With the passing of my father, I'm now my mother's caregiver, so until we get her needs met, some of the shows I usually attend may have to go on without me this year. I committed myself to one large con in April, two in July, one in August, and three in September, so we'll see how things stack up with the rest. Mom can go with me at times, provided the venue isn't too far from the hotel, but I'm hoping she'll enjoy seeing this side of my life:)
Now, onto the 2020 Goals:
-Cleaning out Mom's house
-Getting her moved to Assisted Living
-Watch my 1st born get married
-Write RiKar's Redemption (The Chosen #5)
-Finish/add words to Heart Song
-Finish/submit Time Travel Trilogy
-Finish Paranormal Preacher
-Write new Bridges story
-Hand-sell 150 Books (previous record 145 in 2018)
-Pull titles from KU and learn D2D, plus maybe Audible?
-Buy Inventory and vertical banner
-Get Second Chances edited (Ariana??)
-Pay cover artist for Second Chances
-Promote SC and have successful launch
-Paying down personal debt ($400)
-Paying down credit card debt ($600) and medical debt ($3000)
-Set up at:
-Jan: StoryCon at Benton Co. Public Library Sold 1; cold and rainy weather kept all but maybe 5 adults and 7 kids away.
-April: Kentuckiana Book Fair (1/18: Skipping this year, due to circumstances??), Dale Library (1/18: Skipping this one also, due to circumstances??); attend writer's conference in Nashville, In, Weekend With The Authors (also, taking Mom with me to Nashville, IN and possibly KY event)
-June: Corning Irish Festival, PrideFest
-July: InConJunction, Imaginarium, Heroes For Kids,
-Aug: Watermelon Fest,Royal Readers at Mall of America, State Fair
-Sept: Cil-Con, Penned Con, Saluki-Con
-Oct: Art Walk
-Nov: ICGAHS, Rivet, Art Walk
Wow.....another ambitious year, yes? Time to break it down into the monthly goals!
January 2020 Goals:
-Round #2 of self-edits on Second Chances, plus sending Cover Art query and professional editor query. Finished Ch 6; editor query sent:)
-Paying for both (more February, perhaps?)
-Typing up and finishing Defending Your Life story
-Add words to either Heart Song, RiKer's Redemption, Guardian Vultures, Time Travel Trilogy, and Paranormal Preacher
-Get Christmas decorations sorted, packed, etc.(All put away, except for snowmen; sorted? Sort of...)
-Get Mom's finances settled for coming months (making budget, desk organized, and tax stuff ready) Check:)
-Organize office
-Sort Dad's clothing Check! and donate it to Soldier's Home (said they're not taking any donations at this time)/GW Fashions 1/8: Sent it all to Trinity Missions:)
-Settle into routine Maybe??
-Figure out status of my job at LHIC 1/27: As of now, I'm still employed, but if my LOA isn't approved, it may have to be terminated until I return. Re-hire should NOT be an issue.
-Go see Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, Little Women, and Cats:) Nope, nada. Will have to wait for DVDs.
-Lose 5 lbs (starting 235) Ugh....gained 6 pounds over holidays!! Sigh...
2020 Expenses:
-Book Lovers Con Book signing Sat (March 2020) $10+ travel expenses; Nashville, TN
-Liberty Writers-New Jersey Not gonna happen this year
-Kentuckiana Authors Fair (April) -$78 for hotel; $83 for car rental; $36 (gas total); $10 (book); $15 (approx Arby's); $2.12 (iced tea); $16 +$2 tip (Sweet-n-Savory Food Truck) Thinking I'll have to skip this year, due to Mom....Might attend Indy Comic Con instead????
-Weekend With The Authors 2020 (April table fee waived, due to generous person having to cancel and donating her table to me; $5 General Admittance or $200 Reader Ticket for Mom) and 2021: 20 ($600 hotel/gas/food/rental car);$50 charms (Paid 12/13). 21: $225-300 table fee; hotel/gas/food/rental car
-Writer's Workshop (April 25, 2020) Nashville, IN $45
-Farmer's Market (June 6, 2020) $12 Doubtful I'll do this...
-PrideFest (June 20, 2020, $25 donation) Unsure of attending
-Corning IrishFest (June 21, 2020) Unsure of attending
-InConJunction (June 3-5, 2020)????? Falls on daughter's birthday, so unsure if attending
-Imaginarium (July 10-12, 2020): $100 early bird booth fee (PAID!); $30 banquet; $100 food, $200 hotel, gas. ($186 hotel, $371 rental car (prepaid $30 gas), $35 food, $10 gas)
-Heroes For Kids (July 18, 2020, $50) Perrysville, MO car rental $252, gas $40, hotel room, $140, food $40=$472 total)
-Watermelon Festival (July 31-Aug 1, 2020) $45 ?????
-Indy State Fair (Aug $100) ($100-200) Rental car: $257, gas $30, $15 admission; $24 parking fee; $20 food; $6 ride
-Minneapolis travel expenses (Aug 8, 2020) ($200-hotel, $228 car rental, $120-food,$100- gas=$648 needed)
-Penned Con: $225 half table (6') (Paid 12/21) Hotel/rental car/food/gas
-Cil-Con 2020 ($75 Paid 12/21) plus $340 car rental, $112 hotel, $30 food, $15 gas)
-Saluki Con expenses-Sept ($340 car rental (credit card), $203 ($25 refunded after stay) hotel. $66 food and $40 gas.)
-ICGAHS: $340 booth fee, $440 rental car, hotel/gas/food
Jan Income:
-1/2: $200
-$20 to church; pay Maurices ($50 Check!); pay (GSH) medical bill ($61 Check!)=$39 banked
-1/9: $200
-$20 to church; pay credit card ($50 Check!); pay Maurices (via daughter $100 Check!); pay Nancy ($50 Check!)=$32 banked
-1/16: $200
-$20 to church; pay (GSH) medical bill ($61 Check!); pay (Neuberg) medical bill ($50 Check! Bal: $108.70!!!)=$111 banked
-1/23: $200 (Bal: $234)
-$20 to church; pay (Feb) health ins ($89 Check!)=$91-$100 Check! to Suzanne for ICHTAHS+$100 (hubby)-$40 book at BN Check!=$95 banked
January Reading Schedule:
Print:
The Wedding Date-Jasmine Guillory Enjoyed this! RR:)
Bloom County: Episode IX, A New Hope-Berkely Breathed DRR!!! Loved, loved, LOVED this!!! I'm sooooo happy I discovered BB DID publish his FB strips!! Can hardly wait to get the next two:)
I Owe You One-Sophie Kinsella DRR!!! OMG....loved this soooo much!
For Better or Worse: Vol. 1-Lynn Johnston DRR!!! Loved this!!
E-book:
Sugar and Spice-Phoebe Alexander
Now and Forever: A Love Story-Jean Joachim
The Flip-KL Montgomery
Karaoke Songs:
1/31:
Uptown Funk-Bruno Mars Did better than I'd thought!
You Say-Lauren Daigle Did really well!!!
