I’m still not sure about
writing this, but here goes.
2017 was a difficult year
from a personal, and in some ways professional, point of view. It began with a
couple big changes for me. After suffering an injury, my physical health had
worsened making getting about even more difficult, but on the plus side I’m not
living on my own anymore. My family also had the sword of Damocles hanging over
us in the form of my brother’s cancer treatment. As many of you know, in
October, he died suddenly, leaving behind his wife, three children, my mother
and me.
My brother and I didn’t live
in each other’s pockets. I spoke to him when he was at mum’s house and
sometimes on the phone, but his loss has hit me hard. He was my only sibling –
the only other person in the world with the same ancestry. I’ve felt lonely
knowing he isn’t there anymore. I’m heartbroken thinking of the two very young
children he’s left behind. It wasn’t how I planned it. He was the one to stay
at home while I left, firstly to go to university, and then to live and work
two hundred miles away. My one consolation is that I was able to get to his
funeral with help from some wonderful people. It was an amazing occasion with
dancing to Boogie Wonderful included. I met people I hadn’t seen for over thirty
years. It’s so hard to believe those teenagers I knew are now grandparents.
In the wider world, events
have been incredibly depressing. Some days I’ve dreaded opening Facebook and
Twitter. In Britain we’ve had the madness of Brexit and in the USA there has
been the continuing circus around that man. Sometimes, it feels like the world
has gone mad. On the other hand, it is more positive to see women and men
speaking out against the culture that exists in so many organisations and
society in general. Hopefully, change will come.
I’ve read lots of wonderful
books this year. I think my reading biggest change has been reading much more historical
fiction, something I’d avoided being a history teacher, and not the biggest fan
of the Regency period. But KJ Charles sucked me in and Jordan L Hawk, Joanna
Chambers, Ruby Moone, and Cat Sebastian kept me there. I’ve read around 200 books this year. Currently, I’m making my way though Rosalind Abel’s Lavender
Shores series.
On the watching front, we’ve
watched all seven series of The West Wing
and wished there were more, and also all twelve series of Supernatural. Other watches are listed in other blog posts. Next lengthy
watch will either be Buffy or How to Get Away with Murder.
Now, for my writing. In 2017
I had two novels and a short story published. My Highland Cowboy had some great review and was lighter than my
usual stories. While You Take a Chance
had two older MCs. I loved writing that one and wish it had done better for me
and the publisher. The short story – The
Matchmaker – featured in an anthology, Right
Here, Right Now. This was another low angst feel good story. Over the year,
I’ve completed five full novels, so I have three not published and, as yet,
unsubmitted. Two of them have the same MCs and are set in Norfolk. There will
be three books in the Half series and
I have the last one to write. I’m not planning on submitting until all three
are finished. I’ve also completed a May/December story called Two for the Road which needs editing,
and half of another story which hit a brick wall at 20K, but I might get back
to it.
I’ve no idea of plans for
2018. I haven’t felt like writing for a while now. If I get the muse back
hopefully I’ll write book three, and edit them all, edit Two for the Road, finish the other story, and even do more than
contemplate the idea I have for an historical story set in the mining industry
of the early 20th century, inspired by two characters from How Green was My Valley, my own family
history of mining in Tonypandy, and a side character from Rainbow Connection. It’ll need some research.
I will admit feeling
somewhat disillusioned about writing. I tell myself I write because I want to
and not because I want to sell books, but it would be nice to sell more. I know
everyone is suffering from reduced sales in a crowded market, but it can be
disheartening not to sell even when you’ve had lovely reviews. Oh well, I’ll
see how the muse takes me.
That’s it from me for now. I’d
like to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year in 2018 and good luck with
those sales.
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