For some years, there are no words.
Perhaps you can relate. Twenty-sixteen definitely has had its ups and downs with project losses and gains, illness in the family, graduations, etc. And at the end of the year, I find myself striving to write anything. This wordless state is a bit scary for me. I’d love to be in a fulsome state of writing right now. But some things can’t be forced, I guess.
One Christmas gift that inspires me is this (click on Christmas gift to find out more about this book):
And this tea is insanely good!
Early in the new year, I’ll do a giveaway of Christmas gift inspirations like the ones above. In the meantime, I hope 2017 is good to you. What are your hopes for the coming year?
My new Jane Austen quote journal. We will spend lots of time together in the new year.
Barbie Made to Move™ photos and other photos by L. Marie.
El Space--The Blog of L. Marie 
I have no expectations for 2017, I take things as they come! Hopefully these things are mostly positive. Wishing you a great 2017.
I know what you mean. I don’t usually make resolutions. But I would like to set some writing goals. I hope you have a great 2017. And don’t worry. I’ll get some interview questions off to you. 😀
I look forward to them 🙂
Come what may, 2017 has burst upon us. Here we go!
I’m just hoping 2017 is less rocky and drama-filled than this year. Not sure what else to hope for since I’m in project limbo. Might be starting to burn out on a few things too.
Hoping 2017 is a better year for your family, Charles. Some project breakthroughs would be nice.
That would be nice. Even a small break will do wonders for the psyche.
So true. I was at the bookstore the other day and saw at least five books under the James Patterson umbrella. One was a women’s fiction title. I was ready to hurl something by then.
He has such an odd thing going on. People credit him with so many books and genres, but it seems like he supports more than he actually writes.
Yeah, I don’t think he’s writing much of anything. But he still gets credit for the books his ghostwriters have written. Sigh.
Top billing on the commercials too. I really do wonder why nobody tries to change that. Maybe he doesn’t take much money from it.
I think he probably takes at least half the money for the use of his name. I could be wrong. But that was the arrangement in the ghostwriting projects I’ve seen. Which means he’s raking in quite a buck.
Geez. That’s a fairly easy way to make money after you’ve made a name for yourself. Sounds rather high since I don’t know if this is ghostwriting exactly. I mean, he’s kind of like a movie producer here.
It’s considered ghostwriting since the writer is writing under the name of the more well-known author. I’ve been there. And yes that was the amount the other person was paid.
Doesn’t seem right. Especially since the ghostwriters here are still on the cover.
I agree. In a better world, this kind of situation would not exist at all. Authors would be paid for the work they did–not the work they did in name only.
Or it would be more of a mentoring thing like other authors do. Then again, he could be mentoring. I wonder if any from his author stable have branched out on their own.
I’m not sure. They all seem to be paired with him for everything. But I don’t know them well enough.
Something to look into I guess. At least once I figure out all those titles.
I found this article on Patterson very interesting: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/10711191/James-Patterson-how-the-bestseller-factory-works.html
This looks familiar. At least the title because my phone isn’t liking the link.
What you say about a year is more true yet for a life. We memorize only some events such as the meerschaum .
Enjoy your precious gifts, Linda , and go ahead for the new year for a lot of books reviews, meet with authors and poems .
Love ❤
Michel
Je vous remercie, vous souhaiter la paix, Michel.
I’m hoping for peace and good health for myself, family and friends. That tea looks yummy! Happy New Year!
It is soooooo good, Jill! Someone had given me one bag in a Christmas box. So yummy. I had to search for it online!
Happy New Year to you. I’m hoping you’ll announce some new book deals in the works. 🙂
Oooo – tea sounds sensational.
I’m hoping for a calmer, more reasonable and responsible, 2017 – and one with good health and well being. Here’s to the best 2017 has to offer for you, L. Marie, and much thanks for your amazing blog.
It is a delightful tea, Penny. I pray the same for you. Hope you’re all healed up and have a wonderful year. Thank you for your amazing blog. 🙂
Here’s my favorite Jane Austen quote:
“There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.”
~ Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice, ch. 31
As for 2017 . . . I hope for happiness for me and everyone else.
That’s a good one, Nancy. Elizabeth is so quotable.
My favorite quote comes from Persuasion. Anne Elliot is speaking to Captain Harville:
That may not make sense to anyone who has not read the book. But I resonate with that quote, because, I’ve been in Anne’s shoes.
Oh, you got some cool gifts! You know, it’s okay to be wordless for awhile. I don’t doubt that you’ll be filling up that Jane Austen journal soon, though (if you haven’t already started).
Happy New Year, Linda. I don’t make resolutions. I only hope for peace, love, and happiness.
I hear you, Marie! I have the same hopes.
I think I’ll start with Jane today. No time like the present. 🙂
I’m focusing more on what makes me happy and creative. Here’s to a NEW year! xo
Amen to that, Andra! Here’s to a wonderful 2017 for you!
Hoping you have a less eventful year in 1017, or that all your events turn out to be good ones! You’ll get back into writing mode soon, I’m sure. 🙂
Happy New Year to you, L. Marie. Have a good one!
Thank you, FF. Hope you have a great 2017 too. And I hope someday you’ll announce that a publisher has acquired a book you wrote.
Happy New Year, L. Marie! I’m still sifting through possibilities for New Year’s resolutions, but given my record of fulfilling them (for instance, 2015’s resolution was to win the lottery, and I never bought a single ticket), I don’t know.
I never make resolutions any more, because I don’t wind up keeping them. But goals I can and do make. I usually keep those.
Happy New Year, Lyn!
I’ve had family visiting from Dec. 17 until Jan. 1–which has been wonderful! The only thing is, my constant asthma and the fatigue that goes along with it has made it hard to be fully present and to participate in all the things we would like to do. So my hope for 2017 is that I can improve my health. This also involves some resolutions–frequent breathing exercises, daily physical exercise, and a strict adherence to a diet that excludes dairy, wheat, eggs, caffeine, and, most of all, sugar. Of course, I do hope 2017 will be a productive year for writing as well. We’ll see. As for the country, the world, and you, dear Linda, I’ll keep you all in my prayers. Happy New Year and may inspiration fall upon you.
By the way, I’ll be putting up a guest post on my blog soon that I think will interest you. It’s by John Kang who writes fantasy.
Thank you, Nicki! I’ll look for that blog post.
Was it this year that you got rid of the carpet in your house? Has that helped?
I LOVE that movable Barbie! Am I the only one that got a good chuckle from Barbie in a headstand? Thanks for that 🙂 Best wishes for a healthy, productive and happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Laura! I chuckled as I took the photo. 😀
Here’s hoping for more productivity!
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year L. Marie 💕 Its the little things that matter 💛
Hope you have a happy New Year, Val. Yes, they do!
Like I said to our mutual poet, Andrew Murray, I’m kindof struggling with leaving 2016 behind…stranger still because I sense a refreshing change in the air with the dawning of the new year.
Life’s full of dichotomies, eh? 😀
Much happiness to you in 2017, L. Marie.
And to you, Laura. So many people I know struggled in 2016 and are glad to see the new year.
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