Beginning the year

(Jo here with a picture of me at the wedding with two CBKs -- Davy and Billie. It's a very grainy picture. Sorry.)

Here I am on Saturday, and very unprepared. Has anyone else found having the big holidays on Monday very discomknockerating? No, I have no idea how to spell that, but it's a word. Or sort of a word. I've been feeling that Monday is Sunday for weeks now, and that's thrown everything else out.

So I just have some thoughts to start this new schedule.

1) January 6th is Twelfth Night, as noted, and I've embraced the idea of starting the New Year on this day. It feels so much more sane. Christmastide, with all its lovely flurry, is over and 2007 is really on its way. It's a much better time to assess the year past and make plans for the year to come because there's more calm, within and without.

2) 2006 was a very good year for me, but very busy. Everything was both good and busy-making. That includes two books out (I only expected one to be published last year); a family wedding; a long trip to England (that's St. James's Palace in London) and Word Wenches. Because we share the load it's not a heavy, but I like to check out the blog every day because it's so interesting.

3) I'm hoping 2007 will be a little more easy-going. When I send off Lady Beware next week, I'll be able to goof off a bit. My next deadline should be far, far away. Some authors can write fast, but my natural pace is between 9 months and a year per book. I can put the book aside to work on other things, but I need that long stretch for it to mature. I want to play with some shorter fiction. I want to return to the ideas for medievals bouncing in my head. (Strange castle somewhere.)
I have other, non-writing things to explore.

Last year's books were The Rogue's Return, which was mostly set in Canada, which was a lot of fun. And To Rescue A Rogue, with my opium-addicted hero. Next year brings Dragon Lovers in March and then Lady Beware in June.

And another twelve months of Word Wenches.

Yum. And here's another image just because I like it. 2007 will be a year, I hope, of indulging in small, harmless pleasures. Join me in that.

Jo :)

Comments

[Nina P]

Hello Jo!

Love the picture of you and the CPKs. You look lovely in red. And I'm so with you on the Monday is Sunday thing. I had to put a post-it on my mirror to remind me when to go back to work.

Can't wait for LADY BEWARE and DRAGON LOVERS.

Nina, loving the picture of the castle. It so looks like it has a story to tell.

[Sherrie Holmes]

From Sherrie:

Jo, thank you so much for including pictures of St. James's Palace and the strange castle. I love it when the Wenches post pictures from UK-related travels because it gives us a unique view of places--especially historic ones--that you can't get in a reference book.

I also love the personal photos (like your wedding picture in this post) because it gives us a glimpse into the real Wench, not the formal studio portrait. And not related to any of the above, what a great picture that is of the colorful winged creature(horse/deer combo?).

Like you, I visit the Wenches every day for the same reason--it's so interesting. Plus, it's part of my job! But even if it weren't, I'd still visit daily. The combined knowledge of the Wenches is awesome. This is by far the most *intelligent* blog I visit regularly.

[Jo Beverley]

The castle really was a mystery. It looked old, but there wasn't much to say what it was, plus there were all sorts of official "keep off" signs that made it look like an MI 6 training camp!

I have loads more pictures that I mean to put up somewhere. It's just, as I said, been one of those years.

Jo :)

[maryjoputney]

Jo--you're so right about Monday holidays scrambling the calendar. I'm only just beginning to settle down to normal time.

I loved the wedding picture--It's a good one of you, and the CBKs look so joyous and welcoming to the new member of the family!

As to the strange castle--what do you want to bet that the cowed is armed and ready to take down intruders?!

Mary Jo

[Cathy]

I liked your voice in this post, Jo--relaxed, resolved, and altogether content.

I check-in with the Wenches daily, or at least everyday that I fire-up my computer. It's my favorite authorial site.

Thank you, Wenches, for some fascinating reads in 2006.

[Patricia Rice]

I'll second the others, great photo, Jo! I wish I thought finishing a book would give me some leisure, but it just means I'd better hurry and dive into the next because it's probably already late. One of these days I'll have time to get back to England again. Sigh.