(The following is an excerpt from my newsletter, The Pub Crawl, which comes straight to your inbox every Monday morning! It's completely free and comes with the added bonus of a free e-copy of my novel, The Guest Book! Sign up today!)
I'm writing this from the Florida Keys, where I've been vacationing with my husband and kiddos for the past week. We leave tomorrow, and I'm equally sad and hopeful about going home.
2024 was a difficult year for me. The sophomore slump is a real thing, and my second book was not matched by consumers with the enthusiasm my debut experienced in 2023. But there were other things, too. Personal struggles. Medical issues. On social media, the glass appears to be overflowing, but in real life, it was half empty more often than not this past year.
Cue the sun rising on 2025. Despite being inherently melancholic, somehow I am also an eternal optimist, and I love nothing more than a fresh start. Where better to clear one's mind and start a new year than someplace warm and tropical? Thoughts of new exercise routines and healthy recipes dance in my head like December's expired sugar plums. Plans for saving money and managing my work life balance gel into mantras. The only way forward is to let go of the past. Every day is a chance to make a new beginning. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
I'm also a sucker for New Year's resolutions. This year I have only one, and it's pretty simple: write a new book. I haven't drafted anything brand new since January of last year, and it's time. I'm excited to see what comes out on the page.
While on vacation, I was fortunate enough to visit Ernest Hemingway's home in Key West. I learned all about his life, his relationships, and his struggles with mental health. The relatability was a little scary to me. I may not be an alcoholic, but we writers sure know how to do a number on ourselves. And yet, hope is always there. Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea is proof of that.
2025 will be a better year. I'm manifesting it. I hope you are, too.
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