03 Jan Back from Break and Ready to Begin the New Year!
Happy New Year!
In case you didn’t notice, I took a break from blogging and other social media for the past two months to work on my fourth novel, Rising Above It. Throughout November, I participated in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, and created a 50,000 word draft, all in thirty days, finishing just in time to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for a houseful of children and grandchildren.
In December, I worked to develop a subplot and to expand the narrative of my novel, taking time out to celebrate the Christmas season with family and friends.
With the arrival of the New Year, I’m anxious to get back to blogging and sharing my writing journey, as well as other personal interests and events, with my readers.
Resolutions
I’m full of New Year’s resolutions and am already setting writing and marketing goals, goals for better eating habits, plans to exercise more, making time for spiritual growth through meditation, and strategies to become more organized and efficient.
- My writing goal is to finish Rising Above It and get it ready for publication in late spring or early summer.
- For marketing, I aim to improve my website and expand my mailing list.
- My food goal is to drop the weight I put on over Christmas and eat healthy most of the time.
- My exercise goal is to get 10,000 steps daily on Fitbit and continue with my trainer to improve core strength and balance.
- To foster spiritual growth, I’m returning for the second year to the Big Silence Retreat January 20-23 at the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center in Stoneville, N.C.
Clipping Coupons
As to becoming more organized and efficient, my goal is to spend less time and money at the grocery store. I go to the Harris Teeter so often, I feel like it’s my second home.
I’ve never been a coupon clipper, but I’ve decided it’s time to at least start saving coupons for frequently bought items. For example, it’s wasteful not to use the $1.00-off coupon for pint-sized Häagendas ice cream I put in my cart every time I go to the store. And, why in the world wouldn’t I take advantage of the 75-cents-off coupon for the Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese my husband, Bill, practically lives off of?
I even bought a small coupon pouch to keep in my purse for easy access to the coupons I save. Now I just have to remember to use them before they expire.
Recylable Bags
I vow I’m going to clip coupons to save money and to shop weekly to save time. But that’s not all. I want to cut back on those infernal grocery bags that collect in my pantry and do nothing but litter the environment. I plan to take the next step and bring recyclable bags to the store. It will be a big challenge for me, since I would forget my head if it were not attached. But I’m determined to do it.
2019 Blog Posts
I’m already making a list of topics I want to blog about in 2019. I’ll start off with a post or two on using digitally archived newspapers in researching historical novels. It’s something I’ve found helpful in creating setting and dialogue. Then, I’ll do an update on my marketing plan to share what’s worked in terms of broadening my reader base and what needs to be revised. You can also expect some book reviews, as well as a few of my favorite recipes from 2018.
Here’s to new beginnings! And here’s hoping 2019 will be a great one for you and your family. I’d love to hear what goals and resolutions you’ve made. You can share them in the comment section below.
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