2014 in Review

Moving into the new year with no resolutions. Well, that's not technically true. Just there are no new ones.

It is frustrating to close out a year and not feel I have completed all I had hoped. But, on the other hand, 2014 was an amazing year with great accomplishments.

After over 30 years of stockpiling my writing, I did publish my first compilation of about 30 of my perspective pieces under the title Shift: Tiny Tales to Lighten Your Load. I also secured both a bookstore reading/signing and was interviewed on the radio. At present I am half way through making Shift into an audio book, which should be out in the next few months. So, what's still in the works?

I have decided on about 30 more of my pieces to publish with the working title of Seasons of Life. To let you in on part of my process, once I have decided on the types of writing I will put together, selecting just the ones that fit is daunting.

Since I continue to write, I am always thinking of how the newer writings connect with some of the earlier bits of prose I have accumulated.

There are three other strands I am concurrently working on, but the one I have bumped up on my publication list is the story of my life. It occurred to me that the intensity of my adventures of just living might be of interest to others, and might spur further interest in the things I write. My son said something very liberating when he encouraged me to allow the book to be published in sections. Much less daunting. Given this new freedom, the part of my story that will go out first has a working title of Commune Haze.

After that I will go back and do a section on the Early Years before publishing the post-commune stories.The second focus has been pieces I am currently writing that share some epiphanies I have had as I deal with my dog, Annie. Surprising how many topics I came up with once I got the idea percolating. I recently wrote and posted "Squirrels and Other Distractions" and "Cuddling with Annie" that are aimed for this publication.

Just as a tease, a few other topics are: The Power of the "W" Word, Annie's Security Blanket, The Telltale Tail, and Every Dog Needs a Boy. Amazing what we can learn from doggie behavior that informs human interactions.

The third project is a fiction story around a young colt set in a time when horses still ran free. I began this book for one of my grandsons when he was at summer camp. I would send him installments to entertain him, and perhaps distract him as he was far away from home and family.

And, finally, years ago my husband and I wrote some children's stories centered around Rado the Red Dog. We weren't really familiar with Clifford at the time, but since that was the late 70's I think those books were already published. We happened at the time to have an Irish Setter named Colorado, Rado for short, who had so many entertaining adventures that we were sure they would give our kids some fun. My husband and I developed the plot together, then I wrote the words and he did the illustrations.

My son has encouraged me that we can capture the hand lettering and original art with new technologies. You might keep an eye out for Rado the Red Dog Returns to the Rubinsteins--a doggie prodigal son story, and Rado the Red Dog Pursues Patience. If they are well received, I can write a number of new titles, but I have to study on how to reproduce the whimsical art my late husband created.

So, the new year brings me deeper into projects that have been long-standing. Just in writing them down, I know I will have to pace myself so that at least a couple of new books get published this year.

It's easy to get strung out and get nothing done!