Happy New Year!

Okay, so for 2012 I decided I would spend more time at my desk and try to be more productive. I have one word for my progress/process – discombobulated. I’m finding it hard to get used to this new routine. I’m not really sure why either.

Honestly I should be sitting at my desk…I have a day job. They might get mad if I’m not doing it. But I’m not looking at my two work laptops. I’m concentrating on the desktop. I’ve decided to take a magazine writing class, which started yesterday. Although I’ve been doing this type of writing for years, I felt like I was in a rut. I needed to shake things up, so hopefully this will help.

I don’t like to make resolutions because I’m such a procrastinator that I know I’d fail. So I make a few goals and pray for the best. This year my only “true” goal is to complete the full length contemporary romance I’m writing in time for the RWA NEC Conference in April. I’ve scheduled two agent appointments and would like to pitch this book. And hey, if they don’t want it there’s always self-publishing.  I watch my friends in amazement at how much money they’re making and how many books they’re selling.

I have to say since self-publishing my two Christmas stories I’ve sold more in the 3 weeks than I did in the 3 years they were at Aspen Mountain. Well, what I was told I sold. Something tells me I sold more.

So please bear with me as I adjust to my new routine. I also want to promote more. I’m hoping to get my newsletter up and running by the 15^th. I’ll be giving away a ton of swag to those interested.

Did you make any resolutions or goals for 2012? Please share them with us!

Hello 2011!

I’m welcoming 2011 with open arms. Good riddance to 2010! So did any of you make resolutions? If so have you already broken them? ;) We’re only four days in, so I sincerely hope not!
I know myself too well. Had I made any they would’ve been broken by now. Sunday night as I prepped to return to work after a nine day vacation I was excited about the prospect of getting up early and writing. I’d started a new story over vacation. While I didn’t write much I felt refreshed. I’d spent most of my days on the couch reading great books.
I was waking up at 4am over the course of my vacation, which was a change from the month prior when I was crawling out of bed at 6. That didn’t leave much time for anything before the family woke for the day. Monday morning rolled around and guess what? It was 6am when I dragged my sorry butt out of bed.
I wasn’t discouraged though. I woke happy and a bit giddy. I wasn’t sure of the reason, but hey, who can fight a good mood.
After I caught up with my work stuff I set out to accomplish something on my to-do list. You see on Monday’s I normally make a list and try to keep my promise to complete it before the end of the week. I’m not foolish enough to say the end of the day! That’s just asking for me to rebel.
So when the end of the day arrived and I’d finished all but one item on my list I was pleasantly surprised.
Today I woke earlier and managed to get over 2k on my wip in before work. There’s no more sitting back and procrastinating, at least for now. I’m taking the bull by the horns and making things happen. No one else is going to write these books for me.
It’s only a few days into the New Year and I’ve added over 4k to my wip and finished an article I’d contracted for a non-fiction magazine. I’ve met that deadline.
I’m knee-deep in edits for my contracted book All or Nothing too. For once I’m happy I didn’t make any resolutions because there’s no pressure and no stress.
Hope everyone else is enjoying the start of the New Year!

New Year's Day

New Year’s Day is one of my favorite days of the year. Absolutely nothing happens at my house and I love the sense of peace. New Year’s Day feels like a clean slate. If my goals from the previous year were not achieved-who cares? I revise my goals. I always make some modest goals that can be implemented by February and at least set in motion.

January is my favorite time of year to do something new and beneficial to my health and my family’s health. I try to add something to my regime that makes me feel like I’m adding to the quality of life. This is a great time to learn and try healthier recipes, get more sleep or get out doors more often with my family for some natural light.

It’s also time to let go of things. If its not beautiful, useful or necessary-I ask myself should it go to someone else? This goes double for my closet.

My resolutions for this year are:

Enjoy more movies and get out to more live concerts.

Spend more time being silly and stupid. This is one goal I can easily achieve! Lol

Let people talk but not get caught in their drama. I’ll just enjoy the human drama and be a sounding board.

Be a bit more loving toward people who are hard to love-this goal is abstract because it applies to some folks I’ve never actually met.

Whenever possible give someone else a little encouragement or hope.

Happy New Year everyone! May 2010 be a wonderful year for all of us.

XXOO Kat