I am not one to do the whole ‘New Year’ thing. I do not make resolutions just because of a change in the calendar year. Yes, it is a new year, but I do not find anything intrinsically different about it and neither do I have any expectations of it proving to be fundamentally different to what has gone before just because it is 2022 and not 2021. Despite saying that, I remain an optimist. I have plans for the immediate future. There are goals that I have set myself, but they are not inspired by the idea of making resolutions. Some of them are concerned with writing, naturally enough, and some are to do with other parts of my life.

At the moment I am in isolation due to my son contracting Covid-19. It is a curious thing that he chose to be vaccinated and has, afterwards, tested positive. His symptoms have been mild, no more than a bad cold, which I am glad about. Early in 2021 both wife and myself also contracted Covid-19, she also developed mild symptoms whereas mine were very slight; neither of us have been vaccinated and both of us tested negative after our son tested positive. There it is, proof that the vaccine does not stop a person from contracting Covid-19. It is curious that despite this evidence people who are vaccinated are allowed to attend large entertainment events, like the New Year’s Eve party our son attended and where he believes he came into contact with someone who was infected, whereas those who are not vaccinated have to provide evidence of a negative test result. Both are as likely to transmit and contract the virus, as is widely understood and accepted, which makes this kind of restriction to only one segment of society, seem illogical. If you are going to test people then test everyone, even if that means admitting that the vaccine does not work!

One thing about being at home isolating is that I have more time to write. I intend to continue working on my science fiction novel, If Iolos Should Fall, as related in some of my previous posts. I also have an idea for a play that I am working on. The story has been around for a long time, almost 10 years in fact. Indeed, it is due that longevity that I have decided to do something about it. I have not written a play before so this is going to be new territory for me. I have started by doing some research on the technical aspects of playwriting, which has been very enjoyable. My goal is to get this project completed by early summer and then I am going to submit it and hope for a favourable response.

There is another idea that has also been distracting me recently . I am not yet ready to go into any depth on the subject, other than to say that I think that it might prove controversial. In fact, I am hoping and intending it to be. It is on the subject of disability but I am going to present it in a very different way to how this topic is usually offered to the public. I am not sure of the media format as yet. There have been several different ones that have attracted my attention. I do not think that it is going to be a novel, however. I did consider a graphic novel, the attractions of this media were obvious as the themes are going to be pretty graphic also. My greatest limitation is, as always, time, however. I do have some other ideas using another graphic medium but I have some serious thinking to do first.

To close, I am also going to submit my Sorrow Song Trilogy to as many literary agents as I can find in the hope of securing a publishing deal. I have decided to concentrate on these books as they are my best sellers and they come as a complete package.

So, 2022 is going to be a little different to 2021. I remain unafraid of Covid-19 and deeply sceptical of all the policies and restrictions imposed as a result of its existence. My position on this subject has not changed since 2020 and after 2 years I cannot see that altering without the sudden revelation of some missing evidence that proves me wrong. Creatively, I am still convinced that nothing is going to happen unless I make it happen. That is going to be my simple motto for 2022.