Dr. J.’s 2018 Year-in-Review

I started my 2018 year-i- review in Florida, wrote more in North Carolina, created the picture in Georgia and finished it at my desk at home. It’s an example of my life this year, all over the place. It’s important for me to look back at where I have come since December 29, 2015, when I took a deep breath and submitted my first story, “Tested” was a guest post on Wicked Wednesday. Never did I imagine all that would occur in my writing. This reflective journey validates my efforts.

REFLECT AND TAKE STOCK of the year events.

• I finished my December 13 tour in the 2^nd Annual Wicked Pens Wicked Wonderland on Facebook. What a supportive group. They share so much and don’t know I think they are the greatest teachers. Check out our website and meet fantastic authors. Special shout outs to Nia Farrell, Pandora Spocks, Angora Shade, Maggie Adams, Linzi Basset, and Reed James.
• I had stories accepted by Rose Caraway of The Sexy Librarian’s Dirty 30 Vol 3, and Anna Sky and Editor Zak Jane Keir of Sexy Little Pages for their Rule 34 Weird and Wonderful Fetish Anthology for 2019.
• My publishing and editing role will debut with Sisters in Smut publication Chemical [se] X Just One More in the Spring.
• My story, Infused Leather, in Best Women’s Erotica of the Year Series garnered a Florida Writer’s Semi-Finalist award in the Royal Palm Literary Awards. This award was a big deal because my short story was not placed in an erotica category. It was in mainstream short fiction.
• It honored and humbled me to be named to the Sex Blog Toplist, Kinkly Top 100 Sex Blogging Super Heroes and top Erotica Blog, and a Top Sex Blogger 2018.
• My blog stories were a Top Three selection for Masturbation Monday four times in 2018. They were: Calendar Man, Heading into the Fire, Ragnar the Magnificient, and this week Adonis and Ragnar the Magnificient. For Wicked Wednesday’s Top Three I was selected twice for Purple Elements and Ragnar the Magnificient.
• Giving back to my erotica writing community, I took my turn picking the Top Blog Posts for Masturbation Monday and Wicked Wednesday.  Kayla Lords, Marie Rebel, and F. Leonora Solomon have made it easy to step into the erotica writing world with their writing memes.
  

  PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THEIR MARK AND TOUCHED ME

  Writing life is about community. I am blessed to be part of different ones for different needs in my life.

• In JANUARY, I continued My Pen Ten Group is my primary novel writing group with the fabulous editor, Heather Whitaker at the helm. What ground we have covered and I can’t wait to pick back up.
• In FEBRUARY at the Amelia Island Book Festival, I met Adriana Trigiani and Jennifer Armentrout and had fun conversations with them. Both were upbeat and inspirational.
• In MAY, my Sisters in Smut, Mischa Eliot and Oleander Plume moved into conference mode, and we met in person confirming what we knew. We are Sisters. We made a tribe and welcomed Jayne Renault, Rachel Woe, F. Leonora Solomon (FridayFlash), Sally Bend, Professor Sex, and Wednesday Noir. Check out our website and find out all about us. If you saw our Twitter DM feed, you’d wonder how we get any work done. We talk 24/7. These women have changed my life and I love it. The Smummit-Take 2: The Sisters in Smut will meet on Smuttylicious Island in May 2019.
• I enjoy Rebecca Brooks‘s romance writing and intellect, so it thrilled me we met again in AUGUST on vacation in Vermont. Great food, drink, and conversations with our partners, and encouragement about life.
• Also, in AUGUST, cool things happened at my local bookstore. I attend regular music events. Serendipity worked overtime that night when writer Diann Schindler sat down beside me. We are kindred spirits and in Tarot language, the “Fools” gathered. We share many ideas about life and writing. I am thrilled to have her in my tribe.
• Because of our connection with Best Women’s Erotica of the Year Series, in SEPTEMBER I met the fantastic Alessandra Torre, and we had lunch at one of my favorite haunts. It was remarkable to see the places where our lives crossed.  Sharing our life and writing stories enthused me.
• I made new friends at the Florida Writers Conference in OCTOBER, Laura Perez, Arielle Haughee, and Judith Briles. I am enjoying these friendships and I look forward to next October!
• In DECEMBER Heather McPherson and Justin Lehmiller merged my professional sexuality life with my erotica writing life. Heather’s company Southwest Sexual Health Alliance brought Justin to talk with educators, counselors, and therapists. He discussed the sex research about fantasies in his Book Tell Me What You Want (read my review). His work will be a cornerstone to 2019 writing plans.
• On another wet day in DECEMBER in the coolest little coffee shop in North Carolina, I met Wednesday Noir, one of my Sisters in Smut. The energy we shared surged through the store.  Meeting her was a true highlight of my trip. I have three more sisters to meet in real life.
  

  ON THE HOMEFRONT

  A special thank you goes to my grounding forces on the home front.

• Tracie, the most wonderful critique partner anyone could have.
• Amelia Island Indie Authors–Andrea, Nancy, and Micah.
• Marla who keeps the local FWA group rolling.
• Lastly, and most importantly, the most supportive partner a writer could have, Mr. J.

I close out the second full year of writing amazed at what I’ve accomplished. Thanks for joining me on the ride. Be on the lookout for my post discussing 2019 plans. They may be EPIC.