Each year I create a list of goals for every area of my life. Throughout the year I work my goals, track my progress, and commit to posting my top accomplishments (and some smaller ones). I hope to inspire others to do the same.

Writing Goals

Novels/Novelas

• YEAR OF THE DEMON went up for Preorder this year in ebook and print from Crossroad Press! Audio coming soon! A mixture of horror, martial arts action, and urban fantasy, it’s sure to thrill and delight! ARCs are available for reviewers.

• BLADE OF THE VAGABOND: HEAVEN, EARTH, & WOMAN now available for Kindle! Read it for FREE with Kindle Unlimited! Originally published as a Kindle Vella novella, with the program ending, I decided to put it up on Kindle as an ebook. A paperback edition is a possibility! An historical epic fantasy set in an alternate Warring States period Japan, this novella is filled with magic, Asian mythology, and martial arts. Get your copy today!

https://a.co/d/2wEX6VO

• Submitted opening of crime novel to Black Spring’s Big Bang Prize judged by Lee Child for best opening of a crime book.
• Submitted Supernatural Thriller to the Berkley Open Submission Program.
• Published Blade of the Vagabond on Kindle Vella.
• Entered the Kindle Vella Vellys Contest.
• Received Vella Bonus.
• Year of the Demon: Read through and made edits. Approved final edits from publisher, Approved formatting for all editions. Approved cover. Sent information for audiobook narration audition. Began marketing.
• Wolves of Vengeance continues to sell and be read on Kindle Unlimited eleven years after its publication! It also received another 4-star review this year! I’m considering creating a revised and expanded edition. Would you be interested? https://a.co/d/aMXwq1f

Short Stories

• Sent a short story pitch to a top magazine.
• Had a short story shortlisted for an upcoming anthology.
• Submitted to 12 short story markets.
• Wrote one new short story.
• Edited all short stories before sending out.

Sharpen the Saw

• Attended Thrills and Chills: Writing and Selling Horror: A Masterclass with Jonathan Maberry. A fantastic class!
• Live Editing Session # 3 with Tom Bromley Reedsy’s Head of Learning.

Martial Arts

Crushing my martial arts goals in the Year of the Dragon!

Seminars

• Attended Coach Jeff Burger’s Trapping & Wooden Dummy (Mook Jong) Seminar at K.I.C.K. Karate in Salem, MA.
• Attended Drowning in Jeet Kune Do Intermediate & Advanced Training at DAMA.
• Attended Drowning in Kali Intermediate & Advanced Training at DAMA.

Ranking

• Earned Kali Level One at Derderian Academy of Martial Arts
• Earned Kali Level Two at DAMA after earning Level Two in JKD. Yes, I took two tests during the same night! A martial arts teacher I know thought I was crazy for doing two tests in one night. I am, and I was!
• Earned Jeet Kune Do (JKD) Level Two at DAMA.

Training 2024

• Another year of training complete. Hard work but still a great time with great people. I’ve found my tribe!
• Home solo training included Mook Jong, Bas Thai Boxing workouts, shadow boxing and drills, and free-weights.
• Celebrated 37 years of martial arts training!

Broadcasting & Podcasting

• Co-Hosted 50 episodes of the House of Mystery Radio Show (also on Podcast).
• Since 2021, I’ve co-hosted 398 episodes of the House of Mystery Radio Show (as heard on NBC News Radio).
• GoodPods awarded us #1 Best Crime Fiction Podcast of All-Time!
• Received IMDb credits for all podcast episodes. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16649941/

Acting

• I was part of an ensemble cast where I played Van Helsing in Dracula: Vamped Out! on the Fun Classic Reads Episode Number 8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cooBMdlRZYo&t=192s

Youtube and Social Media

Martial Arts Main Channel

I didn’t do as much with my channel this year. Between writing and martial arts training I was full out! https://www.youtube.com/@davidnorth-martino

• 26 short videos main channel.
• 6 long videos main channel.
• 37.7K Views.
• 206.1 Watch time (hours).
• +125 Subscribers.

HDaveMI https://www.youtube.com/@hdavemi6667/videos

• 5 long videos.
• 1 short video.
• 2.2k views.
• 70.4 Watch Time (hours).
• +14 Subscribers.

I also posted shorts on Facebook (Rising Top Creator), Instagram, and TikTok.

Martino Movie Reviews

• Reviewed Eric Shapiro’s Intrusive. https://www.alanrwarren.com/martinomoviereviews/review%3A-intrusive-(2024)?fbclid=IwY2xjawHhPspleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHaqSZ4nJxUtqF8o6VkuzXErYPKsr9_SH0vy72lM_KdJ2M7Whs3fSVtCJpw_aem_vBQ7_ViYIXbwj2mFR-c_FA
• Joined Letterboxd to archive movie reviews. https://letterboxd.com/Dnorthmartino/

Family

• Brought Patty for hand surgery.
• Drove my dad to his surgery appointment.
• Celebrated our birthdays.
• Celebrated our 29th Wedding Anniversary
• Celebrated our 32nd Anniversary of our first date.
• Attended a Pow Wow with my mom and dad and celebrated my mother’s birthday.
• Had dinner with my parents.
• Called my parents twice a week.
• Brought Diesel to all vet appointments.
• Got Diesel a GPS so we could find him when he wants to play adventure cat.

Friends

• Traveled to Flushing Queens New York with martial arts friends to attend the Guro Dan Inosanto weekend seminar. See Travel and Martial Arts.
• Had a great time at the Asia Grill in Lincoln, RI for the annual end-of-year JKD/Kali get-together. We ordered entrées and drinks, shared apps and good conversations.
• Continued a great friendship with Al Warren.
• Built a cat tree for our neighbor’s cat.
• Cat-sat for our neighbor’s cat.
• Celebrated Thanksgiving with Patty. We got meals from Peppercorns Restaurant in Worcester.
• Celebrated Christmas with Patty. I seared NY Strip and filled the house with smoke. Diesel was not impressed. Still, the steak turned out great!
• Had neighbor over for a Christmas get-together.
• Had neighbor over for New Years.
• Kept in contact with my college English professor through email and social media.
• Kept in contact with writer friends.
• Gave feedback to a writer friend on his super secret writing project.

Health

• Annual Physical went well. My labs are stable. My bad cholesterol has improved. My good cholesterol has increased. My triglycerides are about the same.
• Eye doctor Appointments went well.
• Cleanings with hygienist.
• Lost 9 pounds using MacroFactor app.

Travel

• Flushing, Queens, NYC: An amazing time with my DAMA family. The Compass rooftop tiki bar at the top of the Parc Hotel.
• Bar Chuanryu. They had live music.
• New World Mall Food Court.
• Project Ke
• Squid on a stick!
• Jollibee and more!
• Foxwoods Casino day-trip.

Cars

Patty’s Car

• New Battery, front brakes, inspection, wiper blades, recall inspection, replace back camera mount under recall.

My Car

• General maintenance. New battery. Install new sun visor.

House

• Flue Cleaning & Inspection.
• Changed lights in upstairs bathroom.
• Changed lights in downstairs bathroom.
• Assembled catio for Diesel.
• Assembled bookcase for Patty.
• Assembled folding exercises bike for Patty.
• Installed security cameras.
• Installed wine glass rack above sink.
• Built ANOTHER cat tree for Diesel. Diesel rips through one of these per year.

That’s all I can remember for 2024. It’s been a fantastic year of personal and professional accomplishments! See you in 2025! Happy New Year!