A New Challenge

When I decided my word for 2020 was stretch, I had no idea how fitting that word would truly be. Sure, I meant to stretch myself to new things, to learn and grow and expand. But I had no idea when I started this year that I'd end up doubling how many stories I had published by the end of 2021!
What!?
​That's right.
I just signed two more contracts for books to release next year. That means that at the end of 2021, I'll have six books published, twice as many as I have right now.
​To say I'm slightly shocked and blown away is an understatement.

Here's what the two contracts were for. The first one was for a novel to be published in December 2021. It's one near and dear to me, about a preacher's daughter who has fallen away from the church after she grows up and how she finds her way back home.
The second contract was totally unexpected and unlooked for. My publisher offered me a spot in a novella collection with four other authors. Each story will be a Christmas tale set on a different beach, and the title is Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams. My beach is going to be St. Simon's Island, Georgia, a place I've been wanting to set a story at anyway. The collection will release September 2021.
Whew!
So, why is this a new challenge?
Well, I've never had more than one book release in a year before, so that's new... and thrilling. I've never actually written a story with contract already in hand. All my previous ones were written before gaining the contract. We'll see if this makes it easier or harder. And, I've never written a novella. Instead of my normal 65-70,000 words, I'll be writing it in 18,000. Yikes. I hope I can do it.
Looks like I'm going to continue to stretch myself in 2021! Maybe my word for next year will be maintain or continue. ;-)
Have you taken on any new challenges this year (besides living through a pandemic)? Enjoy this picture from St. Simon's I took last year to get us all ready for my story next fall. :-)