Happy New Year and Welcome to 2023 – I wonder what the year has in store !

First of all, let me apologise for not blogging for quite some time. Life and writing novel #7 got in the way but I’m now on top of thing (famous last words). So, I would like to bring you up to date on everything (well, almost) that we did last year. So, grab a cup of coffee, kick back and enjoy. Although this is primarily MY BLOG, I wouldn’t have accomplished half of what I have without the love and support of my husband Dave. Here he is wearing the T-shirt I bought him for Christmas and (above) I’m in my favourite velvet dress from Seasalt – where else?

January 2022

Having survived Christmas and our third dose of the Covid and flu vaccines, we decided to forget all about the pandemic and get on with life. I sat down to finish and then edit the manuscript of DARK, HIGHLAND SKIES with a view to publishing later 2022. One morning I awoke to find BT digging holes in the pavement in front of our house and discovered this image by our front gate. The hero in my new novel is Hector (TOR) Strachan and I took this as I sign i should get on with finishing the book. Spooky – right?

February 2022

I hosted a writers’ workshop with Adrienne and Jocelyn which covered planning, character arcs and proofreading amongst other things. On a cold, dark February evening Adrienne and I gave our first author talk of the year to members of Hallaton WI. As usual, Dave played roadie and accountant and used my ‘sum-it-up’ machine to collect money from the ladies who attended. Adrienne and I regaled the audience with tales of the amusing and sometime bizarre things which had happened to us on our journey to publication . . . such as bumping into Dustin Hoffman on Kensington High Street.

March 2022

I was able to celebrate my birthday with friends for the first time in two years and life felt as if everything was slowly returning to normal. My niece Vicky who teaches English at Uppingham Independent School invited Adrienne and I to talk to sixth formers about the ins-and-outs of writing a novel. The jays returned to the garden and cheekily eyeballed us through the window to tell us that spring was on the way. We had our first caravan outing of the year at Chew Valley, Bath where I met up with fellow author Jo Lambert.

Dave took me to my first – and possibly last, auto jumble. I purchased a Fortnum and Mason basket and we spent more money on the entry fee, coffee, burgers and ice cream than we made selling stuff. While he was wheeling and dealing (ahem) I managed some writing in the back of the van on MacBook. So glamorous – not!

April 2022

The highlight of spring was heading south to a campsite near Milton Keynes. There we met up with Carole and Kevin, rejoined the National Trust and explored Buckinghamshire. One of the highlights was a visit to Waddesdon Manor and Ascot House – well worth a visit. The location where we camped only allowed five caravans and banned dogs, so in the morning we were treated to the site of hares grazing just outside the door to the van. Precious.

I love this selfie of the four of us at Stowe, which is Pride and Prejudice personified. Our niece Vicky has also taught at the school there !!

May / June 2022

This slideshow is a record of our time in the Isle of Wight where I arrived with a humongous cold (NOT COVID – I tested) and which hung around for most of the month. We spent most of our time with sister Phyllis and husband Andy before heading for Exeter and our niece Hannah’s wedding. I bought the white trainers for my hols, almost killed myself crossing the road in Shanklin whilst wearing them and donated them to charity shop when I returned home. Whilst we were there, our street held a Jubilee Party for HM The Queen.

So, that’s me until the next blog post which will take us through to the end of the year and contain news about my forthcoming romance – Dark Highland Skies.

In the meantime, here’s a link to my other six novels which are available for download on all Amazon sites, Kindle Unlimited subscribers and as paperbacks.

Bye for now, Lang May yer Lum Reek .