And So It Begins

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The end of a year, the first of a year…the whirlwind, a moment of peace, then whoosh! Another January is off and running!

It takes half the month for me to catch up from holidays and the rest of the month to get ready for a new year. The catching up is mostly packing up, and when I was (much) younger, I’d do it all on New Year’s Day. Then I pushed the clean-up through the Feast of the Epiphany. And now…well, let’s just say I’m done by MLK Day (ish).

I’m pretty okay with that. But before MLK Day, I had a work deadline–a post due over at the Muffin. Eek!

Fortunately, it coincided with Mister Man’s birthday. And as I think about him especially on his birthday, and how grateful I am to have had him in my life, it was easy-peasy to write “What You Need for a Successful Career.”

Shortly after I wrote that post, I came across some sad news from an old friend, Elizabeth Dulemba. She’s an illustrator–now an art professor–and we served together in SCBWI Southern Breeze. She’s one of those generous people in the arts who always seemed to be lending a hand to someone or something. If you’re in SCBWI–particularly in a region in the southeast–you probably know her. You may not know that she recently lost her husband, Stan.

Well, not lost, really. I’m sure that like my Mister Man, her Stan is always around, watching over her. But it’s tough when someone leaves too soon, and as much as one might feel that loving presence, there’s plenty of practical stuff to deal with every day. So I’m sharing her GoFund Me page for him/her if you’d like to help.

Eventually, which is really just another word for saying I could no longer make excuses about “Christmas Cleaning,” I got back to budgets, and To Do Lists, and Work. And work was primarily my cozy mystery, which is really not work at all if we’re talking the writing of it. The formatting of it, and all that jazz, is a whole ‘nother story. If you’re thinking about indie publishing, you might want to read my last Muffin post, “Know Thyself, Writers (And Would-Be Publishers.)“

I’m very close to being done with the front cover, the back cover, and everything in between! Next up is building the new website and marketing and such, and honestly, I’m already exhausted just thinking about it. So Libs and I are going to take a nap to rest our brains.

Right after I wake up Libs and tell her we’re heading upstairs.

December ALREADY?

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The view from my desk

Part of me is annoyed but honestly, most of me is happy to see the December rush and the crazy drivers and long lines at stores and excited kids waiting outside my house for the bus. And holiday decorations like the tree in my office! I’d forgotten all about this little tree that Mister Man bought for his office–now my office–but when I came across it in the Great Basement Cleanout of 2022, I was ridiculously happy. It’s the little things that make a merry Christmas.

On the other hand, if you’ve been following me over at the Muffin, you know I’ve run into a bit of a snafu concerning my cozy mystery. Specifically, I’m having book cover problems. First, there was the choosing of the book cover designer. (See “No Regrets” at the Muffin.)

And then there was a bit of a sticky wicket involving writing my back cover blurb, though I didn’t mention it in detail, I needed that back cover copy before moving forward with the designer. (See “Writing That Wails or Whimpers” also at the Muffin.)

Finally, there was a back and forth with the designer and how I hated that confrontation. (See “Hating Confrontation” at where else? The Muffin.)

I’ve got another post coming up next week and there’s an update re: the book cover so skedaddle over there if you want details. Will there be a happy ending?

Well, t’is the season, y’all, right? Meanwhile, I hope all y’all are having a wonderful December. I’m so grateful that you stop by to read this blog, despite the waiting. And I wish you the best in whatever holiday you celebrate and I might as well send along joy and blessings for 2023 because we all know it could be a while before I drop back in!

♥Cathy and Libs

P.S. I have to mention “Scary Scams” and “What’s in a Domain Name?” at the Muffin because really, it’s important stuff. And I’d say that even if I hadn’t written it. See you next year, friends!

It’s Been a Minute (But I Have A Good Excuse)

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Before you start rolling your eyes–because yes, I typically take a little “Me Time” when the weather turns warm and fizzy drinks with umbrellas and good mysteries to-nap-by whisper in my ear–I have been well and truly at work this summer. Not at all like this cute baby raccoon hanging out ALL day in my neighbor’s tree…

If you want to peruse in depth all the work I’ve really, truly been doing, you can check out the last couple months at the Muffin…

Outlines, Beats and Book Maps

About Age, Attitude and Working

Right or Wrong, What Say You, Writers?

The Art of Color-Coding a Manuscript

Self-Publishing: Running the Diagnostics

The Upside of Resistance

The Happy Wanderer (Or How I Follow he Hybrid Method of Writing

…Or just skip all that reading and I’ll give the summary: I’ve been writing, revising, and editing my cozy mystery novel. And researching like a roadrunner (does that work? I mean, I’ve been running here and there, speedily checking so yeah, roadrunner is fine) all the indie publishing information known to the digital world. And apparently, I’ve been resisting all the work at the same time (I wrote a post about that twice) but just to be clear, it’s not the writing–oh my goodness, I’m having SUCH a good time writing! It’s the technology, the business of publishing, marketing, formatting, cover design–SO much to do!

Something had to give and I’m afraid my poor blog fell through the cracks. And though a part of my writing heart will always be here at Cathy C. Hall, changes are a-coming. Don’t worry, there will be hoopla when the cozy mystery debuts but if I’m being perfectly honest, it could be another minute (or two).

♥Cathy and Libs