Happy New Year!

I do hope you all had a good 2011.  Looking back on my year, as my regular followers know, it was a very busy - and enjoyable - one.

I electronically published two of my crime novels which are both selling well.  For those who haven't read about them they are called "Homicide in Hampshire" and "Writing can be Murder".  Both are available at:  www.smashwords.com/profile/view/barbarabothwell which has it in all formats, including download to computer but does not have an Amazon format.  I can see from the charts that it is particularly popular on APPLE I-PAD.

For Kindle users the books are available on www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk. (as well as other Amazon versions).

As well as writing books I also managed to fit in some travel.  In the UK I visited Norwich, the Ironbridge Gorge, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and even went Swan-upping.  My overseas trip was to Croatia to visit Dubrovnik, also taking the opportunity to travel further south into Montenegro and east into Bosnia & Herzegovena to see Mostar.

Those of you who follow me on www.thetraveleditor.com will already have read about those trips.

My first trip in 2012 will to Palma, Mallorca, a city I used to know well as I lived and worked there for seven years.  Rather like seven years in Tibet except that I worked as a hotel rep for Cosmos.

Wishing you a very Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year.

The Christmas Season

Some of my best Christmas's were, of course, those of my childhood.  About two weeks before Christmas my parents would put up the decorations and the weekend before the big day we would all decorate the large tree in the lounge.

Usually a set of grandparents would stay with us and sometimes an aunt and uncle.  I enjoyed all of the spoiling - what child doesn't? - but I particularly loved it when my Uncle Ron (Dad's brother) and his wife came.  This was because Ron was a super pianist and played the latest songs and the golden-oldies.  I could have sat and listened for hours.  Probably did!

Christmas wasn't so much fun once I grew up but memorable ones include a Caribbean cruise.  No, not as a guest, but as a crew member who ate in the restaurant with the clients and joined in the evening's entertainment.

Sometimes I take a city break as there are fewer tourists around.  Among places I have visited are Brussels, Bruges, Malta and Lisbon.  I remember in Lisbon taking a stroll along by the river enjoying the sunshine and seeing a lady sitting on her own - knitting.  At first I felt sorry for her then realised that, like me, she was probably enjoying Christmas Day in her own favourite way.

We often read or hear the pundits expounding about single people being lonely at Christmas.  I suspect that most, if not all of them, aren't single and don't realise that not ALL singletons are lonely.  Everyone has their own ideal of the Christmas holiday. 

Sometimes I like a quiet one at home.  This year?  I have 300 pages of the manuscript of another crime novel to work on.  I'm really looking forward to that.  Will I e-publish it?  Of course. 

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year.

[Illustration:  The Creche at Grand Place in Brussels]