Justine Manzano 
Hi everyone!
It seems I have dropped the ball here lately, and I’m sorry–but it’s all for exciting reasons.
I received my developmental edits for The Order of the Key, and they were. . .a lot. But they were all amazing and thought provoking and the novel is so much better now that I’ve made them. On top of working on those, I’ve begun working on forming a marketing plan for the book, as these things don’t just happen, and small publishers have less resources in this area.
So, I’ve been reading up on publicity and marketing practices, and have worked out the beginnings of a plan. And I’m really excited for it.
Then, I got my line edits for Order. And I. Am. Tired.
All of this + the holiday season, means that while I ended up abandoning my PeWriMoMo adventure in November, I probably wrote the requested word count in just new and rewritten scenes. But I didn’t keep track. Not really. So there that wonderful idea went.
I was going to wait until I was finished with my line edits to give you guys an update, but I realized what an important time we were in, and I didn’t want to miss out on the recap.
This decade has been very kind to me. In the last ten years, I became a mother. My relationship with my husband has grown stronger than ever. I stepped into my own as an author. I built my career as an editor. Sold seven short stories, two personal essays, one article, and a novel, the same novel, to three different publishing companies–although, this will be the first one to actually publish it (small publishing can be a damned landmine, you guys). I have found an amazing day job with incredibly supportive people. I have continued my relationships with my family, both born and found, and built on them some more. I have forged such wonderful relationships. I have found my writing tribe.
This decade has also been pretty harsh to me. I received rejection after rejection on things I thought were destined to be successful. I have struggled with the aftermath of sexual assault. I have helped my wonderful, amazing son battle Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, Depression and Anxiety, and he has done so like a dang soldier, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. I lost my Grandmother and my Uncle Bobby. I watched friendships I thought would be around forever dwindle into nothing. I’ve had surgeries and been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and have wondered how long it will take for it to have a real and lasting effect on me. My mother nearly died.
2019 was the hardest of these years, but all of these experiences taught me some amazing things about appreciation and perseverance, and anyone who knows me at all, knows that I have been knocked down, but I never stay down, and that I’m working on counting every triumph and blessing.
This isn’t the first time I’ve done an end-of-year recap. The last times I’ve done one, I declared the next year to be “my year.” I’m not going to say that about 2020. I’m sure, in some ways, it will be awesome. And in other ways, I’m sure there will be struggle.
But I am here for the fight, and I’ll keep swinging. And telling you about it. I always intend to include you for the ride.
Thanks for another year. Get ready for The Order of the Key in July 2020. (You know I had to.) Have a wonderful holiday season and a joyous New Year. I’ll chat with you about the next adventure.
All my love,
Justine