New Years Resolution

Happy 2016 everybody! 

I usually am not a big fan of New Years Resolutions. I find them redundant because I am a goal oriented person. I usually set my goals and then don't really stop until I accomplish every last one. If, for whatever reason, something should prevent me from accomplishing any one of my goals -- I simply put it on the back burner until I can figure out a way to do it. Then I do it.

One of the downsides of being goal-oriented is that I often get tunnel vision and tend to neglect other things. So for the last few years I've been trying to find greater balance in doing what needs to be done in everyday life, like shaving, taking baths, and spending time with my kids, and accomplishing all the things I need to do.

So instead of just sharing an insincere New Years resolution with you, I'll share with you some of this years goals instead.

I told myself I wasn't going to write any more non-fiction this year, but alas I have had two ideas for non-fiction works that I want to get made. So those will be thrown in with everything else I'm planning. Which is a lot.

​As for contracted work, I will be coming out with BITTEN 4: Ancient of Dread Days and The Scarecrow & Lady Kingston: A Slice of Grilled Americana. 

Initially I said I'd have BITTEN 4 in the can by April, but due to my publisher having me do major rewrites on BITTEN 2 which pushed back BITTEN 3, it looks like I won't complete BITTEN 4 till the very end of the year. So, basically I will be writing both BITTEN 4 and the second installment of Scarecrow & Lady Kingston simultaneously.

As I work on these two novels, I have plans to write a Steam Punk Fairy Tale based on a short story I did which was itself based on the Little Red Riding Hood fable. It's called Little Red Gauntlet, and if I stick to a strict schedule I should be able to have all three novels finished by the end of the year. Luckily all three are plotted out and all I have to do is sit down and get the words down. So it's just a matter of grinding the grindstone.

I was able to write BITTEN 3: Kingdom of the Living Dead -- which came out to 87K -- in about 3 months. Of course, I burned myself out doing that as I handled the rewrites of BITTEN 2 simultaneously, so this time I'm going to pace myself a little better.

If that wasn't enough writing -- there's always more!

Last year I wrote the script for a full length graphic novel, and I'm going to try and get that made this year with my artist friend. We might be crowd funding it, but this is still in the early development stages. I'll keep you posted.

As I work on these I will of course be blogging less frequently (or more infrequently, I should say). About the only thing I'll have time to blog about are movie reviews. Last year I was in talks with my friend Patrick of getting together and starting a movie review podcast. Again, it's a work in progress, but now he has a nice new house with a nice big office where we can set up shop. So it looks like this might actually move forward sooner rather than later.

As for personal goals, I'm bound and determined to lose 30 lbs. this year. I want to get down to 175 to 180 lbs. I'm already jogging 3K to 5K a day, depending on my schedule, so things are looking good. I've run every day for a full week and, strangely, don't feel like I'm hitting any walls yet. I might mix things up and through in some stairs and maybe some intervals to really kick-start the calorie burn.

Also, a new job opportunity opened up and if things work in my favor I may be switching teaching jobs this year to a much upgraded position. After a decade of teaching ESL in Japan it seems I may actually have landed a halfway decent TESOL job. 

And, well, that's about it for goals. 

But this year is looking to be a busy one. My daughter starts elementary school in April and my son will be old enough to start a preschool soon. So, family life will fill up all the rest of my spare time. 

So thanks for sticking with me, and reading my stuff. Be sure to check back here regularly for updates on things -- both regarding my novels, book, and other written works as well as my daily life. 

Happy New Year folks! Be wise and live well.