Hello 2018!

I'm a little late with this seeing as we're already 16 days into 2018, but I've been so busy finishing my 14th book that nothing else mattered until it was done!
2017 was a crazy year! I didn't realise how much I'd done until I started to think back on it while wondering what I was going to write for this blog.
Let's start with something not so fantastic, and that's the fact that I blogged a lot less than normal in 2017. I'm going to be honest with you, I was feeling the burnout with blogging, and I decided I was only going to post if I actually had something to say. I'm going to continue only blogging when I have something to say into 2018, so you'll hear from me less, but my posts should be more interesting!
That doesn't mean I've been writing less. Oh no. In 2017, I set myself a goal to write something (1,000 at least) every week. Sometimes that was a blog - I did do a bit of blogging - sometimes it was adding more to my current project, and sometimes it was a whole mix of different bits and pieces I worked on during the week. I'm proud to say that I completed this goal (minus a week that I was ill and the Christmas week)! This is something I'm taking into 2018 with me because it's something every writer should be doing. I know writing every day isn't always possible, but writing every week certainly is, so I'm going to stick with it.
I didn't manage to write two new books and a re-write though. I think that was pushing it a little! I did manage to write a re-write (Fire and Ice) and a new book (the ZA sequel), so I'm keeping up with my two books a year target!
I spent 2017 talking about  ZA  and even writing the sequel, which is the reason this blog's so late. Ivisited four schools and three radio stations in 2017, and I hope some of them will invite me back again this year!
I also took part in the Brentwood Literary Festival YA Panel with Gemma Fowler and Dan Smith, which was so much fun! As well as that, I also took part in Essex Author Day.
As with the blogs, I didn't read as much in 2017. I still read over 25 books, which is a lot to non-bookworms, but now that I look back, I need to do better this year!
My top five books that I read in 2017 in the order I read them are:

- Daughter of Deep Silence - Carrie Ryan
- The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
- One - Sarah Crossan
- A Quiet Kind of Thunder - Sara Barnard
- Am I Normal Yet? - Holly Bourne

Go and check them all out. They are all incredible.

What else? Oh yes! I got married! I know it has nothing to do with writing or books, but it was a huge milestone in my life. I married my best friend and partner of seven years, and it was perfect. And now we have wedding pictures all over the house!

So what can you all expect for 2018? Well, I'll be writing something every week and (fingers crossed) keeping to my two books a year goal. I have an idea of what I want to write next, but no idea about a second thing yet! It'll come. They always do.

I'm also going to release Fire and Ice at some point this year all going well. I cannot wait for you all to read it! Fire and Ice truly is my baby, and it means the world to me. It'll be amazing to finally share Ash and Cerulean with you all.

I'm also going to make sure I find the time to edit the ZA sequel, which I'm hoping to bring to you all in 2019, so look out for that. Hopefully, I'll also think of a title for it!




I wish you all the most wonderful 2018, and thanks for sticking with me all this time,

Molly x



Molly LoobyAuthor / Editor in Chief at Molten Publishing / Freelance Editor / Writing Coach / Reviewer / Blogger / Wrimo / Movellian / ZA Ready
molly@moltenpublishing.co.uk
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