new year – Selina J. Eckert

Change is Scary…but Important

January is a season of changes. We may want to change our lifestyle to be healthier or find tools to be more productive. Perhaps we want to try something new or improve something we used to do. But no matter what goals you may (or may not) be setting this year, one thing holds them together: they all involve change.

And that’s good! Change is important to life. If there is no change, we can’t advance in our career and personal goals. If we stay in our safe little boxes, we’ll never see anything new or discover all there is that life has to offer. Change is critical.

Change allows us to become the people we want to be. Without it, we are stuck. But with it, we grow in who we are, in what we were meant to do. We learn about ourselves and the world we live in.

But change is also terrifying. If you choose to change or make a change, then the results can be uncertain, and uncertainty can be scary. Many (I daresay most) people crave stability. And changing yourself or your world always involves leaving that safe stability, at least for a time. And if you don’t choose it, you have the added bonus of coping with the change, figuring out how it fits into your life, and then figuring out how to move forward.

But you know what? I’m glad of change. Terrified, but glad.

Because of change, I’ve begun doing the scariest things I’ve ever done. I started sharing my work with the world.

Because of change, I’m a better person. I learned many of the ways I can be unfair to the people around me and the ways I have been biased. And I am learning every day to be better, to change my attitudes and behaviors.

Because of change, I’m finding the life I feel I was meant to live. Because of one of the greatest upheavals of my life less than 5 years ago, I was able to meet my husband, which led to my writing career (at least off of my hard drive) and two trips to foreign countries that taught me SO MUCH. And I know there is so much more coming. And I’m both scared and excited. And I think that’s good.

So yeah, change is different. Change is scary.

But change is vital to keep us growing and learning and living life to the fullest.

So let’s embrace it together and find out what good things change will bring our way in 2020. ❤

~~~

What about you? What do you think about change? Does it scare you as much as it scares me? Excite you? What big changes have happened in your life, and what good things have they brought you?

Let’s chat in the comments!

A New Writing Year: 2020

Wow. 2020. I can’t believe it’s already 20 years after Y2K! XD

In all seriousness, I’m so excited for a new year and new goals. I learned a lot last year, and this year I hope to learn and do even more.

But I’m not going to focus on personal goals this year; I’ll save that for the yearly wrap-up in December. Instead, I’ll focus on all the writing work I hope to accomplish in 2020, as well as update you all on where I’m at creatively.

As always, each of these goals has a number of smaller milestones and goals, so I’ll stick to bigger ideas. Otherwise, it’d get too big too fast! So here we go.

Finish This Cursed Shadow. Yup, that’s right. I’m still working on it, guys. I apologize for taking so long, but I want to make sure I can give you a quality piece of writing. When I have it close enough to ready, I’ll select a release date and hand over more info!
Publish “Freeze Thaw” and the spring, summer, and fall Seasons of Magic for the year. Freeze Thaw is currently with editors, and I’m beginning the spring story already!
Begin the newest project, to be released either during the release of the This Curse series or after that one is finished…depends how quickly I can get them done. But since you’re here and reading so patiently…let’s just say fox shifter urban fantasy! Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter for updates.
Land an agent! Yes, this one is less in my control, but I have high hopes for Sea of Broken Glass! I got a revise & resubmit in October, and I’m hoping to do the resubmit part by the end of January. And if that agent still passes, I know the book will be even better to keep looking for that perfect agent!
Improve my formatting skills. Right now, I can do basic formatting of my stories, but I’d love to improve that skillset to be able to make fancier interior spreads for you guys. I’m an artist, and I love making everything as pretty as I can!
Learn how to make book covers. This one is ambitious and will require that I take an online typography course and do some self study, but I’m hoping to be able to cover some of my own books in the future. I know not every author recommends making your own covers, but again, I’m an artist, and I’d like to at least learn how!

So that’s that! All the writing goals I hope to accomplish this year! I’m very excited for everything that’s to come and for all the projects going on, and I can’t wait to share it with you. 🙂

Thanks for a wonderful 2019, friends, and here’s to an even better 2020! Happy New Year!!!

~~~

Do you have any personal or writing/reading resolutions this year? What are they? Let’s chat in the comments!

What I Accomplished in 2019

2019 was a big year for me! I had a lot going on both personally and professionally in my writing life and science career. So today, I’d like to look back at what I hoped to accomplish this year as well as what I actually did accomplish.

Personal Stuff in 2019

So this year I did a bunch of pretty awesome things and/or had some awesome things happen:

Had my 1 year anniversary ❤
Visited Peru
Visited Minnesota
Met Nichelle Nichols
Earned a promotion to Senior Scientist at my day job
Gained a nephew!

Writing Accomplishments in 2019

Guess what? This was also a HUGE year for my writing career. All of these were resolutions last year, and guess what? I did them! Check it out!

Published my first novel ever!
Published another 2 novellas
Queried Sea of Broken Glass…and got a revise & resubmit!
Learned So. Much. Marketing.

Looking back on a decade

Yeah, so turns out we’re closing out the 2010s, and a lot of people are talking about what they did over the last 10 years. So let me outline my decade for you:

Graduated with my BA in Biology in 2011
Attended grad school and obtained my MS in Neuroscience in 2015
Learned how much I love to write…and that I wanted to publish
Began a job in biology where I get to work on the cutting edge of drug development
Earned an award at the day job for key work on a big project
Advanced from Scientist to Senior Scientist
Made huge strides in learning the industry of publishing and books
Became an indie author
Had my heart broken, then found the love of my life
Lost two grandparents and several pets
Fell in love with new pets
Married the love of my life
Started my own business
Visited Iceland and Peru
Went to my first conventions: Katsucon, Wizard World, Galaxy Con, and Book Con
Got a Revise & Resubmit on a book close to my heart
Learned who I want to be 🙂

I have come a long way over the last ten years, including a lot of heartache and struggle that helped me become a better, more compassionate person. I learned who I really am and who I want to be. I found the place in life that makes me happy, and I’m looking forward more than ever to what the next decade will bring us.

Final Thoughts on 2019

I don’t have as many things to list as last year, but I love my accomplishments all the same! I made some huge strides in my career, both writing and science, and I took some big steps in creating the writing life I want, including publishing and writing the stories I love and readers are loving, as well. I also had a great time with my husband on several trips, big and small, learned more about our big, wide world, and saw my extended family grow in exciting ways.

Though some sad and stressful things also happened this year, I choose to focus on these good things. And I love that I’m in a place where I can say the good outweighs the bad. I sincerely hope you can, too!

Be sure to come back next week to hear what my resolutions will be for next year (I’ve got some big things planned!), but until then, tell me all about your year! What did you do? What did you love? Let’s chat and celebrate the end of 2019 together!

My Year in Books: 2019 Edition

It’s that time of year again! The time to discuss all the wonderful books I read and loved this year! If you want to see everything I read this year, hop over to Goodreads and check it out.

First, some stats.

This year my goal was to read 70 books. I blew that goal away! As of the writing of this post, I’m at 89 books and expect to finish at least 1 or 2 more before the end of December.

Of those books, I believe 25 (possibly more) were indie authors.

Three were my own (surprise!), which technically I read at least 3 times each.

One was a book I beta read.

Eight were graphic novels or manga.

Six were nonfiction (including an anthology I participated in).

Four were poetry.

And now, without further ado, my picks for favorite reads of the year!

Young adult

The Siren, by Kiera Cass

Yes, I know this is kind of an old one, but I adored this standalone! I especially loved how the ocean was its own character.

Strange the Dreamer, by Laini Taylor

This was an incredibly inventive fantasy that I became completely immersed in. If you’re looking for something well-written and just a bit different, this is a great pick!

General Fiction and Adult Fiction

Sourdough, by Robin Sloan

Oh my word, I loved this book! It’s all about an engineer who discovers a love for baking bread…and who inherits a pretty awesome sourdough starter that may or may not be alive? I mean, beyond the usual yeast-alive that bread starters have…

Fantasy

The WAy of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson

I can’t believe it took me so long to finally dive into Brandon Sanderson, but I finished this book early in the year and still can’t get over the magic and worldbuilding in this series. They’re long, but so worth the read!

Daughter of Sun, Bride of Ice, by H.L. Burke

This is an indie book that was absolutely fantastic. I really loved the worldbuilding and the fiery characters in here!

Sand and Storm, by Stella Dorthwany

Another indie I read in the Fellowship of Fantasy book club this year, this book has some awesome high fantasy worldbuilding, sand magic, and archaeology, all things I loved wrapped together so beautifully!

Garden of Lilies, by Eli Constant

Okay, so I read a lot of indies this year! This was an adult urban fantasy I just could not put down…even though I didn’t love what happened in the ending. Despite that, I found that by the end of November, I was craving the world and characters again, and I purchased and devoured book 2. Definitely worth the read, but not for those of you who like clean fiction!

Lake Silence, by Anne Bishop

And finally, of course Anne Bishop is on this list! I was a little skeptical when the new The Others book wasn’t following Meg and Simon, but I quickly fell in love with this book. Let’s be real, I just love this world!

Graphic Novels

Monstress

This is such a beautifully created art style and interesting fantasy. I highly recommend this!

Over the Wall

Another gorgeous fantasy with an awesome storyline. I can’t wait to get the next books by this creator!

Delicious in Dungeon

I discovered this one at Katsucon in February, and I just can’t get over it. It’s basically a group of adventurers who need to return to the depths of a dungeon to save their friend from a dragon, but because they have no money to supply themselves, they eat their way through the dungeon. Hilarious, and an awesome treat for fans of DND!

Nonfiction

Wild, by Cheryl Strayed

I have a soft spot for adventure nonfiction. In previous years I enjoyed A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and Antarctic Tears by Aaron Linsdau, and this book felt like it was in the same vein. It was a story of discovery, perseverance, and nature that I loved!

Resources for Writers

The Business of Being a Writer, by Jane Friedman

This is definitely a must-read for anyone who wants to write professionally, whether that’s indie or traditional. It covers a range of topics including the basics of writing jobs, online tools, and the ins and outs of the industry, both indie and trad.

Concluding Thoughts

I read so many awesome books this year, and if I shared every one I loved, this post would be more like a novella! So if you’re interested in seeing everything I read, don’t forget to hop over to Goodreads!

There are also a bunch of books on my TBR that I wish I could have read this year but unfortunately won’t make it until next year (thinking of you, Dear Author!). I look forward to sharing them next December!

In the meantime, what did you read and love this year? I’m always looking for new reads, especially in fantasy, urban fantasy, YA, and writing! Let’s chat in the comments!

A New Writing Year: 2019

Happy New Year!

2018 was a good year to me. I did a lot of things, learned a lot of things, and made strides toward my dreams. Before I get to the New Year, I want to take a few paragraphs to reflect on the good things I’m grateful for today.

2018: Personal Accomplishments

This year was big in a whole lot of ways, but here are the non-writing-related things I did that were huge steps in my life:

Got married to the love of my life!!!
Visited Iceland (amazing)
Moved out of my apartment
Grew the family from 1 cat, 1 dog, to 2 cats and 1 dog
Learned a new (and sometimes difficult) lab technique at work, as well as a slew of other work-related accomplishments

I’d say those are some pretty significant changes! And every single one of them has been worth every difficulty and expense involved. I am happy, I am excited for life, and I am ready to continue my personal story and growth!

