Go, groundhog, go!

February 2 is a reminder of sorts. In my office, I have a year-at-a-glance calendar, which helps me organize my travel and events. It also means, that for about six months a year, I have TWO of them up, so I can organize the coming year as well. Taking one down is a relief, and it reminds me of some of what went on last year. There were times when I didn’t bother putting my suitcase away, because either I was going to use it right away, or my husband was. I went to

• The South Carolina Festival of the Book
• The Public Library Association in Boston
• Malice Domestic (VA)
• The Festival of Mystery (PA)
• Romantic Times (FL)
• Kate’s Mystery Books Anniversary and Holiday parties
• Sisters in Crime Hollywood Event (and touring)
• Bouchercon (WI) (and touring)
• Two trips to DC, VA, and MD
• The New England Crime Bake
• Several local events

I was glad to have the chance to go to so many new venues (and revisit favorites), because I always learn something from these trips. I didn’t feel like I was getting a lot of novel writing done—and I wasn’t, not the five-pages-a-day kind, anyway. But still, valuable work happened. I also

• Did a *lot* of reading
• Read for an academic project
• Wrote two articles and a short story
• Had various blogging adventures
• Did loads of research (and wrote a few pages here and there)

I have to remind myself that last year was a year for reading and research, that I wasn’t lying around, touching up my pedicure. The suitcase has been put away—for the moment—and I’m still playing catch-up, but progress is being made: on January 19, I finished a draft of my thriller. It’s rough, but it’s there for the editing, which I’m doing now. I’m using all that research I snuck in on planes and during weekends. It’s coming together faster than I thought it would. And I’m gearing up for Edgars Week, Malice, the Virginia Book Festival, Bouchercon in Alaska, the New England Crime Bake, and other trips (check out my Calendar of Events for updates).

Punxsatawney Phil didn’t see his shadow this morning, so supposedly we’ll have an early spring (ha!). Maybe he was inside getting his year in order. Maybe he’s finishing his novel.