All in all, lots of good things.
I've also learned a lot about myself as a writer and what defines success. Although I would still be thrilled to receive that "Big 6" book deal, I have also learned that there are many ways to crack the nut of getting published, and I've learned that it's all about being open-minded, resourceful, and diverse. Whether they are people downloading content directly or buying it off the shelves, it's been a real thrill to have people I don't know actually reading my work. It's reaffirmed why I want to do this and why, ultimately, it's the thing I was made to do. I thank everyone who has read my work, even the ones who didn't like it. Without them, I wouldn't really have a very honest yardstick against which to measure myself. No one benefits from having sunshine blown up their ass 24/7. My laurels love ever so much to be sat upon, so the criticism, even when it stings, keeps me humble and makes me better.
So there is a lot in store on the creative front, but I discussed that in a previous blog post, so I don't need to go there. So I'll just conclude with a few wishes for the upcoming year.
- I wish for my husband to find happiness and contentment in a workplace that appreciates his brilliance and pays him accordingly. Not only because we could use the money, but because when it comes to a job, everyone should be paid what they're worth, and he's worth a hell of a lot more than he's being paid.
- I wish for my dad's business to continue to flourish and for my mom to be able to follow her passion for art and sculpting.
- I wish for my daughter to enter middle school and to alleviate all of my anxieties and fears that I have about that particular era in a child's life by not becoming one of the nightmarish kids I remember from my own days in middle school.
- I wish for my cat to stop barfing and stressing me out and to get the memo that he's supposed to be immortal, dammit.
- I wish for people who think the apocalypse is nigh this year to get out and enjoy their lives a little more instead of obsessing over shit over which they have absolutely zero control and is probably fiction anyway. And if I turn out to be wrong about that, I really hope the apocalypse has better special effects than the Roland Emmerich movie.
- I wish for Grand Theft Auto V to be released in the earlier part of the year rather than the latter, so I have more time to play it in case the previous bullet point comes to pass.
- I wish to become better and better at what I do, and that not only includes writing but also includes mothering, being a better wife, eating healthier, designing better book covers, not procrastinating so damn much, and living up to my potential.
- I wish happiness and fulfillment for all.
That's about it, I guess. I'm sure I could have tacked more things on there, but "moar readers" and "millions of dollars" is all pretty self-evident.
Happy New Year to everybody near and far, lovers and haters alike. May you all find reason to celebrate in the coming year.
