I blinked and Q1 of 2026 is over. How did that happen? And where has the needle landed in terms of all my author and life goals for this year? I think it is time to pause and take inventory, evaluate what’s working and what needs a novel approach. But also, I’ve lost my book of passwords, which means its time to do some real-life tidying, which I do not want to do because sitting on my couch with a blanket over my outstretched legs and my laptop for company sounds so much more appealing. Even if a reckoning is underway.
So let’s see how Q1 of 2026 went. And… it went… okay? Maybe?
As you know, I blogged a bit about my goals in January.
The audiobook of Turnabout Is Fairy Cosplay is done. It’s published. I have a few marketing tasks to finish. Namely alerting my Kickstarter backers. I also understand that ACX is changing their publishing model, which means that come the end of May, I’ll need to read fine print and figure out the impact and what new options I have.
The bonus epilogue for Turnabout Is Fair Cosplay is published and available to my newsletter.
I have sent a January, February, March, and April newsletter. Whew. I have blogged twice in January, February, and March. Yay. I’m working on my April blog posts now.
The new cover for My Cosplay Escape is in progress. I found a very talented cover artist in Rebekah Carroll. We have a concept and character art underway. I’m genuinely excited, which is saying something. The process of creating covers has been very stressful. Mr. Trent can attest that I have threatened to swear off writing for good because cover creation is so challenging.
And as for the writing goals…
My Demeter-Persephone/Rapunzel retelling is progressing slowly. I have finished writing/revising Part 1 which stands at about 30,000 words. Another pass implementing the feedback from my critique partners, and I could send this part off to my editor. But of course I have another two thirds of the book to finish writing. And writing has been rough. I keep telling myself that one big month-long push could have this dravision done. I could commit to writing daily, 2000 words–a svelte little chapter, and a draft would be complete by the end of the month. And that would feel life-giving. The idea of having something complete before we dive into summer is completely freeing. I should just commit.
My other writing project, the middle grade robotics novel, has stalled out at 13,500 words with the first act complete. I’ve set it aside because finishing this book and dedicating it to my son is my top priority, but I am so tempted to return to it because maybe I could get it finished and it wouldn’t feel like an opened tab in my brain. Closure is such a good and rare feeling when the muses keep bombarding you with new story ideas.
Sometimes I look back on last year and wonder how I finished anything. An entire book dravised, professionally edited, revised, copy edited, proof read, kickstarted, and published? How did that happen?
I know I missed the first deadline with my editor, and I know getting a complete draft to her by the second deadline was very motivating, but that I turned in a very messy draft. And I remember feeling, I can’t work like this. This is too stressful. I want to send Deborah my absolute best.
So I have not set a date with Deborah, but I’m not sure if I can find it in me to get anything completed without that external structure. I’ll keep trying. I’m going to commit to my Demeter-Persephone/Rapunzel retelling. I’m going to try to open my manuscript up every day, even if committing to writing everyday feels impossible. I’m going to try to finish a messy, but complete draft of this story by the end of Q2. In fact my goal will be to send Deborah a scheduling email by the end of Q2.
And I’m going to stop shaming myself for not writing faster. Yes, I am capable of writing a whole lot of words in a single sitting, but I accept that this project isn’t conducive to this method and/or that this method is not currently available to me for this story. It’s okay. I can apply the chip away method approach too.
In terms of my life goals, we’ve started a much needed reno of our laundry room, which is including a mini reno of part of our downstairs bathroom–updating the floors and cabinetry and fixtures was in our budget if not the entire bathroom. Getting this organized was a big achievement of Q1. I enjoyed volunteering at my local therapeutic riding center (see the photo above) and look forward to continuing to do so in Q2 as striving to find community IRL is a big picture goal for my year of the fire horse. I didn’t make it to many yoga classes, but I’m hoping to along with eating more vegetables and less cake in Q2, but I will make an exception for the chocolate Guinness cake in Dublin when we’re there in May. I promise to take a picture.