Here it is, December 31st again. The time I look back and review my year-in-writing and see what I want to improve on for the next year. I already know one writing resolution before I even begin to look back—write more! I did write quite a bit in 2015 but it didn’t feel like enough. I have so many started projects sitting on my USB at the moment, screaming to be finished. So that’s #1 for 2016. Stop getting distracted and get back to the writing. All right, let’s see how 2015 shook out.
JANUARY
I’ve ramped up my social media! I’ve been on facebook, twitter, and Pinterest for some time not but I’ve joined Instagram and created an author Facebook page (for just my writerly life stuff).
FEBRUARY & MARCH
It was COLD! And I spent a good deal of time outlining a freaking awesome idea I had for a YA! And then…I set it aside. SIGH. Refer to the top of page about getting more writing done! I got preoccupied with my middle grade. Which isn’t a bad thing—I love my middle grade books! But I really need to get back to work on that YA because I still love it so.
APRIL
The sale of my middle-grade Cici Reno Knows it All (now titled, Cici Reno #MidleSchoolMatchmaker) to Sterling Children’s was announced in Publisher’s Weekly! *tosses confetti* So flippin’ excited to work with Sterling and awesome editor Brett Duquette. And it’s going to be a series! Whoo hoo!
MAY
BNTeen Blog features The Espressologist in an article about pairing your fave snacks with your fave books. Too cool!
JUNE & JULY
This was my summer. SO. MUCH. EDITING. But it is so worth it because the 2016 middle
grade is going to be so awesome! I’m jumping out of my skin excited!
AUGUST
Marked the 5th anniversary of the My Fake
Boyfriend is Better Than Yours publication! MFBIBTY was my first middle grade,
a bestseller for the Scholastic Book Club and a YALSA Quick Pick. And you can
received a free autographed hard cover of it if you pre-order Cici Reno
#MiddleSchoolMatchMaker now. Details here.
SEPTEMBER
A boxset was born. My three ebook-only young adult novels,
Just Your Average Princess, Just Your Average Geek, and Just Your Average Celebrity,
were combined into one boxset.
OCTOBER
I traveled to Peoria for the Illinois Reads Author Luncheon at the 2015 IRC Conference. The Espressologist was a 2014 Illinois Reads book. Then to the Oswego Literary Festival to sign books and chat with readers.
The Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker arcs also came out!
NOVEMBER
A lot of writing this month. But on something that is totally separate. I’m taking a stab at an adult fiction book. Not sure if I’ll ever do anything with it yet but it’s a fun side project.
DECEMBER
The Espressologist was mentioned again on BNTeen blog in- 6YA Reads for Jane Austen Fans. Have I mentioned how much I love BNTeen blog?! :-)
And there were a whole lot of final reads on Cici
Reno#MiddleSchoolMatchmaker! The final cover came in, the final inside design
in place (and it is SO, SO cute!) and everything is ready to go! Cici goes on
sale April 19, 2016!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
That's it for 2015. I'm looking forward to the release of
Cici in April and a writing-filled 2016! I want to get the second Cici book
written (#2 in the Yoga Girl series) and finish that YA book. And then we’ll
see what else. :-) Wishing you a happy, healthy, & productive new year!
