Expectations of 2008

It has nearly finished. A year that started out so well and then just... well.. you know.. nose dived. Yet 2008 was a good years. As it started, I was half way through writing my first novel, halfway through a Postgraduate Diploma in Further & Higher Education. Contemplating starting a PhD in Media Studies, jigging around with a new feature film script idea and trying to get a load of marking done for my BTEC National Diploma in Media Production students. Once the last two weeks of the first semester were over, around the third week in January, the second year students were preparing to produce a series of short dramas to go into their film festival which was set for June 13th. Prior to the Christmas break the students had managed to raise around £750. By the time the festival came the students managed to raise £1500 toward a local charity based in Newry. 

By Easter I had managed to complete the novel and shortly afterwards all the PGDip work was over. I found myself then writing up the new feature film, editing it after a successful group read through and began to break the script down and prepare a budget. Unfortunately, it was discovered too expensive to shoot and though the ball was rolling it had to be hastily halted, and once again a feature project came to a halt. However, all was not lost and I managed to edit a documentary I had short the previous October and as the Summer started things were shaping up. With the documentary completed, a trip to France to visit my sister, I returned to Ireland to begin preparing my novel for publication. A lot of work went on during the summer break, with the novel being edited and proof read by mid September a proof copy of the novel had come back from Lightning Source. We were gearing up to promote the novel for the Christmas season. The distribution network was amazing but we still have to get the one out there that the book exists. So that's where this blog comes in.

On the publisher's website are the first two chapters of the novel at: http://www.gullionmedia.com/html/fall_chapter_one.html 

The story is about an angel tempted to fall for a young woman and their offspring becomes a hideous Nephilim. In writing the novel I had the chance to explore a lot of themes about religion both for and against. It was interesting building up various argument to challenge the characters. By October I had begun to write a second novel. Initially I was going to write a sequel to 'The Fall' but I had a second feature film script I wanted to novelise and so I began to write 'Hidden'. I'll talk more about that book another time.

It seems many people were caught short by the events that began to build up momentum after 8th August 2008. Not only was it my sister's birthday but it was also the beginning of the Olympics in China. This event was almost over shadowed by the invasion of Georgia but Russian forces, who were taking back two provinces that Georgia had in turn invaded a short time before. It seemed as though everything was going to go down hill from there on.

Suddenly, many airlines were going bust, then several holiday companies went belly up and there was a bit of panic as my wife was in Turkey at the time. Soon after the banks started having problems, then came the elections, bailouts for the banks, who did not pass on the favour and big names such as GM, Woolworths, MFI, Adams, Zavvi's and Olum Miles among many others and more still to come. Toyota might also be in a spot of both. 

To finally, add the icing to the cake after what was effectively a quick Christmas, the year is ending with nearly 400 people losing their lives in the Gaza strip as Israel launches an attack on the province in retaliation to rockets being fired at them from Hamas. Who knows where this is going to lead to.

So on that so bright a note, let's wish 2008 a farewell and hope that 2009 is not as gloomy as has been indicated. Who knows there could be some amazing surprises in store. All I know is that one has to remain positive.