LIZ FIELDING

RING IN THE NEW...

I’m sitting here in a deliciously stripey grey and pink sweater, wearing my new slippers, sipping tea from my special new mug that says “Liz is the Biz” from my dd and just thrilled at the fact that January will see the publication of two of my titles in the UK. Not just THE SHEIKH'S UNSUITABLE BRIDE, helping to launch Mills & Boon's 100th Anniversary year, but also a reprint of the Billionaire Takes a Bride in BRIDE FOR A BILLIONAIRE. A lovely seasonal gift from my publisher.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, too and found the gifts you were hoping for underneath the tree this year.

There will be a little extra for Gail, who won the signed copy of THE SHEIKH’S GUARDED HEART and Candy, who won THE SHEIKH’S UNSUITABLE BRIDE. I’ve just braved the chill to go and put the last of the prizes in the postbox – I hope they’ll all arrive early in the New Year.

But the fun doesn’t end there. Throughout 2008 guest bloggers will be dropping in to help me celebrate my 50th book. They’ll be telling us about their books and offering prizes, too, so make a note to visit every week if you don't want to miss out on some fabulous books.

But before that can happen we have to make our New Year resolutions.

I’m not sure that mine ever change. All I need to do is bring them out each year, brush them off and make the same pledge to

• lose a little weight (only this time keep it off).
• be a little more focussed on my writing – put work before

email play.
• make time to write something a little different; articles, short stories, tackle the big book. All muscles need exercise, even the writing muscles.
• do something new. Learn to tap dance, perhaps? When I was a little girl I yearned for a pair of red tap shoes with big bows. It would certainly get some unused muscles moving!
• take a trip in a hot air balloon.

Actually I did manage to write more this year. Three books and a novella. About half a book short of what I planned, half a book short of what I should have managed, but better than the last couple of years.

I did lose some weight – but it’s all crept back on in the last few months. Deadlines are not kind to the waistline and I do have a real dislike of exercise. It always seems to me a little like housework. You do it today and then you have to do it again tomorrow. There’s just no end…

So what resolutions did you keep this year? How will you challenge yourself?

Whatever they are, I wish you a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year in which at least one dream comes true.

Iechyd da!