Happy New Year!
Don't be alarmed, don't panic. No need to adjust your screens or decide you need new glasses. I can reassure you that you are not seeing things. This is real, I have indeed written a new blog!!
I say this, because those of you who actually read my blogs, will have noticed that I have not written one for almost a year. Caroline bless her, has been nagging me for some time to get back to it, but it just hasn't happened. The plan had been to be actively writing blogs, whilst starting to write my second book, only, as we often discover, things don't always go as we planned them too. There have been various reasons for this throughout the year, and while I could start listing them, it would achieve nothing as the fact is, there have been no blogs no matter what I say now. The question is, will there be more moving forward? Well, the aim is for there to be more. I have topics to discuss, that I had planned to tackle in 2018. Subject matters such as how I have found being self published, a year after The Lost King was released, and the differences I am finding with writing book two, The Lost King: Forgotten Lands. Away from books, I also wanted to write a blog discussing our decision to Home Ed Hermione, something that I think is very important to share. So, hopefully 2019 will see those blogs appear.
For now though, let me break this blog drought on the first day of a new year, by bringing you briefly up to date with some of the events of 2018.
Firstly, there was the small matter of turning 35. Another year older, I now face the reality that I am closer to 40, then I am to 30. I'm starting to feel age, as my body already feels like a clapped out old banger!! Hermione, is now 4. That's right, our little girl who not so long ago was a tiny baby, is now 4 years old. Where does that time go? It is incredible how bright, kind, intelligent and switched on she can be. Naturally, she can also be a total pain in the backside, and if she could learn to sleep in a little later, it would be fantastic!
In 2018 we took Hermione to Disneyland Paris for the first time. It was her first ever holiday abroad, so the first use of her new passport. This trip in itself would, and likely will, make a blog of its own. I will say though, it was an incredible holiday, and achieved all the magic, wonder and amazement that I had very much hoped for by taking Hermione. I also reached new lands as I visited America for the first time, more specifically, New York. It was certainly an eye opener, with some amazing sights to boot, and I came back as a fully fledged New York Rangers fan!
In regards to my book, I reached paperback sales of about 110, while Kindle downloads reached the forties. I also qualified as an International seller due to sales in America, Canada and Australia, so yay me! Book two has been started, and as of writing, I am grinding my way through chapter 12. I also made the decision to extend it from a trilogy, to four books, and in doing so it became The Lost King Saga! I have also managed to branch into some media work. I am now a writer for Back Of The Nest, a Crystal Palace fan group who podcast regularly and launched a media website in September. I have posted several articles for them so far, which I have loved doing, and the feedback has been positive.
Keeping in connection with both my book and Palace, in August I became a sponsor for one of the Crystal Palace Ladies players. Originally, my book and I sponsored midfielder Fran Ali, but after her departure from the club, I moved my sponsorship to left back Hope Nash. I now go to games regularly, which is something I really enjoy doing and I can take the family too, which is certainly an added bonus. I also, finally, managed to achieve something charitable. In October I took part in a Marathon March for Palace For Life Foundation, raising money for all the work they do with the
youth of South London. It was a hell of an experience, a rollercoaster of emotion and pain, and it absolutely ruined my feet. Still, I made over £300 for the Foundation, collected my medal, and we even picked up a new friend during the walk! Having finished it, I decided once was enough, but have been talked into doing it again this year!!
So those are just a few highlights of the year. I won't go on, because who really needs a blow by blow account of my life?! This was designed to get things going again, to reactivate Ramblings of a Wookie and remind people that I am still out there, full of opinions and randomness, and a book that is very much available to buy on Amazon!! Keep your eyes peeled for more of my words. For now though, let me say that I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas, and I wish you all a Happy New Year!
For more up to date and off topic ramblings from me please visit my general blog https://ramblingsofawookie.com
