Looking Ahead to 2012

The great thing about a new year is that it's full of possibilities and hope. It's a time to try new things, set priorities, and start fresh.

In honor to all things new, there's a new look to the blog, with additional pages for book reviews, my book review policy, and a contact page.

My hope for the blog during the coming year is to share my thoughts and experiences as a writer and librarian to like-minded book lovers. And also share the occasional cat video.

I have several professional and personal goals this year. One is to attend the 2012 ALA summer conference. It's in Anaheim this year, just a couple of freeways away from where I am. It's a wonderful conference for professional development, to meet up with old friends, and snag a bunch of ARCs.

Another goal is to keep working on and (hopefully) finish the WIP. I'd like to have it sparkly enough to begin querying agents, but what I really want is the best possible manuscript. (I also have a sekrit screenplay project going on, but I'll reveal more when there's more happening.)

My third goal is to complete the 2012 Debut Author Challenge. I had a great time discovering new authors last year, and I'm looking forward to this year's crop of titles.

There's a few mini-goals for the year, too:

• Continue to build list of agents I've researched
• Learn basic phrases in Brazilian Portuguese
• Take a sewing class

My overall goal for the year is to seek a life balance between writing, work, and personal growth.  A trip to South America is planned for later this year, and I want to increase my sewing skills since I haven't sewed since 8th grade home ec.

I hope everyone has a happy and prosperous New Year. What are some of your goals for the upcoming year?