Every year I think "ugh, why do we have to reflect on the year we've had?" And then I go and reflect on it, because not reflecting just isn't an option for me.
Here we go: a look back at 2019.
There were ups and downs. The downs were pretty down. But overall, I can say that I'm incredibly pleased with what I accomplished, and I suppose that's what counts.
The Year's Writing
I ended 2018 feeling inordinately disappointed that I didn't manage to finish and publish Dragon Slayer when I'd originally planned. In truth, I never should have expected to make my original, self-imposed deadline. It was a massive book; it was the life story of not one, but two princes, one the Romanian ruler who's been turned cartoonishly evil by pop culture.
After the holidays last year, I knuckled down, finished the novel, and had it out at the end of April this year. I've never been prouder of something I've written - I can only hope one of the future books in the series steals that crown.
After DS, I jumped straight into writing Golden Eagle - which came out last week, incidentally, but you already knew that. The writing process for GE was much more streamlined - there weren't any major flashbacks or visits to the past - and I was able to work more quickly, despite the ever-expanding cast. There's lots of heads to keep tally of, but they tend to be very loud and insistent and they help with the storyline juggling in a way I've never experienced before. The end result: I managed to release two big, meaty fantasy novels in the same series this year, and I still can't quite believe I managed.
Real talk for a second: I love being an indie author. I can't imagine a publisher giving me free rein with this series, and there's so much about it that I just wouldn't be willing to compromise on. I'm getting to write it my way, as particularly as I like, and that's an honest to goodness gift. BUT. Indie authors are generally expected to produce books at a much faster rate than traditionally-published authors. Most epic fantasy and historical fiction is produced, at the most, at the rate of one book per year. And it's not uncommon for it to take two or three per book. (That's not even to mention all the GRRM's of the world taking 10+ years between installments). With the cushion of an advance, and the help and reach of a major publishing house, those several-year gaps are more feasible. I don't have that luxury, so needless to say, I feel some pressure. I'm not compromising on story, though; this series is going to take as long as it takes; getting it right is my top priority, and I hope readers will continue to follow along as we go.
Those were my two releases, and you can find them here:
But...there was also a book that didn't happen. A book that a corrupted flash drive ate, and which I was unable to retrieve. The intended Dartmoor Book 7, When In Rome, is just...gone. 80k words just - poof. Vanished. I was so furious when it happened. There was much cursing. But - and here's the ugly truth - the farther away I got from the unhappy shock of realizing the book was gone, the more I was able to identify my anger as that of time wasted, rather than the anger of lost art. Because honestly? I didn't love that book. I really don't think readers would have loved it. I can't get those hours back, and I wish I could, but I don't miss the book. There were some lines I liked; some snippets, particular scenes. But on the whole, that was a book I didn't want to write. So I'm not going to try to reconstruct it; I'm not rewriting it. Dartmoor Book 7 doesn't exist - and isn't going to.
I am working on a Dartmoor book, though, never fear. After New Year's, I'll jump back into it and hopefully have it out this spring sometime. It's already a much better book. Much more dynamic and interesting, and, most importantly, something I find interesting.
The Year's Reading
2019 was an excellent year for reading. I Instagrammed most of what I read (@hppress), and ranking it all would be impossible. But there are two standouts.
My favorite new book of the year was Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir, which I blogged about here. Dark, darkly irreverent, lush, and vivid, this was a wild, imaginative sci-fi novel that bent and blended genres in a delightful way. It's violent, and creepy, and the most original thing I've read in a long time.
My favorite new-to-me read was actually an entire series: historical fiction master Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles, which I blogged about here. The detail in her writing, the depth of research is truly staggering. Her characters are vivid, loveable, infuriating, and so very real - perhaps most especially her quicksilver lead character, who we mostly glimpse through the eyes of others; this mercurial, brilliant, beautiful, awful young Scottish noble named Francis Crawford. I adore the way Dunnett paints small, intimate scenes; down to the placement of a hand, or the glint of candlelight on ringed fingers. It's just exquisite.
I read lots of nonfiction - history for research - but mostly historical fiction, and fantasy of all sorts. I've got a stack of books to read as we head into the new year, so brace yourselves for lots of posts.
A Note on the Decade
Everyone on social media is recapping their decade - because holy smokes, it's the end of one - and my first instinct, as usual, was to say, "I don't guess I did enough."
But then I thought about it.
And thought about it.
10 years ago, I wasn't a published author. I didn't exist on social media. This blog didn't exist. 10 years ago, I was applying for HR jobs, and writing for a living was still a "some day" dream.
This decade, I graduated college, started a blog, and indie-published 26 novels.
As in all things in life, there have been missteps; there have been growing pains, and learning curves. Pulling back the curtain of an industry when you get inside of it always reveals some yikes-worthy truths.
I can look back at my very first book, and cringe, because my writing is so much stronger now - but that means there's been growth! And, overall, I wouldn't trade any of it. Writing books is a lifelong dream realized, and I still have to pinch myself sometimes. Thank you all for being a part of the journey: for kind words, and ready encouragement. Thank you for letting me entertain you; for letting my characters into your hearts. Thank you for the reviews, and helping me spread the word; thank you for wanting my messy signature scrawled on a title page.
I can't wait to keep going. I can't wait to see what the next decades brings.
Happy New Year! Cheers to a 2020 filled with more literary adventures.
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