Wow, that went fast

I know I promised just one a month, but it’s the end of the year, so you get TWO. It’s like a blue moon!

As I take stock of 2022, I realize how much I’ve done, how far I’ve come. And yeah, there were places I slacked. Fuck no did I get on that treadmill, Karen. But I’m feeling better about me than I ever have before, and isn’t that kind of the point?

Writing

I wish I could calculate how many words I wrote this year. It’s a lot. 55k for my NaNoWriMo project #TarotPunkWIP, a second-world magical dark academia. 43k and counting for my new project #CastleofCrowsWIP, a Polish-inspired high fantasy. (And that was just in November.) Several short stories. At least 60k for the sequel to Rebellion, called Revelation.

Oh, yeah, I published a book. Did I mention that? I self-published Rebellion, a YA urban fantasy about angels, demons, first love, and murder. You can get it here, along with two of my short stories that I also self-published. CWs are on my website.

Not gonna lie, I hated self-publishing. The high of having that book in my hand quickly became the low of watching sales trip along and then stop completely. Marketing is hard. Even your friends don’t read it. But I’m still glad I did it, and I’m still going to finish the trilogy, because you know what? My uncle read it and he never reads fiction. This one girl read it and still occasionally tells me that Tyler is on her mind. It’s those people who keep me going.

In addition to publishing a book, I also got picked as a Rogue Mentor mentee by the lovely Natalie Lockett! She helped me take #HowleirauhWIP aka Such Fatal Visions to the next level, deepen my POV, and create something truly special. I’m querying it now (ha ha help me) and I’m so grateful for her help. Sign up for her coaching!

Reading

As of writing this, I’ve read 23 books in 2022. It’s less than half as many as I wanted to read, but I’ve also read some great ones. Here’s the full list. But if you want some highlights…

Empire of Gold / S.A. Chakraborty

Yes, I finally finished the trilogy. Gods, was it good! The angst! The tension! The glorious descriptions! If you haven’t read City of Brass, get on that!

The Burning God / R.F. Kuang

Another trilogy I finally finished. As usual, Kuang gutted me like a fish. Get The Poppy War on your TBR.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke / Eric LaRocca

My first foray into weird horror! And I was not disappointed. Told like a chain of emails, this is one fucked up story.

The Luminaries / Susan Dennard

I read this early early and I was not disappointed. Susan’s mastery of character and dark whimsy is unmatched.

Mask of Mirrors / M.A. Carrick

A severely underhyped city-based second-world fantasy with political intrigue, magic, a con artist, and a luxurious Venetian setting.

Currently Reading

I’m still working on Babel by R.F. Kuang which is giving me mad imposter syndrome and The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri which is so lush. Maybe I’ll finish one by the end of the year, who knows.

Music

According to my Spotify Wrapped, I listen to a whole lot of Panic! at the Disco and Taylor Swift. That tracks (get it?). But if you want to know what I’m listening to lately, check out my playlist for my current WIP, Castle of Crows.

You can also check out my 2022 Obsessions if you really want to know my weird taste.

Art

I didn’t do as much art as I have in previous years, but that’s okay. I took a figure drawing class, honed my aesthetic skills, and made some pieces that I really liked! Here are some faves.

In Conclusion

It’s been a shitty year. It’s also, in many ways, been a great year. I’ve gone through a lot of meltdowns but I’ve also had many great friends (shoutout to the Goattes!) who have helped me through. In the end, finishing up a year isn’t a checklist of things you didn’t do. It’s an opportunity to celebrate what you did do, and a chance to think, how can I grow next year.

I can’t wait to see what 2023 will bring.