2018 First Quarter Wrap-Up

So, I’m not doing great with the whole wrapping up at the end of each month thing.  But I’ve got a little time and an open day on my calendar for today, so I got this done.  Maybe I’ll just try to do this every three months.  Although, hopefully I’ll have more to show for the next three months in getting my challenges completed.  Let’s start with the book stats, because those at least are not bad.

• Books read so far this year:  49 – which makes me 16 books behind for my goal of 260 for the year
• Reviews posted on blog so far this year:  50 – obviously I was behind several at the end of last year, as you can tell.  

Challenge updates:

Well my goal was four for the year, and so far, I’ve done 0.  That’s okay though.  I’ve actually come up with three post ideas over the past week, and with a couple weekends opened up with no planned posts, I’ve decided to fit them in on those days.  So stay tuned!

My goal for the year is 6.   I only have one so far:

• Everlife (Everlife Trilogy #3) by Gena Showalter

 

 My goal was 12 books.  I think I did a little better with this one, and got three. 

• On the Plus Side by Alison Bliss
• Without Merit by Colleen Hoover
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Okay, this one I’m still working on as well.

1. My first goal was to complete one of my works in progress.  I had planned to try to enter Carina Press’s contest for unfinished works until I saw that they wanted a 5 page synopsis!  GAH!  So instead, I saw that they also are always taking short story submissions, so I am working on my short story I started January 2017, but that I put aside for awhile until the end of last year.  I’m almost done.  In fact, as I’m currently sitting at the library while I type this, my plan tonight had been to work on that, I only have one or two more chapters to go.  Instead, I don’t know where I left my flash drive that has the story saved on it for all that I have done up until this point.  I might cry if I don’t find it.  Hopefully by the time I post this wrap-up on Saturday though, I will have found it.  Fingers crossed!
2. My 2nd goal was to read books that had been suggested by friends.  One of my fellow teachers at school, who I jokingly call my work husband, has challenged me to read both a Marvel graphic novel and a DC graphic novel and then tell him which I like better.  I haven’t done either yet.  I also thought I might hurry and read the Vonnegut book I’d been told I would like, but haven’t read that yet either.  So, no progress on this, unless you count reading Outlander, since I had a friend recommend that to me years and years ago.
3. Finally I made a goal to cut back on blog tours.  I’m trying.  Still not quite where I want to be.  But I’m working on it as I start looking at tours for May and June.  I’m really about to where I have only one, maybe two posts a day.  I want to get it back down to just one a day, and not to have them all be scheduled tours.  I’ve unsubscribed from a few blog tours emails that I rarely sign up for anyway.  

Finally, let’s talk about some other exciting things going on.

Earlier this year I found out about this awesome convention in Denver.  Of course by the time I’d learned of it, tickets had long been sold out.  So all I was able to do was get on the wait list.  I ended up not being able to afford to go to Apollycon as a volunteer like I’d hoped, because I thought I was going to sell my house and move, which also did not happen.  But then in February, I got an email saying my name had come up on the wait list for the Book Bonanza sponsored by Colleen Hoover.  I immediately went ahead and bought my ticket.  It is in July.  I am going to drive there by myself.  I was going to try to find a roommate to split hotel costs, but have decided I just want it to be a nice relaxing trip and to have my down time in my hotel room.  I just wish I had a room in the hotel the convention was taking place in.  I’m across the street.

I’m also still hoping to attend the annual American Library Association conference in June that is taking place in New Orleans.  My friend already told me I could stay in his condo down in the French Market again, and I can get a plane ticket with my brother’s frequent flyer miles.  The only problem is how much it costs!  It’s over $300 if you’re an ALA member, which I’m not at the moment, because that costs over $100 a year.  But I need to make a decision soon before the cost to go is even more!  Hopefully by the end of April I can figure it out. 

Okey, dokey, that’s my wrap-up for now.

How has your year been so far?  Are you up to date on your reading and blogging goals?