Remembrance

Posted byjenniferannerainesPosted inUncategorizedTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

November is for remembering.

Australia, along with countries of the former British Empire and Commonwealth member states celebrates Remembrance Day on 11 November each year. The day acknowledges those who suffered or died while serving in wars, conflicts or peace operations. The date chosen is the anniversary of the Armistice of 1918 that ended fighting in World War 1.

Since World War 1, the common poppy, Papaver rhoeas, has been used in the Commonwealth as a symbol of remembrance. The flower has other names, including Flanders poppy, but I prefer the French word coquelicot (see image on website).

If you’ve ever encountered the 1969 musical film Oh! What a Lovely War about World War 1, directed by Richard Attenborough (in his directorial debut), you’ll see the red poppy used as a recurring visual symbol for death. The flower is handed to, worn by, or picked by characters before they are to die. This image has stuck with me since seeing the film. It’s powerful, moving and enduring. We feel the desperate sadness of a young life lost.

As we age and weave our lives into the lives of others, we create more memories —remembrance.

I remember hearing about the stages of life. I was in my twenties and it seemed so distant to imagine thirties, forties, much less fifties or older, but the idea stayed with me, and I’ve reflected on it over the years. You do change physically, mentally and emotionally as you age, and the people and events in your life influence those changes.

A thumbnail sketch of emotional transitions from an article on women’s health (Deeds Health) suggests our twenties are a whirlwind of firsts when the world can feel wide open and full of possibilities; in your thirties emotional cracks start to show, especially if you’ve been running on fumes. In your forties you notice subtle but significant shifts in body and mind. The fifties deliver grief over changing bodies, changing roles—kids leaving home, parents who need more care—while navigating transitions in careers and relationships. After turning 60, some of the biggest emotional hits can occur— retirement, new grandparent roles, loneliness and loss.

Studies, and life, suggest moving house, divorce, loss of a partner, death, diagnosis of a serious illness are among the most stressful events we can experience in our lives. They can come as a shock, and it’s hard to find the space to think logically when you’re in shock. And to be blunt, it’s harder to deal with the big shocks as you age. For me, grief is cumulative. Each new loss taps into the subterranean river of grief that runs through me. It keeps within its banks most of the time, but a new hit has it breaching those banks and swamping me.

One of the hazards of growing older—as any older person will tell you—is losing a partner to dementia and potentially being forced to leave your home. I’ve watched people around an elderly person talk over their heads, make decisions without consulting them, ostensibly because they want the best for them, but forgetting their older relative’s perfectly functioning brain and even their humanness. In seeking to be kind, they have added to the stress the older person is experiencing. Unfortunately, these acts aren’t always kind. Too often I hear the term “elder abuse” murmured by professionals I mix with.

Let’s agree, loss is super stressful, making the memories we associate with the person or place we’ve lost critical. So the way we deal with the loss, and those around us, is important. What we do in the moment matters.

When I think about my books, I deal with grief and loss in many of them. There’s no single way or time frame to respond to grief, and our emotional responses can range from rage to acceptance, sometimes in the same conversation.

Remember, remembering, remembrance are key to who we are. Let’s mourn our losses this November, but celebrate the good memories as well.

Available Now—November 2025 Release: Inkspell’s Enchanted Holidays

From Thanksgiving disasters to new holidays ready for happy memories or settling a score for love lost over Christmas to a chance meeting that turns to a rekindling of a past love, these holidays will warm your heart.

Nine best-selling and award-winning Inkspell authors share special origin holiday stories for your favourite romances, or sneak peeks into a new romantic couple navigating family time together. Inkspell’s Enchanted Holidays is the perfect anthology for readers and will quickly become your next favourite book!

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FPPM6G3J

KOBO- https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/inkspell-s-enchanted-holidays

BN- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/inkspells-enchanted-holidays-inkspell-publishing/1148189678

APPLE- https://books.apple.com/us/book/inkspells-enchanted-holidays/id6751919923

Upcoming: Australian Romance Readers Association’s (ARRA’s) annual author signing for 2026.

I’ll be signing at ARRA’s A Romantic Rendezvous in 2026 in Sydney. I’m looking forward to chatting with you about TBR piles, what I’ve got coming out, what we love about romance, our favourite bookshops and trends. ARRA has been hosting romance book-signing events since 2009, and they are always so much fun. I can’t wait to see you there!

  • Brisbane—Saturday 21 March 2026 (Royal on the Park, 152 Alice Street, Brisbane)
  • Sydney—Sunday 22 March 2026 (Rydges Sydney Central, 28 Albion Street, Surry Hills)
  • Melbourne—Saturday 28 March 2026 (Novotel Preston, 215 Bell Street, Preston)
  • Perth—Sunday 29 March 2026 (Pagoda Resort and Spa, 112 Melville Parade, Como)

>>> Tickets are now on sale here! <<<

And don’t forget to join the ARR2026 Facebook Group for all the latest news.

You can find me and my books here: website FaceBook Instagram

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You can also contact me directly via the contact page on my website if you have any other questions.

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