1 January 2024
Looking forward to 2024? Forward is the only direction any of us have, so this year I have plans. Fluid plans, because life will interfere at some point, and I’m a writer not a clairvoyant. I’ll be publishing stories in two anthologies, extending a previously published story to novel length and if other edits go well, publishing two other books. I’ll keep newsletter subscribers updated, so subscribe if you’re interested to know the details.
And a massive thank you to everyone who grabbed a copy of My True Love Gave To Me, our best-selling Christmas sweet romance anthology. It’s available for a limited time as an ebook, but if you want a print one, I’ve ordered a few more copies, message or email me and I’ll get one to you. This book was such a fun project to be part of, I’m in awe of multi-talented Louisa Duval and friends for making it happen. Twelve sweet romance stories set in snowy Leavenworth, Washington, famous for its Bavarian-inspired charm and love of all things Christmas. I can’t wait to revisit it this year for new stories.
Like many people, I have beautiful elderly parents and parents-in-law in my life. They are a priority. This year the eldest will turn 100, or 42 if you ask him. He knows it’s “the big one” and he might be 100 percent and he’s not sure what happens after that.
It gives you pause. And reminds me that with luck I have a few decades ahead to keep on writing and publishing. And that books, however delightful, entertaining and sometimes life changing, are just words on a page. I’m glad they have the power to transport readers to another world, and that’s a good enough reason to keep writing my stories. Maybe they’ll continue to pick up award nominations and best-seller tags from time to time, but that’s not why I write. I write because I enjoy sharing my stories with readers, and I hope to continue until I’m the one being cared for.
Sometimes stories are what we need. One of the sad things has been my blind relative losing the ability to manage his audio device because audio books gave him ten years of listening pleasure. His days are longer and lonelier without them. And my dear Mum was the keeper of her family stories and then ours, and she can’t share them easily anymore.
The surprise has been new (to family) stories popping out now as they resurface. My beautiful mother-in-law who survived WW2 as a child avoiding bombs in London shared about her pet monkey Bobo, an African grass monkey. Her eyes lit up as she remembered his antics and Her stories delighted a younger generation who had no idea such things were ever possible.
And the stories from aged care workers who see our loved ones in a different light make my day. Their kindness to our family as we navigate this time of life together is such a gift. My darling Dad has been high care for more than two years and his stories are few, and fragmented but his gentle and kind spirit is there, and in flashes some of his memories are vivid and unique. (He was an exploratory geologist in remote Australia for a time. We unearthed a trove of slides and they’ve been digitised and made into a family book. )
Unsurprisingly some of my favourite reads these days feature older protagonists. I love the writing of Joanna Nell and Richard Osman. Delightful characters having adventures and generally being underestimated by those around them. I like to include older characters in my stories too; they add a richness and depth although I’m yet to write them as a lead.
And the young in my life are about to head off on their own latest adventures. They have a taste for unique experiences; and the courage to pursue them. We can learn a lot from them too. I never contemplated working in remote indigenous communities, snowboarding in India or travelling overseas to live permanently. For a writer, I could take a lesson on living life with more imagination.
Anyhoo, with that thought in mind, I’m off to do some research. It’s time to add to my bucket list, and not just my To-Be-Read list.
Whatever the year holds for you and your loved ones, happy reading. May your year be filled with many wonderful stories, real and imagined. Thanks for sharing in mine.
XX
Sara