Sometimes writing and publishing can feel like wading through treacle, so it’s often helpful at the end of a year to look back and remind yourself of what you’ve achieved. 2016 was a very challenging year for me on a personal level, so I want to take the time to celebrate what I managed to do, despite everything else that was going on in my life.
In May, I sold my online retail business so I could put more of my time and energy into writing, and then in June I came out as transgender—which immediately took up a different chunk of my time and energy! Coming out heralded a few months of pretty intense anxiety, unsurprisingly. But I’m finally in a better place again emotionally. Writing was really difficult for a while. Some days it was a struggle to write even a few hundred words, but it’s amazing what you can do when you have to. Ironically, my happiest, fluffiest book of the year, A Family for Christmas, was written during one of my particularly low patches. Good to know I’m able to compartmentalise enough to do my job!
What happened in 2016?
I published five books (two novels and three long novellas).
The Law of Attraction
Imperfect Harmony
Practice Makes Perfect (Housemates #3)
Into You
A Family for Christmas
I released four audiobooks: Helping Hand, Like a Lover, The Law of Attraction and What Happens at Christmas.
I released three translations (two Italian and one French)
I wrote five books and met all my deadlines. Hurrah! Most recently, I just finished drafting and self-editing Watching and Wanting (Housemates #4) and am hoping to release that late in January if all goes well.
I also attended my first Gay Rom Lit convention, which was exciting on a professional level and was a source of pride for me on a personal one. Travel is a big anxiety trigger for me, so I was very proud of myself for making it all the way back from Kansas City to my front door alone (I had KC Wells to hold my hand on the way out).
Looking forward to 2017
My writing goals for 2017 are to write and release five more books. That seems to be manageable, and given that 2017 will be another year of change (and accompanying stress) for me I don’t want to push myself too hard. I’m not sure what most of my 2017 projects will be yet, but am definitely planning on adding a 5th book to the Housemates series. That will hopefully be drafted in January.
2017 will also be the year that I transition from my awkward wrong-bodied chrysalis into a fabulous gay male butterfly. In my head, this is how it will be….
In my dreams, right?
But hopefully the new version of me will be an improvement on the current model at least. I’m hoping to start T sometime in February and I can’t wait!
And finally…
Seriously. Thank you so much to all my readers. It means the world to me that there are people out there who enjoy my words. I’m so lucky to be able to earn my living doing something I love, and it wouldn’t be possible without you guys.
Best wishes to you all for the holiday season, whatever and however you’re celebrating, and I hope 2017 brings you good things.
Jay
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