I have trouble starting blog posts. I start writing them in my head, no problem, and then I decide to sit down and actually type one out, and… my mind blanks on how to start. Which is weird because once upon a time I knew how to start blog posts just fine. And then I forgot, I guess.

Anyway, it’s time to reflect back on 2010 and think about what’s to come in 2011. I love this. I love looking back and counting up my accomplishments (and, er, failure-ish things) and imagining how awesome beginning a new year will be. That’s probably why I love the beginning of the submission process, when your shiny new book that might be full of accomplishments first goes out into the world and you imagine how much opportunity and success you might have. You know, that moment right before all the rejections come rolling in.

2010 was a strange year. My horoscope said it was going to be my golden epoch year, or something like that. Either way, it certainly didn’t turn out like I expected. I’ll be honest with you. I thought I would sell books this year. I thought I would be under contract again by now, and I’m not. Not being under contract kind of makes the day your book comes out feel like the day you officially become unemployed, or at least it did for me. And it wasn’t for lack of trying or hard work or submitting. Sometimes thems are just the breaks! So, not the year I expected, but one full of changes, hurdles jumped, and accomplishments accomplished.

This year I:

1. Wrote a book. It was historical. And 1st person. And that person was someone famous. NEVER thought I could write historical books, or especially one about someone real who everybody knows about, and especially not in 1st person. And, yeah, it’s more like Xena than it is HBO’s Rome or whatever, but still.

2. I got glasses. I’ve been avoiding glasses for years, and it turns out they’re not so bad. And mine look awesome, thanks to my friend Matthew who helped me pick them out.

3. I sold movie option rights for Renegade X to Disney Channel Movies.

4. My book came out! It was not the grand explosion I pictured it to be when I first sold. Selling the book was an amazing moment, definitely the high point, and then by the time it comes out you’ve already used up all your excitement energy. Imagine waiting to open your Christmas presents for two years. Even though one of them is obviously shaped like the bicycle you wanted, after staring at that bicycle shaped wrapping paper for two years, some of the thrill has faded. But still–book came out! Awesomesauce! Random people I’ve never met have read my book! Words that I have written have been to places I haven’t.

5. I went to NYC for the first time ever, to go to BEA. (Hopefully not the last!) I was terrified to go, but it ended up being AMAZING. One of my best adventures.

6. I went to CA to visit relatives and ended up at a Roman Villa. (I know, right?)

7. I moved to a new city. Moving was absolute hell, but I LOVE it here!

8. I applied to grad schools. Three of them. I’ve been thinking about it for years, but this time I finally did it, even though it was hard and complicated. Or at least seemed that way in the beginning. But I took a big long test I spent weeks studying for, I asked people for (and got) letters of recommendation, and I even wrote an essay about myself. (About going to NYC despite being terrified of it and then having the time of my life.)

9. I made huge revisions to aforementioned book, even though there were times when I didn’t think I’d be able to figure out the new ending and get it back on submission.

Oh, yeah, and I got a Nook, which is one of my favorite things EVER. I went from a hardcopies-forever book snob to a die hard convert, once I found out that ereaders had e-ink and weren’t back lit. I still love paper books–some of my favorite books are made of paper–but boy do I lurve this Nook!

So anyway, that was 2010, the year of big changes and unexpected accomplishments. What does 2011 have in store?

These things:

1. Lots of waiting. This is a given, as an author, but this winter/spring my book should be going back out on submission AND I will be waiting to hear back about grad school admissions. It’s a good thing I don’t bite my nails, but maybe I should start.

2. Hopefully starting said grad school in the fall. Hopefully at my top choice. Hopefully I will get into all three and then can spend a few weeks pretending to contemplate which one I’m going to choose and can whine and ramble on to anyone within hearing distance.

3. Writing more books! I’m not afraid to admit to you that I’ve been slacking off. (Just as long as you’re not, you know, an industry pro. Or judgmental.) I haven’t meant to slack off, but little fears and doubts have slithered their way through the cracks and invaded my brain a little bit. Also naps. But I have two–count then, TWO–awesome books I am working on. Last year I’d wanted to finish two projects, but only finished one. (Though I did finish it twice, if that counts.) This year I think my goals will be more focused on writing every day, not on how many projects I finish. (Having “finished product” as a goal is hard. Having “write every day” as a goal is only kinda hard.)

4. This year, I’m going to be more laid back. (Yeah, I know, you’ll believe it when you see it.) I have stress and anxiety issues. I sometimes always feel like someone’s going to come into my house and beat me to death with a stick if I don’t do all the dishes. Even though, in reality, if I don’t do the dishes, the biggest consequence is… there are dirty dishes. And maybe nothing to eat off of, but that’s why pizza places were invented, no need for sticks. So, laid back it is.

This post is getting long, so I’ll stop here. I do hope to blog more next year–this year my posts were kind of scarce–but I make no promises. The new me is too laid back for promises! But anyway, I hope everybody has a good year. Go forth and read lots!