Welcoming the New Year: 2015

It’s a new year, and as the recriminations of yesteryear, the hopes and dreams for the new year, and the resolutions for 2015 emerge in prayers for better things to come, I thought I’d add a recap of some highlights from 2014.

2014 was “The Year” in terms of my publication. A lot of big things happened…

• 21 releases. Of those, 15 were new releases, 2 were re-releases, 2 were new print anthologies from previously released ebooks , and 2 were previously released and bundled in multi-author anthologies.
• Mastered hit the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists, of which Working Out was my contribution. (Note, in 2013, Taste of Decadence, of which Bodywork was a part, hit the USA Today list. Thus I can now say that The Works is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling series).
• I realized my first foray into mass market with the McCauley Brothers series. All four books released in mass market and electronic version through Sourcebooks, from June through November.
• Both The Troublemaker Next Door and What to Do with a Bad Boy earned 4 ½ star, Top Pick Gold ratings from Romantic Times Book Reviews (RT) magazine.
• What to Do with a Bad Boy was nominated for an RT Reader’s Choice award–for Best Contemporary Romance of 2014.

In addition to these exciting professional milestones, I also took a semester of college classes at the local community college. A LOT of work, let me tell you. Why did I go back to school? For a few reasons. 1) To get myself out of a rut. I needed to change up my routine and stimulate my brain. Mission accomplished. 2) To give myself some peace of mind in regard to finances. With publishing changing every five seconds and the market just glutted, I want to be assured I can pay my monthly bills. 3) For the sheer challenge, to see if I could do it. So far, so good. I go back for the winter term in a few days.

Last year ran me ragged, and I’m slowing down. Or at least, that’s my intent. I said that last year, and I ended up releasing a ton of books. (Though the lag between writing and releasing can make it seem like I wrote more than I actually did.) Half the time I was writing one book while editing another.

So what’s to look forward to in 2015 from me? A few re-releases (Circe’s Recruits is coming back at you with brand new covers and added content), some books now standing alone that previously released in multi-author anthologies, and some brand new releases–the Best Revenge and Ethereal Foes series will come to an end, FYI. I’m currently working on some proposals to follow up on the McCauley Brothers, and I’m excited (fingers crossed) for my editor to see them.

The 2015 release schedule to date:

• Jan 20–A Major Connection
• Feb–A Civilized Mating
• Mar 24 –Served Sweet
• Apr 21–Two to Spark
• June/July–Havoc & Hell: A Dragon’s Prize
• Fall–Circe’s Recruits

And that’s what’s coming. I’ve also made a resolution that has nothing to do with writing, well, besides blogging more often. My goal here is three times a week. But as far as my big resolution, it’s to get fit. Period. So I’m saying goodbye to sugar (again) and hoping this time my eating habits stick. But I’m not giving up coffee. NEVER.

Be sure to let me know if you have questions about anything or have an idea about what I should write next. I had a lot of readers tell me they wanted more Cougar Falls books, so I’m leaning toward some wolf shifters for my next Samhain work. That or a silver fox. Not sure yet. *grin*

Happy New Year!