Resolutions: 2018 into 2019

So, I have this little cheat system.  I make, like, a ton of New Years' resolutions.  Like, a lot.  The reason?  The odds of me completing at least one or two of them are better that way.  There are some obvious cons to this, of course.  I mean, for example, for 2018 I made fifteen resolutions... wrote them down and everything.  How many did I complete?  Four and a half.  Just four and a half out of fifteen.  And I'll be honest, I might be stretching a one and a half of these to make me feel better.  But, you know what?  I like my system.  So, here are the resolutions for 2018 that I completed, followed by my writerly type resolutions for 2019.

Start Writer's/Reader's Blog: If you're reading this, well... you have your proof.

Finish Flame Rough Draft:  Flame is the sequel to my first complete, as of yet unpublished, novel.  My goal was to at least finish the rough draft to the first of its two sequels.  Well, done.  As of NaNoWriMo 2018, Flame's first draft is done.  Now, only to edit.

The other two completed goals were not writing or reading related, so I'll leave them off.  But, yeah.  Writing-wise, this is what I completed this year.  Doesn't look like much, compared to what I had set out for myself this year.  But... I did a couple of extra writing things this year--like writing a complete novella.  And while I didn't make any reading goals for 2018, I am very pleased with what I accomplished there this year.  I'll be doing my "Books Read in 2018" soon.  I actually super excited for it!  Now, to make a clear statement of what I want to accomplish, writer/reader-wise, in 2019.

Edit Ash and Get it Out to Agent(s): I was going to start on this this month, but due to several circumstances, I'm a little burnt out.  So, I'll give it a go starting in Mid-January, I believe. 

Edit Flame: This should be self-explanatory, given that it's the sequel to Ash, shouldn't it be?

Begin Ember: The third novel in this trilogy.  It might not be until November, but I'm coming for it.

Write Next Novella in Series: I like what I wrote for my novella this year, and I want to continue it.  So, here you go.

Find Publisher for Novella: Again, self-explanatory

Read at Least Two More Books This Year than Last: I won't reveal any numbers yet, as I want to save the number books I read this year for my "Books Read" post.  But I want to add at least two to that number.

Read at Least One "Classic" Novel: I read a couple last year--again, more info to follow.  So, I'd like to read at least one this year, just to say that I've lived up to the degree I earned.

Finished One Old WIP: This relates more to my "just for me" stuff... but yeah.  I need to do it.

Start Writer/Reader Podcast: This was on the to-do list for 2018 but didn't happen.  So, I'm gonna redouble my efforts at it this year.

And I do believe that's it.  It's quite a list.  Again, realistically, I probably won't get them all done.  But then... who knows?  Maybe I will.  I'll never know unless I try.  What is everyone else's New Year's Resolution(s)?  I'd love to hear them! 

Books I Read in 2017

Okay, so this is like an attempt at something I'll be doing near the end of this month/beginning of next month for 2018.  I had originally lost this list of books I had read last year, but I found it.  Also, sorry for not posting in so long... NaNoWriMo ate me... but I won!  Another 50,000 words in the books! 

But, more on this post.  What I'm going to do is this:  I'm going to list the titles and authors of the books I read last year (2017).  Then, I'm going to answer questions about them, look for similarities... whatever comes to mind.  Without further ado, let's get started.

Books Read in 2017

Cinder by Marissa Meyer                                         Bobby Singer's Guide to Hunting by David Reed

Dark Tower: The Gunslinger by Stephen King       After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn

Dark Tower: The Drawing of Three by Stephen King    Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer                                Cress by Marissa Meyer

Fairest by Marissa Meyer                                Winter by Marissa Meyer

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer                 Prince Lestat and the Lost Realms of Atlantis by Anne Rice

Darth Vader Volume I by Keiron Gillen       Darth Vader Volume II by Keiron Gillen and Jason Aaron

Darkwing Duck: Orange is the New Purple by Aaron Sparrow  

Darkwing Duck: Volume II by Aaron Sparrow      The Lost Hero by Rick Riodan

Son of Neptune by Rick Riodan                             Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Mark of Athena by Rick Riodan                            House of Hades by Rick Riodan

Blood of Olympus by Rick Riodan            Five Nights at Freddy's: The Silver Eyes by Scott Cawthon

Morrigan's Cross by Nora Roberts            Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts

Valley of Silence by Nora Roberts

Total Books Read: 27

Favorite Book(s)?  I read a lot of great ones last year.  I loved the graphic novels (Vader and Darkwing).  But if I had to point to a singular book (excluding series), I loved After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn.

Least Favorite Book(s)?  Um, the Five Night's at Freddy's book.  Yeah, that one, probably followed by The Drawing of Three.

Favorite Series? Definitely the Lunar Chronicles (Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest, Winter, and Stars Above)  

Least Favorite Series? The Circle series (Morrigan's Cross, Dance of the Gods, and Valley of Silence).  It wasn't bad... but when compared against others on this list... yeah.  Sorry.

Any reoccurring themes in choice of reading? You know, I thought I was going heavy on the series reading this year... but almost everything I read last year either was a series, or has a sequel. Also, featured a lot of myths/folklore type of things.  The Lunar Chronicles is a sci-fi retelling of fairytales (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White), the Heroes of Olympus Series (The Lost Hero, Son of Neptune, Mark of Athena, House of Hades, and Blood of Olympus) mixes Greek and Roman myths, and Uprooted is based on Polish fairytales.  Discord's Apple also draws on Greek as well as a few other myths.  So there's that.  

Any of them have sequels you want to root out for next year/future? This is a bit funny for me to answer, given that it's almost at the end of 2018.  But, there is one on here that has a sequel I want to find and read, and that's After the Golden Age.  I think it's called Dreams of the Golden Age.  This is a superhero fiction, by the way, and I love it alone for that.  Not enough of it out in the world, if you ask me.

Any authors new to you this year that you want to seek out more of? Well, Meyer was new to me, and I'll talk more about her on my 2018 roundup.  And Novik has another of her myth themed books out called Spinning Silver I'd like to give a try.

Pleasantly surprised by any of them? Probably Bobby Singer's Guide, Fevre Dream, and Uprooted fit this best. A book based on a TV show is very, very hit or miss, and this one felt like they got Bobby Singer's character dead on.  Fevre Dream was a vampire novel set in the days of (and on) steamboats... I loved it.  And I just didn't know anything at all about Novik or Uprooted when I bought it, but I got really into it by the time it was finished.  

Any books left on your TBR (To Be Read) list that you're excited to get to next year? Again, I'm getting to this late, so this question is really here more as a place holder.

So, that's it for me.  What did you think of my list?  Got questions about one that sounds interesting?  And what would you like to see me do on this blog in the new year?  Leave me suggestions!  Thanks!  Covers for favorites and least favorites are below!

Favorite Book: 

Least Favorite Book: 

Favorite Series: 

 Least Favorite Series: