I hope all my blog readers had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all the best for 2020 – in fact, all the best for the new decade. I bet some of you still feel it’s only about two or three years since the Millennium. Where do the years go?
But then I look back on this last decade and realise how far I’ve come. Ten years ago I was working in IT, writing short stories, with little thought or hope of becoming a novelist. Now I am a full time novelist with eight novels published, two at varying stages of the editing process, contracted for another one after that and with a lovely long list of ideas for future books. Life’s been good, lately. I wrote a short Twitter thread reviewing the decade – you can read it here.
At this time of year I always like to look back on last year’s resolutions and then make more. If I write them here I can easily find them again, also making them public means I’m more likely to stick to them!
Last year I resolved to:
- Get The Stationmaster’s Daughter ready for publication Done – published August
- Write two further novels (with no day job I ought to be able to!) Done – at least the first drafts
- Work on thinning down the amount of stuff in the house, so that in a year or so we can downsize Done a bit of this but my word, why have we hoarded so much in the attic?
- Go travelling in our motorhome Gertie for a couple of months Done – 10 weeks in the spring/summer and another 6 in the winter
- Make the most of my time, and basically enjoy life! Oh definitely done, and ongoing!
And as for 2020, here’s my new resolutions:
- Complete the two novels written last year. Both are slated for publication in 2020.
- Write first drafts of two more novels.
- Continue thinning down possessions, with a view to selling this house in 2021
- Continue enjoying life!
In other news, in 2020 my three older dual timeline novels (The Emerald Comb, The Pearl Locket, and The Daughters of Red Hill Hall) will all be published in paperback at last. I’m delighted about this! They are all available for preorder on Amazon and will be published in the spring – Daughters comes out in February.
It shouldn’t be too long before I’m posting here about my next novel, which is also due out in spring, but for the moment I need to keep its title, cover and blurb under wraps. Just one tiny hint – it is set in France. Looking forward to finding out what everyone thinks of this one!
