Reviews, Questions, A Poll, Oh my!

Yay! We are so much closer to 2010. I have a few questions for you-if you can hang through my year in review, you'll see them. First and most important, how are we saying 2010? Is it twenty-ten? Or Two-thousand-ten? Just curious....

2009-What can I say about thee? Don't get excited, this post will not rhyme. I do not have rhyming intelligence of a ten year old, ok?

In January you were full of promise and hope. I had a five month old bundle of joy at home. I received unemployment benefits and we had this amazing sense of security. In the small town of Alturas, California January-you looked so bright.

February brought me a correspondence course through the Institute of Children's Literature. My instructor, Kristi Thompson, tells me how wonderful I am. I met a fabulous critique partner, another beginner in her journey and ended up with a friend for life. I speak to her almost daily and she encourages me to write every day. February, you brought me sweet kisses of love and even convinced me to half way celebrate that dreaded V-day.

March introduced me to a muse that whispers the idea of a novel into my ear. I try to ignore it and continue my focus on writing for children. I entered multiple contests for picture books, the writer's digest competition and more that I can't even recall. March, you blew my writing life around and I didn't know what to do. I focused on Magazine market research. But, March, you also gave me some great stories.

April was a difficult beginning with a very demanding 7 month old prince and no real direction in my writing. Suddenly it all seemed overwhelming and impossible. I had subscribed to Writer's Digest and while I love the magazine, now, at first it only intimidated the hell out of me! My critique partner convinced me to start writing that novel I wanted to write. Then, my father in law passed and everything was put on hold. We drove to Tennessee for the services. Due to financial reasons, time limits, unavailable babysitters, we drove as a family to get there. That was a long, long drive.

May brought us to a decision of staying in Tennessee. I used a friend's laptop to keep in touch with my incredibly supportive writerly friends at Writer's Retreat. A forum where ICL students are directed to get to know other writers. I didn't write much. I couldn't think with all the other changes going on in our life.

June: Struggled to write, even my fabulous friend couldn't convince me to just write something. I felt empty, drained. I was dealing with a lot of physical pain and stress of uprooting our whole lives. It was kind of like, someone popped the black bubble that had been secured around my head and I went.... "Oh, Shit."

July: I don't know that I wrote a darn thing

August: Even after a birthday, I couldn't imagine writing anything worth reading so why write it? I had no clues to stories that would last longer than ten pages. I felt pathetic. I dipped my toes in the water of blogging.

September: Received the help I needed medically after FINALLY winning a battle with insurance companies. Wow, there's a world out there! I blogged a little more often. I tried to find my passion again.

October: I did my pre-nano practice session and wrote new words in any WIP (the ones that couldn't last longer than ten pages-August) every day. I loved, loved it.

November: Participated in nano with a fresh idea. Loved it. Got out that first draft and felt like I was on top of the world. It was a novel and it was complete. Strength renewed. Confidence up. I worked up the nerve to contact a real live, in the flesh author. And she agreed to do an interview on my blog! Blogging is fabulous, isn't it?

December: Gained more followers, learned more about blogging, networking, writing and even parenting. I held my first interview with Heidi Willis regarding her debut novel, Some Kind of Normal. December brought a wave of emotions regarding my writing that I'll be glad to be done with. The highs of something great, the lows of impatience, revising, revising, doubting....well, you know how that goes.

I will leave my Goals post for tomorrow. Now...for some questions...

What are your New Year's traditions? Do you do anything on the actual 1st? Just party on the Eve? Let me know. I've read so many posts about goals and years in review(which I love), so I won't ask about that today. :0)
*****If you are using a reader to access this blog-please click through for the poll at the top. It helps me a ton!****