A Season of Change

For me, summer is always a season of change. (Whether I like it or not.)

Sure, the days get longer and warmer. We take time off of school, and jobs, and responsibilities to relax, unwind, and enjoy life. But, for me, this time of relaxation also comes with deep reflection. Summer is the time that I not only rest, but I also think about where I am, where I want to be, and assess things in my life that may need changing so that I can keep to the path I've planned out for myself. It's a time of goal-setting, of reality-pacing, and--most importantly--of embracing the inevitable unforeseen and adapting to keep life on track.

Every summer brings change and transformation, and every year that change is magic. After all, while change can be good or bad, it is very rarely neutral, and we must learn to see the potential even in the changes we might not have preferred. That, sometimes, is much easier said than done. I am not a terribly optimistic person by nature, but if I have learned one thing in life it has been to roll with the punches, and to try to see the potential in anything. If you can keep moving, then you can keep surviving...and if you can keep surviving, then anything is possible. 

The past year has seen much change in my life. After the release of The Isle of Gold in October, I signed with Gandolfo, Helin & Fountain Literary Management and was soon swept away on exciting new projects that I can't yet talk about (the agony of keeping secrets!). I joined the Havenwood Falls collective and have enjoyed meeting so many incredible and visionary writers--after all, writing a story is one thing, but working collaboratively to build a universe? That is no small feat! From my hair color to my writing schedule and nearly everything in between, change has been the story of my life over the past year.

More is changing. New projects. New collaborations. A new home, in a new part of the world. And as scary and sometimes overwhelming as change can be, I am embracing all of it. It is not always things that change around you, but sometimes the greatest change is that which you find in yourself.

So, what kind of changes can you expect, dear reader? Well, first is a more active blog--filled with regular book reviews and other literary shenanigans as I commit to working my way through my mountainous TBR pile and take a more active role reviewing both on my blog as well as providing reviews for other authors (I'm dipping my toes in the #bookstagram community, too). You'll notice some new branding on my website and social channels. More books, too, of course--I'll have news to share on that front in short order, including some anticipated sequels, a new prequel, surprise collaborations, and super-nifty-super-secret book-to-film projects that make my dark little heart happy. All in all, I am looking forward to another fantastic year and hope that you'll continue to follow along.

xoxo,
7J