My Goals for 2014

As 2014 gets started, and I've watched all my friends talk about what they're grateful for in 2013 and what they'd like to accomplish this year, I've absorbed a lot.  Personally, I'm thankful for every accomplishment I've managed in the past year, from writing to publishing, to surviving.  In fact, as I look at my computer calendar thingie, I'm realizing it's a one-year anniversary of my first publication, Neighborly Complications.

So, here are my goals for 2014, in no particular order:

Get my own writing space.  Currently, I write where ever I can take my laptop, but I tend to be most productive at my kitchen counter, next to the microwave.  Not ideal, since it's not the warmest/coolest spot in the house.  But it's where the counter is usually the cleanest, so that's where I end up.  We are in the (very slow, drawn-out) process of moving, and I should have an office/guest room at the new house.  I'm really looking forward to that, in front of a window, with central air conditioning.  Which leads me to my next goal...

Get out of this dump of a house.  I had the pleasure of listening to my children discuss past burns from standing too close to the fireplace ("Remember when I stepped on that coal?"  "Oh yeah, but that one time, that log rolled out on my foot.") and the guilt was immense.  We spend two months of the year, huddled around a fireplace, because we don't have central heat.  I need to get my babies out of this house.

Own my work.  I'm getting better about telling people what I write, but there's still a few classifications of people I get a little oogey when they ask about it.  For example, former students.  They are the reason I took on a pen name, so I'm still a little weird about telling them I write erotic romance.  That may just be a group that never gets the full story from me...But I still want my friends and family to not see me blush every time it's brought up in conversation.

Finish up the Stories of Serendipity.  Yup.  I said it.  I have a few more stories to write, and then I may be done with Serendipity.  I have other ideas I want to explore:  historical romance, steam punk.  But they keep getting put on the back burner for another SoS.

Events.  I've got two events scheduled for this summer, and at the moment, that's enough.  If they're successful (i.e. people don't go out of their way to ignore my table and I don't lose a shit-ton of money doing them) I will schedule more.

Of course, generate a contributable income from my writing.  That one is self-explanatory...  On that note, check out the "My Books" section of this site and feel free to buy something.  Or if you've already read some/all/one of my books, PLEASE leave a review.  I would greatly appreciate it.  Thanks!