I was sketching on a piece of scrap paper a few days ago. Jotting down a few ideas and scribbling out a few pictures for the fantasy novel I’m currently readying to write the second draft of. I happened to flip the scrap paper over and couldn’t help but laugh at what I saw on the back. It was a page from my first draft of Honey Butter, none of which remains in the final printed and bound book.

There are plenty of pages like these floating around our house, and here I was, drawing up ideas for my second book on the back of the first. Was it only a year ago that I wrote those misspelled, hastily typed words on the paper before me? And now I was doing it all over again with a new story, which will climb from draft to draft to draft and finally publication.

But I think it’s an interesting idea: you may have finished a story, but it will never be finished with you. You build upon what you have already written; you write upon the backs of old drafts.

In the same way, 2018 will build off of 2017 as the new year stretches out before us, inviting, and full of possibility.

And yes, it is indeed January 19th, and we are indeed several weeks into the new year. So this post is a bit late, isn’t it? But it’s still the first month of the year, even if it is not the first day, so I don’t think it’s too late to jot down a few plans and hopes and dreams and schemes for the year ahead. And considering the fact that last year I wrote down ‘finish and publish Honey Butter’ with a tentative pen deep within a private journal, and that it DID happen…this year, I’m going to aim high. Shoot for the stars and you might hit the moon they say! Although personally, I can’t imagine why anyone would want to hit their head on a star in the first place, considering the fact that they are balls of fire, the moon might be preferable.

Alright, enough with the witty wordplay! (For now anyway.) Here are a few of my goals for 2018!

Get Honey Butter into Barnes and Noble

I told you I was going to aim high. This, admittedly, is the one I’m most apprehensive about. But I’m going to try anyway, and you don’t know until you try. Who knows what might happen?

Twenty Reviews of Honey Butter on Amazon and Goodreads

Here’s the part you guys can help me out with. 😉
Okay but really, I’m already halfway there, and it shouldn’t be too hard to get ten more reviews on Amazon and Goodreads in the next year. I see twenty as a decent amount, and if we reach it I will be happy to do a giveaway or book signing or something along those lines in celebration.

Publish Another Book

This may be my fantasy novel or my poetry book, or if possible, both. We’ll have to see what happens. Either way, I will be working hard on both of these. Wish me luck!

Publish Honey Butter as an Audio Book

Yes! That’s right! I’m recording an audiobook for Honey Butter! You have partly my little brother to thank for that. He listens to audio books twenty-four seven and has been asking me to make one of Honey Butter for a while now. It’s slow going, but I should definitely have it done sometime this year.

Also, just to let you guys know. I am currently 50 followers away from 500 on Instagram, once I reach 500 I am planning to do a giveaway of my book and some cute paint card bookmarks that I made. So if you have an Instagram account and haven’t already; go follow me! Just search millieflorenceauthor.

That’s all for now I suppose. But I have a good feeling about the year ahead. Who knows how much adventure it might contain!

Keep Writing!

– Millie