I tell people I’m currently writing the plan for my third novel (I’ve no idea why, it just blurts out of my mouth). They say something like: ‘That’s fantastic. You’ve written two novels! Where can I buy them?’ (I’m not suggesting they intended purchasing it, but people are generally polite).

‘Well, that’s the problem. You can’t buy them because they aren’t published yet.’

‘Oh. Well, I’m sure they will be soon.’ (I told you people are polite).

I see Failed Author in their eyes. It’s awful. I should learn to keep it to myself (this resolution is not going well and you are reading the evidence of that).

I read an interview with an actor years ago – I think it was Rupert Graves but I’m not sure. They asked him why he became an actor and he said it was because he’d told so many people that he planned to act he felt obliged to pursue it until he was successful.

I feel bit like that – I’ve rabbited on about ‘my novels’ for so many years I feel I simply can’t give up until I’ve had them published. Thankfully in this day and age, when I’m at the end of the line with the agent/publisher route, I can still self-publish, and at least some of my friends might buy it. Just sayin’ …