Bye 2014...Hello 2015!!!

It's that time again...end of the year, where we all reflect on what happened over the last 365 days and look toward what we hope to achieve in the next 365.

2014 was pretty good to me. We were all in good health, no one had surgery or broke anything. We lost a few friends and family along the way, but overall the year was happy. I felt terrible when my book didn't come out when it was supposed to because the publisher closed. It was sad and upset my apple cart a bit, but...

There definitely have been worse years.

In 2014, I ...

-- Got a new job
-- Went to a convention I've never been to, in a state I've never been to
-- Hit most of my regular events and got to spend time with friends and con-family/writing-family!
-- Got a NEW book contract
-- Had a short story accepted into an Alice in Wonderland-themed anthology. Look for the official announcement and cover reveal later THIS WEEK!

So really not terrible.

2015 is already looking up, though. So far the plans look like this...

-- A CURSE OF ASH AND IRON will release in late Spring from Curiosity Quills. Cover coming soon!
-- BEWARE THE LITTLE WHITE RABBIT, the Alice anthology from Leap Books, will release in April
-- Hopefully can pull off hitting all my regular Spring events (Balticon, Maryland Faerie Festival, NJSCBWI conference)
-- Launch party!!!! (need to get working on that soon!)
-- DISNEY!

We will be hitting the Magic Kingdom in July. My son's reward for four years of Honor Roll, and he's worked for it. Now that the holidays are over I need to get back to planning.

And hopefully I'll finish the other two books I'm working on in the meantime.

I have high hopes for this year, but it will be BUSY. I also joined a new gym, which will open in mid-January, and I must try and make time to actually GET there. I've been slacking off since the new job.

I hope you all had a great holiday season, and my wish is that all of you have a GREAT 2015!!

2014 The Year of Lame Posts!

Morning all!

I've been honestly amazed at the chaos (both good and bad) and the speed with which 2014 has been zooming past.

Work continues to be super busy. Everytime we think things are getting organized, more changes and chaos ensues. Sadly, making the paycheck and dealing with all that 2014 has been throwing my way has super slowed my writing endeavors. Still, I forge ahead when I can. But it really makes it hard to make steady progress. I am so ready to finish my current WIP. Lol.

Was going to drag some pics to share, but how about a new Simon's Cat instead? Hee!

Simon's Cat "Hot Water" - and check out their IndieGogo promo. The car decals are so tempting! 

Hope you all have an awesome weekend!

Resolute...for 2014

Once again it's the time of year to make the Dreaded Resolutions. Lose weight, go somewhere, unplug, you know the drill. Most people use the start of a new year to make a list of things they wish they could do but won't.

Of course, I am too. But these aren't resolutions. These are goals. I give you my list of goals for 2014

1. Be healthy.

I don't mean just lose weight. I mean really strive to eat better, to move, to make it to the gym or if not to walk the dog on a regular basis. I've slipped since the summer, and this year my job has me going crazy so it's not been easy. Most of the people in my building say the same, so it's not just me.

2. WRITE

Last year I finished Grad School, and then I sat around in January, basking in the glow of the fact I didn't have any papers to write. No projects to turn in. I think I thought I had all this time. And so I filled it up with stuff. I half-heartedly did NANO but didn't get far. So this year I need to re-focus and get back to business. Especially since this year will be SO VERY BUSY. So 500 words per day it will be. I have two books to finish!

3. De-clutter.

And I don't just mean my house, though that's a never-ending battle. I mean my life. Like I said, I filled it up with stuff when I didn't have Grad School anymore, and now there's Just Too Much. I need to find priorities and pay attention to them. My Etsy store has been doing kind of well, especially the last few months, so I'm keeping that. The money allows me to do extra things for book promotion. But there are other things that will need to go. I will need to start staying NO to some things and YES to other things.

5. Be an author, not just a writer.

Meaning do more on my blog, and this blog, and the other blog I write for. Focus on what will bring readers to my site, my blogs, and ultimately my work. This is a big one, because I've kind of been blowing it off. Needs to become a priority. Soon.

6. Read more books.
My job is with young children, so I don't find myself as ingrained with YA and tween lit as I should be. I need to read more books this year, get back into the groove of 'what's in'. 

Have a happy New Year, and I hope 2014 will be a great one for you!

2014 Will Be Epic

Where did it go? I feel like it was just January a few days ago. The new laptop I'm working on I got in January, and now it's almost a year old. My car accident was in January, so my new car is almost a year old too. Wow. Unbelievable. Thanksgiving is over, and the holiday season is upon us. Three weeks until Christmas *yikes!* and then a month until 2013 is over. 

I'm kind of sad to see 2013 go, because even though it didn't start off great -- Hubby having surgery, car accident, computer dying, the passing of so many people we loved -- it had some nice times too. Great vacation with the family. New car. New computer. Great conferences, time with friends, new friends, new conferences. It was pretty good, overall.

However, I am SUPER EXCITED for 2014 to start because there are so many BIG THINGS coming next year.

First of all, I have a story in a Steampunk anthology that comes out next year. The anthology is called Gaslight and Grimm and will be published by Dark Quest Books. It's all Steampunk fairy tales. I wrote a version of The Three Little Pigs, which contains no pigs whatsoever. There are some other authors whose Names You Might Know who will also have stories included. Not sure of the release date yet, but I will make a big announcement when it comes out.

I SHOULD also finish the final Library of Athena book next year. Should. It's coming along and I really like where it's going. It will be a fitting end to the series, with a couple of twists I didn't even know about until I wrote them down.

The other bit of news is a BIG HUGE SEKRIT. I cannot tell you. Or, I could, but then I'd have to kill you. Or give you kittens, or something. This is the Most Exciting piece of news of all the news that I have to share. Hopefully it will be able to be shared in the next two weeks. I am BURSTING.

I'd love to tell you. But I can't. Just know that 2014 Will. Be. Epic.