Although it’s already part way through January, Happy New Year!

My year is off to a great start with my car being rear ended on my way to work on Sunday. I’m fine, the car is driveable, but I was lucky considering a big SUV went into another one which then went into me. The car in the middle took the brunt of it and is not in a good state.

I keep reminding myself as I’m organising getting it fixed that it could have been much worse, but it’s still not the way I wanted to start my year.

And luckily I backed up this post because my computer refused to reboot after an update yesterday morning, and when I retrieved my backup laptop it was dead as well. This post comes to you courtesy of my lovely friend, Fiona, who has loaned me hers until I get mine back.

But anyway I digress. I figure as this is my January post I’ll focus on my plans for 2018 and what I’m looking forward to.

Writing wise I’m hoping to finish and submit two books this year. Lou Sylvre and I are making great progress—and loving working together again—writing The Harp and the Sea, an historical with fantasy elements set on Skye in 1745.

While Lou’s writing Robbie’s scenes, I will be playing catch up on my backlog of book reviews. With four books released last year, things got very hectic with rounds of edits and promo. I got books read, but there are still more than I’d like sitting on my ‘to review’ list. I write copious notes while I review so not remembering what I wanted to say in my review isn’t an issue, but I prefer to review books very shortly after reading them, rather than the pile I have.

And then there are the books I want to read this year, and there are loads of those too.

So….once our Scots lads have finished their adventure, which hopefully coincides with my catching up with book reviews, I’ll be working on A Sword to Rule, the second and final book of my Dragons of Astria fantasy series. I’m looking forward to this as it’s been far longer than I intended between the first and second books, but other deadlines and life kept getting in the way.

It’s not just writing I’m looking forward to this year but connecting with other writers. Another Kiwi author, Gillian St. Kevern is coming to stay for three days this week. I’ve taken leave from work and we’ll have a wonderful three days of our own mini writers retreat. (With probably a bit of DC comics conversation thrown in as that’s how we both roll).

In August I’m attending my first Romance Writers of New Zealand conference in Auckland. I was tempted last year but didn’t and regretted it all year. I’m sharing a room with Gillian and looking forward to meeting new people and making connection with other Kiwi authors. One of the guest speakers is Damon Suede, another Dreamspinner author!

Also this year, I’m finally meeting in person a friend from Canada I’ve been chatting to online with for nearly eighteen years as she’s coming to stay with me in June for a few weeks.

There’s definitely a lot to look forward to this year!

Some wonderful friends came around on New Year’s Day and helped me do a fabulous spring clean of my house, and hang new bookshelves. Now, I need to find time to whip my garden into shape….

Maybe once these horrible 30C temperatures have gone away….

What do you guys have planned for 2018? Reading, writing, and everything else in between?