We seem to have made it into 2019, haven’t we? I know I’ve been scarce around here for the last part of December, but after Two’s Company released, I decided to take some time off to enjoy the holidays, and regroup before plunging into things again.
That said, if you know me at all, you know I don’t like the idea of resolutions. It’s probably a psychological thing and to some extent, splitting hairs, but to me, the word resolutions just seems to set you up to fail. Life hits us all differently, and it often gets in the way of the best of plans. And when that happens, you can feel like you have “failed” at your resolution. I don’t like that way of thinking.
Added to that, I was reading a post by another author I know, and in it, she said she has in the past set as goals things she can’t really fully control, and that also sets you up for disappointment. Case in point for writers: you can write, revise, and edit a story to be the best it can possibly be. It could even be one of the best stories ever written. You can control that. What you can’t control is whether or not the story sells. And that’s true whether you are traditionally published or independently. A traditionally published author can’t make a publisher buy a book, no matter how good it is. Lots of things that have nothing to do with the quality of the story and writing might make a publisher say no. On the other side of things, I can’t make you buy my books. I can talk about them, I can try to make them sound enticing and interesting, and I hope I can write them well enough to be interesting and fun to read. But I can’t force anyone to buy them. Out of my control.
So, where does that leave me heading into 2019? Well, I decided to make two lists of goals. One is a short list of things I would like to see happen, that I can encourage and work toward as much as I am able, but that are, ultimately, out of my control in some ways. Those are the things that, if they happen, yay! If not, well, I did my best and won’t beat myself up about it if they don’t. The other list, a longer one, is things I can control. Those are the things that I meed to work on most over the year. The things I will concentrate on, adjust as stuff happens, and hold myself accountable for.
How about you? Do you make resolutions? Set goals? Whatever you do or don’t do, I hope the new year is full of good things for everyone!
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Medusa “Deuce” Grainger is smart, confident, and as good a pilot as she is a poker player. A freelance shuttle jockey working for an independent terraforming company, she’s left her former life, and her father, behind. Mostly.
Now, her AI has downloaded another Personality off a wrecked ship, and he’s acting oddly ever since. Someone wants to sabotage her friend’s company out of business, evidence of tampering is being corrupted, and people have died. With an investigation looming that could shut down the company and cut off her main source of income, it’s up to Deuce to figure out what’s going on, and how all the pieces fit the puzzle. Along the way, she reconnects with an old friend and discovers someone is stalking her. Deuce will need to connect all the dots fast, because more lives are at stake than anyone suspects.
Learn more here.
After five years away, Kaili is coming home for the ceremony to install her sister as head of the family business. When an old rivalry threatens the family, Kaili and her partner need to use all their skills to save the sisters’ lives. Learn more here
A collection of six short fantasy stories set in varied worlds of magic and mayhem. Learn more here.
A short novelette set in a dystopian Earth after the final environmental collapse. Sam is a genetically engineered chameleon who may hold the key to mankind’s survival. Learn more here.
In a world reeling under the effects of severe climate change, food shortages are common, and arable farmland is scarce. Unscupulous distributors like Beni Oligowma take advantage of the shortages for their own gain. When a promising new technology for growing food even under the harsh conditions is unveiled, grocery store owner Frank is determined to see that everyone is able to benefit from the results, not just the Benis of the world.
Feed My People is a short story, set in a dystopian science fiction world, and is free. Learn more here
Demon hunters Johnny and Cerise travel to the small town of Carroll Fork where they find a demon-possessed thrift store, a sweet old lady who is more than she seems, and an army of underworld inhabitants. Can Johnny and his trusty yo-yo save the town from a devil of a problem?
Five and Daemon, the Yo-Yo Files #1, is a short novelette in an urban fantasy setting, with elements of the supernatural and humor. Learn more here
Things have been quiet. No demonic possessions, no otherworldly intrusions, nothing. And then Lucifer shows up in Johnny’s living room, claiming that two archangels are missing, and something is definitely not right in the heavenly- and other- realms. Saying he has nothing to do with it- this time- he asks Johnny and Cerise to help him find out what’s happening, and who is behind the disappearances. While they are trying to do just that, Lucifer is devilnapped by a larger-than-life serpent. He manages to get a clue to Johnny before he disappears. Johnny and Cerise are left to puzzle out the disappearances and try to find the missing angels. Oh, and stop what could mean the ultimate destruction of pretty much everything.
Snake’s Alive, the Yo-Yo Files #2 is an urban fantasy novelette with elements of the supernatural and humor. Learn more here.
And So On... 