Come Join The Journey

For me, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new isn't so much about making resolutions to change as it is about looking back. I can see what worked, what I learned and what I need to focus more on for next year if I evaluate my writing goals for last year before moving on.
In 2014 I wanted to find a publisher for "Burning Bridger" the stand alone parallel novel to "Killing Casanova". I wanted to write and publish short stories, learn about marketing my current novel and make my writing more lucrative for my family. First and foremost...I wanted to read some great books and write better!
So here's how I did:
"Burning Bridger" will be in publication through Muse It Up publishing Spring/Summer of 2015.Here's a little teaser to let you know what the book's about-"

When twenty-three year old club girl, Lily Pinion survives a brutal rape only to watch her best friend die, she swears off men before retreating to Maui. 

Unfortunately, Maui doesn’t mean safety. When a drunken Lily is assaulted in a Lahaina bar, she is rescued by the battle-scarred ex-Army Ranger, Bridger Jacoby. However, Lily’s tainted experiences with men and alcohol drive her away from Bridger’s heroics. After the man from the bar attempts to gun her down during a tropical storm, she must find a way to rely on Bridger and escape the deadly snare being set to end her life."
Look for updates, a chance to see an advanced copy of the cover and more details about "Burning Bridger on facebook.com/tracimcauthor and here on my blog.
-Short Stories- I wrote a few short stories this year, but found my "novel" brain didn't allow me to fit the arc of the story into a few thousand words. This will be an ongoing project for 2015 as I failed miserably in this arena. My search to learn more and write better, especially in this area led me to a couple of helpful blogs and books though.
***michelle4laughs.blogspot.com
***thewriteshelf.com
---Word Painting from amazon.com
---Marketing secrets for frugal writers by Caroline Howard Johnson
---Save The Cat byBlake Snyder
-Marketing and promoting "Killing Casanova" consisted of book signings and appearances. I spoke and sold copies of my book both at Barnes and Noble and The St. George Book Festival in October as well as being a featured speaker for The Utah State Convention of The National Federation of The Blind before my transplant in May. Due to my surgery and recovery, my marketing and sales efforts will also be an ongoing project through 2015 but my skills on facebook and with my blog are helping to keep me in contact even when my body won't cooperate. I took a blogging 101 course through Writer's Digest and explored Indy Publishing with some writing friends at Indie recon live. Great networking opportunities as well as learning experiences.
-My "forever" project...the urban fantasy I've been writing for five years, got a new beginning and characters thanks to great advice from other authors from all over the nation. Go check out my First Page Blog Hop post in the archives and read the great comments. The advice is invaluable for all writers.
-Blogtalk Radio-Through my hosting of blog tours with The World Of Ink Network, I also co-hosted a few of the radio programs and met some great writers and fantastic people. Kari Kampacas, Brad Wilcox and Jeffrey Olsin to name a few.
-Editing-I trained and went to work for Ink and Quill Press this fall and learned so much about how to clean and tighten my own writing. Through the training I received I also have the opportunity to offer editing and proof reading services for other writers. If you'd like to talk about critiques, editing or proof reading services, contact me at tracimcdonaldauthor@gmail.com for more details.
Lastly, some of my favorite books this year have been...
-The Beach Trees by Karen White
- I'll Be Watching You, by Tina Wainscoat
-The List, by Melanie Jacobson
and The Good Guy, by Dean Koontz
I read lots of good books and did reviews on the blog so go check out the archives to see what's out there for good reading.
While 2014 was full of ups and downs, new skills and new friends, the one thing that remains from year to year is how much I love writing. I'm still trying to get better and I appreciate all those who've helped along the way.
V. S. Grenier, Alyssa Shrout, Caroline Howard Johnson, Jenny Baliff, Jo Wilkins, Lisa Hafen, and a lot more. 2015 promises to be busy, exciting and most of all great fun. Come join the journey and I'll see you next year!