It’s almost 2014 and and as this year comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on my first year as a published author.

The two words that immediately pop into my head are #1…CRAZY and #2…AWESOME!

Crazy in a good way, as I attempted to find the right groove in which to do all the things necessary to get my name out there. Working a full-time day job made things somewhat tricky as to finding time for writing, editing, picking out cover photos, and promoting. I found the time, however, because a lifelong dream was realized in January when the first book hit the ebook venues. I wasn’t about to let it stop there! I set a goal for myself, one that many said was unrealistic. Well, guess what…I met that goal and exceeded it!

Things really got crazy when a reader, who I had met through another author, approached me and asked if she could start a street team for me. She also offered to be my assistant, to help me with some of the things I didn’t have the time to do. Up until then, marketing had been a one-woman team…ME.  After some thought and lengthy discussions with Anne, I decided to take her up on her offer. Soon, a few other readers she and I were acquainted with offered to join the bandwagon. So, Anne, Crysty, Deb, and I started the street team, Anna’s Fab Friends. Personal friends soon got on the bandwagon and the group began to grow. Lee, another friend from way back in the hometown days had begun to market for me in the state he lives in so I asked him to join the group. He did and is now an integral part of the team. He and Anne work together behind the scenes planning signings, contests, and many other marketing ideas. We have over fifty members now, adding more as we go along. We have members from the US, Australia, Canada, Scotland, and many places. We have aspiring authors, published authors, a country singer, and a wide variety of readers in the group. My daughter and my niece have joined. We run contests, they promote for me, and we have a good time. Most of all, we’ve become a close knit group, always willing to send a word of encouragement if one of us is having a bad day. We can joke with each other, we can cry with each other, and we ARE truly the Fab Friends. Ironic, since the Fab Five series that I write is  about an awesome group of friends. In fact, many of us are planning to meet in May in New Orleans at the RT Book Reviews Convention. Fabs are coming from Australia, New York, Tennessee, Florida, maybe Pennsylvania, and I don’t know where else but I do know it’s going to be a blast!

AWESOME…is thirteen books released in twelve months! Twelve under Anna’s pen name and one under my spicier side, Isabella Kole. Ah yes…Isabella or IzzyB as we call her in the Fabs…she was another goal of mine. I normally write sweet, sassy, sensual books but the readers and other writer friends were encouraging me to try something a little different. With the popularity of Fifty Shades Of Grey, books about BDSM were being released like crazy and doing quite well. It wasn’t something I had ever considered writing, but after much thought, I decided to try my own version, a tamer yet sexy version. Accepting His Terms is about a couple experimenting with a light form of domestic discipline. It’s been well-received and the readers as well as the publisher want more. And so it begins.

My first book, Crossroad To Love, reached the semi-finals in the Authorsdb Cover Contest! The results of that contest will be announced in February. My team worked hard to get votes so I’m anxious to see how that goes!

I’ve been a bit slower with my writing the last few months. I needed a breather, to catch up on my personal life, and work on promoting the thirteen books already written. I did some book signings, attended a book show, and got my batteries recharged. I’m ready to go into 2014 full steam ahead with many things already in the works. The Fab Five series has more books to be added, Remember Our Promise is now the first in a trilogy rather than a stand-alone, IzzyB has more to offer, and I’ve come up with an idea for something other than a romance novel…

So as 2013 comes to an end, I want to thank all of you for making it a fun, exciting, and worthwhile year for me.

Anne designed this and my street team shared it on Facebook…so sweet

As we enter 2014, I am more determined than ever to make it an even better year! Happy New Year to all of you and I’ll see you back here next year!!!!!

Love,

Anna/Isabella