Happy New Year 2007!

Some of you may be wondering if I got lost in Bulgaria - or fell off the planet. I did neither, but it's been such a whirlwind since we returned from Bulgaria that I haven't blogged a single word. Throw in visiting family, trip recovery, surgery for broken leg for youngest son, writing projects, Thanksgiving, Christmas, college apps, and here it is January.

Bulgaria was totally wonderful, emotional, inspiring, beautiful and fabulous. I could see immediately why my son loved it so much and why he didn't want to come home. We're all homesick now for that extraordinary little country and already planning our next trip. Hopefully pics will be up on my web site in the next few weeks if you want a peek. We also took side trips to Istanbul and England on the way home.

Favorite stops: castles, Stonehenge, small villages, dinners with my son's friends, he as Translator Extraordinaire, although we completely enjoyed being able to say our little bit of Bulgarian and delighting them, too!

Are you making your New Year goals? That's what I'm sitting down to do this week. I need to ponder where I'm at in my writing career, personally and professionally, decide where I'd like to be by the end of the year, and what projects I want to begin - or finish as the case may be with three novels needing some rewrites.

Mostly I want to continue to become a better writer. I'm constantly amazed at the wonderful writers that I discover with all the great books coming out every month. Sometimes the imps of jealousy get me to feeling like I haven't even *touched* that caliber of writing yet - and I desperately want to. But I'm working toward it and trying to remember that I have a voice, my own voice, one that nobody else has. And that's gotta count for something. Along with working hard and not giving up. That's the important thing. Never give up - and try to keep the joy every day.

Now I'm going to go eat some homemade, fresh out of the oven, zucchini bread. I do make a mean loaf.