Saturday, January 11, 2014

My New Year

by Kaye George

My fellow bloggers here at Make Mine Mystery have been putting down wrap ups of 2013, predictions for 2014, and resolutions. My turn to blog falls 1/3 into the month, so it’s a little late, but allow me to wind back to the first and do a New Year’s post here.

Looking back on my 2013, I’ll note that 13 has always been my lucky number and it didn’t fail me. Hubby and I were engaged, then married on the 13th, so I’ll always have a fond spot for that number. (However, it hasn’t helped when I use it on Lotto tickets. Yet.)

I don’t think I’ll ever have another year like 2013. Two different publishers (Barking Rain Press and Untreed Reads) birthed two new series for me! They were released in April and June, two months apart. I’ve been scrambling ever since to get the word out on both of them at once.

Then I signed a contract with a third publisher. This one is the Penguin imprint, Berkley Prime Crime. I should say Penguin-Random (but I prefer Random-Penguin). Closer to the end of the year, I turned in the manuscript for that new series, which will debut in September of 2014.

In the middle of all the writing I’ve been doing, we moved from the Waco area of Texas to Knoxville Tennessee. Compounding the difficulty of that was the fact that we had just moved, seven months before that, from Taylor TX where we had spent 7 years. That’s a long time for us, nomads that we are. This one is different, though. This is where we intend to stay put. Hubby retired and we have kids and grands in the area. We did in Texas, too, and hate to leave them behind. We miss them, but I’m not missing the heat and the drought. We’re also closer to the third set of kids on the East Coast.

In the middle of moving, a grandson was born under difficult circumstances. He’s fine now--in fact, I’ve never seen such a happy, smiling boy, but he stayed in the hospital for a few weeks, so I went to the DC area to help out with the two year old.

A very confusing, rushed year! But good times, in the end.

What about 2014? More writing, more publishing, is what I hope for. My lucky number can go ahead now and do the trick with Lotto so I can hire a secretary, maid, and personal full-time masseuse.


I’m hoping for a good year for all of our blog readers, and for my fellow bloggers!

8 comments:

Morgan Mandel said...

Congratulations on your productive writing year and the new addition to your family!
I'm partial to the number 13 as well. At least there are two of us!
About moving - we having moved in years, so it was difficult to move stuff around when we got the living room and dining room painted and new carpeting.
There's something to be said for moving more frequently. It helps keep the clutter out!

Morgan Mandel

Kaye George said...

Thanks, Morgan. Yes, we were much neater when we moved every 2-3 years. Things pile up!

Bobbi A. Chukran, Author said...

I miss you here in Taylor, Kaye! Until I met you, I'd never seen such an enthusiastic author, and it's paying off for you. Wish you could bottle some of that energy and share it with friends. LOL. Can't wait to see your new series when it comes out!

Kaye George said...

You're sweet, Bobbi. I miss all my writer friends back in Texas! They're thin on the ground around here.

Anonymous said...


Congrats on a great year, Kaye, and best wishes for continued success in this one. I hope you love Tennessee, but if not, there's always a spot for you here in Texas.

Sandy Cody said...

You had quite a year, Kaye. Sounds like you could use some rest in 2014 but, with all the deadlines that must be looming and nearby grandkids, that's probably not going to happen. Wishing you good health and lots of energy in the year ahead.

Lynn Cahoon said...

Amazing year Kaye! My husband and I have talked about moving to TN but right now, the day jobs are here.

Kaye George said...

Thanks for all the good wishes, especially the energy to carry through with obligations in 2014, Sandy.

Earl, I'd love to be back in Taylor if you could do something about the Texas climate.

Lynn, let me know if you change jobs or retire. You'll have to look me up in Knoxville!