The Determined Writer
Hello My Fellow Creatives!
Happy New Year everyone! Honestly, I for one am not sad to see 2023 gone and out of sight (well not really but a girl can dream right lol) because I am ready for things to get better. My hope for 2024 is that it brings forth some restoration and rebuilding, not just for myself, but for all of those who have also had a rough and sometimes traumatic year. Small life update, I am out of the hotel but still in a temporary place, staying with the mother of my childhood best friend who graciously invited us to stay until we get back on our feet. What a blessing that was and I could not be more grateful. Getting back on track and getting a place of my own again is going to still take some time but at least now I am in a place where I think it will be feasible. Better still, we didn’t have to spend the Christmas holiday in a hotel.
Now that we are in a brand New Year it is time for new goals and aspirations. While I managed to publish two poetry collections last year, I did not get the novel out that I was so excited to publish. That had to be pushed back. I am still in revision phase with that but plan to be done with those by the end of January so I can then send it to my editor. I also have another two books that I intend to publish this year as well, my collection of poems and essays, and my book with inspirations for writers (titles to be shared in a future newsletter). I have another novel I would like to publish in the middle of the year and yet another one that I would like to have out towards the end of the year as well, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. I’m still just placing one foot in front of the other.
With that, I hope that you all had a wonderful Holiday and that you were able to end 2023 on a good note and start 2024 on an even better one. I am new to navigating Substack so hopefully you will hang in there with me while I get my footing. Also, I will be sharing far more exclusive content over on my Patreon this year so join me over there to get sneak peaks at my work (old, current, and new) and covers and maybe even first look at some video content as well. Can’t wait to make this year my b**ch lol. Remember everyone to take care of yourselves and your mental health and Happy Writing everyone!
Link to my GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/55b817f1
Link to my Ko-fi with the updated goal: https://ko-fi.com/authorjccarpenter
Link to my Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3FHOYNA8LFMHG?ref_=list_d_wl_lfu_nav_4
A Little from the Write 2 Be Blog
Joy In the Little Things
When it comes to welcoming in a New Year, I am normally very excited with anticipation for whatever is going to come. This year, while I am happy that we are no longer in 2023 (also known as the worst year of my life) I am hesitant to let myself get excited. Not because I don’t wish for good things but just because last year left me feeling a little banged up and bruised and I’m questioning if good things are actually coming. Now that I’ve gotten those feelings out there and can let that go, I will say that I am still holding out lots of optimism for things to turn around and get better this year. I have plans and goals as always, but I did opt to do my goals quarterly this year instead of for the entire year.
My word for the year is Joy and that is what I would like to welcome more of this year. More moments in which I experience the Joys of life and appreciate the happiness that I get from the little things. I want to achieve successes and get some big wins this year, but I don’t want to miss out on the smaller, more joyous moments that will undoubtedly come along in pursuit of those things.
You can read the rest of the blog post by clicking on this link:
https://write-2-be.com/2024/01/05/joy-in-the-little-things/
What’s Happening on My YouTube Channel?
Previously, on JC’s YouTube channel…
Well, the Write Like I’m Back in School Challenge did not go as expected. In fact, it didn’t really go at all because I had emergency surgery right near the beginning of it and it began a six-week period of recovery and rest. That doesn’t mean that I won’t give the challenge another try, it will just have to be in the New Year. I will be trying quite a few experiments in the New Year so make sure you’re subscribed to my YouTube channel to follow along as I either succeed wildly or fail in spectacular fashion. Either way, it will be a fun experience that will teach me lots of lessons along the way and improve my writing exponentially.
Until then, hopefully you can enjoy my reflections on the 2023 year by clicking the link above and giving it a watch. There are over four hundred videos that I have posted on my channel for you to dive through and catch up on me and my journey as a writer. I’ve created playlists for my videos so that you can easily find any type of video from me that you’re looking for. Also, you may want to follow along on Patreon as well where you can have more of a say in what challenges and experiments I do and get sneak peaks at some of my work and even some never to be seen by anyone else work. As always, there are the weekly Write 2 Be Wednesday live streams from 7-10pm so hopefully you’ll put me down in your weekly schedule and join me and my friends for some chatty productivity!
Bookish News!!!
So, I did work on revisions during the month of November, but the process went way slower than I had intended for it to go and honestly for the last few weeks of December, now that I’m out of the hotel, I just needed a beat to recover, physically, mentally, and emotionally from all I have gone through this year. That being said, I have gotten back to revisions as soon as January hit and hopefully I can finish them up by the end of the month and get it to my editor. I will keep you all updated as to when the Beta stage will begin and with a more secure publishing date once I know what that date will be for certain. Until then I thought I would at least give you guys a sneak peek at the cover!
The Cover of ‘The Weight of HER’
You can check out the books I already have available, The Diary: Succession of Lies, The Art of Love, To Love With Sorrow, and If I Knew Then... on Amazon by clicking here https://www.amazon.com/author/jccarpenter.
Book Recommendations!!!
Here are some books for you to check out either in Paperback or Ebook:
***Because your trust in me is important, a quick disclosure:
Some of the links here are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you.
What I Just Finished reading since last time:
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager: https://amzn.to/3F3eqcP
The Glass Witch by Lindsey Pucket: https://amzn.to/3PLEFsT
The 19th Christmas (A Women’s murder Club Book) by James Patterson: https://amzn.to/3RymqIu
You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley: https://amzn.to/48uzNAj
What I am currently reading:
Ambush by James Patterson:
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert: https://amzn.to/3tA5NEm
101 Essays that will Change the way You Think by Brianna Wiest: https://amzn.to/3RM9G0Y
Her Buried Lives by Katlyn Duncan: https://amzn.to/48JEQwK
A book I’m excited about reading soon:
Blood Like Fate by Liselle Sambury: https://amzn.to/3OLJ5kz
Write 2 Be Matters Store and Red Bubble Shop
Check out my writing related products at my online store, Write 2 Be Matters by clicking here:
https://www.write2bematters.com/
There are NEW items in Store (the Do Not Disturb Collection) and if you use the code NEWYEAR24 at checkout you will get 45% off any purchase until midnight on January 31st.
Also check out my Red Bubble shop for some cool and fun stickers https://www.redbubble.com/people/Write2BeMatters/shop
How You Can Help Me Get More Creative Things Out to You!
I’ve got some exciting projects in the works, some dealing with the magazine, some dealing with the podcast, and some things dealing with future publishing projects, so if any of my fellow creatives would like to help support my endeavors or buy me a cup of coffee it would be greatly appreciated! https://ko-fi.com/authorjccarpenter There are now membership tiers available, and the details of those tiers are listed below. I hope that you will support me and come be a member of my corner of the writing universe.
If Ko-fi isn’t your thing, I am also on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/user?u=74026650 with tier benefits that are exclusive perks so become a Patron and find out what benefits await you. There will be more content over on Patreon this year and exclusive excerpts of my work that only Patreon members will be able to have access to so make sure you sign up to be a Patreon member this coming year!
What Corners of Social Media You Can Find Me On
http://write-2-be.com/
http://write2bemagazine.com/
https://www.amazon.com/author/jccarpenter
https://www.facebook.com/jimmetta.carpenter
https://www.facebook.com/Write2BeMagazine
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJCCarpenter
https://twitter.com/write2bemag
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPU35EkFSbuxgekCp4LfI5g
https://www.pinterest.com/jcladyluv/_saved/
https://www.write2bematters.com/