Thoughts on a New Year... And an Announcement!

Another Christmas (or holiday, if it's your preference) season has come and gone.

Ski season is here!
Enjoying the view from Mount Washington.

It was a bit of a wacky one in the Dunne household, what with my day job, hubby's work, kids performances, parties and the like, but it was so good to at least have a few hours to sit on my tushie and think. A few quiet moments in the insanity to reflect on the ups and downs of 2015, and make some plans (or at least attempt to make plans...more on that later) for 2016.

So. 2015. Was it a good year for you? It was for me. Looking back over my year, the word that comes to mind is BUSY.  I finished a manuscript. I got my power sailing license. I started a choir (and we sang for 23,000 people in November!) I worked, I wrote, I sailed, I sang, I skied, I sold a few books and I spent a whole lot of time moving forward. It was a great year, all in all. But, wow. I hardly stopped.

After a year like that, you can see why sitting on my tushie for a few hours was a good thing. I was ready for a break. Ready to sit and reflect and make plans (and eat...there was lots of eating...).

As I look ahead at 2016, it's difficult to make any real plan for one reason--it's a posting year for us. That's right, once again the Dunne clan will be packing up shop and moving forward, to some yet-unknown destination. In all likelihood we have another cross-continental move ahead of us. It makes me cringe a teeny tiny bit inside, thinking of another summer of boxes and fast-food meals, but it's also exciting. We have a pretty good idea where we will end up...but I can't share it with you until we have that marvellous piece of paper in hand that tells us for sure. Let's just say it will be a big change for us, but one that will be amazing in many ways. :)

But a new home is not the only thing that will be happening for me this year. I have a surprise for you all! Something pretty darn exciting. Something I've been considering, thinking on, mulling over and pulling my hair out about. But finally I've come up with a plan, and today you get to hear it!

So...

In late May, 2016, I will be publishing a NEW BOOK! 

Time to charge up the presses!

Yes! After much thought, and lots of soul-searching, I've decided to warm up the Fortunate Frog Fiction printing presses, and self-publish (yes, SELF publish) my third novel. It's a new story (sorry, TREASURE fans...still working on my sequel, but more on that another time), which I've hinted at before, a modern-day YA fantasy set on the beautiful shores of Prince Edward Island. I can't wait to share more about it in the next few weeks! 

It's called SKIN. 

So there you go. 2016 is going to be a GREAT YEAR. It's so good to be back at the self-pub table, getting ready to move forward. January and February will involve some work with graphic designers and editors, some final edits and I hope to have a cover reveal by the end of February. 

I'll leave you with this photo...a scene for warmer days, and wondrous possibilities...one you might just see in SKIN...

The beautiful dunes of Prince Edward Island.

Stay tuned!

Brenda

Military Monday: Military Wives Choirs

Happy New Year!

The presents are open, the parties are over and the kids are back to school. Let me just say that you have not seen holiday celebration insanity until you've been closely associated with a military base! It was an amazing season, with concerts and parties and dinners and fun, but I'm so very glad to be getting back into a routine--and back to writing, blogging and a bit of normalcy.

Although I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions, I am a huge fan of making goals and seeing the fruits of my hard work not only ripen but multiply...and one of those goals is about to be realized! It's a goal that has nothing to do with writing, and everything to do with being a military spouse.

After several meetings and emails and phone calls, much research and a whole lot of luck, this week will mark the inaugural meeting of the Canadian Military Wives Choir Comox! If all goes well, this amazing organization will be setting up shop on my local base, and I cannot wait to be a part of it.

Have you heard of the Military Wives Choir movement? It started just 5 years ago in 2010 when a group of wives (yes, just women) in the UK got together to sing and support one another while their husbands were deployed--a chance to learn, grow and get away from the daily stress of being on their own. The choir grew rapidly with the support of Gareth Malone as their choirmaster, and in  2011 they released their first single Wherever You Are, which shot to number one on the UK charts. There are now more than 80 choirs around the UK and the world.

The first Canadian Military Wives Choir started in 2013 in Ottawa, and the Comox choir will spread the movement to the west coast of Canada. From humble beginnings great things are accomplished. A chorister since my elementary school days, I've wanted to be a part of a choir like this since I saw the Wherever You Are video way back in 2011. So excited to sing with the wonderful people who support those in uniform--Military Wives!

Have you set a New Year's goal? Feel free to share it below!

Brenda