However the phrase New Beginnings implies you draw a line under something and start again. But I don’t see it like that. To me you are still continuing the same journey, just with new motivations or skills – or both.

Regular readers of this blog will know my life has undergone some big changes in recent years – kick-started by getting treatment for a drink problem in 2016.

But I’m still me. Still Sam the wife, mother, friend. I live in the same house. Have the same career. I still love cats and cake and coffee. I still make lumpy mashed potato and dance as if no one is watching when a disco tune comes on the radio.

But spiritually, mentally, emotionally I have started over –  things have fundamentally changed, due to the skills that addiction treatment, mindfulness and Buddhism taught me.

Take a health crisis I had shortly before Christmas. I suffered unexpected side effects from a medical procedure. It was scary. Yet I handled it so much better than I would have done a few years ago.  In the past I would have catastrophized the situation and held it up as something really major – and I would have nurtured huge resentments over what had happened. Why me?

But Buddhism has taught me that life is full of ups and downs, so don’t attach to either. Good things happen and then pass. Bad ones do too. So, after the initial upset that perspective has really helped me through this challenging time.

Then there is AA  – that organisation has taught me to accept the things I cannot change. And that’s what I have done. Instead of continuing to cry about the “what if”s” and  “it’s not fair”s I’ve accepted what happened.

And that is how I now deal with the ups and downs of my writing career. Since I focused on my mental health,  I have gained the ability to create distance between me and areas of my life that are sometimes stressful – to realise that if one book doesn’t do as well as another, for example, it’s not my fault. The universe isn’t out to get me. It’s just the way a writing career rolls. Of course, sometimes I get upset – I’m only human – but I re-calibrate, I re-center myself so much more quickly than I used to.

Learning about gratitude has been a massive help too and overall I’m just hugely grateful for the success I’ve had and the fact I am doing a job I love.

So if you want to change your life… if you feel unhappy with the status quo but are unable to move to that cottage by the sea or leave that demanding job or land an agent… don’t feel hopeless. New Beginnings are VERY possible just by changing the way you deal with the world and other people. Sometimes external change DOES need to happen – but  may not be possible straightaway.

So changing internally will help you cope until you are able to alter the situation you are in.

Changing your inside will help you cope with the outside. There is a saying in AA – “It doesn’t get better, but you do”.

And if you could have moved to that cottage by the sea it might have proved lonely. Gaining a less demanding job might not have satisfied you intellectually. That may not have been the right agent for you. The life outside of you is, to some degree, out of your control and will suffer peaks and troughs whatever happens. And accepting that alone has been one of the most important realisations for me. These days there are so many expectations out there that we should be happy, happy, happy, the whole time –  so that when something goes wrong we feel as if it shouldn’t have.

But take a step back from that point of view. Is it logical? NO. Bereavement happens. So do fall-outs. Redundancy. Rejections. Ill health. World crises. Life is about joyous times, but hard ones as well. And once you accept that, the difficult times can be easier to manage because you don’t feel quite as targeted.

So why not approach this year by joining a mindfulness class? Or writing a daily gratitude journal?

The New Beginnings that really matter are the ones that take place inside. Fundamentally changing your thought processes and perspective is like magic and really can see you through anything.

Best of luck. And have a wonderful 2020!

My conclusion? Delicious! I was so glad I’d made that choice. What a journey. The first mouthful really did taste of lavender, with tiny purple fragrant flowers in the icing. As I continued, I detected a kind of ginger flavour, followed by a more usual sponge taste. After another bite a distinct zing of TCP wowed me (for non UK residents that is a antiseptic wash!). It was one surprise after another,  held together by the underlying familiar flavours and textures I expect from cake.

And this made me think of commercial (not literary) writing. It can be a frustrating business, trying to get that first deal. You write something different and publishers say booksellers won’t be able to place it on their shelves. So you try creating something more in tune with what is popular at the moment and agents call it derivative and won’t take it on.

I believe the only way to write is from the heart, and I do that, but at the same time I want to make enough sales to earn a living, so I keep an eye on the market. This doesn’t mean selling my authorly soul but, to my mind, as someone who depends on writing to pay the bills, it means offering readers more of the same – that they love – to attract them to the book, but then something different inside (so that they don’t feel it is “just another read” of that genre.)

I mean, if that cake had been sold in a wrapper that said “Yes, it actually does taste of lavender, with added zings of ginger and TCP”, to be honest, I’m not sure I would have risked it! The cake simply had a really appealing title and honey made it sound comforting and familiar. Plus it looked good, so I couldn’t resist.

Take my award-winning summer 2015 novel, Game of Scones. Originally it was set in heaven – don’t ask! In retrospect my editor was jolly polite in the manner that she turned it down! Even I roll my eyes when I look back. What on earth was I thinking? It would have totally alienated readers who’d enjoyed my 3 previous non – paranormal romcoms. But I was determined to use that title, I loved it so much, so eventually, I came up with an idea I was even more passionate about – a romance starring very exotic scones, an English teashop on a Greek island of all places and subjects such as the Syrian refugee crisis. A holiday love story, yes – but with a difference.

