Okay, okay, I’m a little late to the party — six days late, to be exact. But I’m here now, so Happy New Year, my lovely blogging friends!
Like all bloggers, one of my resolutions this year is to blog more — specifically, I intend to read other people’s blogs more, and try to update my own blog a few times a week. I’ve been doing fairly well with my ‘eat healthy’ resolution thus far, so hopefully I can carry that success over into the blogosphere.
A quick review of 2013 (only the good things)
- Published my first novel! And it actually has good reviews!
- Published my first short story!
- Got my first fan art and fan fiction!
- Became VP of the London Writers’ Society!
- Didn’t screw up being VP of the London Writers’ Society!
- Got a raise!
- Finally moved out of my mother’s apartment! (well, sort of — actually, she moved out and transferred the lease to me)
- Got a car! (again, mother’s doing — she gave me her old car and bought a new one)
- Got asked to be a bridesmaid at my best friend’s wedding!
- Learned how to walk in nature for more than half an hour without having a nervous breakdown over bugs being freakin’ everywhere!
I’m sure more awesome stuff happened, but those are the ones I can remember off the top of my head. I haven’t had my morning tea yet (one of my 2014 resolutions is to drink more tea), so my brain isn’t working at 100% capacity yet.
Looking ahead to 2014
My re-write of Chasing Nonconformity, the sequel to Imminent Danger, is going slower than I would like … but it is progressing, so I’m cautiously hopeful about getting it done in the next month or so. I finished revising chapter 14 last night (out of 48), so I still have a ways to go, but several of the upcoming chapters don’t need to be changed at all, so that should make life easier. My announced plan last year of a January 2014 release date for Chasing Nonconformity was wildly optimistic, and definitely won’t be happening. Maybe I can still swing a spring 2014 release? We’ll see. Fingers crossed!
Other than that, I have a few other things coming up. My best friend’s wedding is in August, so lots to do to help her prepare for that. I believe we will be getting together once a month to watch Disney movies and make invitations and place settings and whatnot. And then there’s our possible move to Nova Scotia, which may or may not be happening after the wedding. My brother is graduating this spring, which I’m super proud of him for accomplishing … my mother bought a new house, which she’ll be renovating over the next two years or so … I may or may not be publishing another short story, assuming I ever get it back from the depths of my mother’s unread inbox …
So a big thank you to everyone who followed my ramblings in 2013! I’ll try to do better at following your own adventures this upcoming year … promise! Happy New Year to all!
Unrelated media of the day
Source: http://imgur.com/gallery/E1UDmGR
Michelle Proulx - Author 
Congrats on all the good stuff! 2014 is going to be even better!!
I certainly hope so!!! Aside from the excessive snowfall, it’s been going pretty great so far 🙂 Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you! I hope 2014 is magical and stuff! 😀
Thanks!!! You too! I’m hoping for magical, although I would be cool with stuff too 😀
Congrats and happy new year! That baguette thing is hilarious.
Right back at you! And yes yes yes to the baguette 😀 I sincerely hope that the French edition actually does refer to wands as baguettes, although I suspect that might be a joke. Then again, the French *are* a zany lot. (Meant in the best of ways!)
The wands could double as clubs if they go stale. Not fun getting hit with a hardened baguette. Like a sledgehammer to the head.
Ow, yeah. I’m just imagining back to when I foolishly tried to eat a piece of stale baguette. Not pleasant, especially for my poor unsuspecting teeth. I expect the baguette-wands would be magically imbued with freshness, though, so wizards wouldn’t run into those sorts of problems. Although there’d be the ongoing issue of hungry teenagers mistaking their wands for midnight snacks.
Mice would be a problem too. Imagine having to say you couldn’t do your homework because a mouse ate your wand. Not that anybody seems to fail or get left back at Hogwarts. I swear, I think you’re graded entirely on showing up and surviving.
That certainly seems to be the case. You’re right … I don’t think a single person has ever failed … although there was a fan theory for a while that the Slytherin Quidditch captain … whatever his name was … got held back a year, because otherwise he shouldn’t have showed up in one of the later books as logistically he should have already graduated.
Of course it would be a Slytherin. I swear, that book is determined to made those guys hate everyone else. At the end of the first book, I really couldn’t blame them for being angry.
Hi Michelle,
well, you still beat me to the “2013 wrap up, happy new year” blog post! I’m a bit shocked that the first week of 2014 has already passed and I haven’t accomplished as much as I wanted to.
Nevertheless, I feel like 2014 will be even better than 2013, which wasn’t all that bad to begin with. Happy new year and may all your plans and resolutions come true.
By the way, I particularly like that your list focusses on the good points of 2013 – no use rehashing negative stuff.
All the best,
Kai
I beat you to the wrap-up post? Woo! Does that mean I win a prize? I wouldn’t say no to a nice bar of dark chocolate, although I would also accept a promotion to royalty … perhaps of an island, or a smaller European nation? I think I’d be a pretty good Queen, although I can’t say I’d get much done besides lounge around on the terrace all day and read.
