Actually, this post is rather lacking in chocolate, but I have been eating a lot of it, so that counts right?

Oh, okay, here's a pic of chocolates. They are very yummy :-)

​Over the years, I've found the most successful resolutions are the ones that don't try to change me. Losing weight, giving up chocolate/alcohol/smoking, running five miles every week... those things are prone to failure.


One year I resolved to put my small change in the charity boxes in shops - they all have them right next to the tills, so it's hardly difficult. It becomes a habit very quickly, and I don't even notice how much I'm giving. I've done it ever since.

​I don't always make resolutions (sometimes I make them on my birthday instead), but this year I jokingly mentioned on Facebook that I was going to perfect the art of selfie taking. I am not at all photogenic, and if I ever take one it usually gets deleted immediately. Even the idea made me shudder.

​However, in my head, this morphed into ​Take a Selfie Every Day for a Year. And that's what I'm doing.

​I've created a special folder for them on my laptop, and I will not be deleting any of them. Not even the really hideous one I took today in front of a rainbow - it ​should​ have been such a good one!

​I probably won't share them with anyone, unless I do actually perfect the art, in which case I'll be all over the place. But it will be an interesting documentation of my year.

​How about you? Have you made any resolutions? Would you like to join my selfie challenge?

​Thank you for visiting my web site this year.

​I'm looking forward to sharing lots of news with you in the coming weeks.

​I wish you a very happy New Year, and a brilliant 2016 xxx

Ah, it's that time of year again.

​I've just watched my youngest son open his school Christmas Carol concert with a solo, school has ended for the term, my Christmas tree is up, and it's only a week until Christmas.

​I had several writing resolutions this year that didn't quite pan out the way I wanted them too, but I achieved a lot nonetheless.

​In January, I'll have some news to share, and from February I'll be working with my new editor on my short story collection which will be published in June.

​Right now, I'm trying to eek out the new novel idea which is lurking deep in my subconscious, and continuing to query my slightly less-new novel.

​Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!