We’re already here. lol

In all sorts of ways last year was very interesting for this writer. I dealt with a period of elevated stress in the spring, and for the rest of the year did a lot of learning and thinking about where I’m headed and what I want out of LIFE in general. Lots of that revolved around the balance between work toward a traditional career, and work toward my dream of a writing career.

I believe all of that was part of the process of finding my road forward. It had to do with the state of the publishing industry and how expectations have changed in the last two years; it had to do with my growing and fiery LOVE for doing this work, and for personal independence in determining my work. Writing fiction is definitely my passion and takes as much of my time as I let it. But I needed to figure out how I could manage everything else I need to do, and be happy and productive in all parts of my life. It also had to do with other major life things. By 2014 my children were no longer babies (they are now four and five); they can communicate and they understand that Mom works, and that I love and am proud of both my day-job work and my creative writing work. We have plenty of project time side by side, and they inspire me every day.

By early 2014, I had also grown uncomfortable with the way that I was sharing on this blog, and with almost every attempt to market my work. I no longer wanted to give updates on the state of various projects and how much I’d written over the last week or month. Only writers find that content interesting, and while I love for writers to visit my blog (as will be proven with one point about 2015 below…ha! teaser!), I want to give them real value and I’d also like this to be a relevant and interesting place for readers to visit. But how do you balance both?

I also like the creative flexibility of just plugging along, writing whatever I’m working on, and letting folks know when it’s finished. I juggle a lot, and people think I’m weird when I share too many details. lol I also don’t like to give firm completion dates before something’s done, because it’s like an invitation to my contrary nature to screw off and not meet that date. I still have this deal where deadlines are for my day job, and I write whatever little old me wants to at the moment. Always writing, but if I tell myself to be too serious about one thing, my brain no longer wants to do that thing.

…And the marketing. The constant drivel of this book, that book…all for sale for $0.99 on AMAZON ONLY! Argh. None of these distractions get me closer to my overall goal of writing a lot more books. I have enough publications now that I could spend all of my time marketing. Instead, I choose to spend none of my time marketing. I believe that’s a smart bet for the longevity of my career.

So…where is this blog headed in 2015? Here’s an overview:

**A new blog series for writers, about how to stay happy and productive as you grow your writing career, starts on Thursday. I’ll add to it each Thursday until I run out of things to say. We’ll see how long that takes. *big grin*

**I want to start sharing more of what inspires me, especially places, music, and books. Those posts will happen on Mondays.

**As always, I’ll post major happenings, like cover reveals and pre-orders and novel releases.

**I might also try some fun promotions to try to get folks signed up for my newsletter, which is just beginning.

And where is this writer headed in 2015? 

**I’m publishing short stories — one each month. I haven’t mentioned them here yet, but I’m sure I will sometime. You can find them under my name at all the major ebook retailers.

**I’ll write the last book in the Foulweather Twins fantasy trilogy this spring for release this summer. (The first two books are available now.)

**I have a new series, and the first installment will come out in early March, with the rest of the trilogy to follow later in 2015. I will soon have covers to reveal and a pre-order up for the first book in this new YA fantasy adventure. Can’t wait to tell you all about it!! 🙂