by Anne R. Allen
It’s the darkest day of the year. Which means it will get lighter from now until summer. 🙂
Should we try to write through the darkness?
Sometimes writing can keep you going through the holidays, but treating the rule “Write Every Day” as if it is set in stone can cause stress and despair. So only do it if it makes your life brighter. Sometimes being with family is more important than anything else–especially if you’re around elders and small children. But holiday chaos and disruption can also drive you bonkers–especially this year, when we already have about as much chaos and disruption as we can handle
I’m still home alone nursing my pneumonia after an unpleasant stay in the hospital. I’m old enough that pneumonia can be dangerous, so I’m taking it very easy. My wonderful neighbors feed me, and family will be coming to visit sometime after the 25th.
So I’ll be writing away on my WIP, Mrs. Rodriguez is Not Sorry this week. It will be the 11th installment in my Camilla Randall humorous mystery series.
It’s a Time to Break the Rules
Traditional Winter Solstice celebrations included the “Lord of Misrule” and the upside-down merriment of servants acting as masters and vice versa. It was a time to break rules. One of my rules for myself has always been to keep politics out of my writing and blogging. But today I’m breaking it. Trolls have been attacking this blog with batshit comments that accuse me of being one of the liberal “sophisticated intelligentsia” who scorn X-Twitter and all the denizens therein. Silly, since I’m still on X-Twitter and don’t often criticize my fellow Tweeters on this blog. (I suspect these are paid trolls who don’t understand much English. I do delete their comments, and my WordPress elves are learning to send them immediately to spam.)
But since I’ve already been deemed a dangerous person by the troll community, I guess I’ll break my rule and come out of my intelligentsia closet.
Here it is: Yes, I am unrepentantly pro-reason, pro-rule of law, pro-human rights, pro-planet Earth, pro-kindness, and pro-democracy.
To me, this is indeed the darkest time of the year, or any year, for what used to be my country, and for the world. Forces of chaos and destruction have taken a wrecking ball to everything we used to cherish. This is the most dangerous time I’ve experienced in my long life. I find living in MAGAstan terrifying, exhausting, and embarrassing.
But I resist this cruel regime and, like Mrs. Rodriguez, I’m not sorry.
Making Merry With Writing
One way I cope with my outrage, shock, and terror is to look for humor in the chaos. (After all, “merry” means fun and lighthearted, and perhaps a little tipsy. No matter what you’ve heard, it’s not a religious word.) But as a result, I’m writing my first overtly political novel in the thirty-something years I’ve been writing long-form fiction.
Waverly Nelson Rodriguez is an old friend of Camilla that some readers will recognize from The Best Revenge. She’s an over-privileged WASP who is swept up in an “immigration” raid because of her wealthy husband’s name. But she thinks she’s been kidnapped by a drug cartel. There’s also a mysterious corpse in the trunk of her Mercedes, and a wild raid of San Luis Obispo’s famously pink hotel, the Madonna Inn. Camilla is again tempted by Mr. Wrong, and, of course, we have to deal with a very opinionated cat. I hope it gives readers some laughs.
Practice Gratitude
I also need to remember to be grateful for what I have. The ability to write, for one thing. We need to remember that’s a gift. Writing guru Nathan Bransford has a great blogpost this week encouraging us to write for writing’s sake. No matter how much we are thwarted by terrible circumstances, art that comes from the human soul will always be important.
And it’s good to remember that even in darkness, lights shine. I personally am very grateful for our shiny new Pope. I’m not Catholic, but I think our American Pope Leo represents the very best of what we used to believe the USA was about. He gives me hope.
I also need to remember to be grateful that nobody’s dropping bombs on my house, and I haven’t lost my home to a wildfire or flood. Also, I’m grateful for my amazing neighbors and friends. I’m grateful for my publisher, Thalia Press, and for all of you, my readers.
No matter how dark things feel, practicing gratitude helps.
Writing Can Help us Find Order in the Chaos
I feel better when I can calm down enough to work on the book (which is still only half finished in rough draft.) It’s a way to channel my conflicting emotions and make some kind of order of it all. I’m encouraging you to do the same.
Any act of creativity fights the dark powers of chaos and destruction.
Maybe a book like Mrs. Rodriguez–or even this post–will get me disappeared by MAGA’s lawless death squads. Or maybe some deus ex machina will save this country from its sadistic march to self-destruction.
But at least I’ll know I’ve tried to generate a little merriment, and shine some light in the darkness. I encourage all of you to do the same. Write. Not because you have to, and not because of any “rule,” but because it is your gift—to yourself, and to the world.
by Anne R. Allen (@annerallen and annerallen.bsky.social) December 21, 2025
What about you, scriveners? What are you grateful for? Can you write through chaos and upheaval? What is most likely to get in the way of your writing?
BOOK OF THE WEEK
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THE BEST REVENGE: The prequel (Camilla Mystery #3)
HOW IT ALL BEGAN: This prequel to the Camilla mysteries romps through the glitzy 1980s, when 19-year-old fashionista Camilla loses everything: her fortune, her gay best friend, and eventually her freedom.
When she’s falsely accused of a TV star’s murder, she discovers she’s made of sterner stuff than anyone imagined — herself included.
“Serious comedy…written without a trace of sentimentality and an underlying tough realism that belies the wonderfully over-the-top nature of some of the characters–the humour in this is necessarily dark–but there’s any number of laugh out loud lines in it.” …Lucinda Elliot at Sophie De Courcy“
I had a love/hate relationship with each character within the amazing pages of this very well written book… I WANT TO HAVE MORE!!!!!! “…Kim Justice at Breath of Life Reviews
“Anne Allen had me laughing unexpectedly and sometimes out loud with her wonderful crafting of her words into sentences that became alive and three dimensional throughout these stories.” …John Williamson at Goodreads
Find The Best Revenge at Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Google Play, AppleBooks, & NOOK
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Featured image via Wikimedia Commons
Anne, you’re the living, breathing example of the persistence, resilience, and sheer guts that keeps writers going in spite of impossible obstacles. Your humor makes the bitterness of life a little more bearable. Thank you, brave friend!
Debbie–Thanks for your kind words. Humor is my coping mechanism, I guess.
No matter what, there is still joy to be found in this world. Merry Christmas and enjoy time with your family!
Alex–Merry Christmas to you, too. We can still find ways to be “merry.”
Keep on shining your light, Anne. The world needs you. So does your country, even if it might take awhile for some of your fellow citizens to realize it.
And just remember, you folks successfully revolted against a king, once upon a time.
I’m a Canadian, and I’m not counting the American people out.
Linda–Thanks. Most of us are still the kind, welcoming people we’ve always been. If I were younger, I’d seriously consider a move to Canada. My dad was Canadian, and I have lots of relatives there I’ve never met. I miss living in a civilized country, but I have to believe law and order will be restored in the US one day.
It will, precisely because of the kind, welcoming people you mentioned.
Canada is wrestling with many of the same things as the US, and our own democracy is fragile. All the more reason for reasonable people everywhere to support each other, regardless of borders.
Just seeing your name pop up on my email list today gave me a good feeling. Reading it was a delight as always, but this one especially. Thanks for being in my email box since I started my “second act” into writing fiction.
WP–I’m so glad I brightened your day! I think a lot of us who have always wanted to write need to wait for a “second act” to make that happen. Best of luck with your writing.
Oh, Anne, I feel for you and your fellow Americans.
You’re right — we have so much to be thankful for, even though the world looks darker every day as the nights shorten.
Stay sane, and get healthy. Your advice and wit are always appreciated.
Kathy–Many thanks. It must be a tough time for you Canadians, too. You’re kind of “living above a meth lab” not knowing what new horrors are about to happen. But we all just have to hang in there.
Hi Anne. Loved this post, despite the scary parts. Yes, writing is our gift of escape, I know it’s saved myself plenty. I hope you are feeling better and I wish you a beautiful Christmas and crossing fingers for an Orange-less New Year. 🤣🧡
DG–Writing can get us through some tough times. I know you’ve produced some great writing while weathering your own personal tragedies. Yes, let’s hope for a bright, multi-colored new year.
THANK YOU!!
Nita– 🙂
At this point, “writing for writing’s sake” is the only thing keeping me sane.
Liz–Me, too. I was so glad to see Nathan’s post!
Happy Solstice Anne! I’m sorry you’ve been battling pneumonia- that’s scary. Wishing you a complete recovery soon. I appreciate your hopeful outlook on that as well as on the fragile health of our country. Fingers crossed that the country can heal right alongside you.
Debbie–I find that keeping a positive outlook helps in healing. Let’s keep fingers crossed!
Anne, As always, I appreciate your sanity, humor, perspective, adherence to principle, and encouragement in this darkest hour. The light shall come again, as you remind us eloquently. Thanks!! Mara
Mara–Thanks for your kindness and support! Keep your eyes on that light.
Anne, you are a force of nature.. and wow, I admire you!! Happy Holidays, Beth
Beth–Thanks for the kind words! Happy Holidays to you. 🙂
Anne, I’m wishing you happy holidays and a healthy and productive 2026. Writing can save our sanity, if not the world.
Audrey–Keep writing, for all our sakes!
Ahoy Anne,
Brava to gratitude. I’m with you 100%. And, like you, I have found I can write through the chaos. Writing is a bit of a balm, & since the chaos is leaivng open sores, a balm can be a good thing. May MRs. Rodriguez & her tale of humorous woe hep many folks through.
CS–It’s not easy to push ourselves to write through chaos, but it does provide a “balm” doesn’t it?
A lovely post, Anne, full of meaning for me. Yes, to gratitude. As to writing, Here’s the dedication in my latest book, out April 11: This book is for all the women who came before me who weren’t allowed to write.
Melodie–What a lovely dedication! So important to remember.
I agree that these are dark times and the vitriol can sometimes overwhelm. But to create light in the darkness is what we need to do. To inspire. To do good works. To give. To show the world that we Americans can rise above! Happy holidays to you and may 2026 be a healthy and joyful one!
Laurie–Best wishes for a healthy 2026 to you, too!
Amen to that! 🥰🌲🌲
I’m so sorry to read that you have been in hospital with pneumonia, Anne. But I’m glad you are now home and hopefully making a good recovery.
I shall certainly carry on with writing. And next year, I plan to write every day, even if only a few words. I won’t allow anything or anyone to stop me.
Season’s Greeting and my very best wishes to you for the New Year, Anne.
Hugh–Thanks so much. I’ve just had a visit from family and I’m feeling much better after being fed and pampered for a few days. Best of luck with all your writing. Your blog is great!
Thank you for this post. We writers can no longer remain silent in this most dangerous time for our country. We can only hope that 2026 brings a return of reason, decency, and respect for our democratic institutions and belief in the three EQUAL but separate branches of government. Happy New Year Anne!
Yvonne–Very well put. I agree 100%. Let’s hope for the return of Law and Order and respect for our Constitution!