Tag: 2016 goals

The best of 2016

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 5 Comments

I know year end round ups are the thing to do. Feel free to skip reading mine. I almost skipped writing it. LOL

I tripled my views this year, tripled my visitors, average views per visitor remained the same, I doubled my likes (hrm, that’s disconcerting, more of you come but you like less), and double my comments. All in all I doubled my followers. Thanks for coming to check it out, thanks for staying to see what I do next.

I read 80 books this year. Reviewed all of them here except for the ones I beta’d. Those I will review when the authors are ready.

I failed to publish my sophomore novel.

You all were most amused by my post complaining about my child lying to me.

But that was closely followed by my post explaining what a bitch I am when forced to fill a power vacuum.

Of course T is for Twitter, Happy Birthday Me, and O is for Oops were all a solid third place showing.

My Goals, which I flung out there at the start of the year and then tattled on myself all year long about:

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ ROFLMAO – Not so much. Maybe half the year. Shrug. things got crazy this year and my writing took the brunt of it. More on that later.

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ I did it. And two people in my seminar published this year. I am continuing the series next year.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel…

I dumped my 2015 novel. I plan to revamp it as a pseudo sequel to my Scripting the Truth, set in post WWII London in a film noir style detective work. The main character in the new novel will be the detective from my 2015 nano novel who happens to be war buddies with Molly’s brother. See the tangential bit. wink wink nudge nudge.

– write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

Done. Went through critique round one, fixed it. Out to beta right now. Planning for early March publication.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Yes and oh mi god are these kids awesome. 3 of my five Nano students wrote more than 50K in November. And I finally managed to motivate my geography kids into doing their homework. Candy, candy is the answer.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ I finally got the hang of this by rotating my compulsions. LOL

– yoga daily.

√ Closest I have ever come in my life. I can say with out a doubt, five days a week on average all year.

Things I did not plan on but survived:

The pool board from hell. (Not to be confused with the condo board of the apocalypse. That is an awesome book.) The pool board from hell was, well, hellish. And not just the members are never grateful and snotty bad. But like fist fights, embezzlement, audits by the state, losing friends bad.

A relapse of Epstein Barr. Considering the above entry I will just say better EB that a stay in the pysche ward.

Health crisis for the hubs.

Inability to read for my seven year old. Which led to testing, therapy, testing and finally an actual diagnosis and solution which is WORKING!

And finally my FIL rerouting Christmas from my house to my SILs. The SIL who doesn’t speak to my hubs or me for that matter. Yeah.

2016 can end now please. I am ready for a new year. I hope your holidays are bright, your family warm, your heart full of love, and your mind ready for the adventure that comes next. Cheers!

 

Wednesday Writer’s Update 11/16

~ tahenryauthoress ~ Leave a comment

Greetings and Salutations my dear readers. I have been busy. Busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. Moving faster than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

Saturday was Bard and Starlet. People say it went well. I nod. It was pure torture. And then when it was all over I got to see the video of me. Fat video of me. Bleh.

Sunday was writing on the road. I am half astounded at how many words I am pouring into my spy novel. And on the other hand, I knew it needed some help in the back half. I guess I am astounded that I am finding so many words to add. But I am.

Monday was a day of chaos at the coop. Half the school was out sick, leaving to few of us to do a lot of jobs. But Monday’s over and I think I have some good classes lined up for next session.

I am painting all the trim in all the rooms now that the painters are finally done with their part of the job. I am trying to get it all arranged before the Sinterklaas party we have every year. That’s the first weekend in December for those of you who aren’t Dutch.

I think that about covers my life. How are you? Drowning in Nano? The second week slump should be about up now right? Tell me all about it.

Wednesday Writer’s Update 11/2

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 1 Comment

Good morning! I am not in rainy Washington right now. I am in sunny LA. Ok, yes, the smog feels almost like cloud cover but it’s warm. sigh. Brief moment of sheer pleasure that my summer sundresses are out of hiding and into the sun.

Moving on. I have a confession to make. I went to the first minute write in Monday night before we left on vacation. I’m so weak. I caved. But I must finish editing my spy novel.

