At the start of December I panicked. It seemed everyone had a list except me. Hadn’t even thought about it.

So, I decided to make an advent calendar on Instagram of the best books I’d read in ’19 but I soon lost interest. How could I write any Best Of when I had not read every book published that year? And plus, I don’t read just new books. I don’t read just one genre and think I would be missing out if I did. It’s apples and oranges.

Anyway, Goodreads put together a lovely visual of all the books I’d read over the year (71 – I topped my goal of 65). That would make do. I’d also learned a lesson about following the crowd.

I have plans for this blog, in between getting The Sleeping Season ready to run, I want to write about a few topics, but first, Happy New Year to you!

I was about to publish a new blog post a week ago when I started to feel unwell and so I left the blog for a few days and by the time I got back it was out of date. Life moves fast!

I don’t have any major goals for 2020. I would like to get a publisher for my literary thriller set in South Dakota. I’m really proud of that book.

And I’m excited to introduce DI Harriet Sloane to readers, as she has been hiding in my PC for years now. I’m looking forward to the reaction towards a feminist crime series set in Belfast. It deals with important subjects, like disability, violence against women, and stalking. It’s very close to my heart.

At the moment, book 4 of the Sloane series is static in my mind, I’m tuning in and trying to hear where Harry wants to go next.

I have no problem getting ideas, although the ideas folder is noticeably dwindling, but inspiration is everywhere. 

I need to finish some projects too: edit my Boston thriller, and redraft a couple of manuscripts that I started last year. The Boston book has a deadline, the rest do not.

I’ve finished work on a poetry collection about my parallel world as a carer. It is, of course, completely different to my novels, but I believe it’s important not to limit yourself creatively.

There are exciting projects are in the pipeline, too. More news soon.

I am going to blog soon with my type of Best Of list, and it will be about my favourite subject: crime documentaries. In case you didn’t know, I’m a true crime buff.

Have a guess what will be on my Top 10 and let me know over on Twitter.

Have a great 2020!