It isn’t lost on me that I haven’t posted on my blog in over a year. Probably because my 2024 was nuts and made me focus my priorities elsewhere.
Let me break it down from the beginning.
At the very tail end of December 2023, I started drafting The Legend of Uh. I was determined to knock the first draft out in a couple of months, so I was spending loads of time working on it. And I wrote at a terrific pace. I was pumping out over 1200 words per day aside from my day job.
But January wore on, and my dad’s health was failing. He had suffered from cirrhosis of the liver for the better part of two years. At the start of February, he had another botched surgery that didn’t solve the problems it should have. He decided he was done with it all. No more surgeries. Finished.
So we knew he was dying. But how long would it take? Weeks? Months?
His health plummeted. His skin turned yellow. He grew weaker. It became hard for him to speak. I went down to southern Utah so I could spend as much time with him before he passed. It was only a few days from the time I arrived. He left this earth on February 25th.
It was devastating for my entire family. I stayed in town to help my mom prep for the funeral. I was back at work two days after the burial. And for the next few months, I was an emotional wreck. Tears were frequent. I isolated a lot.
But I also experienced an outpouring of love from friends and family. It was eye-opening, honestly. I got support from people I wouldn’t expect and got left behind by people who I thought wouldn’t forget me. Tragedy really shows you who the real ones are in your life.
Life moved along. In April, a friend told me about a position opening up at Operation Literacy, a book-based nonprofit striving to lift up individuals and communities through a love of reading. I told him I already had a job. He told me it was super part-time—just ten hours per week. So I applied, interviewed, and was offered the position as their new Director of Public Relations and Messaging.
Things felt pretty overwhelming after that. I was now juggling a full-time job, writing my next book, and volunteering for a nonprofit. My free time was significantly cut short. But I managed to finish multiple revisions of The Legend of Uh and pass it on to my editor by mid-June. And by mid-July, the manuscript was done.
I was so proud of it. I had never had more fun writing a book. And I believe that it’s the best thing I’ve written so far. So far, the Goodreads reviews would agree.
I reached out to the audiobook narrator Adriel Brandt to begin work on the audiobook. He was absolutely terrific. He brought the characters and world to life in a way that sucks you right in to the story. His turnaround time was speedy, too.
In August, I got LASIK. I thought about it long and hard and didn’t announce anything because I wanted it to be my decision. I did it for myself, without pressure from anyone. And man, I do not regret it. No more smudgy lenses or having to position my head just right when I’m watching TV on the couch. It’s all these little life improvements that feel so much better now. Absolutely worth it.
In September, more excitement. I hadn’t thought of becoming a homeowner because I always joked that I would never reach that point. But I found an adorable little condo in a neighborhood that I really liked, and the price seemed like an absolute steal. I got connected to a great lender and a terrific realtor, and for the next few weeks, it was full steam ahead.
At the beginning of October, I became a homeowner. I finally had my own place. My own little dojo with room for a writing office. I already had all the furniture I needed. And I could decorate things just the way I wanted.
Then three weeks later, I lost my job. Essentially, my boss pulled me in and said, “We thought we had money to pay you. Turns out we don’t. Sorry, bro.” I did get a little severance package as a consolation prize, but that was that. I now had a mortgage to pay and no income.
On the bright side, it did give me a lot of time to work on the house. There was plenty that had to be cleaned and fixed because the last tenant didn’t seem particularly great. I had lots of time to sweep and wipe and mop and dust and paint and drill and mount and what-have-you. Now my place is looking pretty homey. Definitely more cozy than your average bachelor pad.
It’s been a few months since then. Thankfully, I’ve been able to pick up some contract work to offset my living expenses. Dipping into your savings to get by isn’t ideal, but that’s why they call it a rainy day fund, right?
Anyway, The Legend of Uh comes out on February 25th. Remember that date? Yep. It releases on my dad’s deathday. The book isn’t just a goofy fantasy comedy, it’s about family. That’s why I wanted to dedicate the book to my dad. He was always the first person I went to for story development ideas, and I’m really sad that he didn’t get the chance to read Uh. I know he would have loved it.
So that’s where we’re at now. I’ll try to be better about blogging this year. Thanks for checking in.
(Oh, and I guess today is February 5th! So it marks 11 years that I became a published author with Foreordained! Where has the time gone? If you decide to read that book, please be gentle. I was a new writer.)