I’ve done the farewell 2011, hello 2012 already. This is not that post. Today, I want to talk about moving ahead and paying it forward.

Despite the craziness of 2011, I’m still a lucky beyotch. I have advantages. I am privileged. I am educated. I have fabulous family and friends. I have many outlets for my creativity.

For others, that’s not always the case.

There’s a lot of hurting in our shared world today, from blasted economies, to natural disasters, to the freak show that is the Republican race for presidential candidacy and lots in between. I can’t fix these things, no matter how much I want to. I want people to have the chance at happiness, to not have to know where their next meal is coming from, to be able to get a job and support themselves. I want each and every person on this earth to know that s/he is worthwhile and that they are awesome and special. I want everyone who wants to be creative to be able to express that creativity.

I may not be poor, but I’m not rich, nor am I a supreme being. I can’t make the above happen for everyone in every way.

Frustrating? Yes, of course. But that doesn’t mean I can sit back in my comfy chair and simply bemoan the facts or be all emo.

Thanks to the Intarwebz, social media and the power of others (e.g., friends who pimp out their favorite worthy causes), I can always find ways to give my .02.

In 2011, I:

• helped fund various and sundry Kickstarter projects, including a couple for fellow writers, C.E. Murphy and Laura Anne Gilman
• donated money to women’s businesses via Kiva.org
• helped out The Trevor project
• gave money to Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders
• donated books for various charitable efforts for disaster relief.

They’re not all charities. Heck, I don’t even get to deduct my charitable donations, as I can’t itemize on my tax return. That’s not important. Being able to do this little bit, to lend a helping hand for something creative, something that can truly assist others reach their potential? That’s what matters. Even though my budget is tight, I can pay it forward.

It’s not all monetary, either.

Sometimes, it’s something small, such as listening to a friend or offering to read a fellow author’s short story. Making an introduction to someone else who can help, sending an email. Little gestures add up.

I’m far from saintly. I’m just me: someone who wants to do something to better the world I live in.

What can you do in 2012 to make a difference?

I sit here eating homemade vegan chili for breakfast at 10:20 a.m. (thank goodness for staycation & sleeping in!) contemplating 2010 and imagining what’s to come in 2011.

I don’t do New Year’s resolutions because as one astute blogger puts it, it’s a promise to fail. Instead, I try to theme my years; a practice learned from my esteemed boss, Joanna Pineda. For me, 2010 was a year of change–the good kind–and a year of new experiences. Things I’d always wanted to happen, happened. I spent a great deal of the year saying things like OMG! and WOW! because, you know, it actually was pretty much full of that.

In 2010, I:

• was asked to be in 2 short story anthologies (something I’d been wanting to happen)
• sold 2 more essays to SmartPop Books (A TASTE OF TRUE BLOOD; FILLED WITH GLEE)
• was asked to guest blog at several places (always awesome!)
• was asked to participate in Whedonistas, an anthology by the same folks who brought us Chicks Who Dig Time Lords ! (so very cool!)
• went to Comic-Con as a pro!! (this was on my bucket list!)
• got asked to be on a committee that I can’t actually talk about* (another thing I’d wanted)
• finished book 5, Blood Sacrifice (OMG, BOOK FIVE???!!!)

On the personal front, I:

• moved to a new apartment, closer to my job and twice the size of my old place for only $135 a month more in rent
• got a great cat
• got my red couch (something I’d wanted since I read Jenny Crusie’s

  Crazy for You)

• got TiVo (on my wish list for years)
• set up a nifty home office
• began my get-healthy plan (I’m down 43 lbs & feel great!)

So much good happened in 2010, what’s in store for 2011?

Since I can’t tell the future, I can only tell you the things I know and the things I wish.

What I know for 2011:

• Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them will be out in March
• San Diego Noir will be out in June
• Blood Sacrifice will be out in late August (it’s a September release – 2 months earlier than normal)
• I’m scheduled to go to Boskone in February; to VA Festival of the Book in March; to Bouchercon in September

Currently, I have no new book contracts, nor story contracts, but I am working on a couple of proposals to send to my amazing agent and perhaps a short story for an anthology contest. Will there be a Blood Lines 6? I don’t know yet. Will there be more stuff from me after 2011? I darned well hope so!

