Saturday, July 21, 2018

A Different Kind Of Good

I know. It's been a long time since I've written anything here. What can I say? I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that blogging seems to have gone out of fashion, as well as the fact that I've been trying other forms of connecting with readers (Twitter, FB). I have a few half-filled diaries, too, so I've been sharing, sort of...at least with myself.

So, let's see... The last time I wrote, I had a new book (Dragonfly) on Amazon and had recently signed Infusion with a small US press (Charlie Dawg).

Since then, Charlie Dawg closed their doors and I received the rights to Infusion back. After a bit of mourning, I had the pleasure of re-releasing my baby with Peasantry Press. 

I've enjoyed watching my daughter read - and enjoy- my books, along with those written by my talented sister, Celesta Thiessen.

I finally completed edits and revisions on my newest novel, a dystopian YA, Ride to Dayligt. The release date and cover design from Peasantry Press is pending right now, but I’ll keep you posted!

I also re-did my website, which you can find here: www.alyssathiessen.ca. (Yep, it's a .ca. I'm owning my Canadian-ness. Truth is - I love this Country, even though sometimes I'm not always thrilled about various things that are happening on the political stage. That's all I'll say about that.)

And here's something else you may not know: I made the decision in January to keep 2018 free of trade shows or conventions. I've stuck to it, even when it made me a little sad. In June, I saw my online community of local writers (Authors of Manitoba) talking about getting together for a community event right in my neighbourhood. Today, I saw online that people at Realm Makers - my very favourite speculative fiction writers' convention - were packing up and going home after what looked like a great time together. When Comic Con rolls around, I'll look with envy at my fellow nerds and writers manning their tables and donning their costumes. I hate missing out, and I love these type of writing, marketing, and networking events. But sometimes, these writing events make me miss out on other important things. I really felt it last year. So this year I've promised myself the year off. I've promised myself that this year will be a year for writing and family. Instead of spending the money and time on conventions and trade tables, I'm going to New York with the husband this week. To Minneapolis with the kiddies next month. Watching husband and friends compete in bike races in the fall. Revising my teaching courses, editing my works-in-progress, learning how to use online marketing tools, reading my overdue TBR list. Maybe I'll even take some online writing courses. It will be a different kind of busy. A different kind of good.

So, that's the latest. Thanks for checking in.

I can't say I'm back, because I was never gone. But I can say, "Hey, you. Hello again!"