21 in 2021

Flying in the face of all known evidence, I still make New Years Resolutions and encourage others to do the same. Yes, I remember my blog post saying that nearly a third of all New Years Resolutions are abandoned in the first two weeks of the year.

But I really mean it this time. Echoes of five-year-olds everywhere. This time is different because I’m resolving to do something I want to do—for me. I want to read just for fun. This means while I’m reading I’m going to ignore the twenty ebooks on writing that I just downloaded. I’m going to ignore the tsunami of submissions that I should be reading. I’m going to ignore dirty laundry, unmade beds, and quarreling dust bunnies. And the most important part is I’m going to ignore my nagging conscience while I do it. 🙂

Unfortunately, my conscience is a real nag. I was only two pages into my first book of the year when it started screaming at me. The only way I could get it to leave me alone during my reading time was to make another resolution. So I did.

1. Read 21 books in 2021 for pure entertainment.

2. Do 21 things to expand my reach as a writer by going outside my comfort zone. This means writing in new ways and venturing into the dreaded land of Marketing.

So why am I writing about this? Following my own advice, I am writing this to set up an accountability check. I’ll take you along with me on the journey into new territory and let you know how well things are going.

Today I have accomplished one step: I have dipped a toe into the water and posted a partial cover reveal on my Facebook page, something I have never done before. Later today I intend to curl up on the couch with a cozy quilt and a hot cuppa to get to know the characters in my new book.