We’ve just come out of a heatwave here in South Africa, had a few days of glorious summer showers, and have been plunged back into another heatwave. I’d posted on Facebook that if I were a snowman, I would be a puddle. I’d like to rephrase that: “If I were a snowman, I’d be an evaporated puddle.” An old family friend said of the hometown I grew up in which is known for its extreme heat that it’s so hot there now, even the devil has left town.
Days like these make me long for our first white Christmas last year spent in Finland. Snow everywhere. Sub-zero temperatures. Coolness. Freezing, actually.
It was there I began writing my 2015 Christmas novella, Poles Apart. When we arrived in Finland mid-December 2014, the first thing we did was take a ten-hour road trip. Snow fell most of the way to our tiny cottage in the middle of nowhere. We were about an hours drive from Rovaniemi, official home of Santa Clause in Lapland which is situated on the Arctic Circle.
I used many of my experiences in Lapland and Finland—some done purely for research—to write this Christmas story.
Today I thought I’d share a few of those memories with you.
The first few photos show the little Lapland cottage we stayed in. It also became the cottage that my Poles Apart heroine, Sarah Jones, hired to get away and write her Christmas novel. I think you’ll recognize the place if you purchase a print copy of Poles Apart and turn to the back cover (and the pages inside, too).
And if you’ve read Poles Apart, you’ll definitely recognize the tiny outdoor loo that had Sarah hunting the entire cottage for (and limiting her liquid intake throughout the story).
Of course, you cannot mistake the hero in the story in this next photo—only thing you don’t know, is whether this is Niklas the hero in disguise, or the real Santa Claus.
Here hubby and I are holding hands over the Arctic Circle line at Santa’s Village. Sarah finds herself at this spot, too.
Sarah found the Blue Lapland Light fascinating, as did I. Neither of us had ever seen the world bathed in blue. This photo was taken around 9.30 AM. The blue color lightened over the next few hours, but was back again before 2.30 PM. Lapland’s days are short—the sun doesn’t cross the Arctic Circle’s horizon. We had hoped to see the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights). Sadly we didn’t. Sarah and Niklas, however, do see them in all their splendour, and by golly they are spectacular.
What Finnish story would be complete without a sauna scene? Poles Apart has a few. This is the tiny sauna in Sarah’s cottage.
Sarah spent many hours in a similar pose, except her desk was far tidier than mine, and her laptop larger.
The doorway leading into the kitchen where Sarah hung the mistletoe. It was a real distraction to poor Niklas.
The following photos show the long run from the sauna to the avanto (hole in the ice) and I’ll entertain you with the bravest (or dumbest) thing I’ve ever done—jumping into the avanto—all in the name of research (see my avanto video on YouTube). I knew I had to do this before leaving Finland or I’d forever regret not doing it. How difficult could it be to run out of an 80 degree Celcius sauna and lower yourself into a hole cut in the frozen lake? Once I had conquered the avanto, I knew I had to write the experience into my Lapland story. I could not waste such costly research.
I hope you enjoyed travelling to my storyworld with me. It was great to take this trip down memory lane, and already I feel a whole lot cooler just looking at all this ice and snow.
Leave a comment below if you’d like a chance to win an eCopy of Poles Apart. If you haven’t read yesterday’s blog yet, my good friend, Narelle Atkins, posted a book recommendation on this fun Christmas story.
Writer
’s block and a looming Christmas novel deadline have romance novelist, Sarah Jones, heading for the other side of the world on a whim.
Niklas Toivonen offers cosy Lapland accommodation, but when his aging father falls ill, Niklas is called upon to step into his father’s work clothes to make children happy. Red is quite his color.
Fresh off the airplane, a visit to Santa sets Sarah’s muse into overdrive. The man in red is not only entertaining, he’s young—with gorgeous blue eyes. Much like her new landlord’s, she discovers. Santa and Niklas quickly become objects of research—for her novel, and her curiosity.
Though she’s written countless happily-ever-afters, Sarah doubts she’ll ever enjoy her own. Niklas must find a way to show her how to leave the pain of her past behind, so she can find love and faith once more.
USA Today bestselling author, MARION UECKERMANN’s passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. Marion and her husband again live in South Africa and are setting their sights on retirement when they can join their family in the beautiful Cape.
What an amazing array of pictures. I lived in Montreal, Quebec for 5 years and saw my share of snow, but your stay in Lapland and Finland has that beat. As much as I tired of the snow, I wouldn’t mind a short stay in that cute little cottage. Thank you for sharing.
I forgot to add that I already have your novella in the Snowflakes and Mistletoe Collection. So please do not enter my name in the giveaway. I haven’t yet read Poles Apart, but I definitely look forward to it; especially now.
Thank you for sharing your pictures and the story of your trip. I have never lived in or visited a place that has really snow. This was so interesting to see all that snow. I live in Atlanta, Ga. USA and to us 2 inches of snow is a lot. I also have purchased Snowflakes and Mistletoe so do not enter me in the giveaway but do know when I read your story I will come back to your wonderful pictures. Have a wonderful December and a blessed New Year!
I just watched the YouTube video, Marion! OH MY GOSH! I was freezing watching you. I’m so cold natured, I don’t think I could ever do that. I loved when your husband started to throw snow at you and then he took a tumble. Great video! Thank so much for sharing it, and your beautiful pictures.
Please don’t enter me in the giveaway. I ordered the novella collection yesterday after reading Narelle’s review.
Thanks for the story and pictures. I just read Poles Apart yesterday and really enjoyed it!
I read this book and really enjoyed seeing the actual pictures! Thank you are posting this. My imagination was close, but I made things a little bigger and nicer. :) I enjoyed the book too.