Before that first minute write in, I helped my neighbors out with their haunted woods. I was a “coffee zombie.” Basically I lurched around calling fro coffee rather than brains which the adults found hilarious. One mom, on hearing my groans for coffee, shines a light in my face and asks her kid, “does she look like mommy before I have my coffee?” The kid’s eyes got super wide and she nodded all serious. Man kid you are brave. I am in FULL zombie face here. LOL

We’re in SoCal with another family this week, taking the kiddos to Universal for Harry Potter land and Legoland for well everything lego related. This isn’t really what I would call a vacation. But I won’t have to cook or clean for 5 days and a happy kiddo is about the best I can ask for at this age. sigh.

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

 

 

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ Working my butt off on this. Ready for beta readers in December.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Time is flying. I have 6 writers in my Nano class. One of them, is actually going for the full 50K. I am so excited. She has really supportive parents and I think she can actually make it.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ Doing good. Although kicking the hubs ass at archery this weekend but a definite crink in my right shoulder. LOL

– yoga daily.

√ eh, 4 days this week.

Wednesday Writer’s Update 10/19

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 5 Comments

Good morning! It’s going to be one of those days today, so I’m just going get this up now and check at least one thing off my to do list. I love lists. I love the brain emptying, peace inducing process of getting everything that needs to be done out and on to paper. Then the pure joy of crossing things off one by one as I finish them or decide maybe they don’t need my time or attention. “Nevermind, I’m not doing that.”

I’ve been tracking what I do for a few days now, because I assigned my Nano to Pub class at the coop to do so as well in preparation for setting their Nano goals. And damn I am busy. I’d like to say there’s plenty of fluff space in there where I could be working harder on my goals but the reality is there is NOT. wrinkles nose. I need to ponder how I can make some adjustments.bard-starlet-radio-hour-flyer-2016-ghosts-final

The big news this week….is Bard and Starlet. It is on.

We have actors and a director.

This is the first time something I have written will appear on the stage. Kind of exciting.

But at the same time, two members of FVP are publishing this month. And I am not.

I was not a good guardian of my own time. And I am paying for it now.

 

 

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday at for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ sigh, I gotta be honest. This had just ceased to be a priority. Say good bye to flash fiction.

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Just had our October meeting this past weekend. It was more of a prepare for Nanowrimo than a publish. But it is time to get ready to write.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ Working on it. Still planning to be ready for beta readers before the end of November.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Teaching. I have actually have 6 students in both of my classes, which sounds sad but is really impressive given 75% of our students are 4th grade of less. I am super pleased with my turn out. I have just enough kids that they spurn each other on to talk but everyone can have a say because there’s time for 6 kids to have opinions.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ I haven’t been painting, crocheting, or writing much. Too much time spent cleaning out four rooms for the painters. I seriously think we have too much stuff. I feel a major purge coming….after my book goes to beta. LOL

– yoga daily.

√ Yes, I am actually doing this. Which is how I am keeping my cool with everything else going on. LOL

Wednesday Writers Update

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

Ha- I’m actually at cafe. No, really. I am. I’m waiting on my chicken pesto three cheese gluten free pizza. ooh it’s here. Hold please, must consume food.

Ok, I’m back. So my friend V is very excited about this publishing convention cruise she heard about. But dang it’s pricey. 200 for the convention. 600 for the cruise. plus flight from PacNW to Florida. If only. sigh. Part of me thinks it could be a great investment but then I think for 2K I could do a lot of online marketing. ALOT.

I think it’s probably a no brainer. I’ll saving cruising for the fam and spend my novel dollars where it might do some good.

I’ve forgotten how many interesting and random conversations I end up having at write in.

-Whether a character should be made to be more obviously evil.

-Car accident someone had

-the cruise

-time difference to Germany

-the process of creating a name for a new species

-pokemon go and traveling to catch unique pokemons

 

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Totally did not happen in July and is very unlikely to happen in August. It will become obvious as you read on.

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Working on it.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ Beta is back and now I need to fix it. Get out the sledge hammer.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ I got one of the books I was planning to use for research. That’s forward motion.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ Been doing well since I have no time to do anything fun. pout.

