Happy New Year (twice over) 31st January 2017
Is it really the last day of January, already? Where did that month go? Well, for me it has flashed past in a blur of working at QVC and writing my new novel… more on the latter later. I had intended to wish you all a Happy New Year earlier in the month so, somewhat belatedly, and in my favourite colour, let’s touch champagne flutes and hope it is a good one for all of us.
If it didn’t start that well for you (maybe you’ve had the horrible lurgy that seems to hang around for weeks) don’t despair, there was another new beginning last Saturday with the new moon heralding the Chinese new year. I have always wished people “Kung hei fat choi” but I recently read that this is a more appropriate greeting; “xin nian hao” which literally means, new year good. Whichever, we have finally got rid of the mischievous monkey, renowned for being a chaotic and unpredictable year, and moved into the Year of the Rooster. I became very interested in Chinese astrology years ago when I spent three months working in a cabaret show in Hong Kong and I still refer to my books, and the internet these days too, to check on what sort of year may lay ahead for my animal sign – I am a monkey! No comments please, but the attributes most associated with monkey people are quick-wittedness and communication.
Chinese star signs are defined by the year you are born rather than your actual birthday as I explained in a chapter of my first book, One Hundred Lengths of the Pool. It’s strange to think that although it was published almost four years ago, people are still buying it and leaving reviews, and thankfully most of the recent reviews are kinder than the early ones… some were quite scathing. One thing I’ve learned since putting pen to paper is that, just like in show business generally, you have to grow a very thick skin. Not everyone will like you or your work but that’s just the way it is, and everyone is entitled to their opinion.
As I mentioned earlier, I have spent a lot of my time off this January writing. I was very lucky to receive a writing desk and chair as my Christmas present from ‘him indoors’ and as soon as our daughter went home after staying with us over Christmas and New Year we set it up in the attic room where she had been sleeping. It is a lovely room to write in, light and airy with great expanses of sky visible through the skylight windows, and it’s away from the rest of the house so I get total peace and quiet which has made me very productive. I have added another 20,000 words to my ‘work in progress’ this month and am looking on schedule for its release in April – I will share an excerpt on here soon. It will be interesting to have feedback as it is quite different from my Liberty Sands trilogy in subject matter. I’m also very excited about the preliminary cover designs – I promise you will get the first glimpse of the cover on here.
I was also the recipient of this mug which made me laugh out loud on Christmas morning… I soooo agree with the sentiment and have warned the family accordingly!
Well, if I’m going to get my new book ready to send to my copy editor, Justine, in early March I’d better finish here, particularly as I have some work to do on another manuscript which I need to send over to author Julie Cohen in advance of a writer’s retreat I’m attending, again in early March. I’ve never been to one before, but my friend at QVC, Debbie Flint, has finally persuaded me to accompany her on one. She’s been suggesting it for years and I must admit I’m really looking forward to it.
much love
Julia xx
