Despite having a cold for what seems like months, but in reality is probably a few weeks, the year has started off well with several new commissions for magazines and newspapers. Writing is often a numbers game when it comes to pitching to editors. You may have a brilliant idea but the timing might not be right, the publication may have recently covered a similar subject or there may not be enough in the budget to commission another freelancer. So it always makes me smile when an editor takes the trouble to respond to a pitch I've made and commissions me. Particularly when it's a magazine I haven't written for before. Only three weeks in to the new year and I've secured three commissions with new magazines (thank you eds!) and I'm really excited because they are all magazines that I have wanted to write for. Having spent some time in India last year, it inspired me to set my next novel in the beautiful country. As well as working on that, I'm working on a book with my financial advisor, Jason Whitehead, from Vitality Mortgages Ltd, on how to become a success at property investment. With over 30 rental properties to my name, a column with Professional Builder Magazine, expert advisor for Love Property and seven years experience in the property investment sector, we will be sharing everything we know between us in book form. On the subject of properties, I'm working on a piece for a National newspaper, investigating tenants who decide they are above the law and fail to pay their rent to landlords. Having first-hand experience of this with a previous tenant, who I successfully took to court and won, it appears I'm not the only landlord who has suffered from nightmare tenants! In the next few weeks, my blog will be at https://deborahdurbinjournalist.wordpress.com