– yoga daily.

√ Actually I have been doing this.

–  New Goals: Survive the pool board

I think it’s down below ten hours a week which is good because I’m ramping up responsibility at the coop my son attends and where I’m on the board. Yes, I’m on two boards. Yes, I’m crazy. I get that. But I really thought the pool would be low key. And I love the coop. Ok that might be a stretch, but my son loves the coop and I am willing to put in the hours to make it a good place for him to thrive.

I’ve done 3 of the 72 things on my August to do list. Think I’ll make it? ROFL

Wednesday (No) Writing Update

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

ha.

I’m not at cafe.

I’m not writing.

I’m not processing my beta edits.

I’m not painting my house.

I’m not writing curriculum for the school year which starts in 6 weeks.

I’m not yoga every day.

I’m barely even showering regularly.

Although perhaps taken together some of these things aren’t so bad. LOL

It appears I have found my sense of humor again, maybe. I can’t be depressed if I’m still laughing at myself right?

Tell me a joke, make me laugh.

 

Wednesday Writer’s Cafe 6/22

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 10 Comments

There is no point in waiting til tonight to post this, I’m won’t be at Cafe. Once again I am dealing with stuff for the club, compounded by my lack of baby sitter. I need to find a solution to that little kerfluffle at some point.

In the mean time, I have stupendous news. I finished my spy novel. Yes, you read that right, after 4.5 years of work, I am done with my first draft. ROFL

It will not be another 4.5 years til publish. With a little luck, how about 4.5 months til publish. Like that?

Want to help? I need two rounds of beta readers. I know what you’re thinking, critique partner, hello? Ok, so for my first book that was my hubs. That worked pretty well except he’s slow as hell to get it back to me, he has a full life and a demanding wife, oh wait…

It was him for my second book too. Which didn’t work well, he knew all the twists ahead of time because he knows how my brain works which led to me dropping that book. So, skipping the hubs til later in the process.

First round of beta, I want writers, mostly. I have a great reviewer all queued up to sink her teeth in. So my fellow writers, who wants to tear it all to pieces?

Don’t worry my lovely readers, your turn is coming. Soon, I promise.

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday at cafe for a little prod of accountability.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Nothing for June, but hey I finished my Spy Novel, cut me some slack. LOL

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Rolling ahead. We got a new guy last time. But that’s going well. I was able to get him a critique partner and he’ll just be five months behind the rest of us. No worries. I’ll post about the class this upcoming weekend.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ I did it, I did it, I said that I would do it and indeed I did.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ Yeah, yeah, I’ve done jack all on this this week.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ Check.

– yoga daily.

√ Er, getting back to that. I got a little side tracked last week.

Predictive Goals Update

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 1 Comment

Still on vaca with the family. So here’s a little goals update (ha-ha) and some predictions regarding those goals…

Days spent in the pool: 9

Days spent in the ocean: 3

Drinks consumed per day on average: 2 (alcoholic and fruity)

Books read: 7 (including my own)

Words written: 12K

massages: 3

yoga: daily

Games of Dominion played: shoot me now levels.

Be home sooner or later. Miss you. Wish you were here. The lounger next to me is open on deck 12…just bring me a drink eh?

Wednesday Writer’s Cafe 3/23

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 3 Comments

Tonight’s post will be full of shock and awe, are you ready? Are you sitting down? Do you have your coffee?

A) I am actually at write in! Woot! laughing. It’s been a rough month but here I am planning for Norwescon which starts tomorrow. Not that I am really going Thursday. I plan to drop a friend off, get my badge, drop my books off to the Indie writers table I am hawking my wares at (quick shout out to Jeff from Clockwork Dragon), and give the kiddo a tour of where mommy will be spending the weekend.

B) I have jettisoned my murder mystery. The facts, just the fact. I hate it. I hated writing it during nano. I had a miserable time doing Nano last year and that misery has clung to the draft like the stench of rotten sushi clings to the interior of your car when your kiddo drops a couple of salmon rolls under the seat and doesn’t tell you. I was continuing to work on it because I felt I owed it to the Nano to Publish folks to stay on the same time line I was asking them to meet. However Sheri reminded me that I published on this schedule last year, so I’m not really asking them to do anything I haven’t done. So it’s over. I stuck a fork in it.

