Cheers

Petrol, pasties, and now we have to pay for our garden waste to be taken away by the council - but only in special bins or bags, which can only be purchased from the council.

It's easy to find reasons to join The Glums, and there's even a certain pleasure in indulging in a moping, hissy fit about how crap everything is. I like a good moan as much as the next man or woman, but when I heard that a fellow writer referred to me as 'such a lovely upbeat chappie' ' I knew it was time to get my shit together.

There is not only much to be grateful for, and not just the usual food (pasty tax notwithstanding), friendship, temperate weather, clean water, not living under a dictatorship and freedom of speech.

There are payments coming in soon - and yes, I agree, that does sound like a hint. I have short stories in three competitions, novel excerpts in two competitions and other material being considered for an anthology.

And from May I'm either abandoning myself or expanding my horizons, depending upon how you look at it. I've been invited to join one of my favourite blogs as a contributor - Strictly Writing - so now is definitely a good time to start filling the glass.

I'll also be interviewing writer and chum, Susie Nott-Bower, whose debut novel, The Making of Her, is published by Linen Press in the next few weeks. She'll be revealing what it takes, once you've signed on the dotted line.

And..erm...I may have a cunning plan waiting in the wings. But more about that in May.