Friday, December 16, 2016

A Year In Review...

This will be my last post of the year and I didn't sit down and think about that before it was time to write it, so excuse me if I fuck this whole thing up*.

*If I write a memoir, I'm going to title it Excuse Me If I Fuck This Whole Thing Up.


Fuck 2016 and fuck this month in particular. I've talked some about how our mental health and life troubles can get in the way of writing, and christ, has this year brought a lot of both. December, in particular, seems intent on crushing me. But I managed to write and get out and support other writers, and keep on keepin' on so really, get lost year.

On the bright side, the amazing Andrez Bergen released our novel based on the comic Trista & Holt (where I got to write a guest issue). Never in my life has my name been on the cover of a book, but that happened this year and it happened because Andrez is a machine. I couldn't be happier with  Black Sails, Disco Inferno and my part in writing it.

I made it to my first Boucher and met so many of you awesome motherfuckers I can't begin to list everyone. Make new friends, keep the old, just like the Girl Scouts song. I can't tell you how awesome it was to be surrounded by all my favorite degenerates in one of my favorite cities for four straight days. I came back intent on spending more time with the crime writing community and I think the LA guys can attest I've followed through on that. And not only did I hear great readings, take part in great conversations (and even hear great music, because if there's one thing SW Lauden can do besides write, it's throw a book party), I got charged and pumped up every time. I finished a fucking draft this year. For most of the bloggers here at Do Some Damage, that's an average Saturday, but it's been a real struggle for me to put together something I feel like has to potential to be my first (I know, Black Sails is my first, but that was a collaboration. A baby with a daddy. This is all single mom shit now).

Another writing community I'm so lucky to be a part of is the San Diego Writer's Coffeehouse. Check it out if you're local (if you're not local, check out your local area). This is a fun, positive, supportive group focused on the business side of writing. And it's an excuse to hang out and drink coffee with other writers once a month. Jonathan Maberry hosts the San Diego chapter and he is a ray of sunshine that delivers no bullshit. A true rarity in this world.

Dirge is Dirge, man. I've talked a little about my writing there and last week I let you know I would be hanging out on the Dr. Susan Block show. You can hear the audio of that HERE, but you can't see me spank someone with a book unless you subscribe to Dr. Suzy's website. My Dirge fam is a great group and it's exciting to close another year with them and move on to next year with bigger and better plans.

I didn't try to list people off because where would I even start? But I'm so grateful for the crime writing community and the way we all come together and support one another. I'm so grateful for all the kickass books released this year (even if I'm way behind on reading all of them). I'm grateful for my LitReactor family, too. This gig is rough and thankless a lot of the time, but we've got some of the best people out there, in here.

Hope you all have a great Holiday season and a fucking killer New Year.

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