Looking Back and Looking Forward

Okay, so yes, I'm late with a year in review post.  Even late with a New Year goals post.  But I have been thinking about both and will share my thoughts both backward and forward.

2012

Actually, I achieved everything I set out to do this past year - at least, author wise.  My goal was to get my three favorite books (that I had written in the past and were just sitting on my hard drive) polished up and published.  I did that.

Vengeance Is Mine was published in February on the Kindle and went into all eBook markets in May.

Beneath the Tor was Kindle published in September and went to all markets in December.

The XIII went to all markets, including the Kindle, in November.

I also published a number of Kindle only short stories throughout the year.

While sales have yet to make me rich, the reviews are good on all of them and I'm extremely pleased.

My other goal was to set up a writing laptop.  One with no distractions to get in my way.  I achieved this during the last week of the year.  Pulling out my old workhorse, the IBM ThinkPad 600, I installed DOS and two writing programs - Word 5.5 and WordPerfect 5.1.  Added a second hard drive to the machine for transferring the documents and now I'm ready for my 2013 goals.

2013

My first goal for 2013 is to unhook the harness of social media.  In my new schedule, I've only allowed myself around 2 hours a day to be online.  I think that will be a good thing.

Begin doing Yoga again.  I practiced yoga religiously when I was in my twenties and early thirties - somewhere along the line it went by the wayside.  So, I've ordered some new 'beginner' DVDs (I am so out of shape) and will begin practice when they arrive later this week.

Carved out a 4 1/2 hour writing slot in my day, where I intend to write at least 1500 words daily.  Good, bad or indifferent - the words will get on the page.  Sort of my own little NaNo project. While it's fairly easy for me to put 50,000 words on the page in a month - it will take me at least 6 months to properly edit those words.

Read more - given myself at least an hour of guilt free reading during the day.  Had reached the point where I felt that reading was a luxury and not a necessity.  That will change.

As far as books coming out this year - The Profiler:  Dark Fantasy will be completed during the first half of this spring and should be available by early summer.

The second book of the series - The Profiler:  Masks will be written and should be available in the late fall and most definitely before the Christmas season.

I may try my hand at some new short stories also - but I'm not making any commitment there.

Evenings and weekends, as always will be spent with 'That' man and other family.  I truly feel you need a balance in all things and they always help keep me centered in reality.

Other things I'm contemplating.

Free books - yes, I know a lot of readers like them and expect them.  I've received a number of emails and PMs asking when my books are going to be free.  The answer is they are not.  After a lot of soul searching, I've decided that 'free' books do not do anyone any good.  Especially the author.  If you want to read my words, sorry you're going to have to buy my books - just as you would with any other published author.  But wait, you say, it's a way to get 'your' name out there.  I disagree, people will download the freebies and promptly forget them as they download more the next day.  I may not be the world's greatest author, but...the work that I've put many hours into should be worth more than nothing.

With that said, you'll see me pushing less and less of the free books on social media.  Unless I know the author, unless I know they can write well - I am not going to waste either my newsfeed space or my credibility pushing free stuff that hasn't even be edited.  Harsh, I know - but I see more and more of it daily.

Beyond all this - I know I have all I need and all I want in life.  Anything else good that comes my way is purely icing on the cake.  Any bad can be dealt with;  hopefully without drama.

So there you have it - Looking Backward and Looking Forward.  I know I can do this.