This past year has been tough for many people, and we are all excited to move forward with the hope the virus will run it's course and the world can get back to normal.
I have to admit, living as rural as we do, our only inconvenience was wearing a mask when we went to town and several of my conferences were canceled. I know there are many others who've lost income and loved ones. And others who are not dealing well with the forced isolation.
Looking forward to the new year, I have already written up my writing goals and signed up for a conference in hopes that it will be able to happen.
For me, the new year brings an end to one mystery series and a beginning to another one. I'm still working out all the kinks for the new series and the last book of the old series is off to my critique partners. I hope they feel I ended the series in a good way.
That is what is hard about ending the series now. I didn't want it to become stale and have readers saying I should have stopped it three books earlier. But I also don't want readers upset that the series ended abruptly. Which I tried to give a sort of closure to the series, with a slight chance it could be restarted down the road with the two main characters older. ;) I'm not telling my readers this. So shhh... But that was at the back of my mind as I wrote the book.
The new series, Spotted Pony Casino Mysteries, is coming together. I've made some changes to the main character as I began formulating her and working on her character sheet. And while I had planned to have a secondary character be a Tribal Police Officer, the more I think about stories for the series, I believe the secondary character, sort of a love interest, will be an F.B.I. agent. We'll see. Because my books and characters who arrive in my imagination may not always be what I'd planned. ;)
My ongoing, Gabriel Hawke series is going strong. I'm excited to get started on the next book in that series. It is titled Stolen Butterfly. I'll be dealing with MMIW- Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. I'm hoping to shine a light on this problem with this book and give the reader not only something to think about but also an entertaining read. That book will introduce my readers to my new character, Dela Bolden.
I think the biggest excitement for me in 2021 is the fact I'll be celebrating 50 novels published in May, the anniversary of my publishing career. It will be 15 years since my first book published and Stolen Butterfly will be my 50th published book. So stay tuned for my post in May, which will tell you all the fun things I have planned for the whole month. There will be prizes from totes made by me to my books and gift cards. All month long I'll be giving away 50 prizes!
What are you planning in 2021?
Paty
Jager is an award-winning author of 48 novels, 8 novellas, and numerous anthologies
of murder mystery and western romance. All her work has Western or Native
American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern
Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the
western lifestyle, she lives it. This is what Books a Plenty Book
Reviews has to say about the Gabriel Hawke series: "The blend of nature
tracking, clues, and the animals makes for a fascinating mystery that is hard
to put down."
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5 comments:
Paty, my plans for 2021 start with finishing up some of the writing tasks that weren't completed (SEO, Newsletter, updating mailing list, etc.) However I expect that to be done by the end of March. At that point I'll have an idea of how I want to move forward. At this point my plan is to finish any editing or revisions my 2nd non-fiction "Yes, You Can Create The Life You Love" and see that it is published. Once that is done, I'll concentrate on the next books in the "Visions of ... " series. Next up? "Visions of Ireland" at least that's my working title.
May 2021 is going to be a super special month for you! I'm excited about your next Gabriel Hawke book. I've several friends who are Native Americans and MMIW is a topic of concern to all of them.
Judith, Your plans sound like a good balance of different projects. I'm pretty stoked about the next Gabriel Hawke book after having a Zoom meeting with a woman who is dedicated to the MMIW movement. Her excitement over my writing a book focused on what their movement is all about and making sure it is a part of the book has pushed me to be even more excited that I am doing the right thing by adding this element to the book.
Paty, congratulations on your upcoming 50th book! My goals for the year are basically to do what I'd planned for last year, few of which came to pass. I wrote many words but none of them sere published.
Paty, How exciting to be publishing your 50th book this year and for it to be about shining a light on MMIW. I've always loved your books, how well researched they are, and that you provide a lot of insight to people and culture while still delivering an interesting mystery.
Luanna, sometimes you have to be in the right mood to edit and get a book ready to publish. This will be your year.
Maggie, Thank you for the kind words. I am excited to write this book and hopefully get more people involved in this movement.
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