2017 Year-End Review and 2018 Goals

Time has been flying! Holy cow! It’s almost 2018 already, and and and —

Okay, I’m a bit early. I don’t expect much to change drastically in 3 days, so here we are.

So how did I do?

~Release 1 book (besides Ever Touched) ~NOT DONE, although I got a new cover for In Flames and put Reaper Girl into KDP Select. 
~Publish Ever Touched (set for May release)~DONE! 
~Start revision of Pirouette/Death Dancer ~NOT DONE, but had an interesting idea the other day about Alisia’s lineage. 
~Finish Covenant ~NOT DONE, but it’s at 24k now. Wanted to hit 30k before the new year, but I’m not sure that’s possible now. 😦 
~Start Elysium ~NOT DONE. At all.
~Finish and release Fireborn ~DONE. Rewrote it and submitted it to TDP for publication next year.
~Outline book #1 in Fey Touched spin-off series ~NOT DONE. May toy with this next year.
~Get on a consistent, simple exercise plan and STICK WITH IT ~NOPE. 
~Eat healthier/Gluten-free ~NOT DONE.  😦 Well, made the attempt, anyway…
~Get back into darkroom when hands are better ~NOT DONE.
~Add in a second writing session twice a week (8 minutes)~NOT DONE. Have been fighting pain and exhaustion.
~Try to write more short fiction ~DONE! Fireborn (55k) and When She Sleeps (projected 60k) 
~Continue with FYFB class (so behind right now!)~NOPE. Downloaded everything that’s available that I haven’t gotten to.
~Start working on Survivor Rewrite outline again ~DONE! Not finished due to wrist issues.

This year has been roughly for me physically. I have been exhausted more, and the trigeminal neuralgia flared up again so we’ve been trying to find the right combination of meds to control the pain. So far, we haven’t been very successful.

I was also laid off from my job in August, so there’s been some upheaval there. I have been working on my freelancing/virtual assistant business to try to bring in more money. Things are kind of up in the air, and it has been wreaking havoc on my productivity.

I have decided to buckle down and make things happen in 2018!

Goals:

~2nd round of edits/release secret project (early 2018)
~Revise and release Fireborn
~Get serious about exercise and DO SOMETHING
~Take pictures regularly (once a month, 1 a day for x amount of days, etc)
~Get moving with dictation again
~Progress on Covenant
~Progress on When She Sleeps
~Start Survivor Rewrite for reals this time
~Do something with Death Dancer/Pirouette
~Get better with planning
~Start writing every day again, even if it’s 100 words
~Figure out Reaper Girl #3, Faeborn

I’ve written roughly 80k this year, which is down from last year. Would like to hit 100k and more in 2018.

#ROW80 Round 2 Final Check-in

Hi, and we are here for #ROW80 again! I’m wrapping this up early because next week my husband and I will be going camping, and I will be packing and prepping and busy.

So, let’s see how I did:

~Publish Ever Touched on May 1st (on track to complete as of right now) <–DONE! So excited about this even now, a month later! 
~Add 10k to Covenant <–NOT DONE. I wrote 1,069 words though, 9k short of the goal. Just never got any momentum going. 😦 
~Start formulating a plan for Fireborn (looks like a rewrite as of right now)<–DONE. It’s definitely a rewrite, and an expansion, and I’m 20 pages in (of 40 pages). Those were pure revising, though. Have started writing a new scene.
~Drink a glass of water 5x a week <–DONE!
~Start working on FYFB class once things settle down<–NOT DONE. This also did not get off the ground. Thought about it. Will try to make this a priority in the next round.

Other things of note:

~Been building up my editing business and have secured a few new clients.
~Have written 13k of a projected 30k on my secret project
~Have loosely outlined a new novel, When She Sleeps, and have decided to make this a trilogy. Will be one of my projects for Camp Nano.
~Have made the decision to put Fey Touched in KDP Select. Its free promo days are July 21st-23rd. Been booking lots and lots of promotions.
~Been fighting a major increase of TN pain and that has really messed with my productivity and motivation. I have an appt with my neurologist on the 27th to discuss upping my medication dosage. Cross fingers that this helps!

