Thoughts on New Years Day

New Year's Day 2007

I wrote this once, then decided to update to the new blog and somehow everything I'd done before disappeared. Story of my life, I always have trouble learning new things.

Instead of resolutions I decided to review the good things that happened last year, and what I'm looking forward to in the coming year.

The good things:

Lots of quality time spent with family. A new great-grandbaby arrived with the name of Lola Marseilles and we realized that makes the 12th great. Wow!

My middle daughter, Lisa, and I went on a cruise with my sister's entire family and my 97 year old mom. There were 35 of us in all and we had a blast.

Hubby and I went on my 55th Eagle Rock High School Reunion Cruise and it was great fun. We all got reaquainted, dressed like pirates to solve a mystery and remembered the gentler time when we grew up, not unlike Happy Days.

We also attended several writing and mystery cons were we made new friends and enjoyed those we've met before.

I had two books published this year, Wishing Makes It So from Hard Shell Work Factory and Calling the Dead from Mundania Press.

Wishing Makes It So won three prizes: Best Horror from Best Books from USA Book News, Best Thriller of 2006 from American Authors Association and Runner up in Horror from DIY.

Calling the Dead won Best Mystery from American Authors Association for 2006.

All the good feedback on my works-in-progress from my wonderful critique group. Thanks, Shirley, Kristi, Anita, Sharon, Brent and Jim. Couldn't have done it without you.

Always, a thank you to my spouse who is always supportive, travels with me and has gathered his own following, and always schleps my bags.

What I'm looking forward to:

Two new books coming in 2007: The next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, Judgment Fire, and the latest in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, Fringe Benefits, from Tigress Press. It's been awhile since I've had a new one in that series.

More family gatherings and watching all the kids grow.

Seeing old friends and making new ones at Left Coast Crime in Seattle, Epicon in Virginia Beach, VA, PSWA in Vegas, Mayhem in the Midlands in Omaha, NE and Bouchercon in Anchorage, AK as well as the various book fairs and signings I'll be attending.

I'm planning on this being a great year.

Marilyn

Comments

Dear Marilyn:
I'm sorry you lost your old blogs but to start a new at the first of the year--that seems auspicious.

Also, I just started my blog and have been learning so much that I've been sharing it with my readers in my newsletter, "Sharing with Writers." Some old-time bloggers are saying they're learning new tricks from me. Check it out at http://sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com.

Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
http://CarolynHoward-Johnson.com
Founder of Authors' Coalition
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com

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