And this is what I’m hoping I’ve done with my latest summer release, out now, The New Beginnings Coffee Club. I’m thrilled with the many reviews that have mentioned the shocks and surprises within the story and aspects of life they never thought would be covered in such a book.

I’ve covered subjects that are close to my heart – that I am passionate about. Otherwise, as an author, what is the point? But I have kept close to my usual style, not in a cynical way, but because I love my readers and want them to continue enjoying my work. If I want a growing audience for the subjects that inspire me then I have to think of the best way to keep loyal readers happy, whilst still attracting new ones to my work.

Of course, it’s a risk, trying something different. And all of us authors get our fair share of bad reviews – not everyone will like your work. And if you write some very different, that publishers and agents decide is too much of a risk for them to take on – and your heart is 100% in it – there is nothing to stop you from self-publishing. I am in awe of some self-pubbed authors out there, who’ve got to grips with the necessary technology and enjoyed great success. And there are always those break-out books, taken on by traditional publishers. that inspire a new genre – like Harry Potter, Twilight and Fifty Shades. There is nothing to say that your story couldn’t be one of those.

I can only speak for myself, and my personal goal is to – hopefully – give the majority of those readers, who click the buy button, a literary slice of lavender and honey cake. The unexpected within the expected. Good luck with whatever path you take with your writing. That’s the great thing with the digital revolution – there are now so many routes.

So, how did I celebrate my latest book baby’s release? Well, as a homeworker it can be a quiet day, just with the cat for company, and I really appreciated all the support, interest and fun I received from my friends on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. They – you – are my party people, between nine and five!

When the kids got home we enjoyed cream cakes – well, it wouldn’t be launch day without those, and I felt fully justified in eating them, having gone for a cycle ride first thing!

Then in the evening, I got all dressed up…

and with my lovely family went out for a fantastic meal, where all sorts were consumed, including a millionaire’s sundae (despite the menu telling me it contained over 1000 calories!) – photos, for foodies, below!

Then we came home and I caught up on social media, grateful and happy for having a job I love. And, of course, there was only one way to finish the day….

Firstly… accept the fact that it is UNREALISTIC to expect everyone to love your work. In life, not everyone will like us, and the same goes for our book babies. People have a perfect right to express their opinion and will freely do so, especially if they have forked out hard-earned pennies to buy  your novel. Try not to take their view personally.

Secondly… Learn to differentiate between the constructive reviews and insulting ones. I always read my bad reviews (not all authors do!) and you become used to spotting a personal or offensive tone. Fortunately, they are rarer. Most reviewers take the time to explain their point of view fairly, and I do take on board the comments that are constructive from those reviews. Really, it’s a gift, being given an insight into how someone else sees your work. “I really wanted to enjoy this book, but…” or “It just didn’t work for me because…” On occasion, some observations have made me reconsider my writing techniques, and question them next time I put finger to keyboard. I truly appreciate the time anyone takes to write a review and understand that if someone has felt disappointed, they need to express why. On the journey to publication I had to take a lot of criticism on board and I don’t see why this should stop, simply because I am now published.

Thirdly, in the words of Kate Moss… Never complain, never explain. DO NOT ENGAGE WITH WRITERS OF BAD REVIEWS. They are entitled to their view. Don’t moan about it. At the same time, do not feel the need to explain or justify yourself. Just let it be and move on.

Fourthly… be mountain-like. Lately I have developed an interest in meditation and one visualisation I do involves looking at a mountain and then becoming the mountain… let me explain: a mountain never changes. It stands solid. Whether it is spring, summer, autumn or winter. Whether it is day or night. Whether it is sunny, rainy, windy or snowing. Whether a visitor to the mountain calls it beautiful – or calls it plain… the mountain is not affected by any of these external changes. It remains strong within itself.
In other words, as long as you are being true to yourself with your writing- and, in my opinion, have an open-mind regarding your agent’s/editor’s advice and revisions – then nothing else matters. Stand firm amidst all the weather and be proud of your work.

Finally… try to keep a sense of humour and perspective. Be grateful! You’ve made it! Your work is actually out there and people are reading it. Okay, some may not like every page, but at least your novels are finally getting an audience which, presumably, is something you have worked very hard for.

And if you want a laugh, here are a few of the best – and worst! – quotes from reviews for one of the books I have written, that overall got a great rating but still picked up some unfavourable opinions:

I devoured this book in a day!

A little slice of paradise.

To say that I LOVED this book would be a huge understatement

Samantha is a funny, talented writer that makes the words jump off the page

Don’t waste your time, life is too short

Chewing gum for the mind

Tough going.

Will be avoiding this author in the future

Harsh comments do hurt – of course they do –  but don’t dwell on them. Eventually, you will be able to read them with a wry smile.  I am just bracing myself for the reaction to my eighth novel, released on 5th May, The New Beginnings Coffee Club. It has one of my most favourite characters ever in it  and I very much hope my loyal readers enjoy the story – along with any new readers who might be fans of coffee But who knows. Let’s hope I don’t need too many strong americanos when reviews come in!