New Year resolutions?
Not being one for New Year’s resolutions, I didn’t make any. But what I did make is a new Facebook page. Just what the world needs, another bloomin’ FB page, but this one: https://www.facebook.com/jamescollinsauthor/ is about my writing and my books. Rather than having several pages, one for each book, I am slowly getting rid of them and will have just this one about my work. Apart from the page for ‘The Thirteenth’ (which isn’t run by me but which I help administer from time to time) and the Symi Dream FB page, any other of my writings will be showcased and discussed on my new Author page. (Sounds a bit grand that, but am following the publicist’s advice.)
So, if you are a Facebook fan and user, you might like to pop over there and have a look and give a like and a share perhaps? Over time there will be more on it; I’m going to put up bits and pieces about the books and reviews every now and then, and also put up any news about them, such as new ones published, new reviews and then the occasional, ‘You can buy it here’ type posts. This page will be different to my personal FB page where I catch up with family, old school friends, my home town and all those folk I’ve never met but who are FB friends.
So, that ‘target’ has been met and the page is live. My second target of the year has also been met. (He goes to check his corporate action plan and marks off ‘Achieved’ against the task. This is going to go well at his appraisal.) Day four of the New Year and already I have finished ‘Straight Swap’, third draft, on target. All that remains to be done there is have my proof reader go through it, let the editor take his time (probably a few months) to go through it, work on any finals and then get the text ready for publication. More news to follow.
Symi news? Well, it finally rained again on Sunday evening and overnight. The hole by the rainwater-to-sterna feed in the roof that I thought I had fixed, leaked again but not as much as before and only into a corner of the utility room where there is existing evidence of water innage. (Innage is a word I like and may have just invented in this context. I know that ‘Inning’ (in Romney Marsh terms) means to irrigate, so yes, there was some water irrigation event happening during the night which we might call an ‘innage.’) Perhaps there is a problem with the roof at that point. Investigations will be forthcoming. [by the way: Innage (n) The quantity of goods remaining in a container when received after shipment. Aeronautics. The amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tanks of an aircraft following a flight. Thank you.]
There was a rainbow over Harani on Monday morning, though the morning was dry and cloudy. The house was not as cold, though still not exactly basking. As I write, Monday, midday, Neil has popped down to sea level to see his accountant and hopefully settle the, hopefully, final bill on the business, check the post office and stock up on Jack-cat food. I’ve been working on ‘Shocking the donkeys’ as there is no rest for the wicked and I have been slightly wicked over the Christmas period thanks to Sotiris and his stock of blue cheese, and Jenine’s cooking. But I have been avoiding the wine and keeping a clear head for my writing days, which are most days; and that was not a resolution, just a work thing.
So, the sea is grey, the sky too, there is some light over on ‘the red rocks’ and the catamaran has been and gone. After lunch I intend to do some wore work before attending a small party tonight. The new Year on Symi has gotten off to a good start without any resolutions but with a few tasks added to the action plan: Publish two new books this year, one again inspired by Symi (regulars will note characters and places when they read it), the other inspired by my home town and old school friends. And if there is a resolution to be admitted, then it is to use the word ‘gotten’ a few more times just to outrage the likes of Allan and others, for the fun of it. Snigger.
