The Pantheon in Rome is around 2,000 years old and is said to be the largest unsupported concrete dome in the world! I stood in awe, jaw hanging open and wonder in my heart. I definitely could have spent more time inside its ancient walls. Sitting. Writing. Dreaming.

Ah, Venice, with your gondola rides and Piazza San Marco. I miss you already. Your rich and artistic history still pulls at me. I may need to visit again!

Writer accessories. There are lots of funny, cool ideas out there that will surely bring a smile to a writer’s face. What about an inspirational candle, or tee-shirts and sweats? Or an author tree ornament? There’s also an assortment of interesting mugs with cute sayings on the front—even sweary mugs for people (like me) who like to be direct.

Does your creative person like games? Then this might be the gift for you. Designed by a long-time creative writing teacher, The Writer’s Toolbox includes exercises, sentence starters, and cards and spinners designed to engage the right side of your brain, sparking curiosity and creativity—and maybe even a fantastic idea for your next novel.

Creatives LOVE a new notebook or journal. This one includes your birth flower and name, but you can find them in a variety of formats, colours, and covers. Personally, I like the spiral notebooks, as they are more flexible to work with. You can find them at a variety of stores, such as Etsy, Staples, Walmart or specialty paper stores.

To stay on track with all their work, a writer needs a solid day planner. This one is from High Note, and it’s the brand I use. I love their monthly and weekly format as well as their beautiful, artistic designs. It has a hard cover which makes it easy to use, and thick pages so they don’t easily tear or bleed ink. Perfect for on-the-go notes.

Do you know a writer who complains that their eyes are tired from too much screen time? It’s difficult to reduce time on a computer when you’re writing the next bestseller, but you can ease those dry, tired eyes with blue light-blocking glasses. Good for all screens.

Do you like using a notebook but hate having to buy another every time you fill one up? Or struggle to find a place to store them? Give Rocketbook a try. Record your notes, ideas, or stories by hand in a reusable notebook with an erasable Pilot FriXion pen. Draw or write on the pages, and then use the free Rocketbook app to scan and digitize your notes into Google Drive, Dropbox, or Evernote (or whatever cloud service you prefer). Then wipe your pages clean with a damp cloth and reuse them endlessly.  

We all know that writers are readers—and serious writers read a lot! For those who use an e-reader but find it difficult or monotonous to reach out and touch the screen to turn the page every minute or so (when you’re all snuggled in bed), try this cool little page-turning clicker! No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth required.

This month's recommended read is Mind Magic: The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How it Changes Everything, by neuroscientist Dr. James Doty.

It’s about clarifying your intentions (to write/publish the best novel you can) and embedding those intentions into you subconscious so that it can work to direct your attention to what really matters. The exercises are clear, doable, and empowering.

You can hear Dr. Doty speak about his work on a recent Mel Robbins podcast.