Why hello there, 2013

2012 was, to put it mildly, a very tumultuous year for me. There was good and there was bad. There was amazing and there was horrible. There were beginnings and there were endings. Then there was my writing. 

I've always loved to write. I didn't always know I wanted to be a writer. Writing takes a lot of imagination, something which I have always had an abundance of. Being a writer takes a lot of self confidence, something which I have occasionally lacked.    

In December of 2011 I wrote a Regency novella with the intention of submitting it to Harlequin for their Historical Undone collection.

The e-mail was never sent.

Instead, I downloaded a free book on my kindle and read it cover to cover overnight. I can't even remember what it is called, or who it was by. What I do remember is that it was amazing, and I ended up researching the author to see if they had any other titles out. They did, and I read them all in quick succession, marveling at the low price of $0.99 per copy. I did a little more investigating.

And I discovered self-publishing.

I sent some e-mails out to self-published authors who were already established. The first one went out to Tammy Blackwell, who wrote the ah-mazing Timber Wolves Trilogy (click here). She replied almost immediately, answering every single question I had and then some.

After hours and hours of research, I finally decided to take the plunge and self-publish the novella I had intended to submit to Harlequin. It was called A Brooding Beauty, and it became the first in the Wedded Women Quartet.

Along the way I discovered how to make halfway decent cover art. I fixed my editing mistakes. I redesigned the format. I realized how amazing the KDP select program is. I sold a few books. I released A Ravishing Redhead. I sent e-mail after e-mail after e-mail to amazing bloggers all over the world, asking them to read and review my work. I discovered Goodreads. I sold a few more books. I tried my hand at completing a full length young-adult book and released After Ever followed quickly by Pitch. I contacted more bloggers. I paid for some advertising. I created a Facebook author page. I released A Lascivious Lady. I received my first fan mail. I received my first negative reviews. I redid this blog. I got writer's block like nobody's business. I delayed the release of A Gentle Grace. Then I delayed it again. I wrote and released A Winter Wish. I sold a few more books.

Phew.

This year I am keeping my writing goals fairly simple.

1) Finish A Gentle Grace
2) Finish the sequel to Pitch
3) Write two full length historical romances
4) Write a new novella quartet
5) Market my books more
6) Increase my sales

What is my ultimate writing goal? That's easy: to be able to support myself completely through my writing. Is that something I can accomplish in one year? I don't know. Probably not, but I sure as hell am going to try.

I have to say things are looking up so far. Three days into the New Year and I'm averaging 100 sales a day. I am absolutely certain that will drop, but I'm basking in the glow of it right now and will continue to do so until I drop back to my 45-50 a day average.

Ultimately I owe a big thank-you to YOU. For visiting this blog. For reading my books. For recommending them to a friend. For writing a review. For following me on Facebook. For even knowing who I am.

You rock.