2013 has been a year of mixed results for me. While I was thrilled late last year to learn my story “In The Shadow Of His Glory” was to be included in the Sidekicks! anthology edited by Sarah Hans, the death of my 89 year-old mother in August, while hardly unexpected, was definitely a low point.
A high point was being recommended by a good friend for writing work with UK RPG publisher Modiphius Entertainment; further cause for celebration was that I continue to receive offers of work from them throughout this year and into 2014, including a gig over the summer as lead writer on the guidebook to the Pacific Theater, due out in the first part of 2014. A low point was parting ways – amicably, I assure you – with the good folks at Green Ronin Publishing, after more than seven years.
I was also pleased to realized that I had successfully maintained my blog, posting for 12 of the last 13 weeks since billbodden.com went live in October. Blogging regularly –even only once a week — isn’t easy. The hardest part for me is coming up with new things to say. Fortunately, life and pop culture provide ample fodder for my blogging apparatus.
I sometimes forget that each year is filed with ups and downs of varying potency; mostly, I recall a year for it’s major events — good or ill — and sometimes that means I overlook the positive, little things as a result. One of the very best things in my life, as always, and in no way a little thing, was having the support and friendship of my awesome wife and partner Tracy. The constant reminder that I have much to be thankful for in the form of many good friends and colleagues is often a boost to my easily damaged morale, and I am grateful for that, too. So here’s an end-of-year toast: May we all enjoy a prosperous 2014, with hopes for a year filled with laughter, love, good food, and good friends.
See you next year!
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The Announcement part
Starting in January, I’m opening up my blog to some guest writers, in order to give them the opportunity to tell you all about the incredibly cool stuff they’ve been working on. First up — and posting on New Year’s Day, no less — will be Alex Bledsoe, co-conspirator with me on both the Sidekicks! and Haunted: Eleven Tales of Ghostly Horror anthologies. I admire Alex’s writing style, which I understand he honed as a reporter in Tennessee. Be sure to check back next week to catch Alex’s guest appearance!