Before turning a new page, I look back on 2021 and I am pleased to say I did make progress with my writing life in a positive way.
What did I achieve in 2021 to be thankful for?
A. I published a little book of encouragement Search for the Pearl Inside Yourself for young people struggling through this pandemic. I wrote the bones of it and gathered quotations and photos before I took voluntary redundancy from teaching at Barnfield Further Education College in Luton, Bedfordshire over seven years ago. I dusted it off, updated and improved it, had it edited and proof read and finally organised a print run in June 2021.
Hoping to make a difference:
I am still giving away copies to those who need it. If you know a young person struggling at this time then please get in touch: contact Diana Jackson
The e book is available on Kindle too.
B. My continued support for authors on their journey into writing and publishing seemed to flourish too. It was lovely to focus on others rather than myself.
C. I met a lovely group of new authors on Twitter (I’m @Riduna) who were happy for me to dip in and out of their boundless enthusiastic responses, when I felt able to do so. Thanks to Cheryl Burman and all her friends who worked so hard to set up a Christmas on line bookshop. I have always enjoyed the mutual support of other authors I’ve ‘met’ on Twitter, but this took it to a new level.
D. I also met a group of local Fife authors from East Neuk for some uplifting Zoom events and an early Christmas meal, where we met in person down in Anstruther; just before the warnings of get togethers was highlighted on the news. To be part of this select, welcoming group of authors is heart warming. I had forgotten the joys of being in a writing group and had been longing for this to happen since leaving Bedfordshire, where I was a founder member of Ampthill Writers (then known as the Albion Writers after the pub where we used to meet) I have even joined them on line on a couple of occasions too.
E. I have a couple more personal writing projects I have been working on; those I could pick up and stir that creativity from within in a very gentle way, but more about those in my next blog.
In all honesty
… it was a tough year, as it was for many, but I can be thankful and look forward with hope to 2022!
Diana Jackson 