Another Year… Already?

Another Year… Already?

By Jeff Salter

In these retirement years my time is primarily occupied by writing, so I guess it’s expected (and hopefully permissible) for me to list what I’ve accomplished in that regard during 2014… and what I have arrayed before me in 2015.

In 2014:

*** wrote two brand new novels (from start to finish). One (The Ghostess & MISTER Muir) has already been released by Astraea Press (in October)… and the other manuscript is in the hands of an acquisitions editor as I’m writing this blog.

*** had two other novels published (and this involved a LOT of revisions and edits during the year). One was Hid Wounded Reb (Astraea Press, August) which I first drafted in 2007 and overhauled twice over the years. The other was Scratching the Seven-Month Itch (Dingbat Publishing, September) which I first drafted in 2010 and overhauled twice over the years.

*** picked up a novel’s first draft I’d completed in September of 2013 and dragged it through three more drafts during 2014. It was contracted by Dingbat Publishing and is expected to be released in January.

*** a novella I’d written in late 2013 – Don’t Bet On It – was contracted by Astraea Press and released in April.

*** a short story I’d written in late 2013 – No Love, No Diamonds – was contracted by Astraea Press and released in a Valentine’s Day Anthology in mid-February.

*** started dozens of new stories during the year, including at least three in which I’ve accumulated some serious wordage (29k, 27k, and 23k).

*** I’ve sprinted at least once per week… with colleagues at the Write-a-Thon group. I began this in mid-2013. It’s one hour of fast typing, on whatever title I happen to be working on. Many of my newest novel manuscripts have benefitted from as many as a dozen or more sprints during the course of their initial drafting. After some 85 sprints, I no longer have an exact average but I typically produce around 1200 words during each of those hours. [That would correspond to some 102,000 words written during the sprints alone!]

*** I blogged every Thursday – Hound Day – for the fourth complete year at Four Foxes One Hound. Also posted occasionally at my other blog, “Write by Salter.”

*** In addition to an occasional announcement about blogs, releases, or other bits of writing promo (mine or those of other authors), I wrote at least 700 posts on Facebook during the year. Many were humorous, some sad, a few profound. But most were simply my observations or commentary about things that happen to me or reach my attention. Several were movie reviews!

During 2015:

In writing, I hope to pick up several of my 100-plus story “starts” and bring at least half a dozen of them to completion during this year. In addition, of course, I’ll continue to take down notes on new story concepts and other new “starts” which occur to me as I move along.

I’d surely like to sell more books in 2015 than I have in these past three years, but recognize an author has to build up a reader base.

Along those lines, I hope more people who read and enjoy my stories will take the time to post reviews (don’t have to be lengthy) on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads.

Looking Back:

Last New year’s day, I was sick and had rather little to say, but two years ago, I was counting my blessings (especially in my writing endeavors) and laying out my hopes for the coming year. And three years ago, I was yammering about resolutions.

From Two Years ago, at New Year’s:

https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/another-new-year-already/

From THREE years ago, my take on resolutions:

https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/be-it-therefore-resolved/

My NY Day blog from one year ago:

https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2014/01/02/hello-to-2014/

 Question:
Tell us something about YOUR new year!