THE POWER OF THE STORY

I don't understand the debates over the merits of books. Not any of them. I don't understand literary vs. commercial fiction, realism vs. speculative, in original language vs. translation, paper vs. digital. All I understand is the power of the story.

The political thriller you found on a bench that got you through the six-hour bus ride in the middle of the night so you could visit your brother after his accident.

The romance paperback that you read over and over after a breakup until you could breathe again.

The children's tale of dogs and death that silenced the house raging around you.

The book that taught you about international finance and the importance of the gold standard while you recovered from a broken leg (that was a romance, btw).

Some books contain language so sweet you have to whisper aloud while reading. Some books launch a thousand copycats, and others disappear, leaving behind only a few hundred copies. And some stories will transport you out of the worst days of your lives.

What's worth more, classic you never read or the ratty little book that changed your life?

WHERE WE'RE AT

It has come to my attention, while comparing the calendar to my day job leave bank, that I will never be the kind of person who leaves vacation days on the table. We're, what, twenty-one days into twenty-twelve? I've already got 2/3s of my vacation days allocated. And that's only planning through July. That's going to make for a boring fall and winter. Bah!

I finished my first novel of twenty-twelve. I started it on November 8th and finished the first draft on December 12th. It rolled out, seeming to build momentum as it went. That's rare, but really, really nice.

And, speaking of things writing, my dear friend Tiffany Allee released her debut, a paranormal romance novella called Banshee Charmer today. Congratulations to her!

Where are you at as we approach the end of Month I, Twenty-Twelve?

EXTREMES

Just a quick post to announce that I am back! I won't be blogging regularly here for a bit, mostly because I'm doing a number of guest posts and interviews for other authors and book bloggers as part of my novella release. (list of appearances here - please check back for updates)

I will say that I was a bit shocked when I returned to Alaska. I wasn't gone long, fewer than ten days. But I went from this:

to...I can't even show you pictures. It's so miserable. Lovely, yes. Crisp and bright but also cold as [insert obscenities here].

In those pics above, it's between 75 and 85 degrees. Ideal. Here? It's been between -5 and -15. NOT IDEAL. I guess, when we're away, the frost giants will play.

The good news is that it's now there's a ribbon of light on the horizon when I leave work. Two weeks ago, it was full dark. That, my dears, is an improvement.

TIME OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR

I'll be off the blog for, ohhhh, maybe ten days. For good behavior. Or...behavior, at any rate.

THINGS

*looks around. smiles*

I see we all survived 2011. Nice. Very nice. Please give yourselves a round of applause. It was a wild one.

2012, for me, starts with:

• a tbr pile as tall as my house
• two scheduled trips, courtesy of a lot of ambition on cybermonday
• a planned trip to the RWA National meeting in Anaheim (give me a shout if you think you'll be there)
• a novella release on the 16th (!)
• a happy, healthy, frighteningly intelligent toddler
• and a car that needs an oil change (it's not all good)

What have you got going for you this week, month, year?