Let There be Christmas Lights

Let There be Christmas Lights

Madrid, Spain
People walk under the Puerta del Sol Square's Christmas tree lights on Nov. 27, 2011, in Madrid, Spain. Streets of the capital are decorated with lights every year ahead of Christmas celebrations, but this season Madrid used the same lights due to the nation's economic crisis.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The lights of the world's biggest floating Christmas tree are turned on Nov. 26 at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The tree is 278 feet tall and is lit by 3.3 million light bulbs.

Salisbury, England
The interior of Salisbury Cathedral is illuminated by candles carried by choristers during the annual 'darkness to light' advent procession on Nov. 25 in Salisbury, England. The service - which begins with the medieval cathedral in total darkness and silence before the Advent Candle is lit at the West End -is one of the most popular services of the liturgical year.

New York, NY
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is lit Nov. 30 in New York.
Watch as our cameras capture the intricate process that transforms and illuminates a 12-ton Christmas tree in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza.

Calle, Bulgaria
A house is decorated with Christmas lights Dec. 1 in a street in the village of Calle, near the northern German town of Bremen. The sign reads: Merry Christmas.

Sofia, Bulgaria
A woman takes picture in front of a Christmas tree Dec. 1 during a lighting ceremony in downtown Sofia, Bulgaria.

Kobe, Japan
Some 70,000 people look at the "Kobe Luminarie" illumination Dec. 1 at a shopping mall in Kobe, Hyogo prefecture, western Japan. The annual light festival, which began in 1995 to boost the spirits of locals who experienced the Kobe earthquake in January 1995, or the 'Great Hanshin Earthquake' as it is known in Japan, will continue through Dec. 12.

Brea, Calif.
Brothers Beckman, 3, Preston, 6, and Westley Giang, 5, from left, are transfixed as holiday lights are switched on Nov. 27 for the first time this season at their house in Brea, Calif. Homeowners in the Eagle Hills neighborhood of Brea began decorating for the season in earnest.

Paris, France
Christmas lights in the shape of the Eiffel Tower shine near the real thing (in the background) Nov. 27 on the Rue Saint Charles in Paris.

London, England
Shoppers walk beneath Christmas lights Nov. 27 on South Moulton Street in London, England.

Prague, Czech Republic
A man blows his trumpet from the Old Town Hall Tower as a Christmas tree is illuminated Nov. 26 at the Old Town Square in Prague.

Vienna, Austria
Christmas lights illuminate Vienna's city centre Am Graben on Nov. 24.

Berlin, Germany
Vehicles drive along a festively illuminated Kurfuerstendamm on Nov. 22 in Berlin.

Don't give up your day job - writing while working

Most writers, even the biggest big name bestsellers, wrote their earliest novels while holding down another fulltime job, grabbing time for their personal creativity in amongst the (at times gruelling) day-to-day requirements of whatever else they needed to do to earn money and/or raise a family. Many writers continue to work in other areas even after they're published (the life of a full-time author is a dream for most - something only a small percentage of writers, even amongst those who are published, achieve).

At the same time, many budding writers say they wish they could write their novel/play/screenplay/children's book - if only they could find the time, in amongst their busy, busy life. But those that have been successfully published have often had similarly busy, busy working lives. So how do they manage to juggle writing with other responsibilities? How do they manage to create when they have to snatch writing time here and there, before work, or when they're tired at the end of a demanding day?

An upcoming free public event in Auckland takes a look at this very issue, and seems well worth attending for published and budding writers alike, as well as interested readers.

Trading Places is a panel event to be chaired by Ian Wedde (New Zealand Poet Laureate 2011-2013, novelist and curator). Wedde is joined on the panel by high-profile New Zealanders:

• Gareth Morgan, economist, investment manager, adventure traveller and published author;
• Tessa Duder, children’s writer and literary ambassador;
• Geoff Walker, publisher, editor and writer; and
• Juliet Bergh, doctor, screen writer and director.

Wedde and the panellists will share their insights in to how they balance their working lives with writing, how they make time to write, nurturing their creativity and contributing to the creative economy, and avoiding procrastination.

Trading Places is a free public event, to be held at Auckland’s Central City Library, Level 2, 44-46 Lorne Street, on Tuesday 15 November. Crime Watch readers are invited to join Wedde and the panellists for a glass of wine from 7pm for a 7.30pm start; available on a first come/first served basis.

Trading Places is proudly sponsored by the New Zealand Book Council, Auckland City Libraries and the National Library, whose aim is to foster New Zealanders’ creativity.

Hat tip to Bookman Beattie for the heads-up about the event.