Looking Back before Moving Forward to 2022

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!

Favourite Memory Surrounding Books #Bookbloggerhop

Book Blogger Hop

What is ‘Book Blogger Hop’? Lady Tessa explains on her blog:

“The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blog.” (Lady Tessa)

BOOKBLOGGER HOP QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

What is your favorite memory surrounding books?

(submitted by Julie @ JadeSky)

My Answer, ‘Sister Love’:

I have many happy memories with books I love, but my truly favourite memory is when I was in my early teens, maybe 11 yrs. My sister, who was an avid reader and three and a half years older was deep into a huge tome one day just after Christmas and being an irritating younger sister I asked her what she was reading.

‘The Lord of the Rings,’ Christine replied. It’s fantastic; and being the patient sister she was, offered to begin again and read it to me. It took us between Christmas and Easter to read it to each other and during that time we really bonded, and have been close ever since.

We looked quite angelic in those days!

We were a bit older then but remained close ever since.

Here’s Lady Tessa’s lovely favourite memory on #Bookbloggerhop too!

Why don’t you join in? If you do, please let me know and I’ll tweet your reply.

Book Blogger Hop

What is your favorite social media and why? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews)

I am on Twitter, Facebook and I blog. I have given Instagram a go but I find it a tad clunky with Windows and do not have a iPad. I must admit I’m a bit behind about new social media sites and maybe I’ll learn something from the participants of this Book Blogger Hop.

Why I like Blogging?

I love the way it challenges me to write regularly; learning all the time to be selective of my words, to edit on the hop and to choose themes which I think might resonate. I enjoy posts where I get a response but for me this may be an email, a tweet or even a comment on Facebook. It does not have to be in the comments box because I find it often puts people off who do not have a WordPress site themselves. I sometimes get emails months or years later, if I have used my tags and categories correctly. Now, that’s a real pleasure. I also make links and ‘friends’ with the WordPress community who are mutually supportive.

www.dianamj.wordpress.com

Why I like Twitter?

Twitter is more intransigent; here one minute and gone the next. I love the banter and the real conversations. The photos and wildlife are fab and make me smile; as do the jokes, sometimes! There are real connections to be made; groups of extremely supportive authors who give you encouragement and support in your journey. The spam does annoy me sometimes; the white noise of constant book ads, but then how else do we writers get out books seen by new readers. I try to keep mine to a minimum. When other authors support you, there is nothing like the reassurance that your book has been recommended and endorsed by others and I do try to read books that I RT if I can.

Author Diana Jackson @Riduna on Twitter

Why I like Facebook?

I like keeping in touch with friends, colleagues and family on Facebook most of all. They can be my readers too, but not always. As an author I like the way you can announce an event, both real and on line and that you can invite people to join you. I feel less comfortable when writing posts solely to promote my books on my own page, of which I have three; a private and personal page (where I extremely rarely mention my writing);

a page Diana Jackson Author

https://en-gb.facebook.com/DianaJacksonauthor

and an author page which is more geared to businesses I feel. I’m not sure if I really need both. What do you think?

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDianaJackson/

Which social media platform do I like the best as an author?

Going back to the original question, all in all I probably enjoy blogging most, although I go on Twitter most frequently. It is the best platform to relax and enjoy. I am on Linkedin too, but am not very good at using it all that often.

Thanks to Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews for the question.

If you’d like to know more about Book Blogger Hop you can follow this link.

Which platform do you prefer?