2011

I think 2011 will go down in history as the year I bit off more than I could chew - some by happenstance, and some by opportunistic optimism. At least it's almost over now, and time for something new.

But first, a recap - with commentary.
Because I think that's what you're supposed to do in these year-end posts.

Book Work
This year I had four major projects drop: Bloodshot, Fort Freak, Ganymede, and Hellbent. To be clear, I did not write all four last year; publishing schedules are arcane cycles, that's all. And in fact, I did not write the entirety of Fort Freak - just the interstitial mystery.

Regardless, Fort Freak was single-handedly the greatest challenge and most work I'd ever undertaken at the time, and I'm glad it finally hit the streets. I am terribly proud of my contribution to that project, and absolutely honored/gobsmacked by the exceptional company I keep between those covers with George and the Wild Cards Consortium.

Day Job Work
For 2009-10, my writing work happened while day-jobbing for the marvelous folks at Subterranean Press, juggling a part-time gig which I valued mightily, under the direction of one of the finest gents I know.

But I left that gig rather abruptly at the end of March, in order to take what appeared to be a dream assignment with another company. I hated to go, but my Subterranean boss was kind, understanding, and (as is typical) quite awesome.

He sent me off with love.

Alas, I couldn't talk about the ensuing day job, and there's a chance I might never talk about it. That's how super-secret things go, sometimes.

These are the basic facts: It was a contract job. It ran from April, up until about a week ago.

The contract was the chance of a lifetime - and I'm both grateful for the opportunity, and glad I worked up the nerve to accept it. Now I can now cross it off my list of "things I want to do someday." That having been said, it is also off my list of "things I plan to do again."

And I think we'll leave it at that.

Travel
2011 held more travel than ever before. I met some amazing people, made new friends, saw new places, and got to play dress-up on someone else's dime. I have nothing to complain about, except a little sleep deprivation.

In 2011 I visited Detroit, Houston, Tucson, San Francisco (multiple times), Oklahoma City, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Phoenix, Portland (multiple times), San Diego, Memphis, St. Louis, Denver, and Boise. Never mind the half dozen (or more) events in the Seattle area, and the half dozen trips down to California for the super-secret day-job. And now I'm tired all over again, just thinking about it.

I am pretty sure, to deploy an overused soundbyte from the 80s, that I am getting too old for this shit.

Regardless of how much I enjoy it, I've tried to rein in some of this work-related travel for next year - having vowed to give myself some semblance of a break. But because I am bad at math, this means I'm still scheduled for one out-of-state event every month from January through June.

Eh. It beats doing up to four per month.

Big Business
And then there was the Boneshaker movie news.

For months, I'd been anxiously awaiting the go-ahead to share the press release - my first movie option, yay! - and then we'd all have a big giggle, and talk about how an option doesn't mean much, and how 99% of optioned properties never turn into movies.

Instead, I got this press release. And now we're having a different conversation entirely.

Sometimes I lie in bed at night, staring at the ceiling, not believing it. For someone who - barely two years ago - strongly considered changing her name to escape a dying career ... it feels like deus ex machina.

I don't know what it will mean for 2012. Not yet.

Next up
Next in the most immediate sense: First thing in the morning I'm flying out to take care of some personal business back east - so I'll ring in the new year like I spent so much of the old one: in a plane. But that's okay. I'll only be gone for a week, and it's good business - not bad business.

I'm looking forward to the trip.

And you know what? I'm looking forward to 2012, too. What few resolutions I have are largely private for now, but in general you can expect that I'll keep writing, and keep trying to sell books, and keep wondering about the movie, and keep drinking a little too much rum. That's a 2012 I can embrace.

Anyway
Thanks as always to all of you for following along with my weird, cryptic, dorky, frantic, boring, silly life. Thanks for swinging by. Thanks for reading.

Happy New Year!
May yours be everything you hope for, and then some.