Looking back at 2013 #NewYearsEve

I had so many goals that I wanted to achieve in 2013. I managed some of them. Some of them changed. And some of them are still waiting for me to complete them.

Here are the things that I DID achieve in 2013 (in no particular order).

1. I submitted two picture book manuscripts to agents. They were both rejected, but at least I am finally starting to submit to agents. (I need to work on writing better queries.) (Cover created by Kelly McDonald.)

2. I edited and put together the Teapot Tales anthology. (I contributed three stories to it.) (Proceeds go to the Chapter Book Challenge.)

3. I edited and put together the Jingle Bells anthology. (I contributed three stories to it and created the cover.) (Proceeds go to the Chapter Book Challenge.)

4. I edited and put together the SuperHERo Tales anthology. (I contributed two stories to it.) (Proceeds go to the Because I am a Girl charity.) (Cover created by Julia Lela Stilchen.)

5. I edited and put together The Talisman Chronicles anthology (for the kids). (My four youngest children wrote, in total, eleven of the stories in it.) (I created the cover for it with the help and artistic talents of my husband.)

6. I contributed three stories to the Tales by the Tree anthology. (Proceeds benefit a children's school.)

7. I contributed a story to the Dark Fairy Queen's Writerly Bridal Shower anthology. (Free on Smashwords.)

8. I contributed a story to the Charms anthologies, and it is included in the second volume of the three volume set. (If you would like to buy a copy, you can order it through me.)

9. I completed 50,000 words of this year's NaNoWriMo story.

10. I began a new chapter book that still has me very excited and full of ideas. ("The Day My Shadow Tried to Kill Me")

11. I created Melusine Muse Press. It's still in the development stages, but I have some exciting plans for it in 2014.

12. I have finished putting the details, which will be posted in January, on three new anthology projects that will be coming in 2014 and will be accepting submission very soon. (Think: "pirates, mermaids and monsters of the sea," "cats" and "fairies.")

13. I managed to have several prizes a week during the Chapter Book Challenge in 2013, and I enticed guest posts from published chapter book, middle grade and YA authors as well as agents during the challenge which covered two to three posts a week. We went from 23 signed-up members in 2012 to 89 signed up members in 2013, and we already have more than 115 members signed-up for the 2014 ChaBooCha. I'm hoping we can reach 200 members by March.

14. I have created the Blog Your Book in 30 Days challenge, which will go live in April of 2014. Wish me luck!

15. I have outlined and written the first three chapters of THREE non-fiction books.

16. I have honed my craft and worked on becoming a better editor, proofreader and writer.

17. I completed 12 picture books for the 12 x 12 challenge and revised them too!

18. I created my doodle books, "Doodle Your Heart Out" and the smaller version "Little Book of Doodles."

19. I joined doodle Day May (which is now just called Doodle Day) and created 30 doodled pieces of art in the month of May (which is what inspired me to create my doodle books).

20. I contributed three stories to the Keepsakes anthology which will be out sometime in 2014.

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