2014: A Year in Review

Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73

So, the time has come to bid 2014 adieu. And surprise! I’m actually getting to a recap before the end of January 2015. I know. Shocker.

Anyway, it’s time to start thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2015. But before I do that, let’s take a look back at 2014 and see how I did.

Write books 5-7 in Hero’s Sword

I didn’t quite get this one. I wrote books 5 and 6. I have plots for 7 and 8. But finished? Yeah, not so much. But I’m okay with this for reasons that you will see below.

Get Every Other Monday is Murder ready for an editor

Check this one off. I got it ready, sent it out, and got it back. Not with quite the feedback I hoped for, but hey, it’s about making the story better, right? So I revised it, had it read again, and sent it to a proofreader. I’m happy. Also, see below.

Write two more Laurel Highlands short stories

I think I get partial credit for this one. I wrote and released A Brew to Die For in September. And I wrote Frost Fatality in early December or late November, I can’t remember. October? Anyway, that one was sent to an editor and is being revised. So yeah, I’m going to count this goal as accomplished because it only says write the stories. Not what comes after, right?

Start releasing the Laurel Highlands stories as digital shorts

Check on this one. Stories 1-5 are out there, with Batter Down (Laurel Highlands #3) the only one not available as a digital single. All the stories are 99 cents. And if you haven’t picked them up, and you have a shiny new Kindle or iPad or whatever that is begging for some content, check them out. I bet you can read them in a couple hours (at most) and folks have told me they are enjoyable. For 99 cents, why not?

Attend Writers Police Academy

Oh my, this might have been the highlight of 2014. First, I’ve been wanting to do this for, like, forever. So getting in was huge. And I was right, missing out on the special classes didn’t diminish the fun. I road-tripped with some of my sibs from Sisters in Crime. I met some really awesome people who generously shared their expertise (and who continue to share it). My only regret? I don’t have the cash to go again in 2015 because I’ve seen the previews and it is going to be awesome!

Revised the Black Orchid project

Another check in the “done” column. The reader was right: it wasn’t a 20,000 word story. So I’ve revised, and revised again, and am now critiquing it with my new group (see below). I like it thus far. But it needs a different title. Have I mentioned how much I struggle with titles? Ah, it’ll come to me. Eventually.

Continue learning about craft

Check here, too. In addition to WPA, I went to Pennwriters. I took a few online workshops, read a few books, re-read some classics (like Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird). And I got myself a new critique group with some really awesome people who give me exactly what I need: support with a healthy dollop of criticism to take my writing up a notch. Yay me!

Bonus goals

I got the rights back to the Hero’s Sword series. I’ve been busy re-reading and getting these ready for re-release in 2015. This is why I’m okay with not having written book 7 yet.  Book 4, now called Snake in the Grass, is just about finished and will come out after the re-release of books 1-3.

I also submitted Every Other Monday is Murder to the Mintaur/MWA Best First Crime Novel contest. Hey, if I’m ready to start querying, I might as well give it a shot. Who knows what will happen.

So yeah, 2014 was pretty good. I like what I’ve done and I like where I am. I haven’t hit the New York Times Bestseller List yet, but hey, that’s a dream, not a goal.

2015, here I come!