Bring on 2013!

Happy New Year, everyone! I know I totally skipped out on blogging the whole week of Christmas and I am sorry for that. I decided I just needed a break! I always seem to get a bit burned out feeling when I finish writing a novel. Does anyone else get that? When I was just a reader, I never got novel burnout. I couldn't wait for the next. Now it seems for about a month after writing, I just need to totally stay away from reading or writing for a while except proof reading the completed book.

Feeling ready to go again though! Excited to get working on my new projects. Crime & Passion is on it's way to beta readers and will soon go to my editor. Looks like I'll be on track to get that published in March as planned. I should get the cover art sometime this week or next. Really looking forward to that!

I have a lot planned for 2013 as far as my writing goes. In addition to publishing Crime & Passion, I plan on writing a memoir, Wrapped in Angel's Wings, about the death of my best friend when I was ten years old. I basically plan to offer it as a free ebook, in the hopes that my experiences might help someone else going through the grieving process. I have actually written the first two chapters, but it isn't as easy as writing fiction, and brings up a lot of sad memories...good ones too, though. 

Once I finish writing Angel's Wings, I have Love & Deception to write. I'm really looking forward to starting that one. If I can get through it all fast enough, hopefully it will be published in 2013. I'd also like to get the next book after that written before the year's end. I'd like to get on a pattern of publishing a new book every March and September, but we shall see. Sometimes it's a bit hard, with kids and work and my life outside of writing, to make as much time as I wish I had. 

My handsome son - Senior pic in referee outfit
for his job at the YMCA 

Super proud of my kids. Having graduated in the spring of 2012 and then starting college, my son will continue with his second semester of college later this month. Starting fall 2013, he will begin his 9-month training program to become a police officer. He's going to be great at it! My daughter will graduate high school this spring. She's going to college in the fall to be a forensic scientist (she wants to go the detective route and be a field agent). At the college she attends, she will also join the bowling team. They're just terrific kids. I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to raise them. I know that no matter what happens, 2013 will be great because of them!

My beautiful daughter - Senior pic at bowling alley

I need to get back to Critique Circle and critique for all my terrific author friends over there. Of course, I always could stand to lose some weight, eat healthier, that kind of thing. I hate making that some sort of resolution though, because it kind of feels like setting myself up for failure. I guess I'll just stick to having vague goals. Seemed to work for me in 2012. I actually accomplished more than I thought I would in 2012. Let's hope 2013 produces similar results! 

I wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year! Much success to us all going forward. I hope you have your resolutions in mind and are able to accomplish them. Or, if you're like me, I hope you have some vague goals that you are able to go beyond! 

Here's to a wonderful and prosperous 2013 for us all!
eeeChantelfff