Goodbye 2012!

This year has been unbelieveable. It doesn't seem real looking back to see how much things have changed in those twelve months. So what were the highlights? Here we go...

My debut novel Keir was published by Lyrical Press Inc. on the 7th May, and I celebrated nineteen years of marriage on the 8th. Keir's been receiving good feedback overall, and I'm very pleased with it. :)

Outcast. Cursed. Dying. Is Keir beyond redemption?

For Keirlan de Corizi--the legendary 'Blue Demon' of Adalucien--death seems the only escape from a world where his discolored skin marks him as an oddity and condemns him to life as a pariah. But salvation comes in an unexpected guise: Tarquin Secker, a young woman who can travel the stars with a wave of her hand. But Quin has secrets of her own. She's spent eternity searching through space and time with a strange band of companions at her back. Defying her friends' counsel, Quin risks her apparent immortality to save Keir. She offers him sanctuary and a new life on her home world, Lyagnius.  When Keir mistakenly unleashes his dormant alien powers and earns instant exile from Quin's home world, will she risk everything to stand by him again?

Just two weeks later I finally saw my favourite band (and part of the inspiration for Keir) - The Rasmus - live for the first time, and saw them a second time less than two weeks ago. This time I had a front row view and it was AWESOME!!!

The Rasmus at O2 Islington May 2012

The Rasmus at the Electric Ballroom December 2012

I received my first piece of fan art, from dear friend John Robson and from the skilled hands of Jonathan Moore. This was John's interpretation of the opening scene in Keir.

June saw the first SFR Brigade Blog Hop, organized (more or less) by me, and I'm hoping to repeat the event next year, with lessons learned from the first. :-P

 
In August I celebrated my --- birthday, and my daughter's tenth, taking her into double figures. It was also the month that saw me fly all the way from Colchester to Edinburgh to meet friends only known via social media before - Ian and Nicole - and to hear Ian play as part of Essens:1 with Per.

Love this photo!

August also saw me sign my second publishing contract, this time with Champagne Books for my YA scifi Gethyon, with the cover art talents of Misa Buckley. I now have an author page with Champagne, with the blurb for Gethyon here. My birth month also saw the print edition of Keir come out.

My youngest started full time school in September, allowing me to make writing a full time occupation, although health issues caused a problem. I became multi-published in November after self-publishing my second short story - hot scifi romance Terms & Conditions Apply - aided by the cover art and editing skills of Danielle Fine.

Shortly after this Dani tempted me into updating the cover to my first published work - my free scifi short The Bones of the Sea, once more putting her excellent talents to use.

So the question has to be, can 2013 only be better?

A very Happy and Healthy New Year to you all! What were the highlights of your 2012?