Sorting out the Priorities

Both my husband and I are hoarders and the spare bedroom had become a general dumping ground for all those things for which we couldn’t find a proper home. This last month I’ve made a concerted effort to get it sorted and there has been a great many trips to the charity shops and to the local dump. Three boxes of old writing magazines went out for recycling. I did consider going through them for any useful articles, but how relevant might they be 20 years on?

We came across many things that we’d forgotten we had, including the long-lost copies of the manuscripts for three unpublished novels written well over 30 years ago. My very first attempt was written when my two children were toddlers long before the days of computers. It was called The Tribune and was set in Romano Britain around the year 400 AD. Given that I can’t touch type, and each page took me over an hour to type from the first draughts handwritten in exercise books, it’s amazing that I ever finished it.

Once the children were at school, I was able to return to work as a teacher and it was many years before I had time to attempt a second novel. Mission from Magician was a fantasy that began life as a short story. I was always very fond of my pedantic, humourless 7’2” magician and I confess I am tempted to edit the book and publish it. Deep down, I know I never will. The idea of trying to promote a completely different genre is not a prospect I want to tackle. But far more importantly, I don’t have the time.

This last year, I have been so busy writing my cruise lectures there has been no time to write a novel, let alone promote either of my travel mystery series. Although I’ve loved the research and putting the presentations together, and had a wonderful time visiting Iceland, Greenland, Ireland and the Canary Islands, it’s left little time for much else.

I’ve decided the next year I’m going to devote more time to my writing. I have plans for the first book in a new series which I am determined to publish in 2023, and at least make a start on the next Harry and Aunt Jessica novel which will be set in Egypt. Rather than adopt resolutions for the new year, I’ve decided to set priorities. The first is obviously to write the novels but equally important, I’ve decided that it’s time to take life a little more slowly. This last year has passed so quickly but I feel I haven’t had the time to enjoy it to the full. There are many things that I know I should be doing – mostly to do with promotion and marketing – which I admit I do not enjoy. They will get done in my own time, but I refuse to let them rule my life.

How about you? What will be your priorities for the coming year? Whatever your hopes and dreams for 2023, may they all come true.