Each year I create a list of goals for every area in my life. Throughout the year I work on those goals, track my progress, and then commit to posting my top accomplishments and some smaller ones as well.

Writing Career

Novels

-Year of the Demon (working title) 94,000 word crime thriller

• Wrote a competitive analysis for YOTD.
• Researched similar authors and novels for marketing purposes.
• Reordered the beginning chapters of YOTD to make it more engaging and marketable.
• Changed the name of YOTD to a name I won’t disclose yet.
• Wrote query letters for YOTD.
• Began sending out YOTD query letters to agents and editors. This was one of my major goals for the year.

-The Tower (working title) supernatural thriller

• Retitled The Tower (novel), but will keep new name under wraps for now.
• Currently at 81,000 words of a projected 90k words.

-Untitled Thriller Novel

I heard the opening lines of the book in my mind, and 8,000 words later I had the beginning of a new manuscript. I’ve put it away for now while I finish The Tower.

• Began 1st draft of thriller novel (8k so far).

-Untitled Creature Horror Novel

I put The Tower on hold while I blasted through 20k words of this novel idea. I began writing with the idea of submitting to an open call, but the publisher went out of business, and I returned to my WIP (work in progress). I will probably return to this manuscript in the near future depending upon what opportunities materialize.

• Wrote 20,000 words of 1st draft.

–Wolves of Vengeance

• Re-enrolled Wolves of Vengeance in KDP and changed categories to see if it would affect sales.

Novellas

-Fantasy novella

• Finished 1st draft of fantasy novella (20,000 words)
• I wrote this novella for an open submission period for a major publisher. I knew I didn’t have enough time to finish, as I found out about the opportunity too late. I was so captivated by the idea, I had to complete the story. I’m letting it cool now until the market reopens or I identify another market that might be interested in the narrative.

-Untitled Dystopian SF Novella

• Another novella submission deadline I had no hope of meeting, but the opening pages flowed out of me and so I captured them anyway.
• Wrote 4,250 words of the first draft of a dystopian SF novel.

Short Fiction/Flash Fiction

• Completed fantasy flash fiction short story.
• Waiting on reply from a pro horror short fiction anthology market for over a year. I take that as a good sign.
• Wrote a horror short story (5K).
• Sent horror short story to anthology market.
• Rewrote the ending of another horror short story.
• Fixed formatting on horror short story.
• Wrote an alternative ending for The Witch (2015) and posted it on my blog for fun.
• Magic Moment. An actress from LA contacted me on Twitter to tell me that she liked my alternate ending to The Witch (2016) better than the orginal. Read it here.

Martial Arts

• Celebrated 30 years of formal martial arts practice 1987- present.
• I was honored to be invited to the invite-only 5-hour intermediate and advanced FMA seminar, Drowning in Kali I, held at the Derderian Academy of Martial Arts.
  
• Attended the FMA Trapping Seminar with Sifu Nathan Marione at TMI Self-Defense.

Demonstrating Chi Sao (Wing Chun/JKD) with Sifu Nate.

 

•  5-hour intermediate and advanced FMA seminar, Drowning in Kali II, held at the Derderian Academy of Martial Arts.

• Attended the Jeet Kune Do/Panantukan/Silat Trapping Seminar with Sifu Nathan Marione at Britt’s TKD.

• Jung ki Hapkido Master and acupuncturist Chris LaCava first stop on his Massachusetts Beat ’em & Treat ’em Tour 2017 was the Anatomy of the Takedown Seminar at Britt’s TKD. I love the shirt! I also grabbed some of his authentic Dit Da Jow to heal injuries, and some amazing apple butter made by his wife and children.

• My home training included working on various kata/hyung, working on improving my stretch, kicking and boxing on bag, shadowboxing/kicking, JKD chain punching, kali sinawali, single knife and stick, espada y dagger/stick & knife, bokken/mok gum/wooden sword and, nak bop/ukemi/ rolls and break-falls.

Health

• Utilized P90X, dumbbells, and resistance bands to build muscle.
• Utilized incumbent bike for cardiovascular health.
• Utilized HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for general endurance – Bas Rutten MMA CD program.
• Dental Cleaning 2x – gold star!
• Switched primary care physician  as our doctor left for a practice in the Veteran’s Administration.
• Began using hair booster. I shall not age gracefully! Haha!
• Annual Physical – gold star! I am the picture of health.
• My weight, by my physician’s scale, is trending downward and I am down at least another 3 pounds.
• Had  flu shot. Okay, I got the flu anyway, but the shot ended up only rated at 10%.

Family

• Called my parents on average 2x per week.
• Celebrated Patty’s birthday.
• Celebrated my birthday.
• Got Patty roses for valentine’s Day.
• Visited my Mom & Dad at Foxwoods for breakfast during Chinese New Year.
• Kept in touch with my old Gothic & Arthurian literature professor through email.
• Kept up with friends on social media.
• Visited friends at various martial arts schools.
• Met up with friends at Twin River Casino for the whiskey fest.
• Bought Super Bowl Champions hats for our Dads. Early Father’s Day presents.
• Met our new grand nephew.
• Easter at Wicked Good Bar and Grill at Twin River with my parents.
• Easter dinner w/Patty at home.
• Passover seder dinner with Patty. We got our food pre-made from whole Foods.
• Attended my grand nephew’s birthday Party.
• Celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary.
• Visited Patty’s Sister in CT.
• Called my Mom for her birthday and Mother’s Day.
• Met parents for lunch in July.
• Met In-laws for lunch.
• Visited my parents for breakfast in August.
• Received a generous gift from my Uncle.
• BBQ at in-laws.
• Visited father-in-law for lunch.
• Visited my parents for breakfast at Foxwoods for their 47th anniversary.
• Vacationed in Chicago Land
• Celebrated the 25th anniversary of our first date.
• Went to the Big E with Sister-in-Law and grand niece and nephew.
• Went to lunch with my mother and took her shopping while my dad was camping.
• Called my Dad for father’s day.
• Celebrated Veteran’s Day with my parents and with my aunt and uncle. We had a nice meal at Texas Roadhouse, and my Dad and my uncle ate for free, as they are both veterans.
• Thanksgiving at the Outlaws. This would be our last Thanksgiving with my father-in-law. Almost everyone was able to make it, and we are left with great memories.

• My father-in law passed away surrounded by his family. He was one month shy of his 83rd birthday.
  Gordon North Obituary 
• Attended memorial service for my father-in-law
• Met up with friends we haven’t seen in many years and spent time reconnecting.
• Had to skip both Hanukkah/Christmas breakfast with my parents (I will reschedule) and my new grand nephew’s 1st birthday because of flu.
• Had a late Christmas gathering with outlaws.

Cars

• Bought a AAA membership after having a problem with the Subaru Club (Cross Country Motor Club) last year.
• Had my exhaust system fixed.
• My car passed MA state inspection.
• Patty’s car passed MA state inspection.
• My car had a crack in the windshield. Fixed by Safelite and paid by insurance.
• Replaced blower motor again, and the cabin filter in Patty’s car.
• Decided on recommendation of our mechanic not to replace head gasket in Patty’s car.
• Rear break job for my car.
• Had rattling heat shield removed on my car.

House

• Had HVAC company refill freon in AC unit.
• Cleaned patio and treated for gypsy moths.
• Utilized association provided dumpster for Spring cleaning.
• Had new washer and dryer installed.
• Replaced oven hood filter

Fun & Travel

• Saw John Wick: Chapter 2 at  the Showcase Cinema Deluxe
• Went to Southwick’s Zoo -the largest zoo in New England.

 

• Magic Moment: I had a nice conversation with a parrot type bird, I think a Macaw. An annoying woman tried to muscle in on our conversation, but the bird wasn’t having any of it. The bird turned his back on her as soon as we left. Good bird!
• Magic Moment: Played with a baby monkey through the fencing of the cage. Interacted with the animal like it was a baby in a play pen. The adult female held the baby at times cautious of my shenanigans.
• Magic Moment: I mimicked the sound of two apes communicating with each other. Patty said that I startled a zoo worker who then looked at me like I was crazy. I am crazy.
• Magic Moment: Patty was startled when a pheasant screeched at her while she was taking a picture.
• Magic Moment: I blinked my eyes at a dove and the bird blinked back. I was able to get rapport with the bird doing this. It’s funny, house cats do the same thing. I’m like Doctor Doolittle! Well, not really…
• Patty was given an all expense paid trip to Chicagoland (Schaumburg Illinois) to attend a training conference. I tagged along. Then we spent a few extra days relaxing and exploring. We stayed at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel. Highlights included Sam & Harry’s Steak House, Gather Bar, and the Woodfield Mall.

• Attended the Twin River Whiskey Fest for amazing food and drink.
• We went to Mohegan Sun for the complementary Rock of the 80s concert featuring Autograph, Vixen, and Slaughter.

Audio Video 

• Canceled cable saving $80.00 after streaming subscription. Cordcutters are we!
• Ordered a Playstation Vue subscription.
• Canceled Verizon and switched to a year of free unlimited calling and data with Sprint.
• Got an Amazon Music Unlimited subscription for .99 cents for 4 months with our Amazon Prime subscription.
• Purchased Echo Dots and wireless lighting to begin converting home to a smart home.
• Cleaned out and organized entertainment center.
• AT&T replaced our land line phone under warranty.
• Began loading out Fii0 X1ii with ALAC files to enjoy portable CD quality music.

Noteworthy Books  Read in 2017

• Hyperion by Dan Simmons
• Soda Pop Soldier by Nick Cole
• Seattle Red by Reb MacRath
• The League of Night and Fog by David Morrell
• A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do by Alex Gillis

That’s it for 2017. See you in 2018… Happy New Year!!!