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New Milestones and New Challenges.

Posted on 1st February, 2025

I think that decade years are significant whether they be age-related or work-related. I’ve got both this year. In 2005 my first book, a Regency romantic adventure entitled, The Unconventional Miss Walters, was published by the wonderful Robert Hale. I was also sixty years old and it had always been my intention to be a published writer by the time I was sixty.

This year – no doubt you done the mathematics for yourself – I’ll be eighty years old and I’ve worked out that my hundredth book will be published by Boldwood. It’s just possible, as it will be a Regency romantic adventure, that I will indie publish but it will still be my hundredth book in twenty years. Actually, it might be more than that but I’ve rather lost count.

At what point in one’s steady trot towards extinction does one stop having milestones and new challenges? I’ve decided that this year could possibly be the last year that I’m mentally and physically able to do the things I want to do. Therefore, I intend to pack in as much as I can whilst I can. My son and his family will be taken care of when I go so I’ve decided that I’ll take as many cruises, holidays and so on as I want to and write as many books as I can.

Judi Dench is almost blind, is ninety years old but still working. Joan Bakewell, she used to present Landscape and Portrait Artist of the Year only retired last year when she was eighty-six. I know somebody who did an MA when she was eighty. Clint Eastwood is ninety and still directing and occasionally acting as his Richard Gere – although I don’t think he’s quite as old as Clint. Mary Berry is well into her 80s as is Prue Leith and they both are still working on various baking programs. There are many more actors and presenters still working into their 80s and 90s but I can’t think of them at the moment.

I have a dear friend who is ninety-two this year and her husband will be ninety-nine – she is still his carer. He is not very mobile but mentally alert. My neighbour is eighty-three this year has many different ailments but is still packing so much into her life. She saving to go to New Zealand to see her daughter who emigrated there twenty years ago but that won’t be until she is eighty-six. I wouldn’t do a long haul flight today, let alone in six years time.

Only 1% of the world’s population is over eighty – I think it’s probably nearer 5% in the UK and other more developed countries. I intend to make full use all the active years that I have remaining to me. My intention is to live until I’m over ninety – that’s when my appalling stepmother died and I just have to outlive her. She left the house that my father had promised to my brother and I to the donkeys!!

I’m so lucky to be in the position that I am, doing what I love, surrounded by wonderful family and friends. I wish that everybody of my age could be as happy and fulfilled. I do have regrets, who doesn’t, but on the whole I’m satisfied with my life and what I’ve achieved.

Best wishes

Fenella J Miller

PS: these three books will be published this month.