Looking Back on 2024 - Part 1

And so this is Christmas 2024. And what a year it has been! I lost my beloved Soosh in a house fire back in March - an event I still do not think I have processed properly. I also lost most of the book collection I have built up since childhood plus a lot or nostalgic keepsakes, some which has been with me for over half a century. Uninsured, we had to cancel our planned Brusells, Glastonbury and Japan trips to get us at least back on our feet again. It has been a long process and even now the repercussions of the traumatic event have yet to be fully ironed out. Looking back on the first few months of 2024, the only good thing to manifest itself for me for that period of time was my hospital consultant finally put me on my new meds, which I need to be injected with every two weeks. This was a real game-changer for my health, and though it took 4 long years to prescribe me the injections, I am truly grateful to the NHS for allowing me access to this very expensive but miraculous medication. Today, at 58-and-a-half-years old, I have never been so healthy. And on that upbeat note, I think I will close this first part of my lookback on the year that was, and for a couple of weeks still is, 2024…

Old Toys

Been washing some of my daughter's old toys, ready go go back in the attic after the fire earlier in the year.

Back to the Gym

Gym after work today to clear my mind...

Recovers Completed

It has been a bit of a whirlwind of a week. I have even completed the 9 new book covers for my novels. All are now available from Amazon with their new colourful designs. My last novel, Familar will be realeased in early 2025.

 

Christmas Starts

A good start to Chrismas with a pantomime in Llanrhidian to see my brother's singing and acting skills and now a morning TV sesh.

Volunteering

My first day volunteering at the local Animal Centre

Crawley New Cover

 I am really going to town on the redesigns of my back catalogue of Novels. Here is the new cover for my first book, Crawley:

Vampires from Hell New Cover

My redesigned cover for my 2023 novel, Vampires from Hell:

Gym

Just joined the gym 💪

Solstice New Cover

Next up in my novel book cover revamps is my 2022 book, Solstice.

Tetanus

At the GP surgery waiting for a tetanus jab so I can start working as a cat socialiser and photographer at the local Animal Centre.

Lore - New Cover

The new cover of my 2018 novel, Lore. More new book covers coming soon as I tidy up my backlog...

Familiar - Draft 1 Completed

It has been a busy and very productive month. I'm really enjoying my day jobs - probably the first time I have ever enjoyed my paid employment. I've applied to help out at the local cat sanctuary. The 1st draft of my next book is complete. I have even got the cover for it sorted after my Canva course at Gower College last week! The year is definitely ending way better than it began. And, best of all, my daughter is coming home for a few days next month, so I have something very special to look forward to... 🙂

Storm Bert

A really atmospheric storm bludgeoned the house all day, conjuring just the right mood to add a big chunk of writing to the novel I'm currently writing, Familiar.

Canva Training

Training on Canva at Swansea College yesterday: