I ruminated (I often do that) over what I could write about 2016 that would be remotely interesting, witty, or fun to read.  How could I possibly create a blog reviewing the year without it sounding like a list of boring things that have happened? So….I decided to do a combo review because everyone knows how I love the mash-up of ideas, stories, etc.

Here are the highlights of the year for me:

• After receiving data on the sales for Locked Inside, I had to ask if the numbers were correct because on first blush it looked like the book was doing really well at least in my small micro sphere of experience.

• I received an invitation to attend the Lonestar Lesfic Festival where I lost my virginity, twice! I did my first reading and earned a few laughs for the outrageous scene in Out of This World, that started the whole lunchgate joke. I also participated in my very first panel with Radcliffe of all people sitting to my right. I was literally ready to hurl at both events. I don’t believe a person should feel nauseous when losing their virginity….just saying.

• In March I signed a contract for The Review to be released in October.

• In April I discovered that Locked Inside made the short list for a Goldie and I was of the firm belief that hell would freeze over before I won that very honored award.

• In June I received two contracts for The Termination and Captivated, both set for release in 2017.

• When I attended GCLS in July, I felt only slightly more confident about sitting on a panel and doing a reading. I had a blast at the conference with my Affinity sisters, Renee Mackenzie, Ali Spooner, and Jen Silver. I also was delighted to meet authors and readers I’d corresponded with over the year and had a blast hanging with everyone. There are far too many to mention, but you know who you are! Oh….and… hell froze over because I won a Goldie, embarrassed myself not only with my speech, but also did quite the hatchet job with reading Lee Winter’s speech as I presented her award.

• In October, I participated in more readings and panels when I attended LCLC in Palm Springs. This is a fabulous conference where I was able to meet more readers and writers that I’d corresponded with on Facebook and generally had a wonderful time.

• In November, my wife and I took our first serious step toward retirement and purchased a Unity Leisure Van RV. We know squatola about RVs and this has been an interesting learning experience. Think fire-hose of information, where most of the water goes everywhere and anywhere but where it is supposed to….yup several frantic calls later to the RV place and I think we may finally be starting to take a few swallows.

Now for the Facebook highlights because as my wife often reminds me….I’m an addict….here are the more memorable post threads:

• Words we hate to see used in Lesfic which led to a challenge to write a story with only the clinical parts of a woman’s um…nether regions. Thanks to Darla, Fran, Lacey and Amy who all provided their wonderful contributions.
• Debate about reviews and whether writers should or should not leave positive or less than positive reviews.
• Favorite books of the year and whether to share or not “the stinkers”.
• The thread on skeet shooting, the sport…oh yes when I was trying to do research for a book, the pictures that came up…oh my!  Thank you Velvet Lounger for helping me out on this one because I had no idea what skeet shooting meant.
• The thread on BDSM.
• Pretty much every thread that Amy Herman Pall, Fran Heckrotte, Danna Micoletti, Ali Spooner, Velvet Lounger or Darla Baker weighed in on…oh and newcomer Donna Jay…because they would often take a decidedly sexual turn. There were certainly others that fanned the flames, but the major contributors were the above noted individuals because they could be consistently counted on to add their unique brand of humor.
• What types of fruit create the best taste….

• Recently the #ibaremychestchallenge.  Bare My Chest Video
• A new religion that Amy Herman Pall is proposing…go ahead ask her about it. AE and I have decided to join and cannot wait for the first Tent Revival….
• I am quite certain there are so many more, but I’m old and thus only remember the most recent threads.

So that’s my relatively placid recap of the year…to uncover the dirt you have to go back to the earlier threads where it often turned extremely racy and outrageous. Onward and upward to 2017 and may everyone have a wonderful new year.  Oh….and  please feel free to check out my books!

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