Author Life 2.0: Fail to Plan. Plan to Fail...

Happy New Year to all my readers out there! I’m not sure about you, but I found that 2025 was a kind of ‘expect the unexpected’ year. Unfortunately, I never did get my knee replacement surgery date last year. Sigh. BUT, I’m booked to go get my new and improved knee at the end of this January. Yay, me! I’m a little nervous and excited at the same time, so wish me luck and a fast recovery! That said, January 2025 started with an urgency to research the best publishers to query for The Last Timekeepers time travel adventure series, and Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mysteries, as the publisher I had been with for ten years was closing at the end of 2025. I had decided to split up my book series with two different publishers (not a lofty goal at all!), where I’d approach a Canadian publisher for my Fairy Falls series (based in Canada), and an International publisher for The Last Timekeepers. Wow, talk about kismet! I managed to find two publishers willing to take on my backlist and future books within two months. Now that’s when hard work meets luck!

While I was busy dismantling my old author life, and trying to build a new one, we were met with devastating news at the loss of our 22-week-old grandchild February 1st, who was to be born in late spring of 2025. Then, my 95-year-old mother was hospitalized a week later through a fall in the long term care facility she’s living in, and still hasn’t managed to regain her walking abilities. Yes, I’m a firm believer that there is strength through adversity, and I’ve found that you can only keep it together by understanding that we’re never in control of the narrative. The truth is we are all experiencing life in our own way, and at times, our mettle is tested to bring us to the next level of our lives, if we so choose.

So, between the grieving what was lost, and making choices that would support my new Author Life, I
made a plan to tear down my old author world, and build a better one that would serve me, my needs, and my goals. This whole process entailed resubmitting my books to the publishers who offered me contracts, doing the necessary edits and changes, approving the new book covers for The Last Timekeepers series, firing my useless web designer, and hiring a supportive, reliable one, and trying new ways to connect with my target audience via school libraries and Instagram. I managed to get my young adult time travel books and teen psychic mysteries re-released in May and June 2025. Not bad, and way ahead of schedule. Woohoo!

Moving forward in Author Life 2.0, I found that there are two things I’ve learned from coming out of this challenging year. First, to stop putting pressure on myself, and just enjoy the ride. Life goes by so fast, and if you don’t slow down to ‘smell those roses’ you’ll miss out on so many things or opportunities that were meant for you. Second, I have nothing to prove. Period. So many times we seek the approval of others: our parents, our peers, our colleagues and bosses, our spouses, even our children. That’s a lot to take on. The only approval you need is the heart-based approval you give to yourself. It’s a form of self-love that we all need in this world right now.

How was 2025 for you? Any milestones? Did you need to take a welcome break from all the craziness we’ve endured the past six years? Have you been in your comfort zone far too long like I was? Would love to read your comments! Cheers, Happy New Year, and wishing you a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2026! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I appreciate you!