2018: Writing Accomplishments

Besides all the changes and accomplishments in my personal life, I’ve made some big steps and changes in my writing life. Here are the highlights:

Finished setting up my home office/writing space/library
Opened a freelance editing business! And named it Paper Cranes
Started an author page on Facebook
Started an email list
Hired a developmental editor for the first time (Thanks, K. Johnson!)
Set a publishing date for This Cursed Flame!
Entered a Snow White retelling contest (and placed as a finalist)
Got some of the most amazing feedback on a short story that I have ever gotten
Had my first paying client for Paper Cranes
Found a cover designer for This Cursed Flame

Honestly, I never imagined when I started 2018 that I would do any of these things, other than the Snow White contest. I didn’t plan on opening an editing business. I didn’t plan on independently publishing This Cursed Flame. But I found over the course of the year that these are the things I needed to live out my dreams of writing full-time. I’m not there yet, but I am that much closer!

Looking Ahead: 2019 Resolutions

And now it is time for the traditional New Year’s post: my (writing) resolutions for 2019! I don’t have many, but I think they are big this time around. Now, each of these resolutions also has its own set of smaller goals and milestones, so to keep it simple, I will use umbrella resolutions to describe this year’s goals.

Publish This Cursed Flame
Start editing the next This Curse books
Enter a Rapunzel retelling contest with “Of the Clouds” (or publish it, if it is not accepted)
Rewrite, edit, and query Sea of Broken Glass
Complete at least rough drafts for a winter fairy tale retelling anthology comprised of four short stories

As authors, and as dreamers, it is important to take time now and then to step back and think about your progress, your goals, and how to accomplish your dreams. In fact, I remember reading a study years ago which found that people who took the time to set goals were more likely to achieve them. I encourage you to come up with a few goals of your own for your New Year, whether they are writing-related or just for life. It’s sure to give you a boost to start out your year. 🙂

If you like, I’d love to hear what your goals or resolutions are for 2019. Let’s talk in the comments!

Here’s to a great New Year. ❤ Selina

My Year in Books: 2018 Edition

I read so many awesome books this year. Here are some of my favorites!

This year was a good reading year for me. As of the writing of this post, I completed 77 books, comics, and short stories (and yes, I include comics in this count. That’s a post for another day.). And I think that’s pretty good!

So today, for the final post of 2018, I thought it would be a good idea to hold my own bookish awards party. Here are my favorite books for a few different categories. 😉 (All books I read in 2018, though they were not necessarily published this year.)

Non-Fiction

First place: Educated, by Tara Westover. This is an amazing memoir about the childhood and education of a girl who grew up outside of the school system in a family that told her the world was out to get her. It’s thoughtful, insightful, heartbreaking, and empowering, all in one book!

Honorable mentions:

The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. This book is all about a serial killer who was active during the Chicago World’s Fair. Very creepy and well-written!

On My Own, by Savannah Jezowski. This is a great little companion for indie authors, teaching them how to use Word to format manuscripts for print and ebook publication… not only is it good for saving some money, but Savannah’s voice is easy to read and friendly.

Contemporary Fiction

First place: The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas. Every human should read this book. It’s empowering and devastating and really explains the world that either readers are all too familiar with or not familiar enough with. Everyone needs to read it.

Honorable mentions:

When Dimple Met Rishi, by Sandhya Menon. This is an excellent coming-of-age story set in the American Indian culture… with a pretty fantastic set of characters!

Hushed, by Joanne MacGregor. This is a unique Little Mermaid retelling about a girl determined to save the world and the movie star she loves. It’s an adorable story!

American Panda, by Gloria Chao. This is another coming-of-age story about a girl who must come to terms with what she wants versus what her family wants for her… and all the consequences that come with it.

Save the Date, by Morgan Matson. This is a cute, funny, and simultaneously heavy story about what it means to grow up and become your own person… all set against the backdrop of a wedding gone horribly wrong! As I had my wedding this year, it was a fun addition to my TBR.

Science Fiction

First place: The Fireman, by Joe Hill. This is such an imaginative story about a fungal infection that ravages the Earth. Once infected, people have only a little time before they spontaneously combust… or do they?

Honorable mentions:

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein. This is a great classic tale of revolution with an amazing narrator.

Fantasy

My biggest category.

First Place: Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi. This story is about a girl with magic in a world that hates people like her. And her quest to restore magic to the world for good.

