It has been 8 eight (my new editor hates when I type numbers instead of spelling them out) years since I first hit publish on a very experimental short story and accidentally launched a career as a fiction writer.

Nope. You won't find that story under the Rocklyn Ryder name! In fact, you won't find it at all. The small collection of short (and very naughty) stories that I wrote on a dare from a friend has long since been unpublished. Never to have human eyes set upon them again!

As some of you who've been with me from the very beginning can confirm, it has now been just over 5 (There I go again! Sorry, Amy!) five years since releasing my first book as a still very wet behind the ears, contemporary romance author named Rocklyn Ryder, went live on the Amazon kindle store.

That first year was great, wasn't it? (Sits back with a long, contemplative sigh, thinks of the good ol' days with a smile.)

Another year has slipped past me without realizing most of the plans I made for my authorly empire.

I've spent the last few months networking with colleagues and delving into what makes me tick-- as a person and as a writer-- what makes me not tick and, especially, realizing that five years of unrelenting turmoil and upheaval in my personal life hasn't done me any favors.

Turns out, I can roll with the punches...but I can't write with them.

At least, not the way I could when I hit the ground running back in 2017.

I've put up a lot of resistance to admitting that over the last few years because, well, I like to remember myself as the bad@ass b!tch I used to be, and also because my brain is still full of so many stories to write for you!

Like all good transitions from one year to the next, this one comes with a list of resolutions both ludicrous and meaningful and I thought I'd take a moment to share a few with you here:

I'll be wrapping up the Do-Over Pact with Bailey's story.

I was typing along merrily when my leading lady broke down in tears. I didn't figure her for a break-down-in-tears kinda woman and it really threw me out of the story. Bailey and I are working on picking up the pieces and should have her story finished soon.

I have a few revisions to complete on a couple of older books:

You know, those pesky little things that gnaw at you for years after typing "The End?" Super small and quick fixes that will make a couple of characters' happily ever afters that much more satisfying.

I'll give everyone a heads up what they are in which books as soon as they get revised, of course!

Once that's wrapped up, I'll be back in the game again with some new books for 2022.

But before any of that can happen, I will starting my new year by taking a week or two to recover from whatever croopy crud has taken hold. I'm waiting on results of a Covid test but all my junk food still tastes good so maybe it's just your average cold & flu season crud?

I'm going to go take a(nother) nap now but I promise I'll be back soon!

Happy new year, everyone.

~Rox