British Museum, Imdugud, about 2500 BC

Episode 5 from my Writer’s Studio in the Woods series.

I’m sitting in front of my penultimate fire at the Guild’s central room. It seems to have caught — at last! — so I can take this moment to put 2016 to bed and wake up 2017.

Yesterday was the official end of my artist’s residency, although I don’t actually leave until the 3rd. Last night I was asked if I’d written as much as I’d wanted — No, but I wrote much more than I’d expected, so that’s an accomplishment. After the mad and enervating dash of NaNoWriMo, I didn’t think I’d have the energy to wrestle the raw draft into something others could read. But I did — and I now have about 150 pages’ worth of decent story. I didn’t get to the end, but I know now how it will end, and I’m nearly there.

For 2017, my goals are simple: read more, write more. This year’s wish-list includes finding an agent and/or publisher for my MG fantasy, but I know that won’t just land in my lap. Ergo, “write more” means queries as well as fiction.

The writing tasks I have ahead of me will, I must confess, make it easier for me to neglect this blog. I’m not going away, just stepping back for a while. Of course, if anything exciting happens, it’ll find its way here.

Meanwhile, best wishes to all for a new year that brings satisfaction in all arenas. And for anyone who’s keeping track, we’ve had at least 4 feet of snowfall in the month I’ve been here.