This has become a tradition on my blog. First, I take the resolutions I’d made for the past year and comment on whether or not I met my goals, or if my goals changed over time, as they often do. Then I make my resolutions for the coming year and hope for the best!
My old resolutions, made for 2009, are in bold type:
1. I want to have Heart’s Chalice ready for my Beta readers by June 2009. Hopefully before, like April or May. But definitely by June.
Bwahahaha! Total fail on this one. For 2009, that was. Heart’s Chalice simply would NOT come together. Until autumn of 2009. That’s when, after taking a break from the book for a while, the pieces of the story started falling into place.
Only thing is, it’s a brand new story now. I’m still rough drafting it, and I hope to have the rough draft complete by New Year’s Day (yes, I’m that close). Then come revisions, edits, streamlining, polishing.
2. Once Heart’s Chalice is revised with feedback from my Beta Readers and is submission ready, I’m going to hop on the query-go-round, and I’m not going to give up until I find Heart’s Chalice a place for readers to discover it in the wider world.
See comment for resolution #1. You’ll see this resolution fresh for 2010.
3. While I’m submitting Heart’s Chalice, I’ll start the book that will follow it — set in the same world with many of the same characters, but it will be a stand-alone book (as is Heart’s Chalice).
See comment for resolution #1. Again, you’ll see this resolution fresh for 2010.
4. Write flash fiction to dovetail with Mirror Blue and/or Heart’s Chalice should I be lucky enough to get either or both of them published.
I didn’t do one bit of that, and I should have. I’d especially like to write flash fiction and/or short stories to dovetail with Heart’s Chalice, if it sees publication.
5. In a similar vein as #4: if I get a book published this year, work hard at promoting it; be as creative and innovative with promotion as I possibly can.
Eh. I wish I were better at book promotion. Yup, another resolution. Gonna have to work harder on coming out of my shell in 2010.
6. Keep learning more about the publishing industry, and about marketing and promotion.
Definitely. A continuing journey.
7. Keep blogging. Thanks to blogging, I’ve learned a great deal about the publishing process, and most importantly, I’ve made wonderful writer friends. You gals help keep me going on this path. Thank you.
Yup, I’ve kept blogging, and I’ll keep blogging! In June 2010, I’ll celebrate my fourth Blogiversary. Hard to believe I’ve been at this blogging thing for so long.
8. Keep playing the piano and keep writing new songs. I’ve gotten back into my music in a big way after having back-burnered it for a time, and it feels good to be home. Also, I’d like to somehow fuse my music with Heart’s Chalice. Still thinking on that. I’ll come up with something, *grin*.
Still gotta come up with something re: fusing my music with my writing. But I’ve done a good job keeping up with my music, RSI (repetitive strain injury) notwithstanding.
9. Keep hiking! And not just for the exercise (though that’s certainly a benefit). The mountains ground and center me; they inspire me. I need them.
Yup. I’ve hiked my arse off this year. I need the mountains. Like breath. Hiking is, for me, an autonomic function, necessary for existence. That won’t change anytime before I turn 100.
10. And keep up the healthier eating. I’ve been doing great in that regard since July 2008 when I developed low-functioning gallbladder symptoms. I started eating less fat and smaller meals, and my symptoms have gone down to practically nothing. And in that time, I’ve lost twenty pounds! I feel better than I’ve felt in years.
WHEE! I’ve kept up the healthier eating. All in all, I lost thirty pounds because of eating healthy, low-fat meals.
11. Most importantly — be the best wife, cat mom, friend, and overall family member I can possibly be.
I hope that I’ve done so, and will continue to make this my very highest endeavor.
So. My New Year’s resolutions for 2010 are:
1. Hone, polish and revise Heart’s Chalice into the best novel it can possibly be.
2. Find an agent for Heart’s Chalice (and subsequent works).
3. Figure out what to do with Patchwork Stained Glass, a novel I rewrote and (re)completed a few months ago. In its first incarnation, written in 2006, it was known as Occam’s Razors (long-time readers of this blog will likely recognize that title).
4. Start the novel which will follow Heart’s Chalice (optimally, I want HC to be the first book of a trilogy).
5. Consider doing something with House on Bear Branch and Beast of Stoney Creek, two creepy novels I wrote in 2007 (except that their titles suck eggs and are highly subject to change).
6. Write short stories. Speculative fiction, since that seems to be what I’m segueing toward (HC can’t decide whether it wants to be paranormal romance, magical realism, or dark fantasy, but it’s leaning more and more toward dark fantasy). Submit to markets which publish speculative fiction in order to build publishing credits. Plus write short stories and flash for my blog readers.
7. Get better about promoting myself and my work. I’m disciplined about writing; I need to become disciplined about promotion.
8. Keep blogging, keep hiking, keep gardening, keep reading, keep playing and composing music, and above all keep loving and laughing and learning.
And since no TL post would be complete without hiking pictures, I offer you the mountain at twilight:
Slime-sicles on a log:
Mud-sicles on the trail (yeah, it’s been cold here — could you tell? 
)
Remnants of our once-huge snow:
And the almost-full moon at night:
Happy New Year, everybody! I hope all of you have dreams come true in 2010.
