by Sarah | Nov 6, 2015 | Books, General, Goals, Writing
This year has passed crazy fast. I can’t even believe that less than two months are left.
My goals for this year were crazy lofty, and I’ve spent the past few months really working to get close to those goals. Real life has thrown quite a few monkey wrenches into my path, but I still hope to get a good number of them met.
So without further ado or ramblings from my overworked brain…here’s the update!
First, the overall goals to set the tone for the year…
- I’ve challenged myself to write 600,000 words in 2015. (Finally picked up the pace on this one. As of 10/16/15 I was at 509,548. I haven’t written since, but I’m starting tonight.)
- I will build my audience and work harder at promotion – Well, I hit a huge snag in this one, wherein I had to take up the reins myself. So baby steps, but I’m getting there. Also, lowering my prices after the closing of my publishing house has boosted my sales, so that’s helping)
- I will regain my focus. (Did really good until DISNEY and the crap storm in the 3 days since. Trying to refocus as I type.)
- I will detail at least one of the new series I have listed to play with. (Making a little headway with one of them. Plan to start the first story in the group of stories soon.)
- I will decide by July if I’ll continue in Lake Point through 2016. (I did, then changed. No Lake Point in 2016, but hope to return for 2017.)
I will plan the 2016 books and have my proposal into the publisher by August 1st (became inconsequential when the house closed)
And next is my list of projects. The books in ORANGE are current works-in-progress. Books in RED are completed. Books in BLUE are new adds!
- Free Falling (Holidays in Lake Point 10) – 30k (done 2/28)
- Love for Hire (Holidays in Lake Point 11) – 30k (done 3/31)
- Haunted Hearts (Holidays in Lake Point 12) – 30k (2000 words)
Mistletoe Mixup (Holidays in Lake Point 13) – 30k (technically started, but put on hold)- Into a Mirror Darkly (Morgana Chronicles 1) – 100k (~10k done)
- Switchback (Dominion Falls 6) – 100k
- Dead Man’s Switch (Dominion Falls 7) – 100k
- Red Zone (Dominion Falls 5.5) – 20k (Plot roughed out, will start end by end of month)
- The Raven (The Tribe #4) – 85k (40,131 words)
- The Child (The Tribe #5) – 85k
- The Town (The Tribe #6) – 85k
- Escaping Humanity (Co-authoring w/ Mary Terrani) – 80k (54k done)
- Changing Tracks (revamping/updating) – 120k (done 9/15)
- Derailed (revamping/updating) – 120k (done 10/16)
- Dark Territory (revamping/updating) – 120k (1k done)
It’s been a crazy few months with so many things happening. I was in an excellent place last month and now I feel as though I’m playing catchup once again. Here’s to hoping the next couple of weeks go smoothly so I might get back to where I feel I’m back on track. 🙂
by Sarah | Oct 8, 2015 | All About Denver, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Cystic Fibrosis, Disney, Make-A-Wish, Personal, Redefining Perfect, Special Needs
The past four months have been chaotic and filled with a secretive sort of excitement.
Denver has us keeping a rather large secret from the girls.
We are returning to Disney this fall!
I have been scrambling for dining reservations, suitcases, and other necessities that I have to sneak into the house and hide from the girls.
Because they do NOT know.
Part of Denver’s wish at Make A Wish was to keep this whole thing a big, fat, humongous secret from his two little sisters.
So we are whispers, sneaking, and super secret planning and count-downing. Texting ideas instead of saying them out loud.
Oh, we’ve nearly been caught several times…but any time the girls hear Disney or we discuss anything in front of them, it’s “in 2021”. (For the record, we are planning a trip in 2021 that will be larger in scale and involve good friends along for the ride)
2021 is a great cover story when we get caught.
But we are going back…and the teen and I are making a serious effort for real planning.
We have secured all the reservations we REALLY wanted (getting into the parks early! Yay!). We’ve scoured maps and discussed what was missed last year and will not be missed again. We’ve supplied ourselves with a bunch of pins for trading (and keeping!!). We’ve watched and re-watched all the Disney shows to be had (thank you, Destination America) until our DVR broke.
In 20 days from now, a limo will arrive bright and early while the girls are still in bed. We will have everything packed and ready to go and we’ll burst into the girls room yelling that they’re late for school and rush them outside to the waiting limo!!
The excitement is palpable.
The countdown is a way to get us through the rough days.
And there have been a lot of them these days.
Thank goodness for the mouse.
by Sarah | Oct 7, 2015 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Writer, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
A month ago I was blindsided by the news of my publishers closing. Shock and confusion took over for a while. The stress of the situation was compounded by the fact that my day job blew up and I’ve been working full time instead of part time.
I knew I’d regather and reissue and move forward, but I was so overwhelmed by all the tasks ahead of me.
One month later and I’m definitely in a different place. I have put all of my books back on Amazon with lower prices and some on Kindle Unlimited.
I sat down with my editor and we worked out a schedule so that I will still be publishing my Halloween book. I have set dates for the editing process for my upcoming releases next year. It’s good to have deadlines, even if they are flexible.
I’ve put up for pre-order a box-set of my original Dominion Falls Trilogy, because I’ve been wanting to do it for a while anyway.
And, best of all, I’ve been writing again. Despite the entire world blowing up around here lately (seriously, it’s been insane. ‘Stop the world, I want to get off’ type of insane), despite me not being able to talk to my bestie as much (seriously, woman, get back on the damn computer), despite the pressure of getting things done and done well…I have returned.
It feels really good to be putting words on the page. New words. Lots of words. Not daily, but nearly daily and with good word counts.
I’m feeling good about the coming year. My first month completely Indie has been successful enough to have me hopeful for what’s coming in the future.
So nice to be back.
by Sarah | Sep 30, 2015 | All About Denver, All About Family, Redefining Perfect, The Teenager
One year ago I’d never thought it possible.
One year go everything was different.
One year ago there was sullen silence.
Moody glares.
Angry yelling.
Intentional disobedience.
Lying.
Ugliness everywhere.
We were mired deep in the land of the teenager.
A teenager with a girlfriend we didn’t like.
A teenager that seemed to be “perfect” for everyone else.
A teenager I no longer knew.
My first born.
My perfect baby.
Turned into someone I couldn’t relate to.
So much has changed in one year.
There is laughter.
There is communication.
The secretive, angry behavior is lessened.
Not everything is perfect.
But one year ago I never would have thought.
I would be sending my boy off to homecoming.
With a new girl.
A girl he told me about on his own (after hinting for a week).
We are working in a better relationship.
A better place.
A day I worried would never arrive.
by Sarah | Sep 29, 2015 | All About Family, All About Me, All of Us, Crap, Personal, Random, Redefining Perfect
I have so many words.
So many thoughts.
So many hurts.
So many joys.
I am always the shiny happy.
I build walls.
It drives my husband nuts when I fight against breaking them down.
But they are built.
Because I cannot bear what is happening some days.
I am scared by my own inability to handle it.
Because it is happening.
Some days faster than others.
And it is happening again, although I am a distant witness of my own making.
Because I built walls.
And I am fine.
Most days.
Every day.
I handle things because it is what I do.
I support.
I live.
I cajole.
I laugh.
I rarely ever cry.
I am the best listener.
I am the peace maker.
The peace keeper.
The introvert.
The black sheep.
When the walls fall I fear I will break.
But some days.
Some days the bulldozer knocks them down.
And I am unexpectedly shattered.
And I weep.
And I pick myself up.
And I rebuild the walls.
Because I know nothing else.
But to go on.