Happy new year right back at you 🙂 2014’s going to be amazing!
Sounds like you had a great 2013!
Heck, I published my first book, so regardless of any bad stuff that happened, I’m definitely chalking up last year as an awesome one 🙂 What was your favorite part of 2013?
It’s never too late to wish Happy New Year! Best in 2014 to you too and congrats on your amazing accomplishments in 2013! WoW! Not sure where you live but here in Montreal we just broke that cold freeze and it is pouring rain!! My first day back at work and have to walk in the pouring rain to the bus and from the Metro…but hey, the good thing is I may never have to shove my car out…the rain is doing the trick for me. Um as far as baguette goes…I prefer French baguette with cheese and wine. You are too funny. Oliana
Aw, thanks 🙂 I live in Ontario … we were supposed to get freezing rain last night, but it looks like all it did was snow … a lot, lol. But I’ll take snow over rain any day … less chance of getting my boots soaked through, lol. As far as baguettes go, you should try slicing one in half and toasting it with sugar and cinnamon — delicious!
Oh, you bad!! that sounds so delicious…I did slice one in half for supper 2 nights ago with butter and garlic…roasted in the oven…yum! I was in Oakville last week for almost a week…so glad my family there did not get stuck with no hydro. Hope you did okay. I have to putyour books on my “must read|” list…I am reading more and more books now just from bloggers for a change…it is a special experience to read such creative literature from people I feel I know a little. Reminds me of that fuzzy feeling I had when I saw Margaret Atwood being interviewed on City TV in 2003. in Toronto. What an experience! I should start a page on books I have read by writers I met on blogs:) Have a great day…now to dig out my rain boats (sigh!)
Glad to hear from you again, my friend, and that your New Years and, I assume, holidays, were good! 🙂 That’s quite a nice laundry-list for 2013, and I’m excited to continue into the new year and see what we can do with it, mm?
Plus, I can’t wait to hear more about CN, Nova Scotia, and the wedding!
Well, #1 on my 2014 laundry list is doing my laundry, so … 😀 How were your holidays? Any awesome stories to report? The most exciting thing to happen to me was a two day power outage, but I spent most of that at Starbucks or the movie theater, so it wasn’t too much of a hardship.
Best places to hang out when your power is out, I would imagine. 🙂 But I bet it’s wicked cold up there!
UHM… let’s see. They were totally great, although in sort of a domestic, family-business-as-usual kind of way. I got lots of Doctor Who memorabilia, enough money to pay off my outstanding debt AND my first student loan payment, and didn’t kill anyone at work over the holidays. I call all of that a win!
Do you … usually kill people at work????
Noooo… >_> I mean, and I don’t even think about it.
Nova Scotia? Isn’t that a cross-country move? Do I think, for no reason whatsoever, that you live in Vancouver ?
Haha, not quite that far — I’m actually in Ontario, so yeah, it’s still a fairly decent move, but definitely not all the way from Vancouver! I wish I lived in Vancouver — it’s gorgeous there.
Oh, you Canadians are always confusing me with your bacon and ice hockey. I should have asked your favorite NHL team. Leafs, I presume?
I am ashamed to admit that I’m really not a hockey fan. I suppose I would pick the Leafs, but they’re really the only team I know, lol. Now, if you REALLY want to get confused, eat some poutine. That cheesy, gooey, greasy mess is the food of the gods, I tell you.
Happy New Year!
A great 2013 summary there. All the best for 2014 🙂
Why thank you, kind sir! Here’s hoping your own 2014 is equally as fantastic as my 2013 was 🙂
Thanks 🙂
HNY, Michelle! Sounds like you’ve got great plans for 2014. I’m going to be making some changes too — more on my blog in the next few months.
Nice! I realized that I had been really slacking off on my blog ever since I took a break over the summer … bad idea! So now I’m gung-ho about the blogging thing again 🙂 Looking forward to seeing what you have planned for your blog!
Congratulations and best wishes for 2014.
Thanks 🙂 Right back at you!
Happy New Year to you too! I think I’ll make the same commitment to posting more frequently this year. I want to become more engaged with my readers and the WP community at large. And who knows? Maybe 2014 will be the year I publish MY first book! We shall see. 🙂 Don’t be a stranger… I mean, if I DO finally post something, that is. lol
Publications for everyone!!!!
You had a wonderful 2013, Michelle! I hope we see more vlogs from you. I love your family! Your mom should blog the renovation of her new house. Good luck with your new book this year. I know it will be great. 🙂
Oooh I love that idea! I’ll need to lend her my flipcam, though, so she can actually record it. Maybe I can convince her to do a before/after type deal. Hmmm …
Thanks for the luck, and thanks for being awesome 🙂