2020 was one hell of a year–and not necessarily in a good way. I am blessed to have a day job that shifted easily to a work from home environment, so financially, the pandemic impacted me by giving me two extra hours a day (I commute 82 miles round trip in moderately heavy traffic) and saving me a chunk of money that would have been spent on gas, tolls, and mediocre cafeteria lunch.

On the downside, I lost my college roommate–who was previously perfectly healthy–to COVID, and his wife and kids are without him, as well. I have friends and family members unemployed and struggling. I’m watching small businesses in my little town falter and go under.

During this tumultuous year, I managed to write and publish two fantasy romance novels, three romance novellas, one holiday romance novella collection, and two short stories. I also wrote and queried two Young Adult novels, and finished the first draft of another YA novel as my NaNoWriMo project. All-in-all, I’m pretty proud of what I managed to accomplish while the world went to hell all around us.

Your writing mileage may vary – and your accomplishments this year may have been limited to getting out of bed and remembering to brush your teeth. I had plenty of days like that in 2020. And that’s okay. Really. This year was unbelievable. Unreal. Unfathomable. If you’re here in the USA with me, it was capped off by a president and governmental leaders who are unconscionable. With all that devouring your energy, it’s enough just to tread water right now until the rescue boat arrives or land comes into view.

Here’s hoping we all get a better 2021.