Rather than rehashing 2020, I’m going to put my 2021 goals out there. Of course life can be full of surprises and detours so these are subject to change.

Goal number 1

I plan to write Primal Magic and Fallen Magic. Primal Magic has started off as a huge challenge, but that’s okay. I get to write what I love, and I’ll keep doing it.

Goal number 2:

Newsletter/Email List. I’m striving to send out emails to my list more frequently and consistently, and share more of myself. My goal is to send out an email roughly every two weeks, or once a month at the very least. If I work up to more, that’s great. But I must have something to say or share in each one. I’m not going to send a generic spammy thing.

I’m doing this because fans who cared enough to sign up for my newsletter/emails deserve that. They are not just a commodity to me, they are the second reason I write books I believe in. If you’re wondering, the first reason is me–I believe that love can be transformative when we choose it to be and this is how I share that message. I also think hate is easier to engage in and spread than real, meaningful love.

Goal number 3

I want to do more with my blog. Specifically, I want to begin with Wednesday, and turn that into more about writing, and motivating others to go after their dreams. I have a ton I want to talk about, and I want to give back by sharing more about all I’ve learned and experienced in my journey. But I absolutely must be sure I can commit to writing a weekly blog for that, or make sure I have a guest blogger. Even short, tightly focused pieces have a way of taking way more time than I think they will.

If you’re still with me, I need some title suggestions for this. I came up with The Activator Series (activate the hero in you to go after your dreams), but you all may have better titles.

I’m not exactly sure when I’ll launch this, but I may just jump and do it next week Starting is always the first step.

Goal number 4

I hope at some point to grow number 3 into a podcast or videos. I don’t have specifics on this yet. I’ve decided to start with weekly blogs, and then figure out where I can have the most value to add to someone’s life.

Those are my goals at the moment, Now I’d love to hear what you have planned for 2021.

We got through Christmas and we’re almost out of 2020! Although, while I’m the first to laugh at the funny 2020 memes, I don’t think the year is to blame for the crappy year. A novel virus happened and humans acted like humans. But it’s fun to blame 2020

We had a really nice Christmas. Wizard and I spent the day alone, and made it special together. I managed to surprise him with one of his gifts and that really made me happy. Sunday we went to middle son’s, where he and his wife made delicious steak dinner. CPA Boy, Special K and Turbo joined us in person, and Youngest and his wife joined via Zoom because her job exposes her to Covid a bit more regularly than the rest of us. It was lowkey and perfect. Two years ago, we put a stop to the over the top gift giving, now the adults each have a secret Santa, so we each buy and get one gift. making it simple. We shifted the focus to spending time together and all of us enjoy it more. Of course, we all got Turbo gifts because he’s two and it’s fun   He had a blast too.

It’s after 10pm here as I’m writing this, so I’m tired and going to keep this short. but I’m ready for the holidays to be over now and get back to working and writing.

How was your holiday?

It’s the holidays whether we’re ready or not! We’re staying home Christmas Day. Normally we go to Wizard’s mom’s house and have tamales, but Covid has made that dangerously unwise. Instead, we’ll cook a turkey, some sides and enjoy our day together. We plan to see the kids on Sunday for a very small family gift exchange. Covid is really limiting our celebrations, but if we all stay healthy, I’ll be very grateful.

Please everyone, let’s be as careful as we can so that in 2021, we can defeat this pandemic and get back to living full on in person!

To Each of You:

NOTE: I won’t be posting on Friday because it’s Christmas :-). I’ll check in next week, then be back to regular blogging schedule the first week of 2021.

I just plain petered out this weekend. The high lights are:

I bought Maggie a new bed last week. She likes it! Wizard and I both tried to sneak a picture if her, but she caught us every danged time. We’re pretty sure Maggie’s in the Canine Witness Protection Program with the way she avoids pictures.

