Where did the year go?
It seems like only yesterday I sat down on the last Writing Wednesday of the year and wrote my review of 2020. Now, the last Writing Wednesday of 2021 arrives and it’s time once again to look back and review the past year of 2021.
2021 as an author was a mixed bag for me. Not quite a 50/50 split. More like a 60/40. The 60% is the elephant in the room so let’s get it out of here right off the bat. That elephant is the fact I could not write like I wanted to nor like I have in previous years. This is quite upsetting, and it wasn’t due to writer’s block or not knowing what to follow my 6th book “The Demon Of Sweet Briar” with. The root cause…that job I must have (as I refer to it) that pays the bills, pulled me away from what I love to for close to five months at the first part of 2021. Got to love being short staffed due to the lingering of that Wu Han Flu. Working six days a week at an average of 55 to 60 hours with only one day off I can tell you is NOT conducive to writing. When you do get that day off your brain is mush, you’re too tired and want to sleep, or you have other things that need to get done because they’ve been put off because you’re working too much. 2021 saw this. 2022 will not!
Now that we elephant has left the room, let’s move on to more positive things that happened in 2021. I mentioned in 2020’s review that I had two books in the works, “What Happened To The Muth?” and “30 Storeys” I can tell you that even with not being able to write like I wanted to I can tell you that both books are in the writing phase as we speak. “What Happened To The Muth?” has its first four chapters completed. I have two more to finish off and then the beginning of the story is set. I’ll send that part over to my editor while I start working on the main part of the story.
“30 Storeys” has the main story itself outlined out and needs to be written. The other 30 short stories that tie into the main story, have 20 set. Of the 20 set, 3 are written and need to be entered into the computer. Another 2 are completed and need to go to my editor including the story “Till Books Do Us Part”. I posted this one in a Christmas Day Blog for you all to read. If you haven’t, please do so and let me know what you think.
At the present time the plan is to have both books ready for a late 2022 release. “What Happened To The Muth?” as my 7th and “30 Storeys” as my 8th. Depending on how things go it could be the other way around. Time will tell and we shall see. As always, follow my Facebook Page @bkrowwriter for the latest.
When they are released, they will debut for signing exclusively at Charlin’s Book Nook in Frankenmuth, Michigan, my favorite place to sign! They are amazing people and have become big supporters of me as an author. That and the people I meet are from all over the country not just Michigan. I had the opportunity to sign here on five different occasions this past year and each one was very successful. I wish that I could have signed at a couple of the other places I have also been at in previous years, but the Wu Han Flu put a damper on those. It is my hope that 2022 will see those opportunities return and other new ones come into play. Not to worry I will be at Charlin’s signing at least 4 times in 2022 as I have already scheduled them. I’ll announce those sometime in January.
As I said, signing at Charlin’s gives me the opportunity to meet people from all over the country. It seems from what I have learned at the last couple of signings I am starting to garner a following. The goal of getting my name out there is starting to take hold. Now it is a small flame that I will continue to nurture so it becomes a blaze! Two instances at recent signings… The first is that Linda who is the owner of Charlin’s let me know that a week after my signing on Small Business Saturday she had a customer looking for me. Seems he had purchased a couple of my books at a previous signing and really loved what he read. He came back to get the others. She did give him my information as you can order all the books direct from my website. The other instance is that I had a young lady from Ohio see my book “The Demon Of Sweet Briar” on the table. I heard her tell her friend she was with she knew of this book. I asked her how she heard of it? She informed me that a friend of hers had purchased it and was talking about it on one of the book forums she is a part of. Let me tell you that is welcome news! Small steps, yet important ones. All good things to those who wait. And good things seem to be coming.
Bronner’s has yet to bite on carrying my 3rd book “Saint Nick”. I think it would sell very well there, especially since the entire story is set there. As much as I would like it there, I am not upset. You see Charlin’s took interest in it and started carrying it. And guess what, it sells very well there. So, if you want signed copies of “Saint Nick” you will find them exclusively at Charlin’s Book Nook in Frankenmuth.
Had a couple of other great things as an author in 2021. A fellow author, A. Piper Burgi, whom I have come to know and writes historical fiction read “Saint Nick”. She gave it a glowing review and posted it on her blog and social networking pages. I must thank her again as it meant the world to me. It was also the first review from a fellow author critiquing my work. Really tells me that I am doing my job.
I also had my first one on one interview with Kirsten McNeill. She is an independent editor and life coach and really assists those who write and does her best to promote them. I did a written interview with her in 2020. This one was live, and I got to interact with her and with an actual audience which was fun! I thank her for all that she does and her assistance with getting my work out to her network as it is much appreciated.
As always, I want to thank all of you for your support in 2021. You allow me to do what I love to do…WRITE! Remember, there are many ways you can show your support aside from purchasing my work, and if you have, I thank you! You can come out to signings. You don’t have to buy a book but come on out and say “HI”. If you have purchased a book and enjoyed, it then let your friends know. Word of mouth is powerful. With this you can also leave a review, so I know what I did/didn’t do well. All my books are listed on GoodReads.com give them a rating and give a review for them. This costs you nothing but a few minutes of time. Again, lets me know how I am doing. You can also email directly at bkrowwriter@gmail.com and let me know.
The goal is to be able to do this on a full-time basis so that it is the job that pays the bills. Instead of it being a job I must have, it will be the job I want to have. And being it is a passion it won’t be a job at all. Is 2022 that year? That is the question. Time will tell.
Have a Happy New Year 2022!
Till Next Time…
