I confess I read Eleanor H. Porter’s Pollyanna at an impressionable age. That may be why my glass is always half-full, in a glass-half-empty world, and why the members of my family know, whenever something rotten happens, even with the tears still on my face I’ll start to look for something positive, some good—however small—that might come out of it, or that I can remember.
"I have never believed that we ought to deny discomfort and pain and evil,” Eleanor Porter maintained. But, as her young heroine tries to explain: “When you're hunting for the glad things, you sort of forget the other kind."
So at the end of every year, I like to look back over it and hunt for all the glad things.
And this year, I’ve asked my fellow Wenches if they’ll do the same.
I hope you’ll join us, in the comments.
FROM SUSANNA:
This year, after five years without a dog, I got my Stella. She’s a lovely little teacup poodle, such a great companion, and she makes my heart and writing-room feel full again. She had been through four owners in four years, but I think we’ve finally convinced her she’s found her forever home.
In the summer, I got to spend time at our cottage with all of my family—my parents, my husband and children, my nephews, and brother-in-law. I love having us all in the same space together, and those hours can carry me through any challenge that might hit me later.
And, after three years at work on the same novel, I finally finished it! That I was able to finish it while in a heritage building in Edinburgh was just the cherry on top. So now I’ve got a brand new novella to write, a new novel to start, and a whole year ahead to enjoy sharing Bellewether with all my readers.
FROM NICOLA:
It’s been a pretty extreme year for me with some lovely things happening and also some less-than-lovely things, so it’s very nice to dwell on the good bits!
On the writing front, House of Shadows finally made its debut in North America, which was very exciting, and my publisher has signed me up for three more Gothic timeslip novels. I’m working on the first of the new books and thoroughly enjoying travelling back into the past! I also made a trip to the Sharjah Book Fair to take part in a panel discussing historical writing, which was an invitation out of the blue and proved to be an amazing and inspiring experience.
Travel-wise, I’ve squeezed in a couple of holidays in the UK and last weekend had one of the nicest trips ever, a special excursion on a steam train to the Christmas Market in the city of Lincoln. It was a beautiful sunny day, the trip on the train was very luxurious, like being on the Orient Express, and the Christmas market was huge fun. I also loved Lincoln which is a blissful for anyone interested in history, with a big old castle, a glorious cathedral and lots of twisty little ancient streets. I’m definitely going back next year!
FROM ANNE:
No one thing stands out for me when I look back over 2017. It hasn't been a particularly fabulous year, but nor has it been a bad one for me. I'm pretty happy to be going along more or less as usual. Writing wise, I have a gorrrgeous new cover for my new book (out in April next year) and my publisher has signed me up for another two books, which will take me to the end of my current series. In the current publishing climate that makes me very happy.
I spoke at a number of conferences this year, two In Brisbane, one in Melbourne and one in New Zealand, and all were very different, enjoyable as well as stimulating. One of the best things about going to conferences is meeting new people, and I've made some new friends, which is always wonderful.
In New Zealand I was able to slip in a little bit of travel for pleasure, which was bliss, and it's given me itchy feet. No definite plans though. This year was to be the big year of house renovation for me, but that hasn't happened yet. Maybe next year.
FROM MARY JO:
This year has had more than its share of stressors, but a goodly number of special times as well. For example, in February we adopted the rescue can now known as The Spook, who is indeed spooky but also very sweet. He's an improbable cross of Siamese and long-legged Star Wars Imperial Walker. <G>
Or we had a great vacation cruise in the North Atlantic! Here, let me show you my pictures, it will only take a couple of hours! Oh, you have to leave for a dental appointment? Too bad, maybe next time! Here are some links. <G>
Tall blonds and Viking ships! http://tinyurl.com/y8k2qmyw, http://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2017/10/islands-of-ice-and-fire.html, http://tinyurl.com/yc48rgko
But perhaps the most special event was a sibling getaway. My brother and sister and I grew up together on a farm in Western New York, we're within a five year age span, we get along fine, and we live within six hours of each other--yet for decades, visits have always been family gatherings. My brother, the oldest, suggested that it might be really nice for just the three of us to get together: no spouses, kids, or otherwise. So we gathered for a weekend in Ocean City, New Jersey, an older beach community where a family member owns a weekend cottage.
And it was lovely. There were lots of shared memories and no pain racked accusation of childhood trauma. It was off-season so pretty quiet, we had beautiful weather, we spotted a whale (!) and porpoises swimming just off the shore, and the boardwalk was fine for ambling or jogging, with amusing resort establishments like miniature golf courses with dragons. <G>
Our brothers and sisters are generally the people who have known us longest, who best understand the environment that shaped us. They can be best friends, or I suppose best enemies, though I'm glad not to have experienced that again. I do know that we found our retreat rewarding and relaxing--and we're looking at doing it again next year!
Here we are, having fun together. I'm the shortest and youngest, and have given up hoping I'll ever be as tall as my sister. <G>
FROM ANDREA:
It’s been a quiet year for me, but that’s just fine. More and more I find myself stopping to enjoy in the small, everyday moments that make me appreciate the joys of Nature, the love of family and friends, and the tiny triumphs in the world of writing.
I try to take a walk everyday around the harbor and my nearby golf course, which is a lovely peninsula that juts into Long Island Sound. It’s a beautiful, peaceful place, filled with wildlife and tidal lagoons.
In summer I’m there most evenings, and have so many nice moments that lift the spirits when I’m feeling a little down—seeing an unexpected rainbow break through the clouds, or two baby foxes playing in a sand trap or a graceful great heron stalking his supper in reeds.
In the world of books, 2017 saw the publication of Murder on Black Swan Lane, which was my first hardcover mystery novel, and that was a very nice milestone.
FROM PAT:
2017 meant I moved into a bigger house with a wonderful marvelous gorgeous garden for growing oranges and lemons and avocados and roses taller than I am! I'm closer to my daughter and her family, and we're really enjoying our new California life.
And for Christmas, we're visiting with our son in New Zealand, so I'm happy. I hope all our readers can find positive thoughts for this season!
FROM SUSAN:
This year, I feel more like my family and I came through the Fire Swamp and skirted the ROUSes more than we experienced nice events ... so I for one will be glad to wave farewell to 2017, with its challenges and unexpected hurdles--from a broken elbow that put a hitch in my writing plans to a family tragedy, followed by a serious medical situation for one of my kids. We all have had tough years where the road twists and turns, even leads us through quicksand -- and we plod along, constantly reminded that it's not the difficulties but how we handle them that determines how we get through the swamp and the quagmire.
Here at year's end, as I consider all the Stuff that Destiny unceremoniously dropped on my doorstep, I'm grateful to realize in fresh ways how deeply important family and friends are when Life takes us by surprise. All else falls away -- what we thought was important can be easily set aside in favor of relationships and just being kind, while we wait for a shift for the better. I'm thankful for the solid support I found along the circuitous route of this year's path, not the least of which came from our very own Wenches.
Now I'm looking forward to some fun and adventure in 2018, some of which is already taking shape--and that will be very nice indeed.
FROM JOANNA:
So many good things.
I got a full solar eclipse. I've seen one before, many years ago in France, but this makes two in a lifetime. I got to see it with friends, too. I have been so lucky.
I made some simply lovely pots.
I pot, you know, and am immensely pleased with myself when something works out. Even if it's mostly an accident when it happens, I take all possible credit.
And I'm getting a solid handle on the next work. Every time I dive in there's more there. It's like opening a box and it's full of wonderful things and there, at the side, is another box full of new story bits. And when I get that open, I bet it's full of surprises.
Now, what about you?