As 2018 draws to a close, it seems appropriate to reflect on a life-changing year for me.
The year started as it usually does: cold, grey and generally miserable. Being a SAD sufferer doesn’t help. I think the fact that last winter seemed to drag on for ever was a factor in my decision to leave my job in automotive engineering.
It was a brave decision to make, of that I am well aware. I knew I would have less disposable income, but I also knew I would be a great deal happier. In fact, several people have commented that I appear both younger and lighter in spirit. Surely, then, this was a good decision?
I have been living a creative life for six months now, paying the bills as a freelance editor and proofreader of fiction and nonfiction books, and dedicating more time to my novel writing. The first draft of my third novel is almost done, and I have ideas for numerous other projects floating around in my head.
It is a wonderful place to be, and I am truly grateful for this opportunity.
Friends and followers of this blog, as well as my Facebook page and Twitter feed, will know that I have been planning a move to the south of France for a little while now. This is happening in just a couple of short weeks, so I am frantically trying to pack boxes and sell bits of furniture as I type. It’s an exciting time!
But it is also tinged with a hint of sadness, because I have been in Ettington for almost six years now, and I have felt so much at home here. I have made some amazing friends, joined book clubs, acted in the local village pantomime (twice), and made myself a member of the community. Moreover, Ettington continues to provide me with inspiration for the Lost Souls series of stories, something for which I will be eternally grateful.
So, it is with a heavy heart that I leave Ettington, but of course, the door is not really closing; it’s being left ajar for me to come back and visit in the future, I’m sure.
In the meantime, please excuse me while I rescue the cats from being tangled in packing tape…
Comments are closed