My YEAR in Review

Happy New Year! Happy 2016. Many of you saw the new year arrive WAY before me, but this was the first time in a long time I stayed up until after midnight.

2015 was an odd year. I was talking to my friend yesterday saying how "I hope 2016 will be a better year because 2015 was a bit..." I stopped and my friend finished with "weird." That was the exact word I had to describe it and I was thankful to not be alone in my assessment. 2015 was weird.

I had LOTS of ups / positives!
- I wrote 297 THOUSAND words. = 2.86 novels!
- I published TWO novels, an audio book, and JOCK 1 was translated into Italian and Spanish!
- I met THE Cody Kennedy! In the flesh :)
- I went to several conventions and met MANY adoring fans, NEW friends, and authors I'd conversed with online but hadn't met in person yet.
- I wrote more consistently than EVER before in my career
- I outlined a writing plan with goals for the next 8 novels! EIGHT!!
- I came up with 3 more ideas for novels. (which means I have a plan for 11 more)
- I paid my mortgage every month!! (I am thankful to have a house to live in)
- A brand new baby came into the family! (Not mine. My niece)
- I think I became a little more confident in myself.
- my daughters are in 9th-, and 5th-grade and seem to be doing well in school. Some struggles, but good for the most part.
- We went on vacation! That hardly ever happens.

Then there were lots of downers.
- I had "issues" with my church again and was removed from teaching the Sunday school class.
- I had some... well, we'll call them "Family issues," which are still present with have affected me emotionally.
- Our dog died

The downer list may be short, but they were difficult things. And actually, two are still going strong and pushing to keep my self-esteem in the toilet.

I am looking toward 2016 as a year for change and hope. I need to think things will get better. I want the positives to overtake all darkness.

I am thankful for SO MANY friends I have online. "People" out there may look down on those types of friendships and ridicule them as insignificant and not real, but I say OH NO! Some of you are VERY real in my life. Especially the ones I've touched and hugged and cried with. More reasons I love conventions because we SEE each other! Online friends become 3 dimensional!

So thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for encouraging me and supporting me through all my ups and downs! I truly appreciate you all.

LOVE AND HUGS for 2016!

My new year's resolution is to WRITE EVERY DAY, and make blog posts more consistently. :)

<3 Wade Kelly

Happy New Year!