Chocolate consumption: GF Chocolate-chocolate chip cookies, Twix ice cream bars, chocolate cake, hot chocolate. Not a lot. Need to step it up, because we all know that chocolate makes everything better, am I right?

 

 

#ROW80 Check-in May 17th

I am here, just busy. I’ve been working on getting reviews for Ever Touched, promoting, and trying to figure out what I want to do next.

I’ve been having severe eye pain again this week, and it has effected my productivity for sure.

I have a short story due to my editor on 6/1 that i still need to start.

Here’s the rundown:

Ever Touched – Released on 5/1 as planned! Yay! The print edition is also live as well.

Covenant – Will be on the back burner for now.

Fireborn – My next project. Probably a rewrite. I need to go through the entire manuscript and make notes and figure out what can stay and what can go. I am also going to run it through the “plotting through the middle” method and Holly Lisle’s Create Your Plot Clinic to see if I can come up with anything else that could help expand it. I’m looking at around 50k-60k (it is currently 23k now).

Water – Missed a few days this week, but the previous weeks right on!

FYFB class – Will try to get something done this week.

When She Sleeps – Going to plot this formally (I have a lot of it in my head right now!)

Secret Project – Remember this? I’ve resurrected this idea. I have a loose plot, and I will be working on it soon. Shooting for about 30k.

Chocolate consumption report – Chocolate ice cream sandwiches, chocolate fudge-covered cake, chocolate chip cookies, GF chocolate bars…wow. Not a lot. Must change that!

Would anyone be willing to review Ever Touched? :puppy eyes: Free copy + my eternal gratitude.

 

 

 

 

 

 

#ROW80 Check-in April 30th

It’s been awhile. I have been busy working on Ever Touched, which releases TOMORROW. ZOMG, it’s almost here!

I had an issue with Photoshop and my wrap cover for the print edition…it is finally resolved and a proof is on its way to me as I type this.

Yeah…

So here’s the rundown:

Ever Touched – Everything is done and ready for tomorrow, except for the print edition. Waiting on the proof.

Covenant – Nothing yet. Planning for after EvT’s release.

Fireborn – Will be a rewrite for sure. That’s all I know right now.

Water – Yes, for the most part.

FYFB class – Not yet, but it’s on my list!

I also have three two guest posts to write, so that’s happening. I wrote one last night.

Haven’t decided on whether I want to work on Fireborn or Covenant next. Covenant might go faster, since it’s drafting, but then again, parts of Fireborn are staying. So I don’t know. Will continue to ponder.

I also have two more books I am starting to plot, a rewrite of an old one called When She Sleeps and an older idea I’ve been dying to work on called Darkweaver. Stay tuned on those.

And it just dawned on me that this is my first check-in since posting my goals. Didn’t realize I was gone that long!

Chocolate consumption report: Ye Gods. Chocolate robin eggs (1 whole bag – but not at once!), hot chocolate, chocolate caramel thingies, chocolate ice cream brownie (Big Boy’s), chocolate donuts, chocolate-covered malted milk balls. I think that’s it.

Cover Reveal: Ever Touched

It is my pleasure to reveal the cover for my forthcoming novel, Ever Touched, book #3 in my Fey Touched series.

Here is the blurb:

One secret remembered, another forgotten…which one will explode first?

Brianna has two problems: she cannot remember her past, and she astrally projects to another woman who has predictions tortured out of her. As a result, she is lonely and feels distanced from her co-workers — the only family she has ever known — the Fey Touched Hunters. She is their intelligence gatherer, and her episodes are interfering with her ability to do her job.

When Fey Touched Hunter Cobra, her friend, finds her alone and injured from an episode, she accepts his help. But she’s terrified of doctors and of being thought mentally ill, so she refuses to tell him what’s wrong or let him take her to get medical help. Still, Cobra continues to help and protect her. They find themselves falling in love.

