As we edge towards year's end....#xmas #books #writing #writinglife

 It's been one long strange year.

Feeling the urge to take stock as this year grinds closer to the nadir of the wheel's turn.  Indeed as of yesterday it passed that point and we're on way back to the light.

It's not easy to sum 2021 up. Certainly the glib answer would be covid/stress that would kill a horse/fresh hell. But despite a terrible year in some ways, good things happened.

 Obviously on a personal level, publishing two fiction books has been a milestone in my life.  Despite editing and publishing several poetry collections, publishing a novel was a sharp lesson. Between book 1 and book 2 the learning curve was so steep as to be vertical but in the end I had two books of which I'm now proud. 

In addition to honing writing skills this year has been filled with challenging projects from marketing to sales; I now not only know what a reader magnet or book funnel is, I can create and use them.  

I also had the pleasure of seeing books in actual brick and mortar shops. Online sales are vital to independent authors and small publishers but there's nothing to compare to seeing customers reading the back of a book and buying it!

So good so optimistic; this year was also a year of endings. Having been a primary caregiver for my father for 7 years, five with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's and the last two in lockdown our world was turned upside down when a trip to hospital culminated in him being expedited into residential care. We knew it was going that way but definitely hadn't come to terms with it, not really.  The sudden change has been difficult. This Christmas is not what I'd hoped for although with two little boys you have to dig deep and find your inner tinsel. It took an outside eye to point out that we're grieving. He may be this side of life but we're grieving. 

Because we chose to keep him home until the last moment possible I had to choose to leave my business aside, 150 years of family business. This was hard although in fairness I would do the same again without a doubt. 

The fates in short have conspired and I'm now a full time writer or semi retired depending whom you ask. To paraphrase The Commitments it feels a lot better being a full time writer than a semi retired burnt out family carer ...

Every year I pick a word to live up to rather than making new year resolutions. 2021 was such a roller coaster I don't remember what word I picked. Whatever it was, this year I'm going to make sure I pick something peaceful. Gentle. Calm. 

For anyone finding this year hard, we'll get through it. It will pass. The light always returns, whether we believe it or not. It's the promise of life, that that wheel keeps turning dawn by dawn. 

The new year will bring two new books: the third Caroline Jordan Mystery and a non fiction academic book on the Rosc and draiocht ceoil. There's another very different story rattling around my head that I will start outlining during the year. So, not a busy then lol.

The Body Count: A Caroline Jordan Mystery Bk 2 will have an international online book launch as well as a Dublin launch (covid situation permitting) in February. Lots of fun and merch and prizes. 

So until the new year, stay safe and be well. 

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