I can’t believe we’re almost at the very end of another year. I hope you had a wonderful 2012! Mine was… mixed. There were ups and downs and everything in between. I suppose that’s normal.

Writing:

On the work front things were busy. Very busy!

For the first time ever I had two novels published in the same year:

The Wood Queen (with the gorgeous US, Australian & UK covers)

and Falling to Ash (the very first Moth novel, so far released in the UK and Australia/New Zealand)

I also had a short story published in a charity anthology:

Two and Twenty Dark Tales

(My story is ‘One For Sorrow’ which came out much darker than I’d intended, but I’m very pleased with it all the same.)

And perhaps I’m most proud of this next one, because it’s something I created and published for myself: I released the first chapter of Moth Tales – a webcomic collaboration with artist Candace Ellis:

Yes, there will be more Moth Tales in 2013 – hopefully in March! I am very excited to make more Moth magic with Candace.

I also put the unpublished Xan short story, The Lost Boy, up on this website as a free read (it’s set before The Iron Witch) – another personal project that I’m happy to finally have out in the world:

Oh! And Random House UK released a slightly edited version of the very first Moth short story (which originally appeared in The Eternal Kiss in 2009) as an e-story. It’s only available online in the UK and they made a pretty cover for it:

Phew! No wonder I’m tired and, if I’m honest, a little burnt out as we close out the year. More than anything else, however, I feel intensely grateful for everything I’ve been able to do in the past twelve months where writing and publishing is concerned. I’m very lucky and never allow myself to forget it.

Life:

On the personal front, I am still living in two places and am tired of always carrying bags of STUFF on and off trains. My health hasn’t been all that great – although I know I’m far luckier than many people, and I try not to complain (too much!) – but I’m still working on getting the migraines and one or two other things under control. I did have good news in that I didn’t need to have surgery on my hand after all – which was a very real possibility for some months – but it’s an ongoing situation which will need to be monitored. Hand surgery is not on my wishlist for 2013, so keep your fingers crossed (no pun intended!) for me that I can still avoid this for a while yet.

Reading:

I read a ton of non-fiction this year, especially about creativity and the process of writing/making art. I think I read almost 60 books, but I’m terrible at keeping records (and this number includes research books). I also – finally – made the wonderful new/old discovery of Dorothy L. Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey detective series. I did a guest review of Strong Poison alongside my good friend Ana from The Book Smugglers (as part of the ongoing Smugglivus celebrations), and there’s still time to enter my giveaway (until Saturday, January 5 2013). In fact, I loved Strong Poison so much that I’m offering a copy of the book to the winner… but I’m also giving away my one and only ARC of THE STONE DEMON – which won’t be available until April 2013.

Wishing you a Happy New Year! Next time I post it’ll be 2013 and I’ll try to figure out some resolutions goals… Until then, take care and thanks for hanging out with me here, on Twitter, and elsewhere online.

Lots of love,
Kaz

(Wonder Woman and Friends by Bruce Timm & Ty Templeton)