Nicola Monaghan's news, events and general thoughts about life and writing.

Thursday 24 January 2008

Happy New Year

So it's 2008. I can't quite believe it, really. I remember looking ahead at my life as a child, and thinking how I'd be soooo old in the year 2000, twenty-eight! I could hardly imagine it. And here we are, eight years into a new millennium.

More surprising still, the publication date for Starfishing is almost here. Being involved in publishing means you end up living ahead of yourself somewhat. I've been working towards March 2008 for nearly two years now. When I first heard the date, like y2k, it seemed a long way in the distance. I soon got used to it. And now it has crept up on me, unannounced.

I've been very busy with all the usual stuff since the year set out, so nothing has changed so far. I don't feel too much older. It was my niece's birthday today. She told me 'I don't feel eight yet. I still feel seven!' I know what she means.(She was a millennium baby, in case you're struggling with the maths.)

I saw my agent a few days ago. He came to speak to my students at NAW, which was jolly decent of him. We managed to get twenty minutes or so in to talk about what I might write next and it was quite an inspiring conversation. I have all sorts of ideas floating around my head now, and a few fastened down tight inside my notebook too. No! I'm not going to tell you here. You will have to wait and see.

And I need to overhaul my website. My current one is a good example of something that looks pretty, but has been designed with totally no regard for scaleability. And I should know betterer, with my background in software design! This is going to be a big job, and needs to be done soon, to accommodate all the changes for Starfishing. Oh the joys of self-employment!

Still, I got my PLR statement and the library service are going to pay me some money because people have been borrowing my book. Like a special kind of new year bonus.

Happy 2008 y'all!