Before we move to new goals, though, here's what I published in 2017:
- In March, "The Lost Heirs of Rose McAlder" came out in Metaphorosis.
- In April, "The Hulder's Husband Says Don't" appeared in Fireside Fiction (my second pro-publication and, I was informed today, Fireside's 7th-most read story of 2017!)
- In May, my personal essay "The Breathtaking Sting of the Pull" came out in Superstition Review.
- And in September, my poem "Cthulhu Listens to the Beach Boys" appeared in Liminality.
- Attended the Taos Toolbox Workshop (and met some great people; shout-out to my Taos crew!)
- Edited two full-length books and a handful of short stories for my editing business, Cephalopod Editing.
- Finished a first and second draft of a memoir I'm ghost-writing.
- Started as a first-reader for Liminal.
- Submitted my work 60+ times.
- Beta-read 20+ pieces for friends/Codexians.
- And revised about half of Jurassic Unicorn* in the first half of the year, just to start over w/ revisions in July (after Taos!) and make it through 250 pages before Dec 30.
- Grew a bunch of beautiful flowers.
- Taught over 400 students in 8 different classes.
- Perfected my recipe for turkey gravy and sun-dried tomato tapenade.
- Took good loving hospice care of Sam the Eternal Hound before he passed on to his just rewards.
- Read around 6 million words of fanfic.
- Went on a heckin' good solo road trip (over 3k miles) to see a bunch of amazing friends and visit places in the US I'd never been.
So? What am I hoping for 2018? Well, in addition to my resolutions (criticize others less, make & keep a morning routine, call my representatives weekly), here's my writing goals:
- Finish 2nd draft of Jurassic Unicorn and start querying it.
- Write a zero-draft of Kraken Dick*
- Write six new short stories
- Get six stories revised/polished for publication
- Submit 50 times
- Write one academic essay
- Beta-read 30+ pieces for friends/Codexians.
Here's to you and your accomplishments in 2017, and your goals in 2018! We got this, friend. And even if we don't (always) get it, I'm gonna stick to my most important life-resolution--Forgive Thyself--and I hope you will too.
*Aren't code-names for novels fun?
*Aren't code-names for novels fun?
