Happy New Year!

Twin Cities Book Festival

Instead of the usual breaking-a-bad-habit or starting-a-new-one resolution, I used to pick an annual challenge. Sleep out under the stars. Canoe on the Minnesota. You get the idea. I had an entire year to accomplish the task. I always made it happen.

Once, my challenge was not to talk ill of a particular person (who shall remain nameless here) for the entire year. And I did well on that one too, though I admit I reveled in the attention the resolution garnered from friends. Mention of the goal was enough to both set them laughing and inspire their own unpleasant comments regarding the person. All in all, there was no net loss of negativity toward the individual.

Last year I switched it up and had a January challenge: ridding myself/my house of one unneeded object each day. It was kind of fun.

This year, I have a genuine resolution list.

1: Remember the No-TV February that kicked started my whole self-publishing venture? It's back. No-TV January.

2: Less television viewing will lead to better habits regarding my nails. TV is my trigger for poor fingernail habits.

3: I bought the treadmill desk. It's time to get serious about using it. Every day.

4: I want to learn Illustrator and/or Photoshop this year.

5: Posting more regularly on this blog. It's pretty sad that my last entry was back in October! Since then, I've had successful Twin Cities Book Festival and Christmas in the Village days. I met wonderful people in the industry and in my town who were encouraging and inspirational. And they bought my books!

A picture of Donna and Sheri visiting my TCBF table is above. Here are two more photos:

My table area. It was nice to be on the end of a row.

A surprise visit from my Aunt LeAnn!

I encourage you to visit Neil Gaiman's Journal (link on sidebar) to read his 2013 New Year's Wish.

And as he would say,
Bravery and Joy to you all --

Ann