Honorable mentions:

Etched in Bone, by Anne Bishop. This is last year’s installment in The Others series, one of my favorite urban fantasies. The political tension is heating up, and the characters are as lovable as ever!

The Scorpio Races, by Maggie Stiefvater. This is a very unique standalone based on kelpie mythology. If you ever wondered about racing kelpies, this book is for you. Such fantastic lore and worldbuilding here!

Salt & Stone, by A. L. Knorr. This is an extension of The Elemental Origins series, so you’d do best to read that first. But this is such a deep and emotional story of magic, self-sacrifice, and mystery… with mermaids!

How to Hang a Witch, by Adriana Mather. This is set in modern day Salem, following the descendant of Cotton Mather. It was a delightfully creepy tale of teen angst, generational grudges, ghosts, and witches. Good for an October read!

Short Stories

First Place: Tears of the Sea, by Savannah Jezowski. Very rarely have I read anything that can do so much worldbuilding with so few pages! And her writing is so lyrical and beautiful… I truly read nothing else like it this year!

Honorable Mentions:

Blood in the Snow, by Sarah Pennington. This is an Asian-inspired Snow White retelling that I’ve talked about before. It’s a beautiful story of love and magic!

Final Thoughts for 2018

It was a good reading year. I also read plenty of graphic novels and comics, and while I didn’t lay out my favorites here, or list all the books that deserve attention, I enjoyed so many of the stories I read for a variety of reasons. You can drop on over to my Goodreads page to see them all!

But now I want to hear about your year in books. What were your absolute favorites? Were there any that you’d recommend? What about books you didn’t much care for? Let’s talk in the comments!

2018 Writing Goals

Hey there, friends! It’s the end of the year, so that means it’s a good time to reflect on the last year, both good and bad, and look forward to the year ahead. Today I’m going to share some of my personal and writing-focused experiences and goals for 2017 and 2018.

First, a look back on 2017. 2017 was a rough year, but it also had a lot of good in it. Here are the things I’m more than happy to say goodbye to:

I lost two of my grandparents.
I lost my cat, who I had for not long enough, due to genetic kidney disease.
There was way more than normal stress with different people in my life for different reasons.

And the good of 2017:

I got engaged!
I moved past my depression enough to say goodbye to medication (at least for now and hopefully forever).
My brother got married right before Christmas.

And the 2017 writing goals:

Regain my writing schedule. Status: IN PROGRESS. I don’t have a regular schedule, but I did get back enough to complete a draft of a novel and start a new one. I also participated in Camp NaNoWriMo in July (and completed it) and NaNoWriMo in November (I did not finish, but did surpass 30k words on a new fantasy novel).
Publish or get an agent for This Cursed Flame. Status: ALTERED. I made a lot of changes to the book over the summer, and, after a number of things not working out and re-evaluating my own goals for the book, I decided to publish it on Wattpad. You can read it here as I release chapters.
Finish Foxfire. Status: COMPLETE! I did manage to finish the draft of Foxfire, the first of hopefully many in an adult contemporary/urban fantasy series. I’m currently going through edits and revisions.

So what’s coming up in 2018? My wedding, in just under four months! I’m very excited to move on to this part of my life, and I’ve been very blessed to find a great guy who loves me, supports me, and pushes me to reach all my dreams and goals.

And now, what you’ve all been waiting for. My 2018 writing goals:

Write a little every day, no matter how much.
Complete Foxfire and get it to the query stage!
Complete my high fantasy in progress and begin edits.
Pick up an old story I had started, a YA fantasy thriller I’m currently calling Canary in the Coal Mine. (Yes, I mentioned this one before… so excited to get this one back out of the pile of dead ideas!)
And, finally, complete posting This Cursed Flame.

So what about you? What are your writing goals for this year? Share in the comments, and feel free to give some advice or ideas for how you plan to accomplish those goals!

Have a great new year, guys, and I hope it’s filled with success, love, and every good thing.

❤ Selina