Well, it's December 26th and this East Coast winter storm has me stuck indoors instead of traveling as I'd planned. Seems like a good time to write my year end blog post. I did this last year and enjoyed reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the new one, so here goes - here are the highlights of my 2012. :)
The writing...
I had 10 new releases in 2012. 10! Weirdly, this is the first time I've counted... 2012 saw the release of everything from my Half Moon Shifters Series to my Sleepy Hollow Series (both of which are ongoing) and several stand-alone titles, including my Clandestine Classics contribution (Wuthering Heights).
My first release of 2012 was Lonely Alpha (released in Jan.) and the last was Battered Not Broken (released in Dec.).
Plus, I got to cross two things off my writing 'bucket list'. I have a mental list of themes I really want to write at least once someday. MMA (mixed martial arts) romance and a US Marine hero have been on that list for a long time, and I wrote both of those in Battered Not Broken. :)
The travel...
Meeting readers and other writers at events and conventions was definitely a highlight of my year.
The RT Convention was great...
At the publisher dinner with some of my fellow TEB authors.
Me & author Angela S. Stone.
At the RT book signing.
Lora Leigh's RAW was fantastic...
Left to right: Sylvia Day, Carrie Ann Ryan, a lovely reader, Shayla Black, Lexi Blake and me.
Left to right: Emily Kale, Lisa Fox, me and Carrie Ann Ryan.
And in non-event related travel, I spent some time in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains (aka Half Moon Pack and Roaring Water Tribe Territory) this spring and winter...
The puppy...
I got a new puppy! Her name is Nessie. Isn't she a cutie?
The reading...
I read some great books in 2012. There are two that really stand out as my favorite reads of the year...
The Glass Guardian by Linda Gillard and Hot Head by Damon Suede
I loved these books! Definitely recommended.
Celebrated My 1 Year Anniversary of Becoming a Full-Time Novelist
In November 2011, I cut ties with my old job and became a full-time romance writer - one of the best decisions I ever made! Every day I think of how lucky I am to be able to do what I love full-time.
I work here every day. No office yet... Maybe that will be one of my yearly highlights for 2013! (*fingers crossed* LOL)
As for Christmas yesterday, for the first time I received a gift from fictional characters (LOL). When I woke up there was a little box under the tree that said 'From The Half Moon Pack'...
I bet you can tell which charm on my bracelet was inside that box. ;)
* * * *
Well, those were the highlights of my year. In 2013, I'm looking forward to the new stories I'm going to bring readers (of course!). I'm especially excited about placing more emphasis on my contemporary romances in 2013. In 2012 I focused mostly on my paranormals, and while I do plan to spend more time on those in 2013, my contemporaries won't be put on the back burner this year.
I'm also really looking forward to meeting readers and writer friends at various events throughout 2013. If you'd like to see where I'll be, feel free to check out the schedule of events & appearances on my site. I'm scheduled for a variety of events across the country and hope to see you there!
What about you - what were the highlights of your 2012, and what are you looking forward to in 2013? How will 2013 be different than 2012 for you?
The TEB dinner was a lot of fun. So glad we got to meet in person after chatting on the WGW blog.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful you get to write full time. Your desk looks like a happy place.
The highlight of my 2012 was finally finding more balance between working and rl. I tend to either do one or the other. I had a good number of releases myself. Some I'd waited years on. :)
Here's hoping 2013 brings joy and success for all of us.
Yes, it was. I really enjoyed meeting you. :)
DeleteI'm glad to know I managed to make my desk look less like the crazy corner it feels like! LOL
It can definitely be hard to strike a balance. Writing can be so consuming!
I've got Sweet Hell on Fire on my kindle right now. Can't wait to start reading! I'm on a reading binge right now.
My highlight was meeting you and the other authors at RAW in Sept. It felt so good to be able to let my hair down among so many other people who understood my passion for romantic stories of all kinds.
ReplyDeleteI am already making plans for the 2013 event.
Well, there were challenges in this past year - 2013 needs to be the year where I get my life and home in order and get back on track with my weight loss!
ReplyDeleteFelicia
mrschopchop@verizon.net
Thanks, Ranae Rose, for choosing THE GLASS GUARDIAN as one of the highlights of your reading year. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. This was a new departure for me - a paranormal love story - although there have been ghosts or ghost-like charcters in some of my other novels.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you!
I loved it, Linda! I've read some of your other work too, which I also enjoyed. But The Glass Guardian is my favorite. I hope you write more like it. :)
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