Looking back, looking ahead
a hodgepodge, fond farewell to 2023 in The Purple Vale
Hello, friends. I am so grateful for all of you who have joined me here. Your comments, reading, and support of The Purple Vale have truly been one of the highlights of this year. Are you curious about what 2024 might hold here in the Vale? I hope so, because I want to share some things with you.
Folklore Fridays were a fun addition, and next year I am planning on sharing one poem or short post every month related to plant, water, or seasonal related folklore! I’ve already got some sparkly, fun ideas rolling from my mind to my pen. For example, in January, we’re looking at one of my favorite flowers:
For paid subscribers, at this point I plan on sharing one exclusive post per quarter. Again, thank you to all who have supported me financially in 2023. I honestly wasn’t sure if anyone would be interested in doing so when I started offering the paid option. You’ve been so kind! I look forward to finding new ways to connect with all my subscribers in 2024.
I really wanted to do a ‘favorites of 2023’ list, but ADHD said no. So you know what? I won’t.
This meme makes me laugh, despite the fact that the world would probably benefit from several authoritarian politicians and rulers being transformed into lamas.
I’d take that as a belated birthday present, too…
Writing Goals
Did I meet my fiction writing goals this year? Yes! Largely because I intentionally set broad goals. They were:
plan and write a sequel to A Land of Light and Shadow
keep editing The Secret Heart of Maeve MacGowan
allow space for surprises
I finished the sequel earlier this month, basically a 13k word summary with dialogue. I love these characters and the world with all my heart. And at the same time, it was tough getting this little, bare-bones draft 0 onto the page. It taught me that either a) it will take years to finish this sequel, like it did the first one, or b) I may go a different route, such as publishing a couple of novellas rather than full-length novels.
I’m sending Maeve’s story to my editor in February! As I shared in this post, this book feels urgent. But that urgency may translate to an early autumn publication, depending on sustainability.
And as for surprises, well, Double Alchemy is making its debut in 6 weeks! And there’s more…
I am writing/have written some adult novellas featuring romance interlaced with water folklore.
Also I did a thing.
I created Undine Press, specifically for my romance stories, to keep them separate from my middle grade and young adult writings. I’m also going to start a separate, 2x/month newsletter for these novellas starting next spring.
Can I get your opinion? I’m determining whether to publish Double Alchemy with Undine Press, as it’s the most ‘adult’ thing I’ve published so far, yet not the most adult thing I plan to publish. This short poll would help me determine that.
In case the terms closed-door and open-door need clarification, they refer to whether or not characters have sexy times on the page. (Double Alchemy is closed-door.) While I am writing open-door, they are far from the most explicit scenes you’d find in romance books. Think India Holton’s Dangerous Damsels books for reference. As a rule YA is at most closed-door, though for the most part I currently prefer kissing only in that genre.
Thank you so much!
For those interested, look out for the chance to sign up for letters from Undine Press soon! In the meantime, if you want to learn more, here is the UP blog, still a work in progress.
2023 was a wild year. I feel the jarring pull of both horrific world events and the joy of being able to more fully pursuing what I love. May 2024 increase our capacity for compassion and kindness, joy and grief.
See you in the near year, friends.
Happy new year, Stephanie! Here's to joy, hope and many, many words!