But Cobra, too, has a secret that could rip their fragile bond apart.

When Brianna discovers through her episodes that someone has plans to destroy the Fey Clans, the Fey Touched decide to put their hatred aside and help them. But it’s not just a matter of someone with a grudge: there are other, more powerful players — beings thought to be legend.

As they unravel the mystery, Brianna’s episodes become more frequent and more dangerous until she is faced with a choice. To find the mystery girl and help the Fey Clans, she must risk opening herself up to the Hunters and to Cobra, and put her own life on the line. But is she prepared for the answers she’ll find?

This book was such a joy to write, and I think you’ll enjoy Brianna and Cobra’s story.

Ever Touched is releasing May 1st, so stay tuned!

#ROW80 Round 2 Goals

I’m a bit late posting my goals. I’ve been really busy with the edits on Ever Touched. I’m jumping in now!

I have fewer goals this go around to limit my stress level. I’ve been very stressed out in the past few months and need a break from it all.

So here are my goals:

~Publish Ever Touched on May 1st (on track to complete as of right now)
~Add 10k to Covenant
~Start formulating a plan for Fireborn (looks like a rewrite as of right now)
~Drink a glass of water 5x a week
~Start working on FYFB class once things settle down

And that’s it! No exercise-related goals yet because I seem to have reinjured my knee. 😦 Once that gets worked out, I may add an exercise-related goal to the mix.

I would also like to add in some mental downtime per week. I’m not making it an official goal, but we’ll see once Ever Touched is published. I had some of that with Guild Wars, but since I’ve been so busy with edits and such, I haven’t been able to play this week at all. So we will see on that as well.

And, as usual, the famous chocolate consumption report.

 

#ROW80 Final Check-in 3/19/17

I’ve decided to do my final check-in today because I have a really busy week coming up and I am bound to forget! So, without further adieu, here it is!

~Finish Ever Touched 2nd round edits ~DONE and turned in March 1st!
~Finalize Ever Touched cover art ~In progress. Cover created, just waiting on feedback.
~Start on a blurb ~DONE! Still more work needed, but it’s a start.
~After Ever Touched is finished, start Fireborn revision ~NOT DONE. Have been thinking about this, though. 
~Add 5k to Covenant (using 8 minute writing if possible) ~NOT DONE. Issues with sleep due to eczema and general stress has killed my energy. I did write 1,349 words on it a few days ago, though, and plan on continuing with it.
~Continue FYFB class (I’m so horribly behind now, it’s not even funny!) ~NOT DONE. Once things calm down, it’s the first thing on my priority list.
~Eat healthier/lose 5 pounds ~KINDA SORTA. Lost about 3 pounds total. Trying to eat healthier.
~Restart transferring Survivor Rewrite outline to Scrivener ~NOT DONE. Just plain ran out of time.
~Exercise: housewalking 3x per week ~DONE ONLY ONCE. Really need to get serious about this in the next round.
~Water – 1 glass 5 days per week ~DONE!
~Chocolate consumption reports of course! ~DONE!

So I won some and I lost some. Not a bad round considering all the health crap I had to deal with. I’m okay with it. 🙂

Final chocolate consumption report: Triple chocolate cake last night for my early birthday party, chocolate brownie topped with chocolate ice cream and hot fudge recently, chocolate pudding, hot chocolate. The chocolate is strong in this one. 😉

How did you do?

#ROW80 Check-in 3/12/17

It’s ROW80 time again!

I’ve been mostly brain dead. I think I really needed a break, I think. Come April I’ll be doing Ever Touched’s final copyedits, and getting it ready for release. So I’m taking time now to rest and relax and do things I won’t be able to do later (Guild Wars, for an example). I’ve wanted to write a little, but nothing’s really setting me on fire at the moment.

Daylight Saving Time is kicking my butt. #abolishDST

So, the rundown:

Ever Touched cover – In progress. Waiting on feedback.

Blurb – Also in progress.

Water – Every day except one.

Guild Wars – Finally completed the mission that was giving me fits. Working on the next. It’s much more challenging. I’ve been logging a lot of time in there as of late.

