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2015 Wrap-UP & 2016 Optimisms

Posted at 10:42 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 31, 2015

A lot of bloggers are doing an End of the Year Wrap Up. I can’t recall ever doing this. Last year was my big publishing year with four books published. It was exciting yet scary for many reasons. But now, we’re talking about 2015. Here we go…

2015 Break Down:

Published:

Of the Cowboy’s Own Accord Bk #3
Amazon #1 Best Seller in Contemporary Western Romance. Army Ranger Dane Carlson, the third and youngest brother at the Double Dutch Ranch—finally got his own book.

NaNoWriMo: Won my sixth year and finished 50K words on the 23rd of November.

Writing Progress in 2015: #AmWriting

New western romance: This contemporary romance story came to me in a whirlwind with nothing more than an idea from a country song, although while writing, it changed direction. Completed first draft in December. Coming late 2016. (This was my 2015 NaNoWriMo novel.)
Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Began writing book #4.
Bull Rider Series #3 Completed first draft in December. Coming in 2016.

The Year in General:

During 2015, this lady was sick for more than two months beginning in May.
In addition to being sick, a book needed editing and to get published on time, all while searching for a new place to live. The book was Of the Cowboy’s Own Accord. Needless to say, my cowboys remained in limbo as writing came to a halt. It was hard for me to accept an unwanted writing break. Fortunately, I believe things happen for a reason. Once settled in my new place, I began writing again.

The print book for Howdy, Ma’am was retired indefinitely in 2015. Available in eBook format.
My cover designer helped me to create an author brand.

Both of my sons have had a healthy and productive year. This makes a mom happy. 🙂
After being unofficially diagnosed with a brain tumor last March, my fur baby is doing well. Her medication helps immensely. The neurological veterinarian said we might have a year with her. (I included her in my newest book.)

Kasha2

Recently, I discovered Netflix!

This isn’t where my wrap-up ended in the first draft of writing my post and I could go on…and on. But, this is where I chose to cut it off.

As I wrote out my year, I realized, all in all, the year had been good to me.

Most of it isn’t necessary to share with the world, for once I start saying all the good stuff I wanted to say, a part of me knows that the boat doesn’t always float on an even keel for long, and I don’t want to jinx myself. Superstition? Nah, just reality. No, I’m not a negative person, in fact, I’m rather positive and try to live with a positive attitude, but the boat floating “off keel” has happened more times than I care to remember.

The Upcoming Year?

2016

Plan:

Stay healthy.
Love and hug my fur baby while I can. ❤
Publish!
Publish!!
Publish!!!
Write whatever new idea comes to my muse during the year.
Begin a new series in 2016.
Try to stick to a blogging schedule. Semi-schedule? A couple posts a week? At least one? LOL

This too could go on and on, but not today. 🙂

Thank you for taking the time to visit.

I’ll return tomorrow to wish you all…well, you know what happens tomorrow. *Wink*

Happy New Year to those already celebrating 2016.

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, “Little Gidding”

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Have an enjoyable day!

Posted in #AmWriting, Bull Rider Series | 11 Comments | Tagged #MerryChristmas2015, #NewYear2016, 2015 Wrap-UP & 2016 Optimisms, Amazon #1 Best Seller, Contemporary #western romance series, cowboys, Full Length Novel, Happy New Year, Mary J McCoy-Dresel, Romance, western romance, works in progress, Year End Wrap Up

News, Updates, and NaNo 2012 Bites the Dust

Posted at 8:58 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 3, 2012

Winner-180x180 Another year of NaNoWriMo bites the dust. This was my third win. I finished with 56,392 words. Since I was a rebel this year, I can take those words and add to my original manuscript for a total word count for Book Two in the Bull Rider Series of 73,060 total words. After major editing and revisions, I think this will still be longer than what I’d hoped for, but I won’t cross that bridge, yet. Sorry for the cliché. NaNoWriMo 2012 is over, and I’m done talking about the days and nights of literary abandon.

Next

Do you ever get burned out when you do so much of something, and you just want to take a break from it? I’m that way with marketing and promoting right now. Of all times, why does it have to be now when my book could be out very soon? Weird how Murphy’s Law comes into play. Maybe I should say— busy learning as much as I can about marketing and promoting. Tons of research, reading, visiting blogs, webinars, videos… The take-away-from-writing kind of research. Yeah, maybe break time is needed, for at least a couple days.

More

Even though this burned-out feeling has crept over me, I am excited about some future guest spots on blogs. I will do something similar here one day. I’ve hosted a few interviews with other people, but they’re tucked back in the archives. Yes, I’m looking forward to talking about my book.

If you haven’t checked out my book page, there is a new blurb there. It’s kind of a long blurb, but my book is full length—okay—long. How can I create a short blurb for a long novel? (I do have a twenty-five word blurb) I cut almost a thousand words out of my novel before sending it back to my editor the last time. I wonder if she noticed. I wish I could post my editor’s first paragraph about my story in her last email. It almost made me swoon to see my story in someone else’s eyes. (Swoon is my new word, by the way. I have used it a lot lately.)

For You

For your pleasure, I will enclose a short excerpt from Howdy, Ma’am, Book One. Keep in mind this was edited, but in the final round, my editor might have suggested some changes that I haven’t seen, yet. Set up: My heroine is a photographer and is having dinner with her new, ahem, client…the bull riding hero. (Could he be the reason I use the word swoon?)

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She saw innocence and shyness, but still something strong and sexy. His sexiness seemed natural and the strength had to come from hard work. There was so much she’d like to learn and know about him.

She watched the hostess and female wait-staff examine his looks behind his back. She wondered if women at the shows did the same thing. Velia vowed to figure out this man and his personality, and how he fit into his world. If she did, she could capture it in her photos. Once she knew him, her photographs would be even better. She wanted to capture the real man, even the sexy part, but maybe she would keep some of those for herself.

“Hello? Got your tongue wrapped up in a rope?”

“Oh, no, I’m sorry.” Velia caught herself smiling while gazing into his eyes. “You caught me lost in my personal thoughts.”

“I’d love to know what you were thinking with a smile so sensual on your face.”

“Hmm, I give myself away too easily.” She dug into her salad when it arrived with her meal. “We’ll have to get to know each other better. I think you’ll like my photographs when we do.”

“I hope to like them before we get to know each other because you’ll start right out on day one at the opening ceremony. It’ll be crazy and we’ll get through introductions and stats. People will be excited because the season is starting.”

“Girls will be wishing to crawl all over you.”

“Shucks, ma’am. They already want to. I can’t seem to shake it off. They want to get my attention any way they can. I’ve been flashed before getting on a bull. You have no idea.”

“Should I be photographing those stunts as well?”

“Sure, but keep those parts out of the public eye. I want some for myself.”