Hello, my lovelies!
As the more astute will have already noticed – it’s December. I know I say this every year, but I cannot believe how quickly the last twelve months have flown. It’s been a mix of a year (with plenty of bad stuff in the wider world, for sure), but there have been lots of positives, too, and I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. In fact, I am living a charmed life (something I hate saying as I imagine a giant axe falling to punish me for my happiness/good fortune/smugness) but it’s the truth; I am an exceedingly lucky woman and I am very, very grateful.
I was a wee bit stressed last month with a combination of parental responsibility and book deadline, but I’ve spent the last couple of weeks enjoying the absence of that stress and getting things sorted for Christmas. This has involved Leaving The House, which is most exciting. I’ve been to Edinburgh with my lovely husband for some art-appreciation, Christmas shopping, some beautiful walks and a fancy writerly lunch with the fabulous Clodagh Murphy.
I also enjoyed a family trip to the cinema to see Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (so much fun!) with a bonus sighting of this Captain America kilt outfit.
Oh, how I love Scotland!
I’ve been working, too, of course, but now I’m going to ramp up and get as much done as possible before the holiday.
I’m taking a small break from fiction to write a book on writing. It’s a combination of everything I’ve learned over the last few years, with tips and advice from top authors I have interviewed on The Worried Writer podcast. Part of me worries ‘who cares what I think?’ but I do feel that I might be able to help other people. Basically, I want other writers who are anxious or filled with self-doubt to think ‘if she can do it, then I can, too!’.
Thank you for reading – and for your support and encouragement this year. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas/holiday and that you will join me again in 2017!
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5 responses to “Happy December!”
Glad you are less stressed and enjoyed some time in Edinburgh. Scotland really is a wonderful place. We are very lucky. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to chatting with you in the New Year x
Thank you, Susan – we really are! Same to you and your family; wishing you all a wonderful holiday. x
HAPPY NEW YEAR SARAH! (I understand it’s now January not December!) Good luck as always with your new venture into non-fiction. I think it’s a ‘tougher’ market to get into, but with all your current success, plus your online tuition programmes you may well have a headstart on others, so ‘fingers crossed’ eh? Hope you and yours had a joyful christmas. (Sadly we suffered horrendous gales and power cuts throughout all the islands – but as usual we survived, and didn’t stop our merriment despite all the uncooked turkeys and geese!
Oh, Carl, I’m really sorry to hear about the gales and power cuts. Hope there wasn’t too much damage and that you kept warm. Thank you for your good wishes for this year and for my new writing plans. Happy New Year to you, too!
Thanks Sarah. Very little gale damage here as we were well prepared – thanks to Met Office warnings, and kept warm also as I have a ‘back-up’ wood-burner, so with that and candle lighting it was quite ‘traditional’! Thankfully all power was restored for Hogmanay as by then we had a hoose-fulll!