Looking Back, Looking Ahead

From a writing perspective, I found 2015 pretty frustrating. My husband and I are starting a new business. That had me traveling internationally eight months out of the twelve. When I wasn’t on a trip or planning for one, I was sending out letters, reviewing proposals, or engaged in other work-related tasks.

I felt as though I had no time to write. There was a five month period when I didn’t add a single word to my main WIP. Since I don’t make my living off my books, I felt that I had to get the other stuff done first. But I really missed writing.

So when I review what I actually accomplished this year, I’m astonished. I had twelve single-author releases. This includes four books in my D&S Duos series, a dark paranormal erotic collection Fourth World, my paranormal erotic romance The Eyes of Bast, my BDSM erotic romance Nasty Business, and my first two stand-alone lesbian titles, Her Own Devices and The Witches of Gloucester.

I self-published three shorts, all with my own covers. I also contributed to four charitable anthologies published by Coming Together. And I had a story included in Laura Antoniou’s Best Lesbian Erotica 2015 volume.

Another accomplishment from 2015 was editing The Gonzo Collection, by Daddy X. I’m really proud of this volume of bizarre and original tales. 
 

The thing that really has me excited, though, is the fact that I have finished that WIP that was hanging over me all year. I just sent the manuscript for The Gazillionaire and the Virgin off to my editor. It’s due out from Excessica on January 29, 2016. This is the first novel I’ve written since The Ingredients of Bliss, in August 2014. It’s a classic romance—with lots of kinky sex!

So what does 2016 hold, aside from my billionaire CEO and her lusty but inexperienced Dom? Well, first of all, Totally Bound will be releasing new, expanded editions of Raw Silk and Incognito during the first half of the year. When it comes to new stories, I have so many ideas I really can’t decide.

I’ve been toying with the notion of writing a novel that’s brings together Kate, Gregory, Miranda and Mark, set in Thailand. It’s interesting to speculate about the emotional and sexual dynamics among these four characters.

There’s also The Toymakers’ Guild, which I’ve had on my back burner for a long time—a steam punk erotica series about a mysterious organization of sexual engineers who construct custom sex gadgets for the rich and well-connected—but who have their own relationships and secrets.

I’d also like to write more F/F fiction. And M/M fiction too. I have notions for sequels to both Quarantine and Necessary Madness.

Really, the problem isn’t a lack of ideas, but a lack of time. My push to finish Gazillionaire reminded me how much I love to write, though. My New Year’s resolution is to make more time for that activity in 2016.

Happy New Year to all of my visitors and readers!

May 2016 be everything you wish!

Change of Plans

So, I'd planned to blog this week about my exciting upcoming vacation. After months of working way too hard, my husband and I decided to expand our roster of countries visited by spending eleven days in Nepal during the middle of April. This is the hottest season in the country where we live, and there are also several long holidays, so the timing seemed perfect.

We'd bought our tickets and booked a hotel in Kathmandu. We were in the process of deciding, with the help of Lonely Planet, what other parts of the country to visit. At our age and physical condition, we didn't expect to be doing weeklong treks or climbing Everest, but I'd hoped we would be able to do some short hikes that would let us appreciate the famous mountain scenery.

So my schedule for Beyond Romance this week called for me to search out some enticing photos of Nepal and share my excitement with my readers.

Unfortunately, we've had a change of plans.

Wednesday night, I tripped over a piece of construction debris. I fell. As my knee twisted painfully, I heard an ominous "snap". It turned out that I'd fractured my tibia near the knee joint.

Fortunately, I didn't have to have surgery (a bone graft was apparently an option). However, I'm now in a cast from my upper thigh to my foot, and will be for the next four weeks.

Sigh. Goodbye Nepal.

I hate this. I especially hate being unable to do some many of my normal activities - and having to ask my husband to help with the simplest things, especially carrying things around, which is hard for me when I have to be on a walker or crutches.

I'm trying to look on the bright side. I'd been stressing about how I was going to meet my commitments before leaving on the trip - two story deadlines, several articles and guest blog posts, plus my usual blogging here and at Oh Get a Grip. Presumably that won't be too much of problem since I'll be cooped up in our apartment most of the time. I'm hoping for a huge surge in productivity! At the moment, I still haven't figured out how to use the computer comfortably since my cast sticks out and forces me away from the desk...

Ah well. It could have been much, much worse. And my husband confided in me that he'd been reading about electricity shortages, poor sanitation, dangerous public transit, etc. in Nepal and getting kind of nervous! So I guess he's somewhat relieved, though we're both disappointed (and not looking forward to sweltering through April).

Anyway, there's nothing to do but make the best of it. We've been invited to a party on Saturday night, and I'd hoped to do some dancing. I'll have to shelve that notion - but darn it, I'm still planning to go, crutches and all!