It’s traditional to reflect upon the year when we come to the end of it. So for posterity and my CWAP diary here goes for my thoughts on 2016.

I put four books out this year:

It’s possible that with A White-Knuckle Christmas and Deep State I’ve written my last Romney and Marsh File and the last Acer Sansom story respectively. Possible, not definite. I want to have a bash at some other writing projects. I’ll see how I feel about things after that. Booker & Cash is a series I can see myself writing more in.

Deep State was selected by an Amazon epublishing imprint. It was certainly something worth trying because on the face of it… well it’s Amazon and you’d expect them to really get behind anything they’ve selected because they will make money out of every sale twice – as publisher a fifty percent cut of the book price and as sales outlet a percentage of the sale as commision. So I’ve been hugely disappointed with their apparent lack of interest in anything to do with Deep State after it went live. No communication, no promotions. It’s been left to fend for itself. I would not recommend going the Kindle Press route to anyone. Live and learn.

I’ve written three short stories. I’m intending to write a few more so that I might produce a collection for self-publication. I like the short story format.

The first draft of Poor Hands (Booker & Cash #3) is finished at last.

I’m 25,000 words into Death Wish (Booker & Cash #4).

I’ve added to and then shelved a couple of other rainy day projects and I’m continually generating ideas.

Cold Kills is the first step in trying something different to my usual and I thoroughly enjoyed the change of direction. It’s only been out a week but initial feedback is encouraging.

On the writing front, then, not too shabby considering I was ‘Out of Order’ from April to October working on this:

and this:

Who said letting kids watch telly all day was bad for them? All those Bob the Builder DVDs certainly paid off.

Like 2016, 2017 is going to be a mix of writing and building work, time in Ankara at my desk and time in the UK up a ladder. I enjoyed that variety in 2016. It was nice to have a physically demanding break from sitting on my backside all day making up stories.

Writing related aspirations for 2017?

Get out B&C #3 & #4 for starters.

Finish that short story collection.

Crack on with another change of direction and genre that’s burning a hole in my head.

That should keep me going until I return to the UK in the spring.

I’d like to wish all my readers a happy and healthy 2017 and my sincere and heartfelt thanks for your ongoing support of and interest in my writing.