What to Expect in 2019.

Hey there, lovelies!

As promised, I'm here to ramble on about what's to come this year, what 2019 will look like in my blogging and authoring life, and that sort of thing. I'm breaking it into sections and specifics to keep from being *too* disjointed and rambly.

|| Life. ||

// Work

Hopefully within the next few weeks, I'll have a full-time job at a nearby country store. There's a whole long, boring story behind that, which I'll refrain from deluging on y'all right now. But work is going to totally whack-out my nonexistent schedule. The plan is to juggle writing, editing, author responsibilities (emails, social media presence, newsletter), and blogging during non-work hours.

// ASL

This week, I began the second semester of my third year of American Sign Language. I'm not entirely certain what my future in this area will be, but after finishing ASL 3 and Conversational ASL in May, I'm planning to pursue ASL interpreter certification.

// Other

To be honest... I have legit no idea what any other area of life will look like this year. *shrugs* I'll be traveling next week and hopefully going on our becoming-annual mission trip in June. Other than that? God's got this, I suppose. ;)


More: Being present in the moment. Having courage. Focusing on the good and going for the gold.

Less: Stressing over things that don't matter. Trying to please people who don't deserve it.

|| Blog. ||

// Design

I was planning to totally revamp both my blog's design formats—and I still am. But I've also toyed with the idea of combining the two blogs, and posting faith-related articles here each Saturday, instead of on Chosen Vessels. Not sure if/when that will happen or what it consists of, so for now I'm keeping it separate. And yes, updating the design. :D

// Posts Schedule

I'm planning for one post a week on each blog. If time, energy, and inspiration permits, there may be two here on occasion. Saturdays are the norm for posts on Chosen Vessels, and I'm not setting a specific day for Stories by Firefly. Probably Mondays or Tuesdays, additional posts on Thursdays or Fridays. And, as usual, monthly recaps will be on or within a day or two of the last day of the month.

// Monthly Recaps

The monthly recaps of Stories by Firefly are often my most popular posts, so they will remain. However, I'm changing the design, re-working the layout, and tweaking the content. Less meh and more quality, for lack of a better way to put it. ;) Stick around to the end of the month to see what that means!


More: Updates on my writing—what I'm up to, how it's coming, that sort of things. Writing related posts in general, advice and such.

Less: Blog tours. Boring nonsense. Tags. Basically, less stuff that's fun but not that engaging, or find a way to make it engaging.

|| Authoring. ||

// War Tears 

So, um, yeah. I've been talking about this book for ages, and I honestly feel kinda bad that I haven't gotten it out to the world yet... But while editing the other day, I realized something. Something that changed the way I view the entire hunk of 127,000 words.

This story is no longer my heart. 

Dandelion Dust was my heart for a season, and now A Soldier's Freedom is. War Tears had it's season too, but that season is not now. And ya know what? That's just fine.

The reason I've been having a hard time working through edits isn't because the book is awful or the story is pointless or the characters are drab—even though all some of those things may or may not be true. It's because it's not my heart, the theme not passion.

So, War Tears. My WWII baby, the first book I started writing. It'll still see it's publication date, hopefully sooner rather than later. For now, I'm going to continue editing, and I have a few alphas lined up, but I'm not rushing things. If it's meant to be, it'll be.

// A Solder's Freedom

Ahh, yes, the one thing that's actually going according to plan and sticking to a schedule. Baring any catastrophe—like an earthquake or my tragic demise—this darling tale (not that I'm biased) will be released the second week of September. National Suicide Prevention Week. The first book in a trilogy that does/will deal with harsh topics and raw pain, this is a book so dear to my heart. I can't wait to share it with y'all! <3

// NaNo Novel

I'm hoping to participate in NaNoWriMo this November and write a new novel. Most likely the second book in the trilogy that A Soldier's Freedom seems to be broadening into...with or without my permission. ;) I'm hoping to write that book this year, as well as another idea I've had on the back-burner for awhile, and hopefully some short stories for the blog.


More: Devotion to putting the words on the page. Social media presence—Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads, newsletter.

Less: Months of not writing. Procrastination. Mediocre planning and marketing.

so yup, that's the plan! what are you aiming for this year?