Happy New Year

It’s almost frightening how quickly a year vanishes when you’re chasing dreams. Being the goal-obsessed wordsmith I am, my mind’s already racing towards 2025. This past year? A rollercoaster of lessons, some sweet, others not so much, and all part of a grand plan I can’t define yet.

My first novel, The Weave Of The Universe, will be available as an eBook in early January and in paperback in early February. Initially, I had planned for a September 2024 release, but the world of writing moves at its own pace. Line and copy editors have many books in the hopper, not just mine. Though, if we’re being honest, I’m the prime culprit behind the delay. Letting go was tough; I kept re-reading, tweaking, and hesitating. Was I offering my best work to the world?

A turning point came when I watched the new Ken Burns documentary on Leonardo da Vinci. Learning that Leonardo left behind many unfinished works struck a chord. Known for his brilliance, he often halted projects midway. While I don’t possess even a fraction of Leonardo’s genius, it made me reflect on why I would allow my first novel to linger in the land of pause.

Too much time spent looking back or forward, reflecting on the shoulda, coulda, woulda-beens, and must-dos can make me struggle with the present.

Isn’t that what New Year’s Eve often does to many of us? We either dwell on the poignant memories of the past year or frantically leap into the new one, feeling like we need the calendar’s permission to move forward.

Perhaps my goals for 2025 will be pared down, and ultimately more achievable. To simply start and finish what makes my heart sing.

Happy New Year, Sandie