This year, there are plenty of things that I didn’t get done: deadlines that weren’t met, trips not taken, and occasions not celebrated. While it’s easy to focus on loses, I’d like to try to end this year looking at my gains. First and foremost, the six of us have emerged virus-free. I also managed to travel to Israel to see my daughter just before she enlisted in the IDF and then watched her formal induction into the IDF via Zoom a month later.

As far as writing goals, I still managed to complete the edits on a Middle Grade HF manuscript. I participated in #PitMad and had some agent interest.

The KGB is always watching, listening. Once a USSR treasure, 12 yo piano prodigy Mila is now a Refusenik. She uses doublespeak and music cryptography to help try to save her family, but learns freedom comes at a heavy price. A NIGHT DIVIDED + BLACKBIRD GIRLS  

I plan to query this project the first week of the new year.

I have submitted three CNF stories to various publications and have found a home for one. There are a few more unread submissions left on my Submittable account.

In the final days of 2020, I also submitted a single PB manuscript to a publisher.

I’ve mapped out a new MG manuscript to work on in the new year too.

While ending a year with accomplishments is great, ending a year with goals is pretty great too.