Sunday, December 29, 2013

2013 Recap - The Year of Change

Admittedly, I was not going to do a 2013 recap, but then Amanda Foody did this awesome 2013 Musings post and well...

I also got quite recap envy when I saw A.S. King's post

2013 may have been the Year of Learning for Jessica Spotswood, but for me it felt more like a Year of Change.

Quite a few things happened:

* I changed day jobs and into a position that challenged me, kept me on my toes, and pushed me out of the comfortable shell I'd worked in since I graduated college. Plus, I got to visit Google.


* My dog got older. I know we all get older, but she got older in that noticeable way. In that, let's stay here and hug more way. Also, medication schedule.


* My husband's guitar building career took off. Something that he had only hoped to do as a dream, and made it come true. He is the best inspiration (even though now our house is full of saw dust).




* After countless text messages, IMs, emails, phone calls, video chats, I finally met my amazing CP and best friend, Hay Farris!


* Got to tag along with Jodi Meadows at the Frederick Book Festival.


* There I also got to meet incredible bloggers: Cupcake Jen, Hannah Banana, and Liza!


* Went to a bunch of signings at my local indie, my favorites being: Leila Sales, Sara Zarr, and A.S. King.


* Was told Leslie Knope is my spirit animal.


* Got to interview some ah-may-zing authors on my blog series Writers Like Us. Also, made good use of Channing gifs.


* Drove to Boston to meet with my agent, Lauren MacLeod (but forgot to take a picture with her because her bangs were too awesome).


* Rocked some awesome hair. 



But when it came down to writing:

* I read 61 books (and counting since I have 2 days left!). Here were a few of my favorites.



* Wrote 2 stories (both of which will never see the light of day).
* Majorly revised 1 (like with a wrecking ball).


2014 will be the year:

* I finish my current MS and turn it into my agent.

* Rewrite one of the books I wrote in 2013 and wrecking ball that one too.

* Read way more.

* LIVE way more.

* A bunch of my favorite peoples' books come out: 



For the blog, I have quite a few fun things coming!

* Andrea Somberg, Natalie Lakosil, and Lucy Carson will be featured on Agents Like Us!

* I'm going to reinstate my Currently Reading posts.

* I'm trying to bring back the Top 5 lists too.


And my wish for you in 2014:


2 comments:

  1. Hey, Valerie! Thanks for sharing some of your 2013 with us. Your pictures are awesome. It looks like 2013 was one amazing bookish year. I hope you have a wonderful New Year!

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  2. I loved this post! I thought of writing one and then I don't know what happened.

    All of your favorite books are ones I have not read (but want to). This was my year of dabbling more outside of YA since I spent two and a half years solid reading pretty much only YA. I read some non-fiction, lit, and quite a few romances to get in tune with that industry since I was calling myself a romance writer and I haven't read much of it beyond YA.

    I'm also playing around with the content on my blog. I post book reviews of what I've liked, and I do some of the blog hops like What's Up Weds & YA Highway. I may be getting back into TV writing for a few blogs, so I planned a few non-book posts because they're fun. I really like your author series. You've interviewed some amazing writers.

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