There’s just something about the first Monday of a brand-new year. To me, it really is like starting a new book. Not that I am. Starting a new book. Nope. Working on an old book but more about that in a moment. Right now, I’m going to wax philosophical. A new year is like an empty page. It’s full of possibilities. As the author of your life, the possibilities are endless. Do something wild, a little crazy. Make a point. Treat yourself. Do good. Create something. Stop to pet a dog or cat. Or a horse. Bake a cake and enjoy eating it. Get up out of your chair and take a walk, stopping to smell the flowers. (Okay, that’ll probably have to wait until spring, but you know what I mean…)
In other news, this is 2025. We are 1/4 of way through the 21st century. How crazy is that? I was born a few years after the middle of the 20th century. I look back on the history and the changes and the sheer…stuff that’s happened and I’m gobsmacked. Wow.
Okay. In writing news, I’m actually chugging along with RETRIBUTION. I’m shooting for Valentine’s Day or before as a release. I did get a really nice boost yesterday. Someone(s) bought 21 of my Moonstruck world books. Color me Snoopy Dancing™!
I’ve been on something of a nostalgia kick in my reading lately. I listented to three of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-hunter books. Believe it or not, FANTASY LOVER was the firsdt “grown-up” romance I let Only read. I’m like my dad that way. After reading my way through the local library’s children’s section by age 10, he told the head librarian I could check out anything from the adult section on his card. My first two books were THE MOONSPINNERS by Mary Stewart and THE SPY WHO LOVED ME by Ian Fleming. One due to Disney, the other due to Sean Connery. Yes, I was a precocious child. Anyway, I’m currently listening to Andre Norton’s WITCH WORLD. I have a full shelf of Witch World paperbacks–many of them original printings. Yeah, I don’t read them. They just sit on the shelf looking cool.
Not much else is going on in my world. The “polar express” roared through yesterday bringing wind and wind chill factors. We got a grace of snow but it wasn’t pretty and the roads weren’t slick. Not that I got out in it. I got lots of like on an X post that I reposted and commented on. Original poster was asking for advice for driving in/on snow from someone who’d never driven in/on snow. My advice: STAY HOME! I took my own advice and doing so today as well. Too frickin’ cold out there for my old bones. I fed the feral cats this morning then crawled back into bed with the heating pad to get warm. Now that I am, it’s off to work I go. RETRIBUTION waits for no writer. 😉
I have many questions for y’all today. How’s your weather? Whaddya readin’? How’re the New Year’s goals/resolutions/wishes going?
Silver James 
That is so cool that someone bought 25 books! Love it!
I was always allowed to read anything I wanted. This was mostly due to the fact that I hated to read. My entire family read all the time and I hated it. So when I grabbed John Jakes THE BASTARD my mom was thrilled.
I agreed with your post yesterday. Me, I grew up in Western NY and snow is no big deal. Ice on the other hand is when no one should drive.
We have about a foot of snow. It’s very chilly. Most people would say it’s FREAKING COLD! The lows have been in the teens with single and negative digit windchills. It’s only supposed to get colder. Oh well, it is winter.
I hope your day is going great!
PS – I loved the pictures of the fur babies yesterday.
Ahhh. Thanks! Too bad that what you saw is about the sum total of what they do to “entertain.” 🤣 But that’s okay. They’re mine and I love them. And yeah, this whole global warming/climate change thing? Nope. I dn’t believe it. The weather is doing what weather does. Stay in if you can. A foot of snow is no fun unless you’re on a ski slope and into that sort of thing! Me? I’m sittin’ by the fire in the ski lodge drinking hot toddies. Stay warm! ❤
I just love your newsletters. Just thought I’d tell you. I’m not into vampires, fantasy etc but one of these days I’m going to read your book. Ha!
LOL! I do have the contemporary romances from Harlequin. No vamps or fantasy there, just rich Okie oil men. 😉 Or my fae series, which is mostly fantasy light–more time travel and reincarnation than epic fantasy, but for the Tuatha De Danann, though–technically–they are more mythical than fantasy. Anyway, thanks, Renae, for just being around! And enjoying the newsletter/blog. 🥰