Wow, I did a lot of writing and publishing in 2012 and I don’t plan to slow down any time soon! This last year, I published:

• A Spy for Christmas
• A Special Ops Christmas
• More Than a Promise
• Un vaquero para navidad – the Spanish version of A Cowboy for Christmas (Spanish books have lower case titles, in case you’re wondering)
• The Enemy’s Son – republished actually – it was with a small Canadian publisher before that
• In The Land of Huckleberries and Wokas – a Native American novella similar to my novel The River People.
• and a children’s book called Even Animals Get Their Own Room. This was a special project because my sons Isaac and Caleb illustrated it.

Yes, this is on Amazon if you want copy or want to search inside to see their artwork.

This project spanned two years. We’d pull out the art supplies and work on it a Saturday here or an afternoon there. Isaac and Caleb each took copies to school to show to their friends. They donated a copy to their library and another kid checked it out that same day. So we had a ton of fun working on it, and we were all proud of the final product. The printed book actually looks like you could feel the crayon on the paper; I was just amazed at the quality.

 

Every year I learn more about storytelling, writing and using my strengths as a writer, so I owe a big thanks to all my readers for sharing your thoughts on Facebook, here and in reviews on Amazon. This last year I learned to listen to my own heart on storytelling and not on the usual rules and expectations. I thought about what kind of story I want to experience, write and read, not what big publishers or all the Writer Rules say you should write. I let readers guide me too, through comments and reviews.

2013 – A new year and new opportunities

I’m already working on a new novel for this year. It’s an emotional story of romance, commitment and family, similar in theme to More Than Memories, More Than a Promise and A Special Ops Christmas. I love looking at family relationships, rekindling and rebuilding love, and making a better future. I’ll tell you more about the story soon and share the cover in the next couple of months.

My goals and plans are much the same for this year. I want to keep writing, keep improving and grow my readership. Even my personal goals are the same – I love spending time with my family and experiencing life to the fullest. There are a few things on the agenda, like riding in a hot air balloon and the local trolly that goes on a winery tour. If you saw this big red trolly around your town, you’d understand!

Thanks so much for joining my journey. I hope this is a fantastic year for everyone!