So that was the year that was…

I like to wrap up each year with a few reflections before Christmas, then take a break from social media until the New Year when I look forward. This year, looking back, my overriding thought is ‘Really? Seriously​?’ Because these past twelve months saw us hit with one disruptive (and often expensive) thing after another… That’s all I’m going to say about that, partly because I choose not to live my life online, and partly because I’m choosing to focus on the positive aspects of the year. Not burying my head in the sand, but making sure to balance the scales.

2024 saw the publication of my novel, The Green Man’s War, from Wizard’s Tower Press, a short story collection, Different Times and Other Places, from Newcon Press, a novelette, Unseen Hands, from ZNB, and three original short stories, A Civil War, in the anthology Fight Like a Girl Volume 2, from Wizard’s Tower Press, along with The Green Man’s Guest, and A Stitch in Time Saves One, both in Different Times and Other Places. I think there are possibly years where I’ve seen more words in print, but I think that’s a new high water mark as far as range and variety of writing in a single year is concerned.

August saw me attend the Worldcon in Glasgow, then there was Fantasycon in Chester, Bristolcon in Bristol (where else?) and lastly but by no means least, Fantastika, where I was a Guest of Honour this year’s Swecon in Stockholm on the first weekend of November. That was an excellent convention which I thoroughly enjoyed. All these events offered me opportunities for friendly and supportive conversations with fellow writers and readers, on panels, over meals and drinks. Some of these were planned, plenty more were unforeseen good fortune.

Since the disruptions mentioned above meant we hadn’t managed any sort of holiday to that point in the year, my husband and I stayed on in Stockholm for a week’s break. We had a splendid time. The weather was decent, we found some good restaurants, the city’s museums are excellent, and at that time of year, not too busy. The Vasa is as astounding as everyone says, and the Wreck Museum offers an up-to-date perspective on underwater archaeology which is very well worth seeing. The Viking exhibit at the History museum was fascinating, and the Army museum gave us a very interesting and different view of historical events. The ABBA museum is extremely well done, though we still find it hard to accept Waterloo won Eurovision 50 years ago!

As an added bonus, we spent time with local friends, including Jonathan, SF fan and historical guide, who showed us rune stones and painted churches on the outskirts of the city, and intriguing corners of Stockholm’s old town which we would never have found on our own. If you’re planning a visit to Sweden, do check out the tours and walks on offer at the Sweden History Tours website. You may then be able to see details and ideas which I picked up through the week appearing in my writing in the year to come.

And since Jonathan is a SF & Fantasy fan, we made sure to visit the deservedly renowned SF Bokhandeln bookstore in Stockholm. One of life’s great pleasures is strolling around a well-stocked bookshop comparing notes with a like-minded friend, finding out what you both have read, what they recommend that’s new to you, and introducing them to books you have really enjoyed. Finding your own books on the shelves is a bonus thrill.

Which brings me to my conclusion for the year. There’s a lot that’s wrong in the world at the moment, and far too many people are having far too hard a time of it, near and far. So alongside doing what I can to help out, I have realised that taking respite as well as pleasure on a personal level, when and where that’s possible, is more important than ever. Friendships are invaluable for doing these things. Those are the thoughts I’ll be taking with me to the end of this year and into the next.

With all good wishes to you and yours, as you celebrate this season as you choose.

Author: Juliet

Juliet E McKenna is a British fantasy author living in the Cotswolds, UK. Loving history, myth and other worlds since she first learned to read, she has written fifteen epic fantasy novels so far. Her debut, The Thief’s Gamble, began The Tales of Einarinn in 1999, followed by The Aldabreshin Compass sequence, The Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution, and The Hadrumal Crisis trilogy. The Green Man’s Heir was her first modern fantasy inspired by British folklore in 2018. The Green Man’s Quarry in 2023, the sixth title to follow, won the BSFA Award for Best Novel. The Green Man’s War continues this ongoing series. Her 2023 novel The Cleaving is a female-centred retelling of the story of King Arthur, while her shorter stories include forays into dark fantasy, steampunk and science fiction. She promotes SF&Fantasy by reviewing, by blogging on book trade issues, attending conventions and teaching creative writing. She has served as a judge for the James White Award, the Aeon Award, the Arthur C Clarke Award and the World Fantasy Awards. In 2015 she received the British Fantasy Society’s Karl Edward Wagner Award. As J M Alvey, she has written historical murder mysteries set in ancient Greece.

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