2022

It's a new year. I took a bit of a break over the holidays to focus on other things (and to start a new job). But I'm back now and ready to start 2022 with a bang!

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the knowledge that my book, A Home for Christmas, is due to be released this year. The actual date is still TBD, but it looks like the publisher is planning for September. I sent a bunch of paperwork back to them on Sunday and have almost completed my pre-edits to my manuscript based on their specifications. Once I send the edited manuscript in, I should receive an editing schedule which will help determine the release date.

In addition to publishing my debut novel, I have a lot of writing plans for this year. I plan to spend January and February editing The Winter Visitor (subject to change depending on the editing schedule for Home). I'm hoping to finish the first draft of Snow, Sand, and Sense during one of the Camp NaNoWriMo's, either in April or July. But I also want to hone my skills at writing short stories and submitting those to literary magazines/journals.

Of course, while all of this is going on, I'll also be finishing my MFA degree. I'm due to graduate this summer in Buenos Aires, but COVID may change that. I'm looking forward to graduating and moving on from formal education. I still plan to attend writing conferences and other classes to continue improving my skills, but I don't think I'll ever pursue another degree. This is my second masters and, frankly, I'm exhausted. The first masters did it's job by helping me move up in my day job, and this masters has already benefitted me by giving me the deadlines I needed to finish Home and The Winter Visitor. I'm hoping things like NaNoWriMo will continue to provide me with the tight deadlines I seem to thrive under. 

Beyond my writing goals, my other plans for this year are quite simple. I have a few financial goals in mind, as well as home improvements and health outcomes I'd like to achieve. My SIL wrote a really awesome and helpful post about how to perform a personal audit for the previous year as well as how to make SMART goals for the new year. While I don't think I've ever done a personal audit or planned out my year in such detail, I do admire her methods and think it's a great way to track your progress. 

It's interesting to me how the pandemic has shaped so much of my life in the last two years. I don't know that I would be as far along in my writing journey if I hadn't had the additional time at home to write. We were supposed to return to the physical office this month in my day job, but between the ongoing pandemic, with new variants popping up, and the negotiations with the union, that was pushed back indefinitely. My new boss is also open to the idea of designating my position as remote whenever we do return to the physical office. Before COVID, I didn't think I'd enjoy full time telework, but now I can't imagine my life without it.

Here's hoping that COVID does have an end date, or at the very least, that it becomes the new seasonal flu. And here's to a new year. May we take 100% of the chances presented to us as they may lead to wonderful new opportunities!