Friday, December 26, 2014

Looking Back at 2014

 I decided to take a look at my 2014 goals before I sit down and start writing my new ones.

This was a busy and emotional year. DH spent part of the summer in and out of the cardiologist's office and hospital. It was a scary and stressful time, but we made it and things are looking better. The child has a new career that he enjoys. It just takes him away from home weeks at a time, but it is as it should be.

My 2014 GOALS

  • Writing Goals
    • Start a new series.
      • Started the Reluctantly Undead series. Have the first book in the Briary Creek Wolves series coming out in 2015.
    • Outline books 5-8 of the Bryant Curves series.
      • I have books 5, 6, and 7 in various stages of the outline process.
    • Write 4 to 5 books.
      • Wrote 3 books (Abby's Heart, Reluctantly Undead, and Saving Courtney).
    • Start blogging more. 
      • This is up and down. It still needs work.
  • Health Goals
    • Eat more fruits and vegetables.
      • I have worked on incorporating more vegetables into the dishes I cook.
    • Cook more chicken and fish.
      • I have added more chicken and turkey to my diet, and have increase the amount and kinds of fish in my diet. I need to find new recipes.
    • Go back to the gym.
  • Other Goals
    • Start doing cross stitch and embroidery again.
    • Take more pictures. 
      • I have taken a lot more pictures, but I have used my phone more than my camera.
    • Take a vacation.
      • We actually managed to go on two smaller vacations. It was nice.
    • Decorate for the holidays. 
It was not a bad year when it comes to my goals. I have some things I need to work on, but I'm happy with what I have achieved.
 
How did your goals for 2014 go? Did you achieve some of them or did some goals get away from you and remain undone?

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Thursday, December 18, 2014

What I Love About Christmas


Here are a few things I love about Christmas:

The lights
I love all the beautiful light displays. This year, there seems to be a lot more houses that have decorated. Some displays are simply, but others are over the top elaborate. Very pretty at night.

The decorations
I love all the decorations. I used to make wreaths, cards, cross stitch pieces.

The carols
There's always at least one radio station that has changed their normal play list to around the clock Christmas music.

The movies
Love the Christmas movies the Hallmark Channel has been showing.

The Christmas cartoons
 - Charlie Brown Christmas
 - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
 - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

The giving spirit
This time of year the spirit of giving and helping others seems to be more active. Maybe it's just the fact the news is looking for these stories at this time of the year.  Last night on the news, there was another story about someone who paid the lay-aways of various families.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Finding Story Ideas

"Where do you find your ideas?"

EVERYWHERE!

Sometimes ideas come from:
  • something I hear on the news,
  • an article about a fantastical discovery, a new theory, or something strange,
  • a snippet of an overheard conversation
  • a place I happen to visit,
  • a road sign,
  • the name of a place,
  • the characters in my books,
  • my dreams and nightmares,
  • songs,
  • the weather,
  • a scent,
  • or some crazy combination of things.
The past few weeks, I've watched several Christmas movies. The whole "letter to Santa thing" got me to thinking. "What if..."
I now have an idea, actually a couple of pages of notes, for a Christmas story. It needs to be outlined and fleshed out, but the idea is on paper. Unfortunately, it won't be ready for this Christmas, but I hope to have it ready for Christmas 2015.

A couple of weeks ago, we were on a drive. I jotted down several names of dry creeks and roads that made the wheels in my head turning with a possible series idea. I'm not sure where or when I will actually use the names, but they are safe in my ideas book, along with my growing list of possible character names.

I always have a notepad and pens with me, because I never know when an idea or inspiration is going to hit me.