New Beginnings… the Great What If?
Thank you to my good friend Michelle Diener for inviting me back to Magical Musings today! I always love hanging out here 
.
Well Easter weekend is almost here, and it feels a bit strange being so late in April. I always associate Easter with the beginning of Spring, with daffodils and crocuses poking their little green shoots through the last snows of winter, of rebirth and new life.
Of course, the festivities to celebrate this cycle of life all make complete sense when you grow up in the UK, as I did. Winter is long, dark and very cold, and by the time March rolls round I for one was always more than ready for it.
But now I live in Western Australia, March is the beginning of Autumn. Instead of everything unfurling and blooming, leaves are turning brown and dropping off the trees. It’s bizarre!! Even after twelve years of living here I can’t get used to the upside down seasons.
In a very real way my family and I chose a new beginning when we decided to immigrate to Australia. It was something my husband had wanted to do since before I’d met him and every few years we’d seriously discuss it. But never took that final step.
Until one day, we did.
It meant leaving behind our families and lifelong friends and a familiar culture to embrace the unknown. It was a huge adventure, a leap of faith. Everything might have crumbled but on the other hand if we’d not taken that step we might have spent the rest of our lives wondering… what if?
Oddly enough it only occurred to me very recently that my heroines tend to have life-altering decisions to make when it comes to remaining with what is familiar to them, or taking that fateful step into an unknown future.
In my debut ancient historical romance, FORBIDDEN, the Druid heroine Carys faces a clash of cultures when the Roman Legions invade her beloved homeland. She’s torn between loyalty for her people and her love for the hero, Maximus. They both need to take a leap of faith if they want any chance of their love surviving.
The second book in the series, CAPTIVE, starts six months after FORBIDDEN ends and follows the story of Carys’s best friend, Morwyn. Morwyn, a powerful warrior priestess, has turned her back on her goddess and the old ways. But she discovers that she, also, needs to take a leap of faith when it comes to the man she’s fallen in love with.
Have you ever taken a leap of faith, or left everything behind to start somewhere new?
About Christina’s books:
Between a warrior and a princess comes an erotic passion as all-consuming as the hatred between their warring worlds…
FORBIDDEN:
“Set in the time of the Roman Empire, Phillips’ wonderful story of the romance between a Roman soldier and a Celt is more than entertaining”
Romantic Times BOOK Review, 4 Stars
Trained in sensuality, a Druid priestess finds herself falling for the wrong man—the warrior who’s taken her prisoner…
CAPTIVE:
Phillips’ second in the Forbidden series is just as hot as its predecessor. Readers will be held Captive by the magic between Druid priestess Morwyn and Bren.
Romantic Times BOOK Review, 4 Stars
And I’m currently working on book 3:
ENSLAVED:
A Druid priestess is captured and enslaved to a Roman tribune who must decide whether his loyalty lies with his heritage or the woman he suspects may be Rome’s deadliest enemy…
Welcome back to Magical! And thanks for another great post. I took a leap of faith when I quit my job to write. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my husband’s income, but it did change my life. I’ve had to think about every purchase I made. I’m finally making money now — and that’s because I took another leap and became an indie author. One of the best decisions of my life.
Hi Edie, thanks for the welcome back! It does take a huge leap of faith to quit your job to concentrate on writing. Congratulations on your success, I’ve been following your journey and it’s very inspiring!
Hi Christine. Love the covers of your books!
I’ve taken a few chances in my life, some paid off and others sent me in a direction I wasn’t prepared for, but I’ve enjoyed all of them.
Adjusting to life in another country would be a true challenge for me. I admire your boldness and adventurous spirit! I imagine getting used to the different seasons was only half the challenge of moving to a new land. What have you enjoyed most about your life there?
Hi Christina,
I love Easter because it means new beginnings for me. Right now at this moment in time I have a new beginning happening again and feels right to be at Easter time. Of course, I’m an April baby and it feels like a New Year for me any way!
Isn’t it great when you get a realization about your theme and characters? I’ve only recently seen the theme of freedom running through my YA books – and I had to have that pointed out to me. Lol.
Major congrats on your success!
Hi Christina: I guess this posting finds you in the middle of my favorite season … autumn … love your post and am intriqued by the titles and descriptions of your books.
I had a protracted mid-life crisis that I decided to resolve by leaving EVERYTHING and everyone behind. Fifteen years ago I left home, family, friends, job and security for an unknown life in another state. Twelve hundred miles from the nearest subway, I felt I was living in a foreign country … but in fact I traded NYC for South Florida.
Yours was a much more courageous move and the best part for you, is that you used it to enhance and inspire your work.
These books look great! Can’t wait to read them.
I’m not a big leaper, though I do wish I could be more adventurous some days!
Love those covers!
Hi Misty, I’ve been so lucky with my book covers! I love them both to bits!
One of the best things about moving to WA for me personally was it gave me a well-timed kick in the behind to knuckle down to my writing. I’d always written stories ever since I was a child, and had written a few category romances when my girls were babies, but hadn’t typed a thing for several years. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to get serious about something I’ve always loved. Of course I had no idea it would take me almost a decade before I produced something worthy of publication!!!
Hi Dale! Yes, Easter and Spring always feel like a new beginning to me, which is why I always feel a bit weird now when it’s Autumn outside!!
Thanks so much for your congrats! I’ve never really had a clue what the themes of my books are (actually I find analyzing these things a bit daunting!) It was only as I started to do this blog post in fact that it suddenly hit me as I was dropping off to sleep one night. And I was like, duh! How didn’t I realize that before?! And only then did it hit me that the same theme is running through the book I’m currently writing as well!!
Thank you, Florence! Autumn here is very pretty, and it’s still lovely and warm so I’m not really complaining. In fact quite often autumn here is as gorgeous weather wise as summer is in the UK!
Wow, your move across states was very adventurous. It’s hard to leave everything familiar behind and start again. But sometimes that’s the only way forward. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Cynthia! The funny thing is I’m not an adventurous or even a very brave person at all!! It’s only when I talk about how we moved to the other side of the world that I realize what a huge thing it was to actually go through with!!
Hi Karin, thanks! I love those covers so much!
Sorry, I’m coming in here late, Christina – school holidays is upon me!
Thank you again so much for joining us again. Like you, I took a leap of faith and moved to Western Australia from South Africa, sight unseen. It was most definitely stressful. But as luck would have it, it means I get to now have lunch with you from time to time. (Although not nearly often enough!)
Hi Michelle! Yes, moving countries is very stressful and I’m not sure I’d ever like to go through it again! But it was definitely a good decision. Looking forward to our next catch-up lunch!
Hi Christina. Great blog about new beginnings. Huge leap of faith immigrating to a new country … and a brave move. However, you picked a terrific country. I loved the year I spent in Australia – (Bendigo, Victoria). It did take some getting used to the switch of seasons, but I loved it.
Love your covers and the stories sound terrific. Thanx for joining us here at MM.
Thanks, Liz! Australia is a beautiful country. I’d love to travel around the eastern states one day, in fact I’d love to travel more in WA. We keep threatening to sell the house and buy a Winnebago – the kids are not impressed!!