Looking Back (2017) & Looking Ahead (2018)

Usually I have last year’s post to start with so I can look at my original goals for the year and think about which of those I accomplished, which I didn’t, and anything the surprised. me. But this year my website went down and I lost a lot of blog posts including my goals. Sigh. No worries, I can still look back at my accomplishments and set goals for 2018…

2017 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

This was a huge year for me when it comes to my books. A few less publications than the previous year, especially in the paranormal space, but setting up for a run of books over the next few years. Here are some of the highlights:

• PUBLICATION – 3 books released!
  • Bait N’ Witch (Legendary Consultants #3)
  • The Wrong Kind of Compatible (Love Undercover #1)
  • The Attraction Equation (Love Undercover #2)
• MY PEOPLE
  • A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this a great year. Especially those who really believe in my books and AOAD! In particular:
    • My awesome readers. You make my days brighter, sharing these worlds and your lives with me. xoxo
    • My husband & kids
    • My mom
    • Evan Marshall
    • Heather Howland
    • Nicole Flockton
    • Anna Stewart
    • Alyssa Day
    • Tracy Goodwin
    • Sinclair Sawhney
    • Tara Gelsomino & Julie Sturgeon
    • Dawn Dowdle
    • The awesome teams of folks who make me a better author in so many ways @ Entangled Publishing, Tule Publishing, Crimson Romance, and Wild Rose Press.
    • Every author I get the opportunity to share my love of writing with throughout the year, because y’all are my people, my tribe, my friends.
    • The fantastic bloggers/reviewers who took the time to read my books an post reviews. You rock!
• FUN & FRIENDS – Great times with fellow authors
  • Loved every second at the FRW Cruise, @ RWA Nationals, and @ InD’Scribe, as well as on writing retreats, at my ARWA chapter meetings, and online with friends. I’ve truly found where I belong.
• CONTRACTS – 14 books contracted
  • Love Under Cover Series with Entangled – 3 books (contemporary)
  • Inferno Rising Series with Entangled – 4 books (paranormal)
  • Hotshot Crew Series with Entangled – 4 books (paranormal)
  • The Hills of Texas Series with Tule – 2 books (contemporary)
  • White Knight, Crimson Rising Co-Written series with Crimson Romance – 1 book (paranormal)
• WRITE BOOKS – A ton of words written
  • 451k words written
  • 6 novels & 1 novella written
  • 1 novella converted to full length novel
  • 1 novel rewritten for submission
• AWARDS – An award or 2…
  • PRISM Award | Her Demigod Complex | 2nd Place | Novella
  • RONE Awards | Her Demigod Complex | Finalist | Novella
  • Paranormal Romance Guild Awards
    • Moon, Mist, & Magic (Paranormal Romance Anthology) | 1st Place | Best Series
    • Her Demigod Complex (Legendary Consultants #1) | 2nd Place | Best Novella
    • Her Demigod Complex (Legendary Consultants #1) | 3rd Place | Best Series
• AOAD – Authors On A Dime
  • The business took off with word of mouth spreading to help me build a clientele.
  • Now I get to work with 4 contractors to help me get it all done.
  • Have taken on the awesome (really fun) role as a Virtual Personal Assistant for author Alyssa Day.
• EDUCATION – Get Better
  • It’s a goal of mine every single year to continue to improve as an author by attending lots of workshops. Between 3 conferences, my awesome local RWA chapter, and online chapters, I took a ton this year. Feel like I learned a lot!

2018 GOALS

• PUBLICATION – Look for the following releases…
  • Saving the Sheriff, Hills of Texas #1 (contemporary) – Jan 23
  • White Knight, Camelot Rising #1 (paranormal) – Jan 29
  • Resisting the Rancher, Hills of Texas #2 (contemporary) – April 24
  • One Week to Claim a Mate, Hotshot Crew Prequel (paranormal novella) – late sprint/early summer
  • The Boss, Hotshot Crew #1 – fall
• FUN & FRIENDS – Great times with fellow authors
  • I am planning on attending RWA Nationals this year. And, of course, spending time with my tribe of awesome author/editor/agent friends. One of the best parts of what I do!
• CONTRACTS
  • I’m fairly busy with the contracts signed in 2017. I have 2 more contracts I am crossing my fingers come through in 2018 which books me solid for the next few years. Don’t want to jinx them though, so hold for announcements (if they come).
• WRITE BOOKS – Contracts to fulfill means a ton of words to write… (between 400-500k words total)
  • Finish edits on and submit…
    • Resisting the Rancher, Hills of Texas #2 (contemporary)
    • The Boss, Hotshot Crew #1 (paranormal)
  • Write and submit
    • The Rookie, Hotshot Crew #2 (paranormal)
    • Blood King, Inferno Rising #2 (paranormal)
    • Partnering the Playboy, Hills of Texas #3 (contemporary)
    • The Faller, Hotshot Crew #3 (paranormal)
    • Loving the Lawman, Hills of Texas #4 (contemporary)
    • Warrior King, Inferno Rising #3 (paranormal) – won’t finish this one in 2018, but not long into 2019)
• AOAD – Authors On A Dime
  • Continue as a Virtual Personal Assistant for author Alyssa Day.
  • Continue to grow the business (goal is to double revenue YoY)
• EDUCATION – Get Better
  • It’s a goal of mine every single year to continue to improve as an author by attending lots of workshops.