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Friday, December 30, 2011

New Year's Resolutions, Anyone?


The end of December is an exciting time as it heralds in a new year full of possibilities. 2012 means new books to read, new releases to look forward to and new books to write.

Thank goodness for New Year’s Resolutions to keep me on track.

This afternoon I had a houseful of nephews in addition to my own two girls so, to maintain the surprisingly protracted peace through artful means, I decided to survey the assorted crew.

After explaining to four children aged two, six, seven and ten that New Year’s Resolutions are the goals that are important to them in the coming year, I got a variety of responses.

My ten-year-old daughter’s major New Year’s Resolution was predictable: find an agent.

She’s an aspiring novelist with a completed horse-racing novella about a mare’s rivalry with her stable mate as they compete for the Breeder’s Cup Classic and the friendship between their grumpy 64-year-old horse trainer, Henry, and a 17-year-old male apprentice. An unusual story for a ten-year-old girl (who’s just been shortlisted for UK short story competition, adds her mother proudly). Anyway, unknown to me, Sophie has already queried a number of agents she found on the internet.

The fact that the following resolutions are those of a seven-year-old boy is not surprising:

Eat More Chocolate Every Day, and;
Get better at playing Poptropica, Club Penguin and Moshi Monsters.

It was my six-year-old daughter’s resolutions that made me revise mine. The normally fiery, hundred-mile-an-hour, ‘too loud’ little Lillie gazed up at me with her big blue eyes and told me without hesitation that she had three resolutions, and they were as follows, in her own words:

“Practising the flute.” (Since Lillie does not own a flute and has never had flute lessons this is obviously a big hint to mummy.)
“Eat more vegetables.” (This was pretty amazing coming from someone who has to be bribed with chocolate or threatened with a termination of her Moshi Monsters subscription to eat anything other than broccoli.)

And finally:
“Spending more time with Mummy.” (A heart-melting moment, I’m not ashamed to admit.)

My sisters tell me that Miss Six is my punishment for having been equally as wild (and, in my case, apparently, heartless) as a child but post-natal hormones changed all that. Watching the news is always a weepy affair and I embarrass my children horribly when I start sobbing at the Telstra ads.

Pre-children, my idea of torture was to be seated anywhere near one on a long flight but since having my own I’m happy to entertain other people’s, as long as I can give them back.

Children – and teary reunions -  also feature in many of my stories, including Lady Farquhar’s Butterfly, which releases today as an e-book after earlier hardcover and Large Print editions. It has the following premise:

Falsely branded an adulteress by her late husband, Lady Olivia finds love with the man whose birthright she unwittingly usurped in order to safeguard the future of her son.

So what’s the wildest, most out-of-character, or unusual New Year’s Resolution you’ve heard, either from your own children or a friend? I’d love to hear.

And a Happy New Year to Everyone!

Beverley Eikli writes Regency Romantic Intrigues about beleaguered heroines trapped by convention in a man’s world (and worthy heroes who come to the rescue to thwart a dastardly villain or two). She also writes erotic Regency Romances as Beverley Oakley. You can read more about her books at www.beverleyeikli.com or www.beverleyoakley.com.   

6 comments:

Michele L. said...

Wow! That's a tough one Beverly. I have made a resolution to start exercising. I have been very lax at doing exercise. As for a wild and crazy resolution, hm...I think I heard on the radio some lady saying she is going to eat more peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast. I thought that was weird but could be a pretty healthy thing to eat. That's as wild as I can get!

Mary Preston said...

Most people I know are like me. They don't make New Year resolutions. If you don't make them , you can't break them.

Beverley Eikli aka Beverley Oakley said...

Good luck with the exercising, Michele!

What you say is also true, Marybelle. If you don't make them, you can't break them.

Resolutions are like my to-do list. I'm way too ambitious but they make me feel organised - even if I don't manage all of them.

It's now midnight here in Australia and one of my resolutions last year was to get to bed before the witching hour so I can get up early to write. Don't think I'll be doing much writing tomorrow with a New Year's Dinner by the pool to organise.

Have a great celebration, both of you.

Monica Fairview said...

Spending more time with Mummy? That's lovely! Also, I love your daughter's author daughter's New Year's Resolution.

As for her talent, of course, she takes after her mother.

Beautiful cover, Beverley. Congratulations for the e-book!

Beth Elliott said...

My resolutions HAVE to be to do some redecorating. Whether it's Lancashire thrift or just laziness, suddenly everything needs attention. I could never match the charming resolutions of your youngsters, Beverley. They are wonderful.

Good luck with that ebook - i have one out there in the ether as well. maybe we'll know more when we hear from Hale [royalties] in February.

Happy New year and inspired writing.

Beverley Eikli aka Beverley Oakley said...

Thank you, Beth, and good luck with the redecorating. Have a wonderful 2012. The world economy looks grim but there are also wonderful opportunities in the offing, including for writers.

I'm so happy that e-books means my stories are more accessible and I'm sure Lady Farquhar's Butterfly will turn up, just as I hope yours does. Is that April and May or The Wild Card? I love the cover of your Constantinople-set Regency.

Happy New Year!

Beverley