Back in a magical time known as the Nineties, I was in elementary school.  I was awkward.  I wore big plastic glasses.  I had a Dorothy Hamill haircut.  And every year, we had goals.  Reading, writing, math, not failing gym class, you know.  Goals.

Now we’re almost in 2015.  Which means….ugh, that means I’ve been out of high school for fifteen years.  Ew.  Moreover, 2015 is The Year.  This is The Year that I’ve been waiting for since I was in the 4th grade and writing stories with my girls Karen and Sara.

This is The Year that my book gets published.

Yes.  Mark your calendars, friends, because on August 4, 2015, my novel Anything You Ask of Me is going to be published by Knox Robinson Publishing, of New York and London.

Ba Zing.

My biggest goal has always been to get published.  I’m not the kind of kid who had goals of running marathons, or climbing mountains, or excelling in sports.  No.  I wanted my name to be on the front cover of a book.  A book I’d written.  As a teenager I had a desk full of “chapter ones” and folders full of story ideas.  But now–it’s happening!  My dad would be so insanely proud.

So, looking ahead, my current goal for 2015 is to come up with some new goals.  Thus far, I’ve come up with:

1. Remain calm and collected at my book release party, book signings, and other book release….goings on (?)
2. Finish and edit my next historical, Since April
3. Get my contemporary paranormal, With Me Now, under contract
4. Get it together and go to a writer’s conference.

This is a good start.  Blog more should be on this list as well, because obviously I’m suffering from distraction issues these days.  And, probably, pick the next novel idea to work on after Since April, is finished.  In the end, I’m narrowing my goals to two points.  It’s less intimidating that way:

• Keep writing
• Stay awesome

Doable.

I mean, as far as goals go, I’d think a writer’s main goal should always be to keep writing.  I saw a quote on Pinterest today that sums up how writing is for me.  From Arthur Rimbaud:

A thousand dreams within me softly burn

I think every writer, no matter what stage of your writing journey you’re on, should strive for that.  Keep writing. Never stop.  Who cares if it’s a page of scattered thoughts and run on sentences?  It’s a page more than you had before!  I’ve long struggled with that, as I always write with the goal of writing a perfect first draft.  Maybe another goal for 2015 should be the year of sloppy writing, ever pressing towards those magical two words, The End.

Look, writing doesn’t pay my bills.  Day Job pays my bills.  What motivates me though, is that I want to get my character’s stories out.  They buzz through my brain and are never silent.  I’ve always loved the process of writing: the dreaming, the surprises, the creating.  My motivation is the excitement of wondering what the next story will be.

So, here I come 2015.  I’m bringing my go go boots, a monthly planner, and a smile.  Probably some snacks, too.

Lots of snacks.

Many thanks to http://www.webucator.com  for the inspiration!