So what happens next?

I look for snowdrops in the garden but there are none. Mine are all of the later flowering variety. Every year I intend to buy some early varieties and every year I forget. However, I do have a sky blue iris unguicularis in flower, the yellow blooms of the winter jasmine are brilliant and I have some red amaryllis which lift my spirits every time I look at them. I must make a note to buy some early varieties of snowdrops, or I’ll be moaning about the same thing in another year’s time.

Work seemed to stop for everyone but me over the Christmas holidays. Contracts did not come through as expected, queries were not followed up. Everyone else in the whole wide world seemed to have had a fortnight off and return refreshed. Perhaps I ought to schedule a holiday for myself, too. Only, I really really need to write every day.

One of the problems was . . .

One I’ve met before. I have too much plot. Yes, I know! I do this a lot, don’t I? This last week I put in a new character, a Mrs Minchin, very upright and most helpful as a witness to as nasty hit and run involving Polly and little Pip. I put her in, and then I took her out. And then I had to put her back in again. Sigh . . . a writer’s life is not a happy one when this happens.

Another book out!

Joffe have brought out the last (for the time being) book in the Ellie Quicke series. This is MURDER FOR PROFIT, which came out on January 12th. This is the last of the Ellie Quickes for the time being, so make the most of it. Joffe are planning to bring out some collections later on but I don’t have a date as yet.

For a teaser, I’m including the first pages of this book instead of a short story. See it here. Joffe have suggested I ask for readers to put in an honest review of this book if they liked it, because they say it would help to get it known.

View my Amazon Author Page here.

I never know how this works, but I’m sure you do. I think I could probably benefit from some kind of course on all the things I should be able to do on the computer but don’t. Perhaps I should . . . after I’ve finished the next book, the next short story for Easter and of course, the next newsletter.

A blessing on farmers and shops who manage to get bunches of cut daffodils ready for sale at this time of the year. How I enjoy watching them come out!

Veronica Heley

Are we glad or sad to see the last of 2024?                                    

I’m pleased in some ways and sad in others. Some things have been very good. I have managed to keep going healthwise, only finding two more medications to which I have bad reactions, my stories both short and long seem to be still much in demand, my social life is busy and if I can’t run and leap around as I used to do, there is a lot to be said for moderating one’s pace on the way up the hill to the local shops.

I am sad that the run of my cosy books by Joffe is shortly coming to an end. (Murder-in-Law came out on December 18^th and the last of that series, Murder for Profit, comes out on January 12^th.) There will probably be more later on, but that’s all they can take for the time being. They are, however, planning to bring out some more collections at some point.

Now I have another contract to sign . . .          

Meanwhile, Severn House have been very busy with the copy edits and proofs for the next in the Bea Abbot series. This focuses on Julian, who unexpectedly inherits a failing stately home and a clutch of relatives who are not at all friendly. FALSE NAME and FALSE WITNESS are out and about already, shortly to be followed by still FALSE GOLD. Now I’m working on the fourth in this mini-series, FALSE RELATION, to be delivered next year. I can’t think beyond that. Or rather, I still have new stories weaving themselves into my head, but I must not allow myself to be distracted.

Meanwhile, short stories continue . . .

The Christmas and New Year edition of the Methodist Recorder has another story called ‘One for Sorrow,’ which is about a widow coming to terms with the loss of her family at Christmas time. Sad, but true to life. On a brighter note, I wrote another Max the Cat story called The Special Birthday for the choir concert and attach that here for your enjoyment.

What else? The garden is adapting to the change in the season. The pink viburnum tinis is in full flower and scent, and the winter jasmine is starred over with yellow blooms. There are bulbs pushing up here and there. How, may I ask, do I prevent the postman and all other delivery people from treading on the green shoots as they cross the flower bed between the pathway to my front door and my neighbours? (Suggestions on a post card, please.) Who uses post cards nowadays? Well, I have a wonderful friend who always sends me postcards when she goes abroad on holidays. How about that!

A blessing on all those who still send Christmas, New Year and Birthday cards! And a blessing on those whose names we cross off our address book each year.             

Veronica Heley