What a fun post today! How fun to experience the Pole & I loved the pictures! Thanks so much for sharing :) I’d love to read this!
Marion,
It sounds like you had a heavenly visit to Lapland..
I love all the photos and hearing of your adventure.
Snow, wow….there was a lot! But it looked so beautiful!
Where I am we mostly have rain. Oh, well….at least all our plants are green.
Have a Merry Christmas.
Marylin
It sounds like a fun book to read. I enjoyed all the pictures too.
Loved the post, the pictures, and the story, Marion! Poles Apart was a lot of fun.
Thank you for this post. It is supposed to be in the 70s here today, but I got cold looking at all the pictures. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this book. It looks like a delightful read.
Great pictures, I love that Santa’s beard!
What a great post! I enjoyed reading it and looking at your photos!!
Great pictures! Love the cottage!
That is a great post. I love the blue days. Hope you can remember the cold and stay cool now. I understand about the heat wave as I live in Texas and we are having a warm fall so far. At least we’ve been getting a little rain.
Loved Poles Apart. I grew up where snow is common but we don’t get a lot of it. I loved getting a glimpse of Lapland and am not sure I would brave enough to try the avanto. =)
Thanks for sharing your photos with us. I’m looking forward to reading this book. ?
We were panicked as a week before we were due to arrive, there was no snow at my daughter-in-law’s parents house in the middle of Finland (see my Memory today on my Facebook page, Marion Morrison Ueckermann). But, we were fortunate that it started snowing about the time we arrived and we had SNOW! Hope you enjoy Poles Apart when you get to the back end of Snowflakes and Mistletoe.
Born and bred South African (actually born in Zambia, which is still AFRICA), snow had never really featured in my life (although we do have a few places in SA that do get snow). So it was really great to have so much snow last year, and we made the most of it! Hope you enjoy your time in Lapland with Poles Apart. Have a wonderful Christmas, too.
Haha, Jill, I don’t do cold water either. I generally won’t get into my swimming pool unless the water’s 28 Celcius (although lately I’m changing that rule as it’s just been far too hot, AND I have no excuse now for cold water because I’ve conquered the avanto). Surprisingly, it was really quite an amazing and exhilarating experience, and one that I’d actually consider repeating (can’t believe I said that!). Hope you enjoy Poles Apart.
Glad you enjoyed Poles Apart, Diana.
LOL, Kimberly, I think my imagination made things a little bigger and nicer, too :) So glad you enjoyed Poles Apart.
Glad you enjoyed the post. There’s an eCopy up for grabs today with my blog Walking in a Winter Wonderland. Stop by and leave a comment to stand a chance of winning.
Lapland was fantastic.I just wish we could have spent more time there. Yes, there was a LOT of snow. Well, we have a lot of sun, and as we’ve come out of winter with not much rain, things are still pretty brown :(
Have a wonderful Christmas, too.
Hope you get to read Poles Apart, Margaret.
Thanks, Tammy. Hope you get to read it soon :)
Thanks, Valerie. It was fun to research and write this book :)
Writing the post definitely eased the heat for me, Susan. All the best in the drawing. Hope you get to read Poles Apart soon.
Thanks, Karen. Well, this Santa is reputed to be THE REAL THING…the original Santa. With a beard like that, he has to be, surely? He certainly was entertaining.
Katy, when you know your life might not take you on a certain path again, you learn to be brave :) It was only the thought that I may never be able to do something so crazy again, that made me take the plunge. I’m glad I did.
Ah, Connie, the Lapland blue was absolutely fascinating. Going to be a scorcher here again tomorrow … I’ll have to keep this post handy :)
Thanks, Beth. I loved that cottage, too. Wish I could have stayed there longer.
Thanks for reading the post, Linda. Glad you enjoyed it.
Oh your pictures make me feel cold but what an interesting trip! I like the sound of your story, I’ve never read about a young, hunky Santa before.
This story looks delightful – thanks for sharing the photos to give us a taste. You are certainly braver than I ever would be – maybe I’d put my toe — make that finger in the ice water, but that would be it. Last sauna I was in was 135 degrees but I had no plans to jump under ice water!
Seeing your pictures and reading your post on the research you did just made me COLD!! HAHA….I don’t like to be cold…but it sure is pretty to look at. I’d be holed up in the little cabin with the fire blazing and a cup of something hot in my hands. I’d probably hibernate for the winter :-D And, I’d be inventing some kind of indoor toliet….sure wouldn’t have to want to go in body deep snow to do my business….brrrrrr…haha!!
Now I’m off to plant myself in front of the heater……
P.S. Please add my name for the book drawing, Marion! All teasing aside, I did enjoy the post. It’s always neat to see where authors go to do their book research. One can “see” the sights better that way, makes for better mental pictures too :-)
Love the pics and story!
Marion, gorgeous photos, and I’ve loved hearing about your real life adventures in Lapland :)
Thanks, Narelle. Oh boy, do I have photos from Lapland! Wish I could share them all, but I’d have to take up several blogs for that :)
Thanks, Joy :)
Thanks, Joy.
Oh, Beth … and my Santa is hunky. I think you’ll like Niklas and Sarah’s story :)
LOL, we did 176 F … no wonder we had to jump into the ice water. And then, according to the Finns, that’s moderate. Hope you get to read Poles Apart.
I don’t like being cold either, Trixi … or hot for that matter, so crazy that I’d go from one extreme to the other. Well, I was there, the sauna was there, the avanto was there … I just had to do it, for research’s sake :) Yes, the outdoor loo was a challenge. You definitely thought twice about going. Hope you get to read Poles Apart. Will definitely add your name to the drawing.