Let the Good Guys Win

Allow me to bubble with enthusiasm and optimism at you, internets!
 
Things that were awesome about 2015
 

• I discovered the glorious, disastrous, mesmerizing, informative, ever-simmering stew that is Twitter and found there an incredible amount of writerly support and food for thought.
• I girded my loins, gritted my teeth, and (gasp) SHOWED PEOPLE STUFF, a prospect I was very nervous about this time last year. And then with the help of my faithful writing buddies, beta readers, pre-contest swappers, and providers of contest feedback, I revised the hell out of my little ghost story and attendant submission materials, with results I am pretty stoked about.
• I unleashed MANY, MANY QUERY ZOMBIES. AND, without going into too much detail, said zombies’ assault on Fort Publishing has been encouragingly successful so far! I live in hope that one of them may yet shamble back to me victorious.
• I blogged, albeit sporadically, another thing I'd been meaning to do but nervous about since approximately forever.
• I’m knee-deep in my next project and getting more and more excited about it (Look! Look! I’m writing something without years of prior contemplation!) and even the monstrousness of my first draft is not dampening my delight.

 
Things that will be awesome in 2016
 

• Topping the list: In March, I am going to Nova Ren Suma’s Djerassi YA Novel Writing Workshop! Which news still makes me want to squee and run around in little circles. I haven’t been to a writing workshop in years. I’ve never been to one that was focused so specifically on the kind of story I want to tell, nor one that was taught by someone whose work and ideas I was so excited about. Like, check out this article she wrote about magical realism, which made me bounce in my chair and go YES EXACTLY. Flights booked, deposit paid – THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING AND OMFG IT WILL BE SO AMAZING.
• It is my evil plan to complete the new project by 2017; the last one took me about 20 months, all told, and considering that those 20 months also included participating in an art show and building the deck, I don’t think it’s too ambitious to aim to make better time with this story. Especially seeing as how I have a sort of clearer idea of what I'm doing now. Right? Right??
• I have carved myself out a writing cave! One of the little cottages in the neighbourhood is rented out in pieces by its amazing owners as artists’ studios. I’ve had a room there since 2007 as a space to work on one of my other consuming passions, namely stained glass. It’s been woefully neglected for the last year and a half or so, since writing has pretty much devoured all my project time. BUT with the addition of a squishy new-to-me armchair and a little side table to hold a drink and a lamp, it makes an excellent, comfy, blessedly quiet retreat that I’m looking forward to holing up in as often as possible.

 
My lovely writer friends, I learned so much from you this year. Without you, my zombie army would be altogether toothless. You are the unparalleled best. To all of you, I wish courage and confidence and success for the year to come. Here’s to us!
 
Bring the old year out
Bring the new year in
Bring us all good luck
Let the good guys win!