I’m sitting at my laptop, at 11:00 AM on New Year’s Day, scanning the party paraphernalia from our little shindig last night, which ended at 10:30 PM, when all of us adults were yawning so much, we couldn’t carry on a proper conversation. (Honestly, I think the kids would have lasted longer than we did, had we not put them to bed because WE needed to sleep.) I’m something like 3 for 39 when it comes to being able to stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve– which is weird, since I stay up well past midnight on many other days of the year.

I meant to write an end-of-the-year post, but the second half of December plum wore me out. So here’s a quick little recap of last year:

I did a few new things on this blog in 2012. I started a Pinterest Board for Summer Writing Prompts for Kids, and a new Guest Blog series called WHEN DO YOU WRITE? Both projects were great fun for me, but they did cut into my writing time significantly. I’m hoping to re-start WHEN DO YOU WRITE? this spring, and I’d definitely like to come up with a whole new set of Summer Writing Prompts for Kids this summer.

In July, I completed a creative fellowship at The Hambidge Center for which I did nothing but write (and eat really good food). Over 12 days of near solitude, no internet, and no phone, I accomplished more work on my second novel than during the entire first half of 2012.

In early fall, I got accepted to my first choice, low residency MFA program in Fiction.

Out of the blue, a part-time, paid writing job for a great website fell into my lap.

And then, after a year of querying, I signed with an agent for my first novel, Secrets of the Sari Chest.

I’m days away from attending my first residency at Queens University in Charlotte, for which I will think about books and writing for SEVEN DAYS STRAIGHT! My manuscripts are complete (yet need to be printed) my response papers are written (though need some proof-reading) and books are read (though a few need to be reviewed). I’ve got some job-related stuff I need to work on before I go. But I’m so, so excited. I’ve met (via email) members of my “class” in fiction, and I can’t wait to meet them all in person.

For Christmas, I bought myself “pretty school supplies.” I picked up a binder with a cool design and a few matching folders. I got a brand new pad of paper, some files to carry all of my manuscript copies, binder clips, and a new box of pens.

New school supplies for the new year–who could ask for anything more?

Wishing you all a spectacular 2013.