Weight – Not really sure, as I haven’t weighed myself this week.

Eczema/psoriasis – Not bad this week at all. Of course, I’ve been taking cold showers, which sucks, but keeps the itching down. Actually, I had a rough night last night with my feet itching again. Seriously?!

Exercise – Other than cleaning, nothing. Bad Erin, no cookie!

Chocolate consumption: Gluten free brownies, hot chocolate, Snickerdoodles (not chocolate, but there you have it). Chocolate cupcakes!

 

#ROW80 Check-in 3/5/17

Annnnnnnnd it’s ROW80 time again!

I skipped last week because I’d fallen behind on my proofreading, but never fear, I turned it in on time! I did notice that my main character’s eye color changed twice, so that needed to be fixed. She’s in both book 1 and book 2, but as a secondary character. Her original introduction was in book 1…which I wrote back in 2012. So, yeah, memory lapse. It was very subtle, but I didn’t want to break continuity.

So that’s off my plate. I get a bit of a breather until April 1st, when the copyedits hit my inbox.

Here’s the rundown of where I stand with everything else:

Water – Every day except one.

Weight – Ugh, gained 3 pounds. It may have been the paczki I’ve been eating. Maybe.

Cover for Ever Touched – Basically finished, except I need to still do the print cover, and I can’t do that until I have a blurb and page count.

FYFB class – Still on hold. I’d like to start it sometime this month if possible.

Guild Wars – Been logging lots of hours on it. It’s been fun and challenging.

Eczema/psoriasis – I backslid a bit on Thursday. Took my shower and upped the heat a bit as I didn’t want to be cold, and my hands got so itchy I couldn’t stand it. I slept with my ice pack in my hands the whole night. It worked, and they seem to be better. No more hot showers for me!

Exercise – Housewalked a bit yesterday, yay!

Fireborn revision/Covenant/Oubliette – Been doing some serious thinking about each. I’d like to get some work done on at least one of them before the end of the round. Question is, which one?

Chocolate consumption: Chocolate wafer bars, white fudged covered pretzels, chocolate mug cake, and….I think that’s it?

How are you doing this week?

 

 

#ROW80 Check-in 2/19/17

It’s ROW80 time!

I’ve been doing pretty well, actually. I finished Ever Touched (tweaks+escape scene+rewriting the climax) and I’m gearing up to proofread it. It’s due March 1st, so I should be okay (she says, hoping that doesn’t jink her!).

As for everything else, here’s the rundown:

Water – Every day!

Exercise – I took a walk with the hubby yesterday. The weather was AMAZING. Feels like spring!

Guild Wars – Been doing more of this than I want to admit, LOL. It’s been fun, and a good stress release.

FYFB class – On hold till I turn in Ever Touched.

Weight – Lost another pound!

Eczema/psoriasis – Doing better! My feet are pretty much cured. My hands still itch, but not nearly as bad as they were. I’m still sleeping at night. I also found out from my primary care doctor that it’s actually not eczema/psoriasis but an eczema that looks like psoriasis. Yeah, slight distinction, but not any different treatment-wise (if you recall, I was sleep deprived + overwhelmed at that first appointment so I wasn’t sure of the specifics).

Other projects – Been trying to formulate a plan for after Ever Touched. There’s really so much I want to work on, and it’s killing me that I have to choose (I do better with 1 or 2 main projects, as opposed to more). So that’s been happening. I’m going to stick with shorter projects and/or nearly finished projects b/c my goal is to get more stuff out there quickly. That’s been the plan for about 6 months now, and I’d hoped to release a second novel/novella this year. Still possible if I get my act together (and that’s actually part of the FYFB class, mindset and productivity.)

Chocolate consumption: hot chocolate, chocolate hearts, devil’s food/marshmallow cookies. I am currently addicted to apple bars. Which sucks for the chocolate thing, but there you have it. My mother-in-law gave me a box to try, and the rest is history. 😉

So that’s it for me! How about you?