2016 Projects

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a “Who Moved My Cheese” kind of person.  I have to have a goal, something that I’m working toward.  As we all know, the beginning of a new year is a perfect time to set knew goals and to really think about what we want to accomplish this year.  I have a few that I’ve been bouncing around in my mind.

I feel like I am in a constant battle with the things in my life.  You read that right.  I have so much stuff.  I feel like every couple of months or so I have a few bags full of clothes and knick-knacks to donate, but somehow if never feels like I make that much of a difference.  I still live in clutter.  How is that?  Why is that?  Why, as human beings, do we need so much stuff?  Here’s an answer.  We don’t!  We don’t need it.  Yet somehow, it accumulates.  I want to do a purge, a thorough cleansing of my house and all my stuff that I’ve held onto for years and years.

Another goal I have is to read more.  I’m off to a pretty good start.  I think I’ve already read about three or four books in 2016.  Yes, I am a freakishly fast reader.  My sister is too.  We’re both hoping to read more this year, especially independent books!  That’s another goal.  I want to help all those awesome indie authors out there go mainstream.  Lord knows they (we) work hard enough.

That leads me to my work goals for this year.  I have two books that I’m absolutely, 100%, for sure going to release this year.  Of course, I’m talking about the third book in the Boy Band series and the fourth book in the Cemetery Tours series.

Of course, I went ahead and designed the covers before actually finishing either book.  But you know, I like having the covers.  They help me visualize what my manuscripts will be when they become actual books.  While these are both pretty close to the final designs that I want for each book, I might end up tweaking each one just a little before publication.  As for when that will be, I’m hoping for a spring release for Worldwide and another autumn release for Lost Souls.  But I’m not setting myself any actual deadlines until I get further into each manuscript.  I’m done setting deadlines for a while.  They’re stressful!  Though they do make you work, so…

As for the books themselves, I can’t tell you too much about Worldwide without giving away spoilers from the second book, which I definitely want you to read.  I can tell you that we will finally see The Kind of September on tour.  I can also promise you that Mel will never find herself in the center of a love triangle.  I don’t have anything against love triangles.  I’ve dabbled with them before in my writing.  But that’s just Mel’s story.  For her, there is only Sam.  I had one reviewer mention that they really liked that about the Boy Band series and it totally made my day.  I really love that about Mel.  If it were up to her, life would be so simple.  She loves Sam and he loves her and that’s it.  Worldwide is going to be a whole new world for her, that’s for sure.

As for Lost Souls, Book Four in the Cemetery Tours series, Michael, Kate, Luke, and Brink are going to my favorite country in the world, Scotland.  I’m so excited because Michael is finally reaching a point in his life where he’s more confident and willing to take chances on new experiences.  Luke isn’t having to drag him around anymore.  He’s going to Scotland willingly.  He’s still got that dry, cynical sense of humor, but he appreciates life so much more now, and I love that.  I’m also just really excited to revisit Scotland, even if it is (for now) only in my mind.

I’m thinking I want to write one more book this year.  I have several in mind.  The last I counted, I had at least fifteen ideas for new novels and series.  I just don’t know which one it will be yet.  There are a few that I know have to wait for one reason or another. But I don’t want to forget any of these ideas.  I don’t think I will.  Some, I’ve had inside my head for years and they’re still developing and evolving.  I guess time will tell.

What are your goals for 2016?