I feel like I need to catch my breath.
We’re bringing to a close what’s been a pretty big year for me, and I suppose it’s natural to get a little reflective as the year winds down.
2018 is leaving me full of gratitude.
I don’t want to understate that, so I’ll say it again. I am full of gratitude.
In 2018 I saw a lifelong dream turn into reality as I became a full-time author. I realize there are as many dreams out there as there are people to dream them, but I don’t take it for granted at all that right now I’m getting to live mine.
I published 18 books in 2018.
Every one of those 18 books beat industry averages. None of them were big breakaway bestsellers, but over the course of the year I managed to build a fan base and those fans devoured my books.
In total, I sold more than 50,000 books in 2018.
I know some authors who make 50,000 in sales seem small, but it’s huge to me.
I’m not making any lists from the New York Times or USA Today. I’m not earning orange tags from Amazon.
But I am achieving some moderate levels of success.
Another author whose career I follow refers to himself as a “blue collar author.” I’d gladly accept that title. I just keep grinding out books and selling a few every day, and I’m living a dream and building a career while I do it.
And all my thanks for this goes to the folks who are reading the books.
I am overwhelmed with heartfelt gratefulness to those readers who picked up ‘Too Long the Winter’ all the way back in January and are still among the first to read ‘A Vast and Desolate Land’ in December.
But I’m also grateful to those readers who picked up ‘The Glorieta Grudge’ in October and then went back to read ‘The Noble Widow.’
I’m grateful to Charlie Tillman whose son found me in Las Vegas in November. Charlie had seen some Facebook posts and knew I was going to be at the same conference as his son. He sent his son a text, with my name in it. “Tell him I’ve read all his books.”
It is a surreal moment in your life as an author when a stranger comes up to you and has your name in his phone, a text from his dad. “Tell him I’ve read all his books.”
I’m grateful to the anonymous reader who left this review on ‘Too Long the Winter’:
“When I read the reviews I had a feeling this story was going to be like no other I had read before. I took a chance and read the story and I can say that feeling was accurate. It got to a point in the story where I feared nobody would survive. I really enjoyed this book. I liked Luther. I couldn’t find other books with him but I really liked him. As another reviewer mentioned the ending was bittersweet. There is no other way to describe that ending except to say that I like to hope for a happy ending for Luther and Sally. They deserved it. This is my first book by this author but it won’t be my last.”
So many other reviews touched me, gave me confidence, or meant so much when a reader got what I was writing.
I think a lot of writers are naturally introspective. Criticism sometimes cuts deep. We feel a sting when we’re overlooked for accolades. When a book launch doesn’t go particularly well we wonder if we’re just kidding ourselves.
But the readers who have been so kind to me in 2018 always seemed to lift me at the right moments with an email or a Facebook post or other words of encouragement.
So at the end of 2018, filled with gratitude toward the readers who have been so kind in sticking with me this year, I can’t help but feel a little reflective. 2018 has been a great year, and I don’t turn loose of it lightly.
But as I told some friends last week, I feel like in 2018 I made it to basecamp, and in 2019 I’m going to start making my ascent up the mountain.
I’ve got some big plans for new books and new series. I’ll be coming back to some characters you’ve gotten to know, as well as introducing you to some new folks.
So while I take a moment to look back at the past year, my eyes are fixed on the future and what comes next. I have big expectations for the year ahead, and I’d be grateful if you’ll stick with me a while longer.