I’m pretty miserable right now, but it’s all part of the process and very predictable at this point. I just have to weather another week of aches and pains (like intense charley horses). Thank goodness for hydrocodone! Oh, and Benadryl. The latter helps knock me into sleep better than anything. Right now, it’s aches in my legs and feet. I like being clear-eyed for at least the first part of the day so I can get some work done and update my budget sheet/pay some bills. So, no pain relief just yet. This afternoon, I’ll take a hydro, then join the family to watch Wicked! I can’t wait!

In the meantime, let’s play! We haven’t played this game since last summer!

I bought this little brainstorming tool years ago at some writers’ conference. “Story Cubes” is a brainstorming game. You roll the dice, and whatever pictures appear face-up are the ones you use to riff off a story. You can try to include all the cubes in your “story” or choose a few. The story you tell doesn’t have to be long or even any good. They all count!

To make this fun, I’ll offer a prize—a $5 Amazon gift card—good for purchasing one or two stories…
Have fun with this! Don’t overthink! Here’s the roll…

My sister and I have worked on Boys Behaving Badly anthologies for a while now. All are featured on their own website, Delilah’s Collections, where you can read more about each volume. We try to come up with themes that are fun for writers and readers alike. For me, just perusing the luscious covers is a delight.

I usually jump right into the next theme as soon as the last anthology is published, but last year’s anthology, Secret Identities, was followed instead by some health news that kept me from committing to do another.

New year, new outlook. Now, I have to scurry to pick a theme, put out a call to authors, hoping they’ll have time to participate and write you some awesome stories, and time for me to read, select, and edit the stories for publication in the early fall!

So, step one. Let’s think about the theme. You can help me narrow my choices. I’ve devised a poll I’d love you to take.

Below, I have a poll with some ideas listed. I’m not married to any of them, although some already have ideas percolating in my head…

I need themes that authors can take and run with. Themes that are broad enough that authors won’t be writing the same stories—meaning, something that would lend itself to different genres (contemporary, historical, sci-fi, paranormal) and settings (earthly places, outer space). Not only do I need a theme that appeals to readers, but I also have to attract writers to the project. So, help me out as I consider which themes will intrigue both readers and writers.

The Poll

 Loading ...

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, comment below. If you have another idea for a theme, list it. If one of the themes in the poll appeals the most, tell me why. Have fun!

December

Work-related:

1. I didn’t write in December, but that was the plan until after my chemotherapy sessions ended.
2. I completed 2 editing projects for other authors in December.
3. I did post daily Advent Calendar giveaways for readers from the 1st to the 24th of December. And all the gifts have been mailed! Hope you enjoyed the posts!
4. After getting that hopeful news on Monday, I redid my work plan for the New Year. There will be books!

Health-related:

1. I underwent two rounds of chemo, the last being on the 30th of December where I got some hopeful news from my oncologist about my progress, which I already posted about here, yesterday! It gave me a huge, happy boost, which I so needed. What a way to begin the New Year.
2. Last night, I restarted my Weight Watcher’s subscription and downloaded a chair yoga regimen I’ll begin in January to further improve my health in the new year. Once I’m past the nausea, muscle and joint aches, and fatigue from my latest treatment, I’ll begin working out to lose some more weight and regain some muscle tone.

Happiness-related: 

1. My family has been astonishingly good to me over the months of my treatment, cleaning up after me, fetching things when I was too tired to fetch them for myself, etc., and they made the holiday so joyful. I’m lucky to have them. We watched Christmas movies, played games, and ate some wonderful food.
2. I painted only once this month. Here are the two small things I managed to paint:

January

 

For work-related, I plan:

1. To complete Ignition before the end of the month and publish it. I haven’t been able to persuade Amazon to give me back my pre-order ability, despite the fact I sent them proof I had good reasons for cancelling Ignition in the first place last year. I’m not giving up on that, but when I’m done writing the book, I’ll let you know when it’s ready for purchase.
2. To conduct a poll to see what themes might interest readers for a new Boys Behaving Badly Anthology this year! I’ll post the poll tomorrow to get your votes! After that, I’ll make my decision about the theme and post a Call for Submissions for authors. I can’t wait to get started!
3. To plot stories for the new year for my current series, Montana Bounty Hunters: Yellowstone, MT and We are Dead Horse.
4. To complete 2, maybe 3 editing projects in January. I have them on the books but haven’t received them from the authors yet, so we’ll see. But I’m ready to start!
5. To look at books I already have out that I might bundle together or publish in print.
6. To begin work on the next We Are Dead Horse book, Built Like Mack. The plan is to release it in March.

For health-related, I plan:

1. To undergo more scans to ascertain how far the cancer has been beat back, and to see a cancer surgeon in Little Rock to see if I am a candidate for removal of my girlie parts. Crossing fingers here!
2. To begin again watching what I eat to drop a few more pounds. I’ve rejoined WW.
3. To add physical activities to my daily routine so that I can regain some muscle tone. It may take until the middle of the month after I’ve recovered from this last chemo treatment, but I intend to take the stairs as often as I can manage and begin some daily chair yoga exercises.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To better organize my office so I can start off with a clean slate for the new year!
2. To clean up my art room, which has become a disaster! I’ve been tossing supplies on table tops and need to actually store them properly, so I have more workspace. I have plans to do an online oil pastels class and perhaps make some more collage fodder. I think the #100daychallenge starts toward the end of the month, and I will be there, painting every day when it begins!
3. To spend time with the family—more movies, meals, and flea market adventures!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier, or tell me what you plan to read in January…

Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!