
Fireworks on the foreshore in Esperance
Happy New Year!
Has it been a good start for you? We spent the evening at the foreshore in Esperance having tea with friends and watching the fireworks. It was a really pleasant way to see in 2016.
I’ve spent the first two days going through the final edit of Indigo Storm. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these characters I dreamed up two years ago, come to life and tell their story. Ashleigh (who is also known as Eliza) has run away from a bad and controlling marriage and is trying to reinvent herself.

Editing Indigo Storm
I guess that’s how I see the start of a new year. Perhaps not reinventing, but certainly having a fresh start. A clean page. 365 new possibilities as a quote on Facebook says.
2016 is going to be a really positive year for me. I have many plans to do with my writing – I’d like to think I might be able to write two books this year. I’ll be out and about on the road a lot more. One of the things I have planned is a really exciting writing workshop called The Making of your Manuscript. If you are a writer and want more details, please email me on fleur at fleurmcdonald dot com.
I want to be more active. The last two years I’ve had a personal trainer, who is just wonderful, and helped me lose 16 kilos. But in May last year I became very sick – I had over six weeks in bed and it took me a long time to get back on my feet. Once I was able to start going to the gym again, I found I didn’t have the strength I had before and really struggled with my gym sessions. I’ve put some of that weight back on and desperately want to lose it again.
Rochelle starts her journey towards uni this year, going into Year 11 and studying ATAR subjects. I want to be involved with that every step of the way.
During the last eighteen months, I’ve found I need to be busy all of the time. I find it very hard to sit still. I’m always full-bore, whether it be writing, working, kids or throwing parties (which I also do a lot of.) I need to make quiet time and learn to be comfortable within that time. Sometimes my thoughts aren’t good for me to be alone with – I need to fix that.
My parents are getting older and I now have FIVE beautiful nieces and nephews (and a couple of siblings!) I want to spend more time with them, so there will be a few trips back to South Australia on the horizon. (They will double as research trips for the next couple of books.)
Being one for making New Year’s Resolutions, I usually have a list as long as my arm, and they’re never really that achievable. This year I decided that there wasn’t a lot of point. I can be disciplined for a few weeks, then everything goes to the dogs. Nope, this year, I just have big goals and they need to be life changers not a flash-in-the-pan resolutions.
I introduced you all to my beautiful new man, Garry, last year. He’s everything I’m not; organised, tidy, non chaotic. (I live in a world of chaos! It’s the creative streak in me…) At his instance I’ve hung a twelve month wall-planner on the wall. (I have a terrible habit of double booking myself!) I’ve even written on it already – that’s a pretty big effort for me!

My new getting-organised planner
Ha! Now here’s and idea! Maybe I should in list your help and get you to hold me to my life changing year! Interested?
2016 is going to be my positive year yet and that’s the only resolution I’m making.
Are you a New year’s Resolution maker or not? More importantly, if you are, do you end up keeping them for the whole year?
And here is to a wonderful 2016! Good luck with your goals, they sound like good ones. We have some life changing goals up our sleeves for this year as well. I have always loved even numbers so 2016 is going to be an exciting one I hope, but only if we make it happen.