personal growth. When told she had MS, Wen refused to be a diagnosis and chose to live her best life, seeing the condition as her raison d’être. Diet, lifestyle, and mindset changes were paramount and still are, but one thing nature-loving Wen craved was to walk uphill and downhill, like before. Though still causing apprehension, uphill’s easier, downhill, not. But this year, Wen made vital steps to conquer her fear of falling. The challenge is still a work in progress, but with buoyant tenacity and eternal humour, she drives on.

For Ark, an autism diagnosis came with great relief. He was sure of neurodivergence, but for years, medics said no, leaving him reeling. Now, he can live each day, knowing if certain issues arise, it’s because of his condition and there is no shame. Like Wen, he will not be a diagnosis. Like Wen, he knows a vast percentage of the world’s population lives with a chronic issue.

Now, to the new year. We don’t do resolutions, but do champion visions and goals. For 2025, we’ve chosen six realistic objectives. With no wish to crank up stress levels, next year, universe willing, should see us, in no particular order:

  • Write, edit, and publish Horrid Herbs, book three in the Windy & Darling Mystery Series.
  • Launch Mr Q’s Mewsletter. A monthly foray into the foibles, frolics, and fancies of two eccentric inkslingers. Subscribers get a free eBook: The Stranger Years, a Windy & Darling Prequel.
  • Finish said prequel.
  • Launch Whisper Press, our new venture to help writers publish by offering a bespoke wealth of skilled services, including editing, proofreading, formatting, critiquing, and mentoring. We’re starting with a selection of attractive introductory offers, too. Keep your eyes peeled.
  • Go rustic, with a move deep into the countryside. The further away from light pollution and idiots, the better.
  • Maintain a healthy diet, lifestyle, and mindset, and dive deeper into the wonders of nature.

Wen also wants to finish the manuscript for her psychological thriller and launch socials to start her marketing campaign.

And there you have it. Before we sign off for the year, we’d like to convey huge thanks to everyone who has supported Wenark Green throughout 2024. Gratitude abounds for your time, effort, reciprocation, and kindness. We end by singing appreciation and our warmest wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year. See you in 2025.

That’s us away! After while.

Ark & Wen xx

It’s that in between time of year again. The oft reflective hours when folk bemoan vanished bank balances and retailers are desperate to flog surplus seasonal stock that pilfered the balances in the first place. Still, a great time to grab a bargain. Wonder how many ask, “Why do we put ourselves through all this stress and expense for one day?” Humbug!

With no youngsters want-want-wanting, there’s no excuse for me to imbibe the annual Christmas stress, but, like a stealth, it’s out to get me. Creeping, slithering, and whoosh, before long, I’m drowning in festive mania. Guess it comes down to reliving childhood memories and a never-fading love of Christmas trees and lights.

Every winter, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) comes to visit and Yuletide lights are welcome before the depressing January low. In Scotland, Hogmanay’s a bigger tradition than Christmas, extending into January for 3–4 days. In my youth, I’d celebrate like a fool, and it took me years to determine if I don’t want a hangover, don’t drink, or do so in moderation. Reckon the same mentality should apply to Christmas. Keep stress levels down, don’t go overboard, and that should cause a lesser Christmas hangover. I have it in mind to make next Christmas low-key, although I’ve uttered that platitude for years. Will I ever?

As a child, I dreaded the post-Christmas period. The magic was over for another year, twinkling fairy lights no longer enchanted. Yes, there were presents to play with and tasty selection boxes to demolish (and boy, did I demolish them). Fast forward a few decades and I’m relieved when Christmas and Boxing Day are done. With madness over, thoughts turn to serious matters. Another year down the pan and off Wenark Green goes for a new one full of who knows? We’ll be making changes and looking for a new rural retreat because tranquility is us. We’re huge fans of stargazing—the night sky’s better in the countryside. Less light pollution means more visible stars in the sky, but, unlike Oscar Wilde, we won’t observe from the gutter, we hope.

During this period of reflection, it’s a good time to say this will be the last monthly blog before switching over to quarterly/seasonal in 2025. (Next blog in March/spring.)

With another Christmas over and 2024 soon hitting the annals, let’s reflect on this diverse year for the Wenark Green collab. Laughter, tears, triumphs, losses, but always a whole lotta soul. We:

  • Published Fatal Fungus, our second Windy & Darling mystery.
  • Started Horrid Herbs for a May 2025 launch.
  • Equipped ourselves with the necessities to narrate, including enrolment on an audiobook course.
  • Built a website for the March launch of Whisper Press, a new enterprise that harnesses our combined years of experience and skills to help writers publish their work.
  • Attended a book festival at Rosewell Primary School, a small do but worthy and productive.
  • Built content themes for engagement on various platforms.

      This year has also seen achievements in personal growth. When told she had MS, Wen refused to be a diagnosis and chose to live her best life, seeing the condition as her raison d’être. Diet, lifestyle, and mindset changes were paramount and still are, but one thing nature-loving Wen craved was to walk uphill and downhill, like before. Though still causing apprehension, uphill’s easier, downhill, not. But this year, Wen made vital steps to conquer her fear of falling. The challenge is still a work in progress, but with buoyant tenacity and eternal humour, she drives on.

      For Ark, an autism diagnosis came with great relief. He was sure of neurodivergence, but for years, medics said no, leaving him reeling. Now, he can live each day, knowing if certain issues arise, it’s because of his condition and there is no shame. Like Wen, he will not be a diagnosis. Like Wen, he knows a vast percentage of the world’s population lives with a chronic issue.

      Now, to the new year. We don’t do resolutions, but do champion visions and goals. For 2025, we’ve chosen six realistic objectives. With no wish to crank up stress levels, next year, universe willing, should see us, in no particular order:

      • Write, edit, and publish Horrid Herbs, book three in the Windy & Darling Mystery Series.
      • Launch Mr Q’s Mewsletter. A monthly foray into the foibles, frolics, and fancies of two eccentric inkslingers. Subscribers get a free eBook: The Stranger Years, a Windy & Darling Prequel.
      • Finish said prequel.
      • Launch Whisper Press, our new venture to help writers publish by offering a bespoke wealth of skilled services, including editing, proofreading, formatting, critiquing, and mentoring. We’re starting with a selection of attractive introductory offers, too. Keep your eyes peeled.
      • Go rustic, with a move deep into the countryside. The further away from light pollution and idiots, the better.
      • Maintain a healthy diet, lifestyle, and mindset, and dive deeper into the wonders of nature.

      Wen also wants to finish the manuscript for her psychological thriller and launch socials to start her marketing campaign.

      And there you have it. Before we sign off for the year, we’d like to convey huge thanks to everyone who has supported Wenark Green throughout 2024. Gratitude abounds for your time, effort, reciprocation, and kindness. We end by singing appreciation and our warmest wishes for a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year. See you in 2025.

      That’s us away! After while.

      Ark & Wen xx