2017 – Year in Review

It’s the last day of the year…time to reflect on how 2017 went, specifically in the area of books….

Reading

I don’t remember what my reading goal was for this year. Probably something ridiculous like one book a week. Well, I just counted up all my reviews, and it looks like I read a paltry 15 books this year. Interestingly, it also looks like the majority of my reading happened on Easter Break and Christmas Break.

And according to this 15th century Book of Hours, reading is what Mary did on her Christmas Break too…while Joseph was taking care of the baby.

If I had to choose a favorite out of the books I’ve read this year, it would probably be The Devil in Beauty, by Heidi Ashworth. The detail and depth with which Ashworth sculpts her characters is unusual in the genre of historical romance, and of course, I just love a good mystery blended up with the romantic interest.

And reading goal for next year? I’m not sure that I will set one. One exciting piece of news though is that David got me a Kindle for Christmas. Not one of those bells-and-whistles Kindle Fire devices that your children are always commandeering to watch shows on, but a tiny little Kindle reader that can only be used for reading books.  I even discovered that I was able to read it in the car without getting motion sickness…a first for me. So, this bodes well for reading in the new year!

Writing

I do remember what my writing goals were for this year, but I’m not going to remind you. Let’s just say that I did not get my next Regency romance/mystery finished. It’s a Christmas one, so I will just have to hope to get it out by next year’s holiday season.

I finally came up with a working title for it last night: Duel at Epiphany. Or A Twelfth Night Duel. Or…something like that… Yes, I’m till struggling to find the perfect name, but the plot starts on Christmas Eve and culminates on Twelfth Night with the murder solved and the lovers united, so I keep expecting to have an epiphany of my own about the title….

I have been working on a Latin curriculum, which is where all my writing time has gone. The first book (designed for fourth grade) is ready to publish once I give it a final proofing, and the second book is about three-fourths complete.

In other news, I had several of my titles release on audio book this year. I really love the voice of my narrator for I Serve, if you want to give the sample a listen.

Thanks for reading my updates. Happy New Year to you, and may all your reading wishes come true!