Cookies and Contests and Words, Oh, My!

Let’s start with words.

Draft by the Solstice isn’t happening this year, considering that it’s the Solstice TODAY (Happy Yule, y’all!) and I have two and a half chapters left to write. So I’m going for Draft by Christmas Eve. And if I can keep the pace I started yesterday, I’ll do it. I finished yesterday with a whopping 4011 words total.

I’m not sure if my wrists will be able to keep up that pace, to be honest. But two and a half chapters is roughly between 7500 and 9000 words. I can do that by Thursday night.

Now, for contests — the Booksweeps contest for 30 erotic romances and a brand new e-reader has been extended. There are two more days to enter. Go try and win some books that will give you ideas!

 

And now… cookies. I know you’ve all been waiting for these. Turned out to be six varieties of cookies and one batch of fudge. Because that is what passes for sedate in my head, apparently.

In order:

• Three color
• Cinnamon mocha fudge
• Teff peanut butter
• Lemon Thimble (using homemade lemon curd)
• Molasses
• Oatmeal carob chip
• Chocolate Chip

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Once the final words are written on John Zebedee Meets the Witch Queen, I am done until January 4th, 2021. That’s when I sit down and start writing Heir to the Firstborn (Heir to the Firstborn, book 5). I have edits to work on with Wings of Air (Heir to the Firstborn, book 4), and more edits for The Lady and the Sword (Swords of Charlemagne, book 2). I have a very busy schedule for 2021 — six releases, starting in January with Hidden Things (Swords of Charlemagne, book 1) and going every two months until November. It’s incredibly ambitious, but I’m trusting myself and my ability to do this.

In 2020, I did something that a lot of my colleagues do. I chose a word for the year. My word for 2020 was Nurture. I think I’ve done that. Done a lot of that, really. Between my personal life and stepping up to the RWA Board, there’s been a lot of nurturing going on. Helping people and things get back on their feet. Encouraging. Rebuilding. Nurturing.

My word for 2021 was, I thought, Truth. Until I sat down to do my card. I picked up a pen and wrote…and what came out was not Truth, but Trust.

My subconscious knows what it wants, apparently.

So that’s my word for 2021. Trust. I will trust myself, and I will trust in my skills, and my abilities.

I may not get to the blog next week. If I don’t, let this be my wish to you for 2021. Have a happy, healthy new year. Stay safe.