I’m seriously not having much luck with my blog lately, as the last two times I tried to post, my computer froze up after I got the whole thing written–so this isn’t going to be nearly as witty as the previous two attempts.

I finished reading the last of the Whitney Award finalist books this morning–a huge accomplishment which I don’t know if I’ll manage another year. I’ve read well over forty books since the first of January, most of which were for the Whitneys, though I did squeeze in a few others just because they interested me, and I read prequels to the finalists so I wouldn’t be starting a series mid-stream. Looking back, it seems like I hardly accomplished anything but read, but here’s the thing: Some of my favorite books were in genres I’d never have picked up on my own. I’m seriously hoping Orson Scott Card’s book, Pathfinder is the first in a series, even though it doesn’t say so anywhere on the book. And I want to curse the Wheel of Time series, because I’m sure it’s the reason I have to wait up to two more years for Brandon Sanderson’s next book comes out now that I’ve read The Way of Kings.

I don’t think I read a single book that didn’t intrigue and entertain me, and I’m very gung ho about taking another look at my own writing and applying the ideas I picked up from the books I’ve been reading. I’d love to someday have one of my books be counted among the finalists, to know that I wrote something good enough to compete against the wonderful books other LDS writers are producing. I still need to go cast my vote (as soon as this post is finished) and then I can turn my attention back to other things that have suffered lately. Like my writing.

Speaking of my writing, I signed a contract recently for a third book to be published by Cedar Fort. Currently titled Family by Design, (though my publisher is making noise about changing that), the book is slated for release in January, which seems like ages away, but I know it’ll be here before I know it.

In the meantime, I’m going to be publishing a book on my own very soon. Blank Slate is a project I started for NaNoWriMo several years ago and after several rejections, and even more revisions, I’m hoping to release it on ebook before the Storymakers conference Mother’s Day weekend. I had hoped to have hard copies to take with me that week, but I need to give it one more pass for edits and I know that’ll make the timing too tight. I’ll post the cover art and blurb as soon as they’re finalized.