What I hope for 2011:

• To complete and sell at least one or more of the proposals I’m working on
• To complete and sell the short story I’m pondering
• To continue my get-healthy plan and convert to stay-healthy
• To conquer finances/debt/income vs. outgo

My theme for 2011? Efficiency. Declutterization of my life, my spaces and my brain. As much as 2010 was a great year for new things, places and ideas, it’s time for me to streamline stuff. I have a lot of it. Less than I did before I moved, but still, a LOT. I’ve begun during this week-long staycation, by beginning the sort & purge. It’s down to the nitty gritty now. A ton of stuff got purged this spring when I moved, now I’m hitting this hard-core and purging things I don’t need, rarely use and could perhaps garner a little $$ via eBay. That, plus I have managed to go down nearly 3 sizes in my get-healthy plan, so I’m sorting through the closet and packing up the too-big clothing to donate.

It’s tough being this tough. I want to keep All The Things! But frankly, there are too many darned things. I have art that is still in a box–more than 10 years after I moved to the east coast. Tons and tons of stuff that is good, but in boxes and bins. The art isn’t doing anyone good just sitting in a box or on a shelf. The DVDs aren’t getting played. The books–well, that’s a whole other story. Some I am keeping because they are signed to me. Some I’m keeping because they are brilliant and don’t exist in e-format. Research books I keep because I prefer print for those, hard to put a post-it in an e-file!

Overall, I’d like 2011 to be a year of getting to the root of happy, steady, content and healthy Maria. I don’t need all the stuff, nor am I planning to get rid of it all, just the extraneous. I want to be house proud and life proud. To be able to say, 2011 was an awesome year, just like I can for 2010.

I’d love to hear from you all…what are your goals for the next year? What amazing things happened to you in 2010?

Now that we’re all coming down from our holiday present highs, it’s time to renew our minds and our spirits for the coming year. Nope, not going to be all philosophical about it, just recommending that you go out and buy a book, or get one from your public library. Doesn’t matter the subject, whether it’s fiction or non, just go get a book and read it.

If you’re really looking to spend some after Xmas dollars–how about the ENTIRE National Geographic Collection on a hard drive? (I admit, I am utterly enchanted by this and lust greatly after it).

Or, you could just wander over to Linda Robertson’s blog and enter for a chance to win HALLOWED CIRCLE, 2nd book in her new series, just out yesterday.

Upcoming next month is Seressia Glass’ debut book in her new series: SHADOW BLADE, followed by  ’s DEMON POSSESSED.

Why yes, these are all fellow Pocket/Juno books. ::g::

Hope everyone is enjoying the last days of the year/decade (yes, yes, I know it’s technically not until ’01).

Like

bethbethbeth

, I shall also turn to Neil Gaiman for my 2008 wishes:

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t to forget make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”

Also, a very happy birthday to the incomparable editor in chief,

oldcharliebrown

!

In the grand tradition of spending the day doing what you wish to be spending the year doing, I shall be writing, reading and watching my fav DVDs.

May you all have a blessed and wonderful year!

Was so wired last night from the sort’n'purge, I ended up taking an Ambien to avoid the insomnia I could feel happening.

Oh, blessed sleep! Woke up at 8:30, rarin’ to go. Knew the changes I needed to make on the opening scene, and have made most of them. I definitely have kicked it up a notch…or three. ::fans self:: I hadn’t originally thought about opening with a sex scene, but that seems to be the way this is going.

Took break and listed several things on Freecycle. Two folks coming by today to pick up bags of clothes and the bags of books.

Just listed my computer task chair (with the broken roller/caster thing). Ordered the replacement chair from Staples (it will be here Weds). Not a worry, since I write on my recliner using Nameless (the laptop). Also ordered a wireless Logitech trackball mouse, which I will use for Priscilla, and have moved the wired trackball mouse to Nameless. I found that I was getting wrist sprain/carpal tunnel symptoms if I spent too much time using the trackpad – love the 2 finger scrolling, but when you’re writing a novel, all that scrolling makes your fingers sensitive and makes the wrist ache too much.

I’m hoping that the listed grab bags o’tote bags gets taken by some freecycler. I have at *least* twenty nice canvas totes from various conventions and conferences. I totally do NOT need them. I saved back two that are more weekender types that I use travelling, and one tyvek type tote that is a Harry Dresden Wizard tote – and is also extremely large and will work as a bag of holding. ::g::

I’m really getting into this purging. Once this layer of stuff is gone, I’m tackling the side closet next. There are at least 4 boxes of books in there, plus another 75 or so stacked on the shelves. All hardcovers, most signed or inscribed. I’m hoping to get a nice tall narrow bookcase, which will fit next to said closet, so I can put out the pretty hardcovers.

The idea is to go into 2008 less encumbered by stuff and less stressed about the clutter.

I’ve never really been big about making New Year’s resolutions, but perhaps this year, I might just do some goal setting.