This has been a good year.  I don’t get to say that often, so I cherish today.  Despite the fact that yesterday was covered with ice and I slipped on the slate at the foot of the steps.  I don’t think I broke anything, but, damn, is my leg sore.  Last night involved Vicodin and birch beer, which I wasn’t sure would be a good combination, but I couldn’t find anything else cold.  Turned out to be fine, though I’m still a bit dizzy today.  The pain is starting to return, which isn’t good...but I don’t drink, so I can celebrate New Year’s in relative safety with another pill!  Lucky me!  (Yes, that’s some sarcasm there.)

The cats kept me company this morning, though I question their motive considering they favored my injured leg.  I tried to think of it as three vibrating heating pads...even though I’m sure what I was supposed to have were three ice packs!  Still, they were too cute to disturb.

Right now I’m relaxing with some tea and considering the roles a couple new characters are going to play in the second book (Flowers in the Dustbin).  I admit to being a bit nervous about the sophomore effort.  It’s probably the feeling many bands get when they’re working on their second album.  Will it be as good as the first?  Will it be what people expect, or will it give them a new direction?  In particular, I’m nervous about how to treat the characters that are continuing from Dial 999.  I don’t want to repeat too much stuff because I don’t want to bore those of you who have already read it.  But, I also don’t want to alienate readers who haven’t read Dial 999 yet.  Is this a legitimate fear?  I welcome your comments on this as I am writing the book.  I started chapter one since I’ve outlined the book already, but I’m still putting together the details of the plot so I have lots of room to play.

I’m also pretty sure that I will be releasing those poetry books I found the manuscripts for the other day.  One is just about ready to go to print, so that one will come first.  I had it just about set up for publication already, so that will be my new year’s gift to you. :-)   The other still needs some poems to connect it together (it was written as a series, telling a story), so that one will probably take me a while to complete.  I’m so happy to have re-discovered it, though!  It was important for me to write, when I had started it, and re-reading it makes me so excited for what I had started.  It was such catharsis for me at the time, and now I can appreciate it on multiple levels.  The writing is strong and clearly “me”; I love that feeling of having found a voice.  My early years of writing poetry had me testing out many styles, but by the late ‘90s I had really fallen into my particular groove (which I do not deny is similar to Anne Sexton).  I hope that these two collections will be good enough to make you forgive me for how long it’s been since I published anything. :-)

And, on that note, I wish you all a wonderful (and safe) New Year!  If you are in the US, please don’t forget about something called Tipsy Tow. From 6pm-6am on New Year’s Eve/Day, they will take you and your car home for FREE. You do not need to be a member of AAA to take advantage of this.  The number is 1-800-222-4357.  If you do not have a designated driver tonight, please be sure to call them!