2025 Wrap-Up

On this, the last day of the year, I’m looking back on the year that was to see if I’m in a different place than when I first started.

Like so many others, 2025 was a year of challenges. Of loss. Of striving for goals and not hitting all of them. But I went back to my first posts from January 2025 to remind myself of my Word of the Year….

To me, the most important reminder from this word is that we all need to create a space to allow ourselves to flourish. And that even if things don’t go the way we want, we still strive for our goals.

What I Worked On This Year

• I outlined the folk horror novella
• I started drafting the folk horror novella
• I revised the sequel to The Bone Key. It’s almost there.
• I started putting together the final stories for my collection.
• I created a self-publishing plan for 2026
• I went to my first in-person bookish convention
• Created the first edition of The Hexford Lore
• Revived my freelance copywriting website
• Took 3 classes toward an Editorial Skills Certificate

I also added some new features on my Patreon (Ink & Incantations, My Gothic Grimoire, Storycraft).

Things That Didn’t Go As Planned

Well, the big one is finding out Q&C wouldn’t be taking on another series, which means shopping around the sequel to The Bone Key (and the planned 3rd book). It might be an uphill battle, but after licking my wounds, I’m ready to get out there and find my series a new home.

I didn’t publish anything new in 2025. With so much focus on novels and novellas, short stories have fallen by the wayside. I’m hoping that finishing the stories for my collection will inspire me to get back to more shorts.

Things To Muse On

The publishing industry is hard and not for the faint of heart. Striving to stay relevant and visible can take a lot of of you. I feel this every day. I know other authors do, too. But I stay focused by reminding myself why I do this. I love telling stories. I want to connect with others. I want people reading my words. I don’t want to be famous. I’d just love to make a comfortable living doing what I love.

I don’t mean to gush, but having you here (whether you’re reading this on my blog, my Patreon, or in your inbox) helps keep me motivated. Even on those months when I feel like nothing is going right or I’m making no forward movement, I’m inspired to stay in contact with you (even if my posts are sometimes few and far between).

So, no matter what, I’ll keep striving. Keep trying to reach my goals. Because there is always a new goal and another new goal after that. And as long as I keep trying to reach them and refuse to give up, I think that’s pretty inspiring, don’t you?

Happy New Year!

Thanks again to each and every one of you for being here, for following me, for your support. It truly means so much!

I’ll talk to you in the new year and share my Word of the Year for 2026, my intentions for the year, and as always, I’ll ask what you want to see me share here in the coming year.

Be safe, have fun, and keep striving for your dreams!