I saw a lot of milestones in 2023. Not only did I publish my 10th book this year, but it also won a major award. This was my 10th year as a Municipal Liaison (ML) for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and my 14th year of participating. I also finished my first trilogy of 10th-anniversary editions, along with audiobook versions of these books. This was also the year I joined the Colorado Author’s League which has helped me connect with other writers in my state. Not all the plans I made at the beginning of the year came to fruition, but the beauty of having multiple projects in various stages of planning is that I can pick what I want to work on next. So, while plans change, here is what I actually did this year…
2023 YEAR IN REVIEW
The Third Degree (10th Anniversary and Audiobook versions)
By now, putting together a new version with character sketches (by Robin Childs) and a handy appendix isn’t that hard to pull off. Additionally, recording the audiobook version (available on Audible and iTunes, as well as a 6-CD set, USB drive, or digital mp3 files) is a lot easier now that I’ve been through the process twice. The 10th Anniversary edition of The Third Degree reminded me why I like it the most of the three books in the Fluxion Trilogy. Part of me is also glad that I’m done with this huge 3-year undertaking. It’s a lot of work to put out these things, so I’m glad that I only have a little more to do for the 10th Anniversary edition (and audiobook version) of the full Fluxion Trilogy omnibus. Be sure to pick up this definitive edition early next year.
Stop Screaming! A Beginner’s Guide to Homemade Ice Cream
This passion project of mine that I wrote in July 2021 finally came out on the first day of summer this year. I was a little skeptical that anyone would want such a niche book like this, but it has actually been my best-selling release since I started self-publishing. As my 10th book, Stop Screaming is quite a milestone. In mid-November, I learned it won the 2023 Best Indie Book Award (BIBA) for the Non-Fiction: Ice Cream Crafting category. This award feels like it legitimizes and validates my writing in a way that my previous awards and anthology acceptances haven’t. It’s currently submitted to a few other contests—some of which I won’t know the results of until late next year.
Be Fruitful…
Originally published in the Welcome to the Alpacalypse anthology, “Be Fruitful…” is a fun short story about the end of the world caused by exponentially reproducing rabbits. The events of this book take place between Thanksgiving 2022 and Easter 2023. Therefore, this Easter, I released the eBook version of this individual short story from that anthology (and also from the Ascent of the Writer collection). I think it’s one of my better short stories, so if you get a chance, make sure to pick it up.
Courier to the Stars
When I have a project like Courier to the Stars, I feel like it’s “cheating” to write it during NaNoWriMo. As a sci-fi adaptation of Jules Verne’s Michael Strogoff: Courier to the Czar, this book is an almost word-for-word reimagining of the adventure novel as a race across the galaxy. Much in the way Pride and Prejudice and Zombies made minor tweaks to the story it was based on, Courier to the Stars makes substitutions that result in converting this hidden gem into something I hope gets people interested in the original.
One Year to Live
While my original plan for my November NaNoWriMo project was to start on my next trilogy, I felt I needed more time to do worldbuilding before diving into this new fantasy setting. As a result, I took a novel I planned on doing in a few years and decided it was ready enough to write this year. One Year to Live (which will get a new title once I revise it) is a deeply personal book about a lot of heavy subjects like suicide, loneliness, and toxic masculinity. It’s not quite ready for beta readers, and probably won’t be for a few years, but I felt like I got a lot of things off my chest while writing it, and I hope that one day you all will be able to read it.
Blog Posts
This is the seventh year that I’ve been writing regular blog posts about my experiences as an indie, self-published author. I’m not sure how many more topics I have left to discuss, so I plan to put this blog on a hiatus starting in February of next year. In the meantime, be sure to catch up on what I wrote this year:
- January: Almost Free in 2023
I had modest ambitions this year, some of which changed (see above) - February: Two Creative Certainties – Death [PART 1/2]
We all die. What happens to the works you created after you die? - March: Two Creative Certainties – Taxes [PART 2/2]
If you make money on your creativity, you better make sure you pay your taxes. - April: The Stages of Handling Criticism
Don’t worry about the criticism you can’t do anything about. - May: The Basics of Making Your Own Cover
You can tell a lot about a book by its cover. Here’s how to make one yourself that isn’t immediately rejected. - June: Using real places in your writing
Add some realism to your settings, but make sure you’ve done your research or actually been there. - July: The “Black Box” Approach to Editing
When editing, consider each scene as a black box with input and exit criteria. - August: The Psychology of Selling Books
It’s interesting how prices and multiple formats can drive sales. - September: Write what you like
If you like something, you’ll eventually get to “know” it. - October: Systems Simplify
Figure out what works, and run with it—cut out the things that don’t work. - November: Getting Past Originality
If every story has already been written, then just make sure yours has your own unique twist on it.
With two young kids at home, I’m taking some time this holiday season to refocus on what I want to do with this hobby of mine. Winning a major award is encouraging, but it’s hard to juggle work, family, and writing when there are only so many hours in the day. Check back here in January to see what these plans look like.