2013, How I Loved Thee

Last post of the year! I can hardly believe it's OVER.

There are a ton of reasons why I loved 2013. After all, this was the year I've been dreaming about since I first put craptastic word to craptastic page eons of years ago. Not that it was all roses this year, but it was really great.

1. I worked with, experienced new things along with, and met with the most incredible agent... I couldn't have asked for a better 3rd parent than Jennifer. I've heard the horror stories, and worried my crazy fool head off that this experience would turn fugly, but it didn't. Quite the opposite. It's been incredible, and I couldn't be more lucky.

2. Best. Editor. Ever. Again, horror stories abound, but this didn't happen either! Denise is amazing, and so is the team at Dutton Books. I mean, holy crap... They have certainly set the par. Beyond detailed, and clearly care about the product they publish. Amazing.

3. Y'all. I held not one, but two of my own books in my hands this year. (They have covers and everything!) Um... Seriously. I cannot express how that felt.   

4. Interviews, Live Chats, Reviews. Interacting with new fans on social media. The incredible support shown via the librarians and booksellers. The bloggers I've met and become insta-friends with. All this and my book isn't even on shelves yet!

5. Richelle Mead blurbed my book. *faints*

6. While I started attending local meetings with the MRW chapter in 2012, this year was really the year I got to know these girls (and guy!). I didn't just make acquaintances, but I feel as though I've made real friends. They understand my crazy like no one else, and their support holds no bounds.

7. The family finally GOT IT this year. I haven't just been merrily trudging along this journey. I've been dragging my poor family along with me kicking and screaming. And this year, I got to see understanding light up in their eyes for the first time. I actually saw that "click" happen, and had to resist the urge to say, "THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU ALL ALONG!" and "SEE! I'M NOT CRAZY!"

8. I got to experience a whole new feeling along with writing a novel: Panic. (HAHAHAHA! I can laugh about it now!) See, I started and finished Prototype this year, and knowing it was on contract, and knowing it had a pub date for next July... Sweet baby Jesus. I've never been so freaked in my life. What. A. Ride. And something I never considered happening before. But now I know, and now I'm prepared. Oy.

And yes, I consider this a good thing... Because of this, I now have a whole new appreciation for writers, whether they publish books, write screenplays, short stories...whatever. I cannot, and will not, ever take for granted the work these people put into what they do while knowing the pressure that comes with the end result. They laugh, cry, lose sleep, scream, and bleed over that work meant to entertain us. And unfortunately, not everyone can be entertained. And we're a vocal crowd, aren't we? Especially with the Internet to back us up. I'm incredibly grateful to have learned this lesson.

9. I watched my long-time critique partners grow into the most incredible writers this year! I'm putting it out there now... 2014 is their year and I'm going to be the proud aunt to several novels.

10. There were tattoos. And T-shirts. All with that crazy little symbol I rushed to the Internet to find when I had a spur of the moment idea for a scene. Never thought I'd be such a huge fan of the luckenbooth!  

I'll leave you with this one thing I did NOT learn in 2013, and for this, I apologize. I didn't learn to blog better. Oops. Maybe next year!

:)