15 Comments
Twilight, full-moon pictures (have you succumbed to the Twilight phenomenon?). Happy New Year TL and I’m sure you’ll have a productive year. I love speculative fiction (my poetry naturally leans that way with me even thinking about it) and it is a huge market (apparently).
Slime-sicles and mudsicles? Thanks for reminding me how happy I am to live farther south. Brr!!!
You have some great resolutions there. You’re an amazing person and I wish you all the best in 2010!
Happy New Year, Thomma Lyn! I posted my own resolutions on my blog too! I am excited about this coming year! I wish you and yours the very best 2010!
I really like your slime-sicles and mud-sicles photos.
I’m sure your resolutions will come to pass.
Hi, Gabrielle! No offense to anyone reading this who likes the Twilight books, but no, Stephanie Meyer’s work just isn’t my thing. My spec fiction tastes run more toward Neil Gaiman. Yesterday’s hike extended past sunset, and I’ve long had a love for the mountain twilight sky. And that full moon was just too gorgeous to resist. I hope you have a wonderful New Year, and I look forward to reading more of your lovely poetry.
hehe, Bunnygirl! And huge ((((((((((warm fuzzies))))))))))). You’re an amazing person yourself, and I’m so glad we’re friends. Happy New Year!
Thank you, Beth! I’ll check out your resolutions. I wish you and your family all the best in the New Year!
Thanks, Leah! I so appreciate your confidence. I want 2010 to be my best writing year yet. Happy New Year to you, my friend — hope it’s a wonderful one.
Now see? That’s why I don’t make resolutions anymore, although you’re almost sort of inspiring me to try again.
This beta reader is eager to get to work for you.
Thanks, ((((((((Susan!))))))))) I look forward to your feedback on HC, and I want to return the favor by Beta-reading your WIP when it’s ready.
Hoping to do a much better job keeping my writing-related resolutions this year (fingers crossed)!
Thomma Lyn, you, my dear dear friend got it going on in so so many ways. You’re a true inspiration.
And if I may be so bold as to say on your puritanical blog that I find you in general an ass-kicker when it comes to setting and reaching goals, I’d like to now take my liberty in saying that.
You kick ass!
You’re a real go-getter!!
And you’re such a wonderful hiker and photo snapper. may the mountain ever sustain and grow your sweet spirit.
And funny… “Gonna have to work harder on coming out of my shell in 2010.” As to promotion, for me too. But I think you did a pretty great job of it.
xoxo
Huge hugs, ((((((((Jannie!)))))))) Thank you so much.
hehe @ puritanical blog — I do feel more like an ass-kicker all the time, and it’s a good feeling. And more like a go-getter, too. In fact, I was talking to hubby this morning about it being New Year’s Eve, and it isn’t just a New Year coming up, it’s a new decade.
So I told him, 2010′s gonna be my Writing Decade. Not that I haven’t already been writing, but the teens will be my decade where Things Are Gonna Happen. ‘Cause I intend to — as Jean Luc Picard from Star Trek:TNG would say — “make it so.”
You’re an inspiration, too, my dear, sweet friend. You rock in all conceivable ways — in your creativity, your wonderful music, your joy for life. I wish you and your loved ones all the best in the coming decade and I am so happy and blessed to have you as my friend.
Happy New Year, Thomma Lyn! Keep up those beautiful hikes – I so love tagging along with you on the mountain. All the very, very best to you in 2010 – hope it’s magical.
Thanks, Julia! I’m glad you enjoy coming along on my hikes. Happy 2010 to you, too — I hope you have a wonderful year.
Such a great goal-knower!
I’m sure you’ll experience alot more success in 2010, because it just intuitively feels you’re ready! You’re such a hard worker, n will achieve your dreams. I just know it!
Your mountain pics are great- I like the slimecycles! Such a pretty sap color.
Thanks for being so inspirational in relaying your creative efforts.
Happy New Year!
Thanks so much, Snaggle! I have high hopes for 2010 and the “teens” — over time, I’ve become more and more focused, and I feel ready to rock and roll. And all of you, my friends who read this blog, help inspire me to want to reach for more.
hehe, glad you like the slimecicles! Aren’t they cool? Pun intended!
And those mudsicles were neat, too — so crunchy to walk on. I’m glad we got to know one another online — you’re a great blog buddy! Happy New Year, my friend!
Love that twilight picture. Your resolutions sound great. You did accomplish a lot last year, and I know you’ll do good with this years goals as well. I’m glad 2009 is done. Tomorrow I’ll wake up a brand-spankin’ new person. One can only hope. Happy New Year, KS.
(((((((bunches of hugs for a great new year!))))))))))
Thanks so much, KS! Yeah, 2009 was a good year for writing, even though it turned out quite differently than I expected. That’s a good thing, because ultimately, it produced the version of HC which has fallen into place so well, WOO HOO!
I’m excited about the New Year, too, and am feeling more focused than ever. Happy New Year, my dear friend, and I’m sending you bunches of ((((((((((((ginormous hugs)))))))))), and the Ballicai are sending purrs.