Wizard has a sinus infection. It’s been going on for a while, his symptoms have been similar to regular allergies, but his ears wouldn’t clear up. He saw his doctor on Friday and is on antibiotics. We stayed home this weekend and it was quiet and boring. We are cautious even though he’s had this exact same sinus infection before.

Another friend (really a friend of Biker Witch’s) went in the hospital with Covid. Please take care of yourselves.

I’m loving the second book in Ilona Andrews WHITE HOT, the second book in her Hidden Legacy series. I’m reading it on my Kindle, and while I’m generally fast reader, my eyes are bothering me due to allergies and I need new contacts or glasses soon. Also, I find myself going back to reread parts of scenes to make sure I understand the worldbuilding. That’s NOT due to her writing, it’s just me reading too fast because I’m impatient and try to jump ahead to find out what happens next.

Primal Magic will get written. It WILL. One way or another. I’ve spent soooo much time and work plotting, but getting this book off to the races is a real battle. Even Eli and Savi know the problem, HEY IDIOT, IT’S A ROMANCE, HOW ABOUT YOU GET US TOGETHER???? Then maybe you’d have a story? Just a thought. Sigh. Of course then I start thinking, Oh? You two want to be together? How about I put you together in this pit of demonic vipers? How’s that? Keep complaining, and I’ll put a sex scene right there in that pit of demonic vipers too! How’s that for romantic?

I need more coffee. Or wine. Or words. Or maybe I need fewer words? LOLOL! Possibly, the stress of 2020 is getting to me

So that was my weekend, how was yours?

TGIF! Let’s jump into sharing 5 random things about our week.

1. Guys, I hate to state the obvious, but did you know Christmas is NEXT WEEK? I sort of knew, but life’s been pissing a bunch of sad worry on us, so I put Christmas on the back burner. Then this week it dawned on me that Christmas is next week. Holy Christmas Cookies!
2. FYI, there’s no Christmas Cookies here. But I needed chocolate, so I made a batch of Giant Double Chocolate Chip Cookies. If you’re a deep, dark and rich chocolate fan, the recipe is here .
3. Guilt motivated me to attempt Christmas cards. I’ve pulled these together at the last minute before, so I knew I could do it. I staged a photo shoot, I think it went well…
4. We’ve decided NOT to send out Christmas Cards this year after all   Both Wizard and I mutually agreed it would be for the best, LOL!
5. I love this face! Maggie is one of the many gifts in our lives that we are grateful for every single day.

And I’m grateful for each of you!

That’s my very weird five random things about my week, now I’d love to hear yours! I hope everyone has a healthy, safe and good weekend!

Do you ever just want to punch life in the face? If so I have a couple guys for you!

Number 1

Or my personal favorite:

Number 2

Which one works better for your needs?

Happy Wednesday!

The weekend was okay. Wizard has a friend who is very sick and in the hospital with Covid, and we have a family member struggling with a non-Covid serious illness. But we are staying positive and hopeful.

Otherwise, I worked on getting some stuff ready for a boxed set I plan to release in Feb. To do this, I had to rewrite and tighten blurbs, revise a bunch of reader letters and get things ready for my formatter after Christmas. I originally planned to do that a little at a time, but I found it easier to just tackle the big items all at once. It’s a relief to get the bulk of that work done, so it’s ready to go when I need it. Because, you know, I’m juggling things, LOL.

This weekend, my brother called to chat, and teased me about being driven. I’m not particularly ambitious, I just have stories to tell, and a very stubborn nature I was surprised that he sees me that way. On the other hand, I have written about seven opening scenes for Eli in Primal Magic, searching for the one works…and some might view that as a tad obsessive or driven.

I also cleaned, clued Wizard into my plan to create a small secondary office in an upstairs bedroom in 2021 (Wizard is mentally adjusting to the idea) and I finished reading BURN FOR ME by Ilona Andrews. I’m hooked on that series now!

So that was my weekend, how was yours?