The 2026 Plan

2025 was not the year I thought it was going to be.

It started off on a high, with the release of my second poetry collection and entering the final steps of buying a property with my boyfriend. Then it all went hideously wrong. We had to pull out of buying that property because we could no longer trust the sellers and then I was made redundant from a job where I was feeling settled.

The next five months were nothing short of horrific. The job market was dire. My self-esteem took a major hit. I felt lost. I was terrified of what the future would hold. It was a dark time.

The year has ended in a much better place. I’m in a better paid and more fulfilling job, my boyfriend and I have finally officially bought our first house, and in December, my sister gave birth to my adorable niece (the first child, grandchild, and great grandchild for our family).

I have no clue what 2026 will hold. I’ve technically been here before with the world seeming bright and brilliant (see last January). So, I’m terrified of what this year might bring. But, I have hope.

What did I achieve in 2025?

I had a main goal and a sub-goal for 2025:

To finish and publish A Place Where We Belong
To create audiobook copies of The Burning Ash, July, and 30: A Year of Poems

Obviously, A Place Where We Belong is still unfinished and unpublished. But considering everything that happened this year, that is hardly surprising.

But I did manage to create those audiobooks! And I managed to make my books available to purchase from bookstores. Plus, I performed in and acted as the Musical Director for a charity concert raising money for local LGBT+ charities.

So, while my main goal didn’t happen, I still managed to achieve something. Considering everything that took place in 2025, I’ll take it!

What’s the plan for 2026?

This is the year it’s happening. 7 years after The Burning Ash, 4 years after July, and 1 year after 30: A Year of Poems; I am finally going to finish A Place Where We Belong.

To keep me focused on the project, I’m hoping to write regular blog posts about the process like I did for The Burning Ash.

Wish me luck!