New Year’s Eve is a traditional talking point on this blog. It’s a good time to look back at accomplishments and look ahead at new goals. 

This year I read 17,740 pages across 60 books. I didn’t manage to write a lot of reviews the last couple of months but they are all listed on my Goodreads page if you’re looking for some new titles.  I enjoy writing more in-depth reviews here but I’ve felt pressed for time and have chosen to use every free writing moment to focus on my book. So novel number three (four if you count the Adult to YA re-write, which I’m re-writing again to make arguably book five but I’ll still call her book two…). I’m at 70k and still feel like it’s the best thing I’ve written so far. It’s both a great story and strong writing. I am coming to the end, tying things up, climbing that last big climatic mountain before the fall into oblivion.

I have a bet with my best friend about finishing novels before midnight. Let’s just say, we’ve both worked extremely hard but sometimes art can’t be rushed. Also this translates to, I go back to work Tuesday and am giving myself one more night to finish it up.

This is the time of year where I do a lot of “spring” cleaning and in accordance with this, I’ve ordered monitor mounts, a new book case, and storage bins to do some organizing of my office. It’s getting a little cramped in here and it’s time for a change. There are a lot of things I can’t control about 2017, a lot of things that sucked monkey balls. But I can control myself, my habitat, my work ethic. I can control how much I write, if I achieve my own goals or let them slip by me. “I am the one thing in life I can control. I am inimitable, I am an original,” (Wait For It, Lin Manual Miranda).

Speaking of music, the Hamilton soundtrack has been my 2017 album to remember. I’ve listened to it more times then I should admit, but let’s say it’s enough to know all the words to every song. I’ve also read a lot about Alexander Hamilton since falling in love with Lin Manual Miranda’s musical. If you haven’t heard of this, or taken the time to listen, I urge you. It’s incredible.

I am stupid excited about the new season of Black Mirror. Science fiction is by far my favorite genera but my absolute favorite is when sci-fi explores future tech. I can’t get enough, and Black Mirror is essentially catering to my every crazy indulgence in the best ways possible. In fact, this girl who has hosted 5 parties from Thanksgiving to Christmas, is partied out and will be spending NYE writing and then binging Black Mirror.

North Sound Writers has grown into a great little organization. We’ve grown our membership, supported our members in so many ways. One member had never typed up her story and hates the computer. She typed an official first draft of a story she’s been working on for 10 years. We’ve helped other members through drafts, edits, and even to publication. It’s amazing to see people at all levels just as excited as I am about writing and books. This coming year we’re going to top what we did in 2017. We’re going to host our own writer’s conference in 2018 and we get to start the planning process after raising enough money for a down payment on our location in November. Big things will come out of this group and I’m honored I get to say I was apart of it. Leading them has been a highlight of my year.

 

This coming year I’m going to attend conference again in Las Vegas. I’ll be bringing two new people with me, and I’ll be bringing both Fountain and a new version of Mona. Fountain is the one I’m finishing right now. I was told several times over that Mona was a great idea, but I think she missed the mark on execution. Not once but twice. So I’ve started re-writing her AGAIN. The first time was from Adult to YA. This time it’s from third person to first person. Also, taking her from a spec-fic straight into sci-fi and owning all of her flaws. Mona will be an amazing book but she still needs some work. I’m about a third through re-writes right now. After I finish this first draft of Fountain, I’ll set her aside and delve head first back into Mona and finish the re-writes.

The next few months will be some crazy writing goals but I know that I can do it. I don’t question my ability to meet deadlines (even my own) and produce something worthy of publication. 2018 may have a lot of reasons to cringe but I’m going to sell a book this year. I’m going to find someone in publishing who is just as excited about my books as a I am.