Welcome to 2016!
This year I hope to do things a little differently than I have in the past. So here's to making some positive changes, without dealing with "New Year's Resolutions" that typically fail by February or March. These changes will be throughout the year and some may or may not be accomplished.
First, my health suffered at the end of 2015 with a new found dislike (or hate) of back and sciatic nerve pain. I have this mostly under control with the assistance of doctors and medication. This means I can get back to sharing more for authors and free and sale books from the plethora of emails I receive on a daily basis.
Second, as you may or may not have noticed if you follow the Facebook Page or Twitter ... I have help! An amazing woman who happens to be among many things an author and amazing friend has been helping me out with My Book Fairy via both other social media sites. I have to say she carried me and the page for several months and there's no way I could possibly thank her for all she's done. It doesn't seem like the words Thank You come close enough to thanking her for everything. Please welcome Vanessa Wester to My Book Fairy. I did the official welcome when she joined originally as well! Vanessa will be here as long as she wants, and will post on and off as she wants.
Vanessa Wester - Author, Friend, Mom & More!!
Vanessa's Links
My Book Fairy Links
I have a few other MyBookFairy accounts that I use less often such as Ditterverse, Instagram, TSU & Wattpad.
I also have a Twitter for if/when I ever become an author under Aislinn Pearce.
What's In Store for 2016?
I've never been one to make and hold to resolutions, but here are the changes I anticipate making throughout 2016. Some of these I've already started, some will be upcoming as time allows.
GOALS
1. Get more organized.
2. Blog more and better, not just promotions.
3. Promote authors more and work on my FB page more.
4. Get back to enjoying reading & reviewing.
5. Lose weight and keep it off, stop yo-yoing my weight.
6. Try to finish a story I start since I haven't finished one yet.
Here's to making positive changes this year!
Goal One: Organization
This will allow me more free time to spend with my family as well as more time to read books. I currently have a back log of about 7 books/stories that I am behind on reviews for either ones I have promised or books I have already read and haven't typed up a review. By being more organized this year with spreadsheets and notes mostly on Google Drive I will be less likely to miss blog posts or be late on a review I promised!
Goal Two: Blog More & Better
I plan to blog more about all things books, not only promotions. As much as I love promoting authors, books and blog tours I also want to be able to share my ideas and thoughts around writing and books. This may happen here, or it may happen if I start up my author blog (since that's a goal to become an author with an actual finished story short or otherwise this year) which means I may link up a second blog and twitter account in the about section where you can follow my ramblings!
Goal Three: Promote Authors More & Use Facebook More
This comes on the tail end of being sick and having a lot of pain and being unable to do a lot of promotions. By getting back into a schedule and organized this should allow me to actually post more promotions as well as normal blogging and allow me to do blog tours, interviews and even posts about free books again.
Goal Four: Read More & Review
This also comes at the tail end of being sick and in pain. I spent several days unpaid, off work and tied to my bed sleeping on and off. This drastically reduced my ability to actually read and review. I was tied up through November initially, thinking I could start again in December. Well December came and went and I am still behind. I've read several books that just need reviews and have a few on the waiting list. As I am in less pain (it's currently managed) and am able to function better I can actually read and enjoy books again without being in a narcotic haze!
Goal Five: Weight Loss
A personal goal more than one for the blog or the future of My Book Fairy. I have tried successfully on and off to lose wight, it's the sticking to it and keeping it off that I always fail at. I am not going to be a January-February or March gym rat or what some of my friends like to call "resolutioners", but I do want to make more healthy changes for my entire family and in doing so I hope to lose some of the weight I gained recently (a lack of movement entirely does that to a person) and the stuff I had extra before that. This will partially be determined on my sciatic nerve and back's cooperation, but my goal is instead of going in at 100% and giving up 3-6 months later, making small obtainable steps over the year.
Goals Six: Start & Finish a Story
I've written on and off for as long as I can remember, elementary school and above. From short stories to poetry to the attempt at a full blown novel. Outside of short stories from childhood, I've never actually completed a story start to finish. I have several bits and pieces or entire sets worth of character outlines and timelines. My goal is to actually complete a story as an adult, be it a short story or a novel I want to complete something. Adding publication would be fantastic, but let's start with baby steps which is getting a story down and edited. I've actually started what I intend to be a short story at the actual beginning. I am not sure where it will go, or if I will try to publish or not but ... wish me luck!
In Conclusion
I think that's all the goals I can come up with for now and 2016 promises to be a year packed full of change and interesting things. I think this is enough change for now, who knows what else the year will bring? Possibilities include major changes like moving to another state, but only time will tell.
Overall, there should be more activity on the Facebook Page and here on the blog, which will transfer over to Twitter as well. I hope that each of you who reads this had a safe holiday and are anticipating an exciting new start and a new year! I wish the best for you and prosperity for the year to come.
I also want to thank all of you who have stuck by me through this past year and work changes (which seem never ending), health changes (which took a chunk out of me) and through all the ups and downs that come with being a human, a reader and a reviewer.
Thank you to all the blog tour companies and authors who've stood by me this year and those who I consider friends!
A special HUGE thank you to Vanessa for carrying the load of keeping it all going for months. I couldn't have survived 2015 without her!!
On a Side Note: I have the list of those who I promised reviews and I have them in order. I will start them this upcoming week along with making sure I type up the reviews of the books I've already read and just need to put my thoughts down.