Happy 2024!
Yes, I know it’s February 25th which means I’m slightly behind on my New Year’s wishes, but I didn’t manage to get a newsletter out in January and my February newsletter part 1 was a shortie so, here we are.
I am a goal-driven person. And, while I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, I typically have a lot of goals for the new year. Which, I guess are resolutions by a different name but, whatever, let’s not split hairs.
For the past five or so years I’ve been using a yearly goal structure created by Gretchen Rubin. For 2022 I had 22 goals for the new year, for 2023 I had 23, and so on. I wasn’t going to do it this year because I was extremely ambitious with my goals last year and just barely completed half, but, at the very last minute, I decided I would.
But this year, I promised myself, I would be a bit more realistic. A bit more kind. I would make the goals a bit more achievable. And I would put some fun ones in there as well.
Here’s what I came up with and where I’m at: (maybe I’ll check in mid-year and let you know how I’m doing! How fun!)
Become part of a writing community. (I joined one but I’m not sure if it’s for me so this one is half done, I guess.)
Make one new writer friend from social media/writing community
Write two more guest blog posts
Be a guest on a writing podcast
Love, Julie hits some sort of best-seller list
Finish first draft of thriller novel
Get up to 1000 reviews on one of my books (I’m about halfway there now for Someone to Kiss)
Finish the short story I’m working on
Enter a writing contest
Get up to 1000 followers on a social platform
Start TikTok (again, maybe, ugh)
Sell my house and buy a better one (this is in motion!)
Finish website (almost done! I just need to add a resources page)
Go to five new restaurants
Plan 50th birthday trip (I think New Zealand?) ((Also, I’m only 48 so I do have time if I don’t achieve this in 2024))
Visit 1 Regina tourist attraction
Start puzzle (because I’m 85)
Get down to 200 books on my TBR list (I’m currently at 226. That I OWN. Yes, I have a problem.)
Travel to 2 new places
Simplify 5 things (Done 1 - I stopped alerts coming to my Fitbit which, honestly, is amazingly freeing)
Create an agent list
Visit C&C (you know who you are)
Buy a weighted blanket
Get a will (This is in process. Not fun or exciting, but necessary.)
What do you think? Do you think I’ll achieve all of them? Some of them? None of them? Do you have any goals for 2024? I’d love to hear them!
Updates
I’ve picked the date for the Love, Julie launch party! While the actual book launch is going to be April 30th, I wanted the launch party to happen on a weekend so folks could come from out of town and, you know, have a beer or two. May 11th is the big day so, if you’re in Regina or close enough to travel, mark it on your calendar! I haven’t announced the location yet, but I will be doing so on social so stay tuned for that. Hint: the location is mentioned in Love, Julie AND Someone to Kiss. Can you guess?
The only thing is, if you want to get a book signed, you’ll need to purchase one before and bring it as I’ll have limited copies on hand (another reason the party is later than the official launch). Click here to sign up for pre-order alerts.
FYI: You don’t have to read Someone to Kiss before you read Love, Julie, but they do have the same characters so, if you want a fuller picture, you can buy it here.
What I read
After I got over the fact that this was not Daisy Jones and the Six which is what it’s compared to on the cover and also one of my very favourite books, I really enjoyed it. The story was great (especially if you’re into fashion) and there was a lot of tension and mystery that kept me reading. The author did a great job of distinguishing the different women in their separate POVs which is sometimes not done well. They were three very different characters with three different personalities and voices. I also loved the overall message of strong women fighting for their power which I’ve been seeing a lot of lately. Or maybe I’m just more drawn to books like that. In any case, it was a good book.
A super cool thing happened!
Something I wrote was published in the newsletter for my favourite podcast! If you’ve been reading this for a while, you’ll be well aware of how much I love The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast; if you’re new here, buckle up. Click here for the newsletter, and scroll down about halfway to read what I wrote. And then subscribe to the newsletter by going here —>
. It’s great!Resources and stuff
This is an excellent article on how hard it is to be a writer these days. And why I’m sometimes crabby.
What people are saying about my debut novel Someone to Kiss:
“This book is about so much more than dating in your 40s. It's about Friendships, family, acceptance of who you are, knowing your worth, and never settling for less. A very funny, yet moving story.” - Kate's A Bookworm
“I didn't know what to expect when I started Someone to Kiss but I am still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster it took me on. Yes, you will laugh but you will also gasp, tear up, get angry, (like wanting to cause bodily harm type of anger), feel your heart strings be pulled, and just about every feeling in between.” - The Romantic Comedy Book Club