Happy 2018!

Dilly dilly! (Sorry. Couldn’t pass up a chance to be socially relevant to start the new year.)

2017 is officially in the past. Happy New Year! Welcome, 2018!

A few days ago I posted my “2017 Year in Review” post. In the spirit of endings and beginnings, I have my “What to Expect in 2018” post today. These aren’t resolutions. (I gave up on resolutions long ago, because I have a tendency not to keep them.) But they are goals, and I’m hoping to attain all of them this year. They’re lofty, but I think they’re doable. (And if I write them here, maybe you’ll help hold me accountable.)

Writing:
I have a few changes in store this year in addition to projects you’re already expecting. Here are the goals for 2018:

• I was invited to contribute to Susan Stoker’s Special Forces KW series. In March, I will release my first installment. I am crossing over my Medici Protectorate series with her series, so I don’t have to say goodbye to my favorite characters just yet. This is Danny Caruso’s story—he’s not one of the Brothers, but he is affiliated with the Protectorate. I’m happy to be in this storyworld again.
• Speaking of the Medici Protectorate series, book four, Tortured Soul, will be released at some point this year. I haven’t received a release date yet, but the novel is complete, has been through the editing process, and is currently in the publication queue. Clearly Danny Caruso lives through the final battle. You’ll have to read the last installment of the series to see who else makes it… and who doesn’t.
• I was hired by the fine folks at Sterling & Stone to write for their Eros Imprint (their romance line). I said I’d never use a pen name, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with these guys, so I’m going back on that statement. I’ll be writing under the name Holly Chase (a persona they own and will manage and market accordingly). I mentioned last week that I had stepped into the sci-fi genre when I wrote “Vicious Circle”, the time travel story for Quantum Wanderlust. I think I also said that wouldn’t be my last sci-fi story. Holly Chase has a great sci-fi/romance premise to work on, and I’ll be starting on my first novel right away. Our tentative release date for the first book is June 26. More on this opportunity later in the year.
• I have a few projects of my own that I’m interested in pursuing. I’m not committing to any of them, but it will be a wonderful bonus if even one of them comes to fruition. If/when that happens, I’ll talk about it here.

Marketing:
I really need to do a better job at marketing my work. The one strong marketing effort I had last year resulted in me hitting number one in one of my genre categories. If I can sustain efforts like those, that will be really helpful in getting my name out there and getting my work read. The funny thing is, even with that marketing boost, I didn’t get any new reviews. I’m going to look into ways to increase brand awareness, sales, and reviews, but honestly, this is my weakest goal. I’m kind of at a loss right now on how to proceed. I foresee a lot of research going into this effort before making any headway.

Editing:
I have several clients already booking time for 2018. I am willing to take on a few more writers. If you have questions regarding my services, you can find more information and a contact form here.

Blogging:
I would like to be more consistent this year with my blog posts. If you have any specific requests regarding content, please let me know in the comments or by filling out the contact form and using the phrase “Blogging Topics” in the subject line. Otherwise, here are my tentative plans:

• I am going to try to post at least once a week; however, I feel that’s optimistic. But, it’s a goal, right?
  • I will probably, on occasion, write some flash fiction, likely inspired by the WP daily prompts.
  • When I have new releases scheduled, I will run some companion pieces to market the work.
  • If I read a particularly good story, I will post my review. (I don’t write negative reviews for various reasons, discussed before. So if I’m reviewing a story here, you can be certain I enjoyed it.)
  • I am happy to host other writers on my site and already have a few guest posts lined up. If you are interested in being hosted here, please contact me by filling out this form and using the phrase “Guest Post Opportunity” in the subject line.
• Story Empire is still going strong, and we have big changes coming up in 2018. For more information regarding changes to the SE content, click here.
• In addition to my own site and the SE blog, I’ve been invited to be a full-time professor at Romance University. I was asked to join the faculty last year, but my professional commitments and a few health issues required I postpone until January. Well, January is here, and I’m jumping in with both feet. My first post goes live on Monday, January 29.

Reading:
In 2017, I pledged on Goodreads to read 30 books. I intentionally kept the number small because I knew I’d be busy. I also don’t review books I edit, and many of the books I read annually fall under that category. I made my quota, plus a little extra, so I’m going to pledge 35 this year. I’m going to be busier, but I also know reading is crucial to be a successful writer, so I hope to make that goal.

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So, there you have it. There’s a lot on the docket for 2018. I plan on getting to it all. I’ll be happy with getting to most of it. Here is the quote that sums up my philosophy this year:

What about you? Any goals you want to share? Any ideas on how I can achieve mine? Any of this sound remotely interesting to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment below.

And, again, Happy New Year!