New Year's Resolutions by Misha Herwin

 

January is traditionally the month for making resolutions. To opt for the new diet, the exercise regime, or to give up alcohol for a whole month. For a few years now I’ve done things differently. Instead of deciding what I ought, or ought not to do, which I find stressful and not very helpful,  I’ve spent time looking back at what I achieved in the previous twelve months. A much more positive, feel-good activity.

Some years it has been more than others, but in 2022 I published “A Gathering of Gargoyles” and my novel “Freecycling for Beginners” was long listed for the Arnold Bennett Prize. The first is the fifth book in the Adventures of Letty Parker series. I began it in lockdown and it has proved one of the hardest to write of all my books, so when it came out in November, I had a real sense of achievement, plus a feeling of relief that it had come together in the end.

There were no short stories last year, but I completed the first draft of “Friday Nights at Rosa’s” due out in the spring and began work on the last of the Letty books. And Maddy and I began our collaboration on the third Poppy and Amelia book.

So quite a bit of writing did get done and so did a lot of reading. At last I got back into my reading groove and, I really have to boast here, managed to read 108 books! I did it by reading before getting up and last thing at night, even though there were times when I fell asleep with a book in my hand.

When I sat down to write this blog, I thought there wouldn’t be much to say, but thinking about it I realised that the past year has been very productive.  What has been pleasing about that is that the writing hasn’t got in the way of all the other things in life. There has still be time for family, friends, baking, doing the garden and just sitting and dreaming.

As for 2023, who knows? There are plans afoot and possible big changes to come but nothing is ever certain.

In the meantime I want to wish you all a somewhat belated Happy New Year.