A Look Back on 2019...

Fair warning: This might be a little long.

Happy New Year…almost! 2019 has been a life-changing year in so many ways. It certainly wasn’t easy, but I’m proud of the things I’ve accomplished. Let’s start at the beginning.

December 2018

We’re starting a little early because it was this December that I decided to start working on The Devil’s Maverick again. It had been an on and off project for nearly five years and it was Leyna Paige who motivated me to work on it for publication.

February 2019

After three months of toiling over my completed first draft, I was ready to query. Leyna and I submitted around the same time, so we got to be each other’s waiting buddies, which was nice. I spent most of the beginning of the year in Wyoming, during the snowy season. I’ve learned that beautiful, cold weather combined with a warm workspace is my favorite way to write!

April 2019

My first rejection. It was crushing, of course, but not the worst thing that could have happened. It was later in that month that I would receive a rejection email from my first-choice publisher. Now, that was devastating. I almost gave up on writing altogether…

May 2019

I found a job working at my local library. Being around the books and the quiet environment reminded me of why I loved stories so much. I completed my second novel, Project Manhattan.

June 2019

I signed with Totally Bound! I cried the day I received my contract. It was surreal to think that someone had actually liked my story, but it drove me forward. I began planning other stories, determined now to make a career of writing. After a bit of research, Totally Bound became my first-choice and I decided I couldn’t have done this through anyone else.

October 2019

Project Manhattan was edited and sent off to beta readers. This was when I began working on a story I’d always dreamed of writing, one that I was always too scared to do. I completed my third novel, Project Hawthorne, in one month and wrote every single day.

November 2019

I hosted my first official event, both as a librarian and as an author. Three to four people came to my weekly NaNoWriMo meetings and reached their goals. I mostly read for this month, but it was amazing to see other people do something like this.

December 2019

After a month-long break from writing, I had a severe case of writer’s block. I had plenty of stories, but nothing seemed to work out. By the time I’d picked something I really wanted to work on, holidays and such got in the way and I battled some issues of my own. I decided to take another month off, focusing on marketing and reading once again.

What’s next for 2020?

That is to be discussed next week, my dudes. I have big plans for the new year and will post my writing resolutions next Sunday.

I would like to take a moment to thank everyone behind the scenes. This has been a challenging year, but so far, it’s been my favorite. So, here’s to a bright new year with more adventures! Cheers!