The New Year has come roaring upon us like a mighty dragon with storm winds in its wake. It is a time for the setting of goals. For looking behind and looking ahead. A time for comparisons and calculations. It can be discouraging, daunting even, but it can also be hopeful. The hope of a fresh start. Of a blank book spreading before us with no mistakes yet marring the pages. So let us face this fierce new year of 2015 with fire in our hearts and strength in our arms. And get excited because I’ve been planning all sorts of fun things for the blog this year! 
It may come as a slight surprise to you, but I love books. I love reading books, writing books, sniffing books, stuffing books into my too-full bookcase … and giving books to friends. It’s a long-standing joke in my family that at least one person is going to get a book from me at Christmas time. This year, I managed to keep that number down to two. (The previous year, I realized I had given every single family member a book … only after they unwrapped their presents!) There is nothing quite like finding the perfect book—with just the right blend of setting, tone, characters, and plot—to match each reader. Because I love gifting books, I’ll be hosting a book giveaway for you, dear readers, every 1st and 3rd Tuesday for the duration of the year. Just for fun, I matched each month of the year to one of 12 Speculative Fiction Subgenres, so the giveaways for that month will fall under a certain theme. And January’s theme is … dystopian! January can be a bit of a bleak, dismal, gray month—words that tend to describe most dystopian societies … if not necessarily the books I’ve chosen. So be sure to stop by on January 6th for the first giveaway of the year! 
When Destiny Comes Calling … This serial short-ish story is one of my favorite things that I’ve ever tried on the blog, so I was quite sad to have to leave it hanging this fall amidst the crazed rush of a book release. But I think it’s high time we return to poor Alexander Mitus Scott Beauford III and his strange companions, Destiny, Fate, and the Wizard Doomsday, don’t you? Expect the return shortly! Need a refresher? Enjoy sifting through the archives to get caught up on the story! 
On Villains and Heroes My spy has once again managed infiltrate the ranks of the Academy of Ultimate Villainy, so you can expect to enjoy snippets of lecture notes on all things nefarious and dastardly, including a series on “Master-Minding Murder and Mayhem.” I don’t know about you, but that sounds fascinating to me! Also, in response to a series of messages sent to the Warriors-in-Hero-Training School of the Round Table, I finally received a missive from Sir Galgadin. Hand delivered by a talking wolf—definitely a strange experience. Apparently, Sir Galgadin has been away for the past several months hunting ogres in the mountains where hunting eagles make pigeon-reception doubtful, to say the least. In any case, he has a series of Questology Lectures that he intends to submit whenever possible, so you can expect to learn all sorts of heroic and fascinating things about questing, damsels in distress, identifying enchantresses, and returning home in one piece. 
Stay in Touch There’s quite a bit in the works for this year—not to mention several books that will be coming your way shortly—and you won’t want to miss out on any of it! A great way you can stay informed is by joining the Clan Newsletter! By following my newsletter, you’ll be the first to receive giveaway announcements, see cover reveals, and hear about upcoming books. Not to mention receiving the occasional epic fantasy short story delivered straight to your computer … Click here to sign up! As always, I wish you all the best and look forward to spending this next year with you!
YA Epic Fantasy Author
free short story: Of Shadow and Rust
New Release: Of Sea and Smoke
Eep! Sounds like 2015 is going to be a great year! I love giveaways (who doesn't?), and I'm excited for more of "When Destiny Comes Calling" and the villains/heroes posts! :D
Yes, I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to a tremendous year! I don't expect it to be easy, but then good things rarely are. :)
I was inwardly oooing and ahhing while reading this post. 2015 looks like it's going to be a mighty exciting year for this blog! I can't wait to read the upcoming posts. I'm a big fan of your villain posts and I'm so glad there will be more coming our way!!! And When Destiny Comes Calling is coming back?! Yay! Needless to say, I'm excited. I'm going to go sign up for the newsletter right away.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you too, Elizabeth! I've been simply dying to bring back Destiny and Villainy 101, but life kept getting in the way this fall. Here's to a probably no-less-crazy but hopefully more-energized winter and spring. :)
Wow, these are super awesome—I especially look forward to the villainy business!
Hi Heather! Just stopped by your blog and loved your post about Kronk! Just my cup of tea, if you know what I mean. :)
Thanks! :D
Ooh, it sounds like you have so many amazing things planned this year. I'm especially excited for The Villains and Heroes post because I struggle with creating effective villains. I'm signing up for the newsletter right now!
Happy New Year, Ana! I'm looking forward to what 2015 has in store for all of us. Thank you for signing up for the newsletter. :)
Looking forward to 2015 being an epic year! :)
Me too! Happy New Year, Caryl. Thanks for stopping by.
SOUNDS AWESOME.
Why thankee kindly! :)
Wonderful, I'm looking forward to it all!
I'll be glad to hear from Sir Galgadin again. To be perfectly honest, I feel as if there are many resources on how to be a villain (I'm not saying they aren't helpful, they truly are!) but there seems to be little on the subject of how to be a hero.
I can't wait to hear what Sir Galgadin has to say. The fellow can be a tad stuffy, but his questing experience is world-renowned. :)
I think you're right about that, Blue. There are just so many villainous tropes that it's a blast to explore and analyze them all, but there are a good number of hero tropes too that should make for some fun and interesting posts, I hope!
*sees post from Gillian in reading list* *squeals*
*reads about giveaways* *eyes grow wide* I love giveaways!
*reads about the return of When Destiny Comes Calling* *squeals again* I have missed this so much!
*reads about more Villain and Hero posts* *cheers*
*reads about newsletter* *promptly signs up*
*grins* So, there you have it. My reactions to this post. :D I look forward to the next year with this blog, Gillian!
*sees Rachelle's reaction*
*chuckles*
*grins ear to ear*
*still smiling!*
Looking forward to a great year of 2015!
Hehe. :D
HAPPY NEW YEAR GILLIAN! ^_^ My goodness, so many awesome things planned for this year! I'm so excited. :D *happy flailing* *pounces on newsletter* (A newsletter? I love newsletters! Sign-ups all around!)
I hope this will be an absolutely FABULOUS year for you! And I am eying next month for Out of Darkness Rising and hoping it will be coming soooooon!! :D
Happy New Year to you too, Deborah! :) Yes, good things should be coming soon, so definitely keep an eye out. ;)
It sounds like you have an EPIC year planned for 2015. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you too, Jennette! Yes, I daresay EPIC is a good word for it. :)
Happy new year! 2015 looks to be very exciting on your blog :) I can't wait!
Happy New Year to you too! I'm really looking forward to it.
Wow this sounds so cool! Happy New Year!
Thanks, Clare! You too.
Happy New Year!!! You're my writing inspiration for 2015 ^_^
Aw, that's really kind of you to say, Stefanie! Seriously though, that made my day. Happy New Year to you too. :)
Can't wait for all the exciting things! Giveaways, stories, and the Academy of Ultimate Villainy *nefarious chuckle* :) Hooray! And Happy New Year! :)
Elizabeth
Oh, and I joined your newsletter!
Thanks, Elizabeth! I hope you enjoy all the fun things coming up. I know I always do, so it makes me happy when I find out I'm not the only one. :)
More Academy of Ultimate Villainy! After your last post I wrote a fanfiction article on how to conquer the world on a college loans budget. I was that desperate for some more High Villainy.
Conquering the world on college loans … love it! Did you post it somewhere? Send me the link. I would love to read it. :)
I never did anything with it, since the idea was originally yours and I didn't want to break any copyright laws. I suppose I could post it up on my deceased blog, or email it to you.
This year I will finish my novel and make it to Realm Makers!