January Review and Quarterly Goals

I was sitting here thinking there are 5 Wednesdays in this month, but there are only 4. Then, I wondered how my last quarterly goals post was in the September but the next one isn't until March. Then, I remembered I take a break in December. Ooops. haha So here is a double dose of my monthly review and goals for the quarter.

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January went by in a blur. I'm happy to say this new year, I entered with a much better mindset than last year. I was super depressed and grieving at the end of 2020, so I was very miserable January 1, 2021. After that, I started writing letters to my mom, and that really helped with my grief, and I moved on to the stress of a parent publisher that wasn't giving me any type of attention or support (except for the publicist. She was amazing).

Having requested to be released in December, I'm currently waiting for the official documents that confirm that, so I can focus on the road to self-publishing again. If all goes as planned, I want to start promoting at this year's Dover Comic Con, then release again on my birthday like I did the first time. It would be a nice little present to myself.

My older sister started a  group with a book called "Designing Your Life". We discuss what our life could be and how we might be able to get there. Our last activity, we created three jobs based on what gives us the most energy and engagement in our day-to-day life. All three of mine were far more creative than what I'm doing now. If I can get to do one of them, I know I'll be happier. One of my plans after my mom passed was to not get stuck in a job that drains the life out of me and do more things that I want to do. I need to start working towards that. That said...


My goals for the remainder of this quarter are:

Read 24 books this year (I'm already a book behind at this rate, but if I can read another book in the next 5 days, I'll feel like a wizard). I've had a couple of books that made me love sitting for an hour or so with some music and just reading again. I'm going to try to get back into the habit.

Write more. The other day, I wrote about 500 words while recrafting a scene in my sequel to FP. I was so excited. I've been opening that document up more, and I started recrafting another scene that I think will help push Jonnie forward a little more. I've also figured out the biggest plot in the story, just have to get to it. I'm squeeing inside just thinking about it.

Apply for more jobs. If I get added to one more task because someone else is retiring, I might implode. I understand my boss trusts me with stuff, which is always appreciated, but the bad thing about working for the State is that they like to pile stuff onto you when people leave, and of course you don't get paid extra for it. At another department, I spent almost a year doing another administrative assistant's job for free after they decided not to refill the position (sideways bitter smile). The one thing I know for certain is that I no longer want to do anything that resembles office work. I hate it. So I have to constantly force myself not to look at those openings so I'm not in the same place every 3 years at a new job. I need something more creative, and if that means taking a chance and stepping out to do something new, then that's what I'll have to do.

So, to sum up my results from September Quarterly Goals post, I'll say, things are slowly starting to move, and I'll say that's okay for now.

Starting Over

This is basically an evening post at this point, huh?

I've kept quiet about this waiting for things to be finalized, but I have requested to be released from Wahida Clark Publishing and SF(F)or the Culture. It wasn't a good fit, and that isn't uncommon for some authors. Self-publishing is best for me at this time, and as that had been the plan prior, that is what I'm returning to. I wish my fellow flagship authors the best with their writing, and I hope we stay in touch.

What that means for Fractured Princess is I will be publishing an updated version with the original cover art by Racheal Scotland. There will be paperback and *drum roll* hardcover versions, and if my brother-in-law is gracious (which he is), hopefully an audiobook by the end of the year. I've been thinking of things I can do with my Ko-fi account or wondering if I should close it and start a Patreon, but that means I will need to carve time out of my already packed days to create content, so I need to sit down and map out what that might look like. I don't have much of a fanbase, so the only thing I can think of would be prompts, which is good for me to get my brain going again. Having said that I want to do an audiobook, I would love to record that.

Anyhow, once I'm officially released, I can start marketing again and being out there like I used to. As things started not working out, I just hit a low and knew this would be the end result of this chapter. Hopefully putting Jonnie back out into the world the way I envisioned everything will be a freeing experience.

Black Author Spotlight: MultiMind

 


Welcome to the Black Author Spotlight!

The goal of this segment is to highlight black authors who are often marginalized and ignored in the publishing industry. Black writers usually turn to self-publishing--an already densely populated industry--to have their stories seen, and it is said that we have to work twice as hard to get half of what our white counterparts have. Hopefully, shining a little light on these authors will help to signal boost the work they are putting out there.

This month, I am highlighting MultiMind!


From her website: MultiMind resides in her hometown, Baltimore City, Maryland. She tries to find time for her countless hobbies, from 3D printing to bookbinding to virtual reality. And her vociferous cat. She writes books that are fairly Black, quite queer, and very much embedded in the world of Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror. She also pens the blog Black Witch, about being Black and Pagan.

Her book Dreamer debuts on March 18th and is available for pre-order now!



Vera has unusual dreams - anything she dreams comes alive. Dream Traveling, her family calls it. Doing it all her life, Dream Traveling doesn't affect Vera as much as it used to. She has her rules and her methods - as long as she follows them, all is fine.

Until she sees something she discovered she couldn't handle. Now, her dreams are plagued by The Hunter, a deadly character that wants nothing more than to haunt her mind and leave behind a bloody spree. Vera must find a way to get The Hunter out of her head before he makes sure she never wakes up again.

So much for "sweet dreams".

I started reading this one recently, and it's descriptive and imaginative, and this cover is ethereally creepy. Vera and the characters around her are fleshed out well. I've stumbled on the first creepy moment in the story, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Pre-order Dreamer on multiple platforms, and buy MultiMind's other works through her website.

You can also visit and follow MultiMind on Twitter and Goodreads.

UPDATE: You can now follow MultiMind on Instagram!

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If you are a Black author who would like to be in the spotlight, email me the following information at debreneebyrd@gmail.com

Name or Pen Name

Genre

Website/Blog

Social Media handles

Book (if any) and where to buy

Permission to use photos