Before I get to my topic for today, I’m excited to announce that my ebooks are available as part of the Smashwords 2022 End of Year Sale! This is a chance for you to get my ebooks, along with ebooks from many other great authors, at a promotional discount. All, yes all, of my titles are free only at the Smashwords Store through the end of 2022!
If you wouldn’t mind lending a hand to me and the other indie authors taking part in this sale, please share this promo with your friends and family. Just let others know about it, anyone who would love a chance to find their next favorite book! I’d also ask that if you like what you read of my stories that you share with others what you enjoyed about them by recommending them to a friend, leaving a brief review, and/or asking your library to include my books in their collection.
Another place you might find your next great read is at the Shepherd site where you can “Discover the Best Books.” They invited me to create a recommendation list, which I did in order to share books I’ve enjoyed with others. Mine is “The Best Historical Fiction about Emotionally Strong Women,” which includes 5 titles I’ve previously talked about here on my blog. Might be worth browsing other authors’ recommendations, too.
Now let’s get back to my regularly scheduled topic! I’ve been working on my author business plan for 2023 with an eye to what I want to write, where I want to go, and more. It’s gotten me thinking about my life plans in addition to my business ones. Striving to find a balance between work and play, so to speak. I found myself pondering how fast this year flew by.
Do you remember when the weeks leading up to Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate, seemed to drag by? I vividly remember staring at the tree wishing and wondering what Santa would bring. I’d count down the days, some years with an Advent calendar with its cubbyholes filled with chocolate or small gifts. But count them down I did. I knew my family didn’t have a lot of extra money laying around so would put all my hopes on my being a good girl so Santa Claus would deem me worthy of the many gifts I longed for. Not that I was a saint by any means but I tried to do as my parents wanted and expected. I still got my share of spankings, though!
With each passing year I find time is going by more quickly. I mean, didn’t 2022 just begin a few weeks ago? I had lots of things I planned to do this year but didn’t manage to pull off. Partly due to the fatigue associated with the cancer surgery and radiation treatments, I realize. Still, time just flew by and suddenly it was December. I’m left wondering at the cause of why time seems to speed past now. Perhaps I’m trying to do too much so don’t have “enough time” to get it all done. It’s not like one person is allotted more time than another, it’s about how we use the time, right? My goals typically center around my writing: researching a topic, drafting a novel, marketing existing works, etc. But of course there are all the usual activities I need to accomplish as well: reading, cooking, shopping, household management, family time and obligations, etc.
Or maybe time passes more quickly because it takes me longer to do things. I take a bit more time to think things through before I act. But heck, just getting up from my chair after sitting for a lengthy span can take a bit of time, too! Maybe a few seconds here, a minute there, adds up to swallow time I used to be able to make productive and now is just transitionary between tasks.
Or maybe the biggest difference is that I don’t live in the moment like I did as a child. A day then was a long time, during which I’d play, read, eat, laugh, love, and be a kid. For example, I remember feeling like it would be forever until Mom came home from work so I could ask her a burning question.
Now my head is filled with plans for tomorrow and the week/month/year after. I’m not living for today but for the future which then arrives before I’m prepared for it. I think in 2023 I’m going to try to live for the day more often by taking time for my other interests besides my stories. I don’t want to neglect my writing but allocate some fun time in my days alongside time to create stories.
I’ve drafted a 2023 business plan which includes researching two new novels and perhaps a nonfiction title as well. Writing the historical romance will come first as I don’t think it will take as long to research for it. The historical fiction title will take much longer to prepare to write and may lead to a spinoff nonfiction book. I think those projects will give me enough to focus on with new writing for the next year, possibly two or three. Then add in marketing my existing 19 titles available for your reading pleasure and I think I have enough business to keep me busy.
This is my last blog post for 2022, but I’ll be back in 2023 with more historical fiction impressions, guest author interviews, and miscellany topics of interest to me and, I hope, to you.
Thanks for following and for reading! I appreciate my readers whether of my blog posts, my short stories, my newsletters, and of course my books!
Merry Christmas! Happy Hannukah! Happy Holidays! And of course, Happy Reading!
Betty
P.S. If you haven’t already, please consider signing up for my newsletter, which I send out most every month, including news like new covers, new releases, and upcoming appearances where I love to meet my readers, along with recipes and writing progress. Thanks and happy reading!
Visit www.bettybolte.com for more on my books and upcoming events.
Announcing the 3rd Edition of this inspiring collection of historical fiction about 19 real-life girls who made a difference in their hometowns. Winner of the 2014 Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction awarded by Children’s Literary Classics, among other awards.
What would you do if you heard a train crash through the trestle during a violent thunderstorm? How would you suggest to a presidential candidate that he change his appearance in order to be elected? If your family was under attack and surrounded, what would you do to save them? Could you refuse to help someone hoping to better themselves or would you help them?
These are just a few of the situations these girls found themselves in and rose to the occasion, saving the day in more ways than one. Through their bravery, their daring, and their sense of adventure, each used their skills, talents, and insights to meet the need before them.
If you’re a fan of the American Girl series or merely enjoy reading about heroic girls, you’ll love reading about these historic figures in American history.
Betty Bolte's Musings 