Goal Number 1 - Check

Well, four days late, but I finished the edits/three new chapters of Night of Fire and Ash and got those sent off to betas.  Breaking in some new betas on this one, too, so I have more thank yous to dish out.

I doubt that I say it enough, but none of my books would be what they are without the hard working betas that volunteer to read and offer feedback.  They don't get paid, except in effusive praise, and on one occasion a pound cake, I think.  But they are crucial to my writing process.

Naturally, I'm a teeny weensy bit late starting JJD 4, but I'm not stressing about it yet.  Honestly, finishing NoFA was very liberating, even though the majority of it was already written. (Fun Trivia:  NoFA was my NaNoWriMo project back in 2009)  I proved to myself that I can still edit, I can still write.  I don't think I realized how much my year hiatus had really affected me, until I felt the weight of finishing something, anything, lift off my shoulders.

So, between now and April 1, I'll be working on JJD 4.  This will involve not only the writing of it, but coming up with a title, and maybe sorting through some cover artists to get an idea of what it's going to cost me to make this thing beautiful for you guys.

In all honesty, I will most likely not make the April 1 deadline I've given myself, but that's ok, because I really wanted it done before the RT Convention which takes place May 1-5.  I'll be speaking on a panel there, and signing books at the big shindig on Saturday, so I'm hoping to see some folks there!  Since I only have one panel to do, I'll be spending the rest of my time there attending events just like all of you, so don't be afraid to come up and say hi.  It's my first con, so I might hug.  Just fair warning.

After that, the rest of my year gets more hypothetical.  A lot of it depends on book deals (will there be one?  What book? When do they want it?  Etc.), and general real life chaos.  My ideal scenario would be to take a month to edit whatever project I've managed to sell (no doubt for 1 gajillion dollars (hey, I'm talking ideal here)) and then dive back into something new.  I've got a new idea that's been dancing around in the back of my head lately, and I might dive into that.

So, there's my life in a nutshell.  (Or nut house... Too close to call)