My high holiday of this season was last night. At 10:19 CST where I'm currently located, the earth reached the point in its annual revolution around the sun at which its rotational axis points the northern hemisphere farthest away from the sun causing the longest night and shortest day of the year-darkness lasting longest, the farther north you travel.
Or, like me, you might say the goddess has descended to convince the god of the underworld to release the light and bring back growth to the world by being reborn through her as the prince of light. I think that makes more sense.
I had a lovely celebration Solstice dinner with my girlfriend and her two kids last night and we shared in my traditions of naming what we were leaving behind from the past year, what we want to be remembered from the past year, and what we hope for the coming year. Please let me share my responses.
What are you leaving behind from the past year? Heart problems and sickness! I mean, really, I am so done with that shit! I had a miserable five months and am happy to place it firmly in the past.
What are do you want remembered from the past year? Oh, she was sitting right beside me last night. I had given up hope of ever finding love again when my long-time friend and fellow writer suddenly became my girlfriend and lover. I am blown away and want to take this relationship as far as it will go.
What are your hopes for the coming year? I'm hoping to become more mindful and participative in the important relationships I have-friends, readers, and family. I always knew I had friends and fans and family. But I never understood how deep that friendship and concern went until I was facing my possible demise this summer. People stepped up to take care of me when I couldn't take care of myself. They provided transportation, food, emergency intervention, and even money when I needed it most. I can only tell you all, thank you! I want to get more involved with my friends.
We toasted the Solstice with a glass of sparkling apple/pomegranate juice and ate a meal that really turned out quite well.
WRITING THIS YEAR. I had a big year writing, even though through parts of September the best I could do was write a hundred words before I'd fall asleep. My current stats say I've written 1,137,474 words this year. That included writing four of the five Transmogrification of Jacob Hopkins novels (The first book was completed before I started posting it in January), three published Wayzgoose novels-Wild Woods, Municipal Blondes, and Stocks & Blondes-a new Wayzgoose novel that will be posted here starting in January titled American Royalty 1: Coming of Age, and another new Devon Layne book titled Things I Never Told My Wife that should start posting here by the end of January or thereabouts. Those last two will post in parallel with the continuing saga of Jacob Hopkins, which will not finish posting until November 2020.
I did all that while I was dying of heart failure. Imagine what the new year might bring now that I'm healthy! My own take on a MILF story? A story on the fringe of the SWARM universe? A sequel to The Props Master series? A sequel to Drawing on the Dark Side of the Brain? A fun new take on time travel? This is your chance to speak up. My schedule is filling rapidly.
Of course, I have a life now that includes things other than writing. Fortunately, my girlfriend is also an author and has set her own lofty goals for the New Year. I just finished editing an airline thriller from one of my clients and will be laying that book out for publication in January. I expect she will also have her new non-fiction airline book to me for editing by the time I get the first laid out. And I'll happily pick up more jobs as they come available.
After the catastrophe of last summer, I'll be picking up a Medicare supplement insurance that should only cost half in 2020 what I had to pay in bills in 2019. I'll need to pick up some more work and make sure I'm providing new material for my patrons way in advance of when it appears here. The money I received from patrons this year paid exactly what my prescriptions drugs cost and about half of the hospital bills. I couldn't survive without them. If you are interested in joining them, just put /aroslav after the Patreon web address.
Well, in my typical long-winded way, I've brought you all up to date on the happenings in my world. I hope you can tell I'm excited about the coming year.
Enjoy the stories!