Happy New Me

So, Christmas is over. We've all eaten our way through too many chocolate oranges and are left feeling, let's just say, a little 'festive' around the middle. Generally, I'm not a fan of the 'post-Christmas/pre-New Year' week - it all seems a little forced and makes me realise how much I love my routine (even though I complain endlessly about that routine when I'm doing it). Also, the Christmas trees look very sad after Christmas, don't you think? Like they're trying really hard to still have a great time, with all their lights and baubles, but just ending up looking a bit tragic. Anyway, I digress....

So, it is with great delight that I realise we've reached New Year's Eve and with just a few more hours of excess to get through (that means you, box of fudge) I can look forward to starting on that detox I've been promising myself since, erm, this time last year and can happily put the gin bottle away for at least a month and not miss it at all (crosses fingers).

I'm also looking forward to a fresh start with my writing in 2012. I have watched several of my friends achieve huge breakthroughs and fantastic writing success in 2011 which has been hugely inspiring (yes, I am talking to you Maria Duffy and Jane Travers). Anyone who has followed me from the start (March 2009 - check it out here if you don't have anything pressing to do) will know that I've loved my blogging journey and have been pursuing my dream of being a published author at the same time. There are various posts around my blog explaining my writing journey (sorry - am a bit too full of stilton to think of a better word at the moment) and am delighted to be in a very happy place at the end of 2011 with a fabulous agent, Sheila Crowley of Curtis Brown, two 'near-miss' novels behind me and a notebook full of fabulous ideas which I just can't wait to get started on.

I also recently started writing a guest blog called 'Carry on Writing' for writing.ie which will follow my writing trials and tribulations during 2012 and I will also be continuing with my book review blog 'Off the Shelf' for hellomagazine.com. Hot off the press, Jane Wenham-Jones has also mentioned me in January's Writing Magazine which is rather exciting and in a lovely pre-Christmas Tweet, Vanessa O'Loughlin at Inkwell Writers mentioned me as 'one to watch in 2012'. Now, if all that doesn't give me the prefect excuse for an extra glass of champagne tonight, I don't know what does.

You may, or may not, also have noticed that I am no longer @hotcrossmum on Twitter, having decided, finally, to be my real self @HazelGaynor. Hot Cross Mum, the blog, will continue to be a place where I muse, rant and ponder all things child/parent related, and other things besides which catch my attention, but as far as my writing career goes, I shall henceforth be known as, well, myself!

So, here's to a fresh start, a blank screen and may the words flow as freely in 2012 as the bubbly will on the last night of 2011.

Cheers to you all and HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Happy New Me