Saying Goodbye to 2025

It's hard to believe this is the last Saturday of the year. The entire year. Looking back on the year, I'm amazed at how well it turned out. This is probably my best year.

When I began publishing my books independently, around 2010, I initially used Amazon because I couldn't afford to hire someone to bind my books. Amazon did all that, and it didn't cost me anything. Of course, they would take their cut, which I was okay with. Up until 2024, they were the only place my books could be found.

One incident changed everything. I was scared into thinking Amazon was allowing other people to sell my books through them and stealing my royalties. I changed my pen name and removed my books from Amazon. I switched to Draft 2 Digital and went "wide" under my real name and republished all of my books. I'm still in that process. Over the months, I noticed my books were selling outside of Amazon--much better than I had in all those years on Amazon alone. In fact, that number doubled! That's why this year has been the best year ever. When I reached that number, I celebrated. I had good months and then I had GOOD months. Of course, there were a few months where I didn't make much at all, but it was more than a cup of coffee. It took me months to get that much on Amazon. That means most of my readers are using other sites to buy books. Lesson learned.

I learned a lot over the year. I make my own covers. It took a while, but I was getting better, and I'm still improving. Over the next few years, I plan on learning more. That gives me something to look forward to, and it'll keep me busy, which I like.

AI became something of a controversial subject. In writing and on covers. It doesn't do the work for me--you can be assured of that. My stories are still told in my words. But I see it everywhere. If I don't see it in social networks (someone is always bringing it up), I'm seeing it on the news or in commercials. It's annoying! I even get emails from different people, saying how great it is. I wish people would just stop talking about it already lol. But I know that's not gonna happen.

So, what are my plans for 2026? Well, I plan on writing. Like that's not gonna stop! No, seriously, it isn't. I don't plan on ending my writing until the good Lord takes me--whenever that happens. Hopefully, it's not anytime soon! I still have over 100 books waiting for me to write them. No one else will. These characters are constantly at me, trying to get me to write their stories. I tell them the same thing--wait your turn. I think they're used to it now.

In 2026, these books will become available. The new ones, that is...

• Lost Through Time

• Giveth and Taketh Away

• Alphabet Murders

• Secrets of the Celestial

• Planet X

• and Forbidden Place

Meanwhile, I'm still republishing my old books like Stolen, Mistaken, the rest of the Peterson Estate series, the rest of the Fairytale Adventures series, Nanobytes, and more. Minor adjustments were made to the books, so I hope you like them!

Once these books are written (those new ones), I'm going to begin writing books that will be released in 2027. Right now, those books are Quakes Through Time, Dead Space, The Missing Diamonds, 100 Lives Reborn, and Forgotten. I haven't fully decided what books I'll write on the side next year yet. It depends on how far ahead of my plans I get. I'm already writing Alphabet Murders now, which means it's a good chance I'll get to these books way sooner than I originally planned.

But now I must say goodbye to 2025 before I can begin 2026. So, the next time you come here, it will be a new year, and I'll be busy writing away. I'll also be editing and working on covers because that's all part of it. I'm so excited! I look forward to a new year and can't wait to see what it'll bring. Will it be a better year? Will it be the same? Or will something happen that slows me down? I hope it's the first! Oh, boy, that would be cool!

How has 2025 been for you? What are your plans for 2026? Answer below. Thank you!!