HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hey now my apologies for the delay in posting on here. This side of my site has had some technical problems and it needs an overhaul, so I didn’t risk posting in case I shut-down the entire website and webstore while publishing a book – it’s all connected.

So, here is a test, as much as an update, to see if this blog is still working.

My end of year newsletter has also flown, but if you don’t take it, I’ll repeat some of it here. And what a year, eh? I’m not sure what stank worse – the pestilence, or the incessant government incompetence. The two became inseparable & are set to continue. And then there were my epochal fears for America and what events there might mean for the rest of the world … Two drawing pins and a sharp stone in the same shoe … Oh, then the “EU Trade Deal”. There was no shoe, just bare soles on drawing pins.

But, on my speck of sand down here, on a professional level, I know that in hindsight, I needed the big pause button pressed on my participation in life. Back in January, I was on course this year for two literary festivals, four horror cons and some local talks at a museum and a book group. All of it scattered throughout 2020, plus a film shoot, a film festival and umpteen meetings in London. My participation in most of it was cancelled … and my abiding emotion was relief.

Instead, I’ve just put my head down and worked. I needed to publish and launch Wyrd in 3 formats and rewrite next year’s novel (I began my current novel-in-progress in 2019 but managed 6 drafts this year, with decent gaps between each draft). Throughout 2020 I’ve also needed to fulfil orders from my webstore that has nearly melted during the lockdowns … (thank you for your orders!) So, I’ve worked most days, or part of each day in 2020. It’s been intense but customers and readers seem happy, Wyrd is wriggling out there and I have another novel + film in the pipe. I’m counting major blessings that I was able to do all of this work on what I love and think of as a purpose in life.

I hope to publish the new novel on Halloween 2021 and there will be a film adaptation of ‘No One Gets Out Alive’ to watch sometime next year too. More news on these will flow in 2021.

Around work I’ve enjoyed some family time, a few paddles, some swims & walks. No one fell ill either. My work, the girls and living down here has been this year’s salvation. What I’m taking away from this year, though, is to not get involved in so much extra-curricular stuff again. To do anything thoroughly and completely will mean not doing other things at all. There is only so much sand in the hour-glass.

If you’ve had a hound of a 2020, I extend my sympathy and empathy and I hope some light is filtering onto your horizon right about now. Now, let’s all shoot-up the vaccine in 2021 and enjoy a massive bonfire of the vanities (using conspiracy theories and stupid ideas as kindling).

Keep those horns raised!