Last year was horrible. It was the final of several rather crappy years, in fact, and it lead to me taking last year off writing and thinking about what I really wanted to write, as opposed to setting my cap for something that seemed achievable.
After thinking long and hard and reading quite a lot, I decided to start with a clean slate. I ditched everything I've worked on up until now and quit the 18th century, which has been my scene for a few years. Casting about for a fresh scene, I ended up between the wars (1920s/30s) which is a period I've always felt a connection with. Somehow, I managed to gain a huge interest in late Roman/early Middle Ages as well.
I have plenty of ideas, but right now I'm focused on preparing to write a historical thriller/mystery set partially in the 20s, and partially in 5th/6th century Britain. Sort of 'Indiana Jones meets Nancy Mitford meets Dorothy Dunnett', if that makes sense. I'm still hazy on the plot, but I have some bits and pieces worked out and plenty of ideas. Right now, I'm in the research/brainstorming/plotting phase and having loads of fun.
I have a second idea, which is based on a short I wrote a few years ago, set during the Langobard/Gepid/Avar war in the mid 6th century, that I need to write sooner or later (just to get it out of my head). And yesterday, I came up with a simply brilliant high concept historical mystery that I'm going to keep in mind for later, set in Byzantine Constantinople.
ETA: I have an almost finished degree in history, with a side of history of religion and Latin. I say almost finished because I dropped out before handing in my final paper to go to law school (rather than accepting an offer to take part in a research project on Sweden in the Middle Ages, because I'm self-destructive like that).