Resolution Update: Midpoint Progress Report

So it's July 1st.

The first of 2016 is done and gone, and I'm in disbelief that these six months have flown by like they have.

I want to take the time to recap my three 2016 resolutions and see how well I adhered to them.

First, there was:

This is the resolution I've stuck with fairly well! My office has been redesigned, I've added shelves and compartments around my apartment for extra storage, and I still have more plans that I've yet to set into motion.

I'm pretty proud of the way I've continued to tackle this big goal by chipping away at small projects. My latest was to add a shelf to my closet. I went to Lowe's, picked a board, and had it cut to fit the measurements I'd taken. While this wasn't necessarily the hardest thing, it was definitely more involved. I'm glad to have it done, at least!

And second on the list,

Okay, so this one I was not as consistent with. I was going well at first, but then life took away my spare time or ability to work out. Right now, I've got some severe sunburn on the tops of my feet, so wearing socks and tennis shoes is out of the question. I'm hoping that, by next week, I'll be able to get back to the gym. Better yet, I can pull my bike out of storage and go for a ride!

Third,

Eep! This is the one I have definitely failed at. I can say that because, at six months in and zero books published, it would take a miracle or a thunderbolt of inspiration (and free time) to make it happen. As it is, I'm struggling to get a completed manuscript off for final read-throughs. I'm looking at an August release date. I'll make an official announcement when I have a better idea.

So that's my 2016 update. I want to hear from you! Have you kept up with your resolutions? Or maybe you're making new ones to finish out the year. Tell me all about it in the comments!

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Kissing 2018 Goodbye / Bring It On, 2019!

Listen. New Years always freaks me out. Any occasion that encourages me to look back at the past while simultaneously looking toward the future is just... super stressful. I've said it before (I say it at the end of every year!) that December is crazy between work and the holidays and social engagements.

My natural tendency is to think about all the things I didn't do and chalk it up as failing to accomplish my goals. As I reflected on my 2018, I went back to read last year's blog post about my 2018 resolutions, and I kept it simple last year: rein in my spending. And, in some aspects, I accomplished that. I cut down on ordering pizza when I felt too lazy to cook, I didn't add (very much) to my TBR pile by buying books I knew I wouldn't immediately start reading, and I only saw a handful of movies in the theatre (of course I made exceptions for Marvel movies, and my mom and I went to see Book Club because it looked too good).

But I totally fell flat on the writing …

Remember Me?

*Knock, knock*

Anybody out there?

Or, better yet, anybody remember me?

It's Jay! I haven't completely disappeared, or fallen off the face of the earth. I took a break from posting stories here on Blogger in order to try my hand at writing novels. So many of you, my lovely devoted readers, have left me comments saying that my writing's just as good--sometimes better!--than the books you've read. I especially received a lot of encouragement from fellow Blogger Melanie Ting, who has successfully e-published her first story! So I'm trying my hand at writing full-length novels, and I have lots of new material that I'm e-publishing through Amazon through 2013.

First up, I'm publishing Play the Man, a reworked version of A Sharp Contrast. I changed the characters and updated the story, and I'm really happy with the finished product. Here's a peek at the cover:

I love it! What do you think?
The story will go live on Amazon later tonight (just search for Ja…

Dude. May. WTF.

May has been... an interesting month so far (and we're only one-third of the way through. Phew!).

If you're friends with some authors on Facebook or Twitter, you've probably seen the insanity and the accompanying hashtags. It's not my intention here to go into the matter; there are plenty of places online to get the details. And while I did a little rage-venting on my own profile, I don't want to publicly feed into this riotous frenzy while the courts and attorneys are working toward a resolution. I do, however, want to take a moment to say that the indie author community is a supportive, close-knit group that I'm proud to be a part of. And it's because of readers like you, who choose to support not only myself but so many authors who work hard and try to give you the best possible books.

Okay, moving on.

So, what have I been up to? Well, I've been buzzing around, prepping for my trip to Philly this weekend. I'll be at Unmask the Romance in Phoeni…

Of Ice and Men

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