My 2014 Month by Month--A Look Back in Photos

2015 is quickly coming this way--19 hours and counting in this time zone--so here is a short peek back at 2014 as it was in my world.


January

I kicked off the New Year working hard on multiple writing projects. Winter is always a productive time of year for me, writing-wise. Also took a last-minute, surprise family trip to Oahu and lolled around on the beach.

I was also surprised to have my picture in the RWA magazine I got that month...twice!! :)

February


I turned 40-something and basically watched the Winter Olympics all month. :)

Speaking of which, I also finished and had a book come out with TA Chase, our Canada, curler/hockey player, International Men of Sports book, Burning Up the Ice.

March

Decided to drive south on spring break to So Cal seeking warmth, and enjoyed the beach, Disneyland and spending time with the girls. <3

In time for Carnivale down in Rio, we released Serving Love in Carnival, our Brazil book about a carnival dancer and a pro beach volleyball player.

April

I got to show off my city to the Dreamspinner gang when they held their annual authors retreat here in Portland. Had a fab time seeing everyone,  though it was a bit weird going from checking on the kids to people from my "other life" each day. :) Spent quality time with a lot of people I rarely see, including Paul Richmond.

May

Of course, May is RT month and this year it was in New Orleans! I went down a bit early and did some sightseeing with TA before the conference.

 

 

In May, we lost a friend and fellow dance mom to breast cancer, and it hit me harder than I ever imagined. She left behind two young teenaged girls. Not much to say on that except:

June

School's out for summer! Which means my whole month getting to that point is taken up with end-of-the-year activity after activity. It's amazing I get anything done. But thanks to the organizational efforts of Anne Tenino, I went to my first Pride and shared a booth with other gay romance authors in the region.

TA and I had a release in time for the Formula One race in Monaco, A Grand Prix Romance.

It was after Pride that I decided to cut off my hair again and donate it to charity, in honor of Karen's memory. This was my fifth time donating hair: over the course of fifteen years I've donated my height in hair--63"!!

 

 

July

Road trip! I always take the girls back to the Midwest to see extended family in July, and we always drive from Oregon. It's over 1600 miles each way to our destinations of SD and NE, so it's a true road trip and a time that I really get to focus on the girls. :)

August

We've really enjoyed putting out the GRL Unconventional anthologies, and this year we took a slightly different approach, setting our stories in an alternate reality Chicago where mobs rule the city.

September

Back to school and September is also my treat to myself--a trip to Seattle to spend time with Rick and Bruce (and Lily) while I go to GRNW. Love them!

October

GRL month! Before that, though--literally a day before--I got in a car accident that tried to put a damper on my trip, but I wouldn't let it! Always so great to spend time with the tribe, especially TA and Jared.

  

We also had a release that week, our tennis story, An Ace in the Tiebreak. 

 

In October, we ended up adopting the kitty we'd found and sheltered for a few days last fall. Ron turned out to belong to neighbors down the street, but he obviously liked us because he'd come back and hang out here. Finally, they offered him to us since he seemed happier here, and we were happy to accept. :)

November

I always come back from GRL renewed and ready to write. This year, in addition to that fire, while I was at GRL, I met with my bosses and they offered me a new job, which I was thrilled to take on. So, most of November was transitioning between jobs and getting to know my new roles.

I had a lot to be thankful for this year. <3
December

The holidays are always fun with the girls, and this year was no exception.

 

So as the year winds to a close, I thought I'd take one thoughtful look back before focusing on 2015. It was a meaningful exercise for me to look back over 2014, and I hope you enjoyed seeing a little of it from my point of view.

See you in 2015!! Happy New Year!!