C) My spy novel is on like donkey kong.

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday at cafe for a little prod of accountability. The goals have been adjusted to reflect those I have completed and those I have dropped as not worthy at this time. LOL

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ Er, March is almost over and I haven’t done jack all for this. And really I am not going to before the end of the month. I am off to Norwescon, then to Lego land. Maybe just maybe I’ll be inspired somewhere along that mess but it’s doubtful.

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ Going swimmingly. March was awesome and you can read all about that this weekend.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

√ I’m working on it. I’m actually working on it.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ um, this is very up in the air. There’s some stuff going on. More when I can.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either.

√ I kind of got into a little painting obsession but I have not caused myself any pain. LOL

– yoga daily.

√ More or less.

Wednesday Writer’s Cafe 2/10

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

Greetings and Salutations dear reader. I have been busier than a one legged man in an @$$ kicking contest. Back in September I thoughtlessly told the current co-president of my son’s coop that if she couldn’t find someone to step up by January, I would consider being co president for the 2016-2017 school year. So of course by January she hadn’t found anyone, so I signed on. Then last Monday she approached the pair of us co-pres and asked us to step up now as she needs to pull back and the other co-pres just left. Um….my nicely staggered responsibility arc for this year just slammed into overdrive.

Earlier tonight I was accepted into the FreeValley Publishing cooperative. This is pretty exciting news. I now have access to a number of marketing events over the course of the year. I need to order more books. If you’re local to the PacNW keep tuned in, I’ll be posting about events. The first of which is NorWesCon the last weekend in March.

I’ve decided to report on my stated 2016 goals each Wednesday at cafe for a little prod of accountability.

– Research marketing locations for the next free giveaway for Scripting the Truth. Figure out the Reddit problem. Fine tune my categorization on amazon.

√ I abandoned the Reddit problem. They can kiss my @$$. Yes I am feeling a little profane tonight, I’m too tired to think of better descriptive words. FVP should help with marketing. Plus I just crossed the magical ten reviews line on Amazon. I can now take advantage of a number of marketing options. More on that soon.

– Write 2500 plus words per week on my 2015 Nano novel til completion. (Only another 5-6 weeks to go on that, I think.)

√ Done.

– Participate in one flash fiction challenge per month.

√ I need to do something for February. There’s a short story competition I was thinking about getting something together for but I just don’t think I have the time to make the deadline. See the commentary about being co-president. I didn’t even mention I’m still on the scheduling committee for this year. And on the board at the club. No wonder I don’t have time to work my writing career.

– Prepare and teach “Nano to Publish”.

√ January was good. February is in the works. Less preparation for this month. I want to have lots of time to interact with the class because that first critique can really hurt.

– Edit my 2015 Nano Novel for 2016 publication.

√ First critique is pending. So far I’ve heard it’s not as good as Scripting the Truth and he knew who the murderer was ten pages after the body was found. Well bleep, bleep, bleep.

– Any time I am not actively working on my 2015 Nano Novel, write 2500 words per week on my spy novel until it is done. (After four years, it’s time to put this mess to bed.)

-Non Applicable at this time.

Non writing goals

– Prepare and teach two classes at the coop for the 2016-2017 school year.

√ This got complicated. I should know soon though if N to P is going to happen. And then there’s this other nebulous maybe class, it’s messy. LOL. That should be my new tag line. My life is messy.

– Take better care of my body, ie. stop compulsively painting, crocheting, and writing until my back or shoulder is so tore I can barely use either. Which leads me to …

√ I did good this week. There was one night where I spent too long at the table working.

– yoga daily.

√ yeppers. Only one 90 minute bout again. It’s hard to squeak out that much time. But soon the kiddo will be done with his two lego classes which means I will have only one morning a week that I need to be out of the house by 9A. That gives me some breathing room.

Breathing room. Sounds divine. God knows I could use some.