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Sunday, January 12, 2014

Ring in the new? with Kate Walker

 
Happy new year!

Is it too late to wish you all that?  I don’t think so  - but then I’ve never been one  for celebrating the official
New Year very much.  After all, it’s really just a change of a set of  numbers – 2013 to 2014  -  and not really actually that, seeing as the dates of months and years are  ones that have been arbitrarily forced on to our lives in order to measure it. 

And I’ve never really thought that the middle of a cold, bleak winter(if you live on this side the world anyway)  is the time for resolutions and to decide to  change your life – to get  rid of the ‘old’  and  bring in the ‘new’.  Not totally sure that ‘new ‘ is always better, really. But the whole ‘New Year’ thing does make me rather restless and unsure, with all the celebrations, the fireworks, the resolutions. I feel I should make resolutions – but I don’t.  I quite like the prospect of having new calendars, of writing in the dates of birthdays, of things planned, into diaries  - but that’s because I love any excuse for new stationery! And I like to feel organised.

So when Lee suggested that I write my blog for the 12th of every month this year, instead of the first Sunday of every month I was really rather happy about it. Especially for this month’s post. It meant I didn’t have to write a real ‘new year ‘ or a ‘resolution’ post. 2014 would be well settled in before I was here chatting with you.

But I do have one small ceremony that the Babe Magnet and I carry out as the ‘old’ year turns into the ‘new’. We each take 2 pieces of paper and write down  the things we disliked about the past year – the days we’d rather not  remember  - and on the other go the  days we’d never want to forget. Then we burn the ‘bad’ ones in a red candle and light a fresh candle for the year to begin – keeping tight hold of all the good memories.

That’s in my desk drawer as I write this blog. I thought  about sharing it with  you but then, thinking about this old and ‘new’ thing – I thought I’d rather share some things I’m looking forward to  - the good things coming up in 2014.  So here  - well, here is the ‘In with the New’ in my world:

1.     .   
I have a new kitten  - one of the bad things about 2013 was that we lost our beautiful Maine Coon female to cancer. I didn’t think I was ready for a new cat, but just before Christmas I was adopted by a little homeless black and white 8 week old kitten. People think we adopted her – but she knows different. Ruby – that’s here name – picked us. Very definitely. (If you want to read the story of how she came into our lives – it’s over on my personal blog  here.)

       I have a new book coming out in June 2014 – that’s A Question of Honour with a very sexy sheikh hero - Karin Al Khalifa  - who is sent on an important mission that demands he lives by his code of honour, only to find that  meeting Clementina Saveneski   tests that honour to the utmost.

3.      This book has a rather more personal connection with my own family than most of the others. I’ll be explaining and talking about that in May.


4.       I’m busy with a new book that I’m really enjoying. After a difficult year for my writing  in 2013 (guess what else was burned up in that candle flame?) I’m back to enjoying so much more and I’m hoping to get this one scheduled just as soon as I can.  I also have planes for a book that will be closely connected to A Question of Honour.  Do you enjoy linked stories? I hope you do.


5.       Oh – and while we’re talking about books – if you missed the publication of  Good Greek Wife?  bac
k in
  2010, this book is being reissued as the lead title in a 3 in 1 reprint   Eligible Greeks – Sizzling Affairs in April this year.


6.       At the moment, one of the things I’m most looking forward to is the Advanced Romance Writing course that I shall be running in Fishguard in Wales in February (always hoping that the violent storms, high winds and torrential rains don’t prevent us getting there!)  That one is already booked up but if I’m talking about ‘new’ things, then there are  two new courses I’ll be running  - Writing Romantic Fiction (May) and Before you submit your Novel - The Practicalities (October). Both of these courses will be organised by Malaga Writing Workshops  Relax and Write weekends.  at a 4 star venue, Weetwood Hall, in Leeds.  I always enjoy running courses and meeting other writers – so these will be great.  I'll be posting details about these on my web site Events page just as soon as I get organised.


7.       Oh yes – and thinking about teaching writing – this year marks a while new beginning for the 12 Point
Guide to Writing Romance. I’m going to be publishing this myself and making sure that it is more easily available in ebook formats in the future. I need to tweak a couple of sections to bring it right up to date – but the new edition will be ready just as soon as I can manage it.


Well – I think that’s enough ‘new’ to be going on with! Unless of course I mention the huge selection of new books I was given as Christmas presents. One of my gifts to myself is going to be time to spend curled up in an armchair, with one or other – or both  - of the cats on my lap as I read my way through the wonderful titles I have to look forward to.

So yes, I’m looking forward to the new things coming up.  But I’m also going to be holding on tight to some of the very precious ‘old’ things – there’s my DH for one thing, my son and his lovely fiancee – and we still have Charlie the Maine Coon. The Babe Magnet and I are still enjoying celebrating out Ruby wedding year (guess where Ruby’s name comes from!) .


Oh, and come December I will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of my very first book The Chalk Line
 being published. I’m not sure if that’s an ‘old’ or a ‘new’ but look out for some special celebrations coming up.

Well, that’s my look ahead at 2014 – I hope you all have some lovely things to look forward to in this New Year.  


Do you have something new that you’re looking forward to? I’d love to know.


And once again – Happy 2014 to all of you. I hope it’s a wonderful time, filled with happiness and joys so that when you reach this time next year you have some wonderful memories to look back on.

2 comments:

Linda Henderson said...

I'm looking forward to my granddaughter getting her trach out in the spring, hopefully. She will turn 5 in March and she's had it for half her life, she's a very special little girl. I'm starting the new year with a goal of being more positive this year. This could be a hard one for me because I tend to expect the worst all the time, but I'm trying.

Kate Walker said...

Linda - I feel for your poor little granddaughter, She must be, as you say, a very special little girl who has put up with problems in her short life. I hope she does get that trach out - my fingers are crossed for her - and for you. Because I'm sure that would help you keep to your goal of being more positive. Good Luck - and Happy New Year