Fast Away the Old Year Passes

It's not uncommon at the end of the year for one to have a look back and see what one managed to accomplish. Looking back on 2014, I feel a bit overwhelmed--both with the number of projects and the amount of grace allotted me to complete all of them. Here's what we saw take place . . .


At the beginning of 2014, we read many, many, many versions of "Cinderella" and selected just five winners for the Five Glass Slippers contest. We then began the process of editing, formatting, designing, and all the other little ins-and-outs of publishing that volume.

I wrote Draven's Light through February and March, at the time hoping to release it that summer, though that plan changed. Still, the book was written!

Shadow Hand launched in early spring. I sometimes forget that  since it wasn't a Rooglewood Press production, but that launch was an important moment of 2014 as well. A significant story in the Goldstone Wood series, initiating some interesting plot lines and resolving others . . .  A book I am proud to have written.

Around that time, I also got struck with inspiration for the Super Secret Project and decided to put off drafting Poison Crown for a little longer in order to explore that new idea.

Let's not forget that I brought Mutti, the feral rescue kitty, into the house around this time and began the long process of adjusting her to housecat life. She's curled up next to me on the couch right now, purring and occasionally giving my hand a loving gnaw. Sweet Mutti-Bear . . . . (For those of you who don't know, Mutti is pronounced "Mooo-tea." It's the German word for "Mama." Since she was a mother many times over before I finally caught her, we thought it was appropriate. She looks like a fluffy teddy bear, so she gets called Mutti-Bear most of the time.)

After several months of creative labor, my mother and I launched Until That Distant Day to the reading public! And I don't know that I could be more proud of that book if I had written it myself. The first major Rooglewood Press publication (Goddess Tithe was quite short, after all), and a truly wonderful story.

We hosted the BIGGEST EVER Goldstone Wood Fan Art Contest. That was enormous and ridiculously fun! So much talent featured, it makes me dizzy to remember.

Working with my Rooglewood Press team, we fine-tuned details and rules for the second Fairy Tale Collection contest. We also did a photo-shoot and worked with the wonderful Julia Popova to create a gorgeous, original cover image . . . one of the prettiest covers I have ever seen in my life.

And we officially launched the Five Enchanted Roses contest.

Another great push saw Five Glass Slippers land on the market to great reviews and astonishing success. What a wonderful team of writers, editors, producers . . . and influencers! Huge thanks to every single one of you who made that launch so wonderful.

Oh, and we had the first ever Goldstone Wood Fan Music Contest. How much fun was that? So much creativity and talent on display.

And the Music Contest resulted in a beautiful animatic, courtesy of Melanie J. Morgan, Brittney Kenady, and Camryn Lockhart!

I finished up writing the Super Secret Project, which might be my favorite story I've ever written. Certainly featuring some of my favorite characters. I look forward to sharing more about that story with all of you in time.

We hosted a wonderful Fan Fiction Contest, featuring so many fantastic young writers, many of them new contestants.

We auditioned and began working with Becky Doughty for the audio version of Five Glass Slippers . . . the first ever Rooglewood Press audiobook, an exciting development in this business.

Of course, during all of this, I was working tremendously hard with the Rooglewood Press team to get Golden Daughter ready for launch. And finally, in early November, we sent that book out to our reading public. Huzzah!

We moved. Somewhere in the midst of all these projects, my husband and I packed up our beloved first home of Rooglewood and moved to our new country abode of Drakenheath.

Shortly thereafter I began drafting Poison Crown.

And now, I find myself at the end of the year with a very, very, very, very, very, very rough draft of Poison Crown under my belt and part of a much smoother second draft under construction. We look forward together to an exciting and slightly intimidating year, full of changes and enormous aspirations. (More on those tomorrow!) But looking back on this last year, seeing how much we accomplished--me, my husband, my mother, the Rooglewood Press team, and all of you Imps too!--I feel confident that 2015 is going to be even better.

Happy New Years Eve, dear Imps! I love and appreciate all of you more than I can say.