I've harped over the imminent demise of 2013 for weeks now to anyone who will listen. Still, as the remaining hours to this horrible year dwindle, I can't help but take note of how 2013's claws feel as if they are losing their grip on me. Just in time to stick it to 2013, a bunch of sudden book sales between last night and this morning have me psyched and ... to top it off ... a review for Treehugger popped up on Amazon where there has been no review action in months. It's hard to dance when you discover this in a packed IHOP, so I downed another cup of coffee and poured an extra-thick layer of blueberry syrup over my pancakes to compensate. Then I danced when I got home.

So am I optimistic about 2014? Very much so. After all, here are some qualities 2014 has going for it over 2013:

1) It's an even number. (I hate odd numbers, particulary the number 3.)

2) It doesn't have a superstitious, bad number stigma to live up to.

3) The past year has been overwhelmingly bad for so many of my family and friends that to continue such luck and circumstance into another year would simply be overkill. Somewhere in the universe (or multiverse) there has to be a bit of sympathy floating around to rescue us all.

4) The number four has a beautiful, simple evenness to it. Even flow, even keel, even Steven. 

5) I'm already writing 2014 on dates by accident instead of my usual habit of writing the old year months into the new! Surely that has to mean something. Right? 

So here's to a beautiful 2014 to my friends, family, readers, and fellow writers. May your prayers be answered, your lives improve, your health be sound, your book choices be inspiring, and your words flow easily and expertly.

Love, Kea

Christmas  is over, and it's time to turn toward resolutions for 2014. What's mine? To keep writing fiction, of course, but more importantly, I need to stop trying to write my life. That might sound strange, but maybe fellow writers can relate? See, when I write fiction, I'm looking for scenes to flow and characters to grow. I want the plot to build throughout the book and/or series...much like a snowball rolling downhill...gathering an understanding of the characters, love for the story, new ideas, surprises, resolutions. If the snowball begins cracking, veering off course, or comes to a complete stop, I can fix it. Whether that fix comes easily or has me tearing my hair out, a solution is out there. The story is in my control, no matter how long it takes me to regain control. I throw my characters into turmoil because I want to...because it furthers the story I've created.

Unfortunately, I tend to look at my life as a chapter-sectioned novel as well. To  a degree, we all "write" our life stories. We set our course, only to change course umpteen times. Our attitudes, moods, skills, and weaknesses determine how fast our snowball rolls, the direction it takes, and whether it falls apart and/or comes back together again. Yet these real life stories have co-authors who don't necessarily agree with our plot and development. Sometimes, these outside authors don't even agree on whether we are hero or villain of our story. Who are these troublesome co-authors? Family, friends, the economy, bullies, the weather, bosses, co-workers, world leaders, overflowing toilets....you name it. Our co-authors are the things, events, and people who we have no control over.  To beat them back from affecting our story is exhausting, and often useless. Yet what choice do we have but to continue trying? Fingers and hearts numb, we must keep reforming our snowball everytime life throws a crack into it or completely demolishes it. The worst thing we can do? Pretend we have control all the time. If you are a spiritual person, God can help you rebuild you r snowball...although, sometimes, it seems He is the one helping to tear it apart, probably for your own good. Whichever way you look at it, random elements out of our control get in the way of furthering the story we want for ourselves.

So in 2014, I'm going to try not to be caught with my mouth hanging open when my snowballing story heads for Istanbul or rolls to a sloppy stop. It's time to resist attempting to fight off and/or avoid life's hits. Maybe I can take my co-authors and roll them into my snowball of a life novel ... ugliness, happiness, luck, and misfortune ... just pack it all in there and attempt to reset course time and again--with the understanding that I can never control every turn, every snowflake. 

Is this why we writers write? To feel some true control? To practice being the head honcho of something, so that we can return to our real lives with firmer resolve? What do you think?

As I sit here on Sunday evening, I'm a bit floored by many things:

1) I still feel full from Thanksgiving.

2) I haven't gotten one Christmas decoration out all weekend. Tomorrow ought to be fun.

3) The producers of The Walking Dead nearly killed me tonight. I mean ... I don't care how much blood they found in that car seat, someone please tell me Judith is on the stupid bus!?

4) Even though I still have to put away a couple of things from hosting Thanksgiving, tomorrow is Cyber Monday already! Will I take part? Definitely. But instead of neurotically cruising cyberspace for deals, I'm throwing one out there myself....

Starting now...through January 10th,
the ebook version of
Treehugger (Based on a Dream, #1) is $0.99!

So load up that new ereader you snagged on Black Friday with the first book of a four-book YA fantasy scifi series.  Head over to Amazon.com or BN.com for an escape from Thanksgiving mayhem, holiday decorating, and yes....even from tonight's soul-wrenching episode of Walking Dead. 

I hope you enjoy Treehugger and share it with a teen!

Kea