New year, new post

2009 crept up on me like a stealth ninja and took me out while I wasn't looking. But in a good way.

While I've long since given up making New Year's resolutions, I am wondering what this year is going to bring. What I'm sure of is that it's going to be all about chasing dreams. 2008 was pretty eventful - I gave up my job and moved to Cornwall to start my MA in Professional Writing. It was great to go home for Christmas and catch up with family and friends, but now I'm back I've realised how much I missed Falmouth. I love the atmosphere down here. Watching the fireworks on the beach last night was the perfect way to celebrate the New Year.

The last few months have been pretty intense. I don't think that's about to change any time soon, although the focus is probably going to shift as we start our optional modules. I still haven't decided what I'm going to focus on for my novel. I've got a few ideas I'm playing around with which are all pretty different. Perhaps that's where the problem lies. Right now I'm torn between a teen post-apocalyptic novel and developing Waiting for Spring, a short story I wrote for one of my seminars which focuses on a father-daughter relationship, dealing with the cycle of life.

I've been reading a lot over Christmas, revisiting old favourites and discovering new delights. Everything from (good) chick lit to teen fantasy, literary fiction and Shakespeare. I figure if I keep feeding my subconscious something useful will come out (it's not procrastination it's called research). I'm also starting to read in a different way. I'm delighted by unusual phrases; I notice techniques and their effects - both when they work and when they don't, and how the plot shapes the structure.

It's all starting to come together.