In December I…
Got a new Christmas tree and spent many hours reading nearby with the dog nestled at my feet.
Finished first-round edits of The Burning Season and set the manuscript to my writing friends for a read through.
Got fabulous news about a manuscript I wrote in 2020. (Oh, the highs of the writing life!)
Learned my picture book, Ride On, Will Cody! is going out of print. (Oh, the lows of the writing life!)
Turned fifty and ran a 5k to celebrate.
Ate this glorious gingerbread birthday cake with salted caramel frosting my friend Sharlotte made. (Click through to see various Sharlotte cakes over the years.)
Did this fun birthday workout my gym teacher, Phil, cooked up for my class.
Attended Vaunda Micheaux Nelson’s SMALL SHOES, GREAT STRIDES book launch.
Bought this solar powered predator deterrent light to dissuade the raccoon? cat? BOBcat? squirrel? that likes to hang out on our roof mornings and evenings.
Got an email from my agent about my new verse novel manuscript that started like this: “Caroline! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Ravens so much. LOVE.”
Did yard work.
Went with my running partner, Beth, to see the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center‘s Pueblo Gingerbread House Contest. All entries were to be “inspired by a Pueblo village, house, community church or historic building.” This one also had a dash of Star Wars.
Spent a cozy day celebrating Christmas with my parents, my husband, and my boys.
Read five books and listened to five more.
Attended some very exciting Lobo basketball games.
Made gingerbread and pumpkin bread.
Re-read the 2023 entries in my five-year journal to reflect on the year and to think about the one ahead.
Got my first shingles vaccination.
RELAXED.
Pueblo architecture and Baby Yoda! How much do I love this very New Mexico blend?
Love all this :)
Just reading about your December wears me out! (But then again, I’m almost 19 years older than you!) I honestly don’t know how you had time to relax. Belated happy birthday!
I had lots of family time. My husband finished his radiation treatments on Dec. 21st. I read 6 books, including the 4 NCTE Notable Verse Novels that I hadn’t yet read. My 2nd verse novel got its first starred review (from Shelf Awareness, on Dec 8th). First starred review at all for me. I’m thrilled to hear your agent loves your newest verse novel, and I’m looking forward to reading both The Burning Season and Ravens.
That’s wonderful news, Joanne!
This was a very good way to spend a month! I even copied the workout routine, in case I get ambitious some day. And you know, many Star Wars sets do have a Pueblo look to them, so those characters don’t look that out of place. And congrats on Ravens!