Looking forward in 2026

New Year, New Me?
Nah. I like the current me quite a bit.

I like the tenacity I’ve shown over the years of teaching and writing—lugging heavy boxes of books to book fairs, chatting with new readers and fans of our books. I like the openness I bring when welcoming new folks into our book world.

I like the practice of creation, and the ability to negotiate and work with my partner. I like his love for systems and his willingness to work with me (even though I know it’s not always easy). I like that we’ve built a story that spans years—both in the Shepherd and Wolfe books and in our lives.

I like how excited I get about a new story point, and how sometimes, when it’s really good, I get goosebumps—like my body is acknowledging the energy of a positive idea.

I like all of these things so much. And I also love the anticipation of what’s to come. I’m not afraid of that, or of change. I’ve practiced change quite a bit in my life. I’ve come to accept pivots, and that, too, is something I like about the current me.

Pivoting is an act of building a better story—recognizing when a new idea is the better idea and being willing to let it send me in a completely different direction.

Accepting Change

In the up-and-down temperatures of this time of year, the true nature of tenacity and pivoting is learning how to hold on and ride the wave of change from one day to the next—doing all the things that need doing to make it work. Especially in winter: dress in layers, walk like a penguin so you don’t wipe out, pivot when it’s so cold the car won’t start or an event gets canceled because roads are closed.

And in writing, it’s much the same. Sometimes we peel back layers. Sometimes we add them. Sometimes we wipe out. Sometimes tragedy hits. Sometimes things simply don’t go as planned. But in my deepest knowing, I believe that what is meant to happen does—when it’s supposed to.

So I look forward to buckling up in the new year and riding the ups and downs of finishing the last book of the Shepherd and Wolfe series.

The last book doesn’t mean the end—but a pivot point, and a new beginning.

New me–nah, just improved a little. And to you, Happy New Year. Best of luck in all your changes and pivots.

And, as always, thank you for reading, Lovelies