2025 Goals

Hey! How's it going?

I hope you all had an awesome festive season.

Since December is coming to an end, it's time for me to take a look at the goals I posted back in January.

Looking back at what I wanted to achieve versus what I did achieve is always interesting. And I have to admit that my 2025 writing projects really surprised me. I didn't intend to write so many stories in the same vampire world, but really enjoyed telling every character's story.

So, here's how this year turned out:

• Continue to go for long daily walks: I KEPT THIS GOING ALL YEAR BECAUSE I LOVE WALKING AROUND THE RIVER. IT'S GREAT EXERCISE, FUELS MY IMAGINATION, AND I ENJOY THE WILDLIFE.

• Try to get back into (at least one weekly) yoga workout: ALTHOUGH WE FAILED THIS GOAL FOR MOST OF THE YEAR (😧), WE DID GET BACK INTO YOGA WORKOUTS IN NOVEMBER (😃).

• Finish writing my current first draft WIP: I TOTALLY DID THIS BACK IN JANUARY (92,907w).

• Celebrate the release of my first short story collection, MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS: THE RELEASE HAPPENED BACK IN LATE JANUARY AND I'M STILL EXCITED! I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS BOOK AND HOPE MORE READERS GIVE IT A GO. 😁

• Write between 100-200k words: YES! I WROTE A TOTAL OF 184,313 WORDS. (100,227 ARE SHORT STORIES.)

• Read 52 books:: I READ 87 (DNFd 2).

• Revise/finalise the two vampire first drafts: I WORKED ON THESE REVISIONS DURING APRIL (VampNovel1: 90,075w) AND MAY (VampNovel2: 90,746w).

• Work on edits when they hit my Inbox: THE ONLY EDITS I HAD THIS YEAR WERE FOR FALLEN DESTINY AND I GOT THOSE DONE DURING JULY.

• Write a novel (or two): I SPENT MOST OF THE YEAR WORKING ON STORIES ATTACHED TO MY VAMPIRE NOVELS, SO I DIDN'T WRITE ANY OTHER NOVELS. (ASIDES FROM FINISHING VampNovel2, OF COURSE.)

• Write a novella (or two): I DIDN'T WRITE ANY NOVELLAS THIS YEAR, BUT I WROTE A NOVELETTE (12,929w).

• Write a few short stories: 2025 TURNED OUT TO BE THE YEAR WHERE I COULDN'T STOP WRITING SHORT STORIES. I STARTED THE YEAR BY WRITING A HANDFUL OF STANDALONE SHORTIES AND THEN MOVED ON TO WRITING AND REVISING A WHOLE LOT OF STORIES SET IN MY VAMPIRE WORLD. I ENDED UP WRITING 30 SHORT STORIES, WHICH IS A TOTAL WORD COUNT OF: 100,227.

• Keep playing Animal Crossing daily: STILL PLAYING ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS EVERY SINGLE DAY. 😁

• Get into other cozy, cute puzzle games:  I PLAYED MANY, MANY HOURS OF HELLO KITTY AND FRIENDS HAPPINESS PARADE BECAUSE IT'S SO MUCH FUN AND I LOVE THE CATCHY TUNES. I ALSO SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS PLAYING SUIKA GAME, ZOO KEEPER (ON MY PHONE), AND TETRIS® 99 (LOVE PUZZLE GAMES).

This year, I had two books published:

MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS features 17 creepy tales and is my debut short story collection published by Cemetery Gates Media on January 28. I'm very proud of every shortie.

FALLEN DESTINY is a cozy urban fantasy novel published by Brigids Gate Press on November 11. This is a story I had a lot of fun writing and I'm excited that it's out in the wild.

This year I managed to get a lot of spring cleaning/decluttering done. That included sorting through my toys/plushies, books, and loads of stationery. As a result, we donated, sold, threw away, and downsized. A lot. I feel really good about all the work I put in and the countless hours I spent sorting through stuff. I plan to do even more next year. 

Very early on, I deactivated my Threads and IG accounts because I can't stand Meta and totally disagree with every disgusting thing the owner of that shitty company is doing and supporting. 

So Bluesky is still my only social media. And I've been posting on my blog all year, of course. 😁

Guess I should put together a 2026 list soon... 

Have a great day!

ARTIFICIAL CONDITION & RAPPORT by Martha Wells

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Today I was in the mood for the second Murderbot Diaries novella.

Now that Murderbot is alone, its decided to go back to the scene of the massacre, to find out why it killed so many humans. But to do that, Murderbot makes a new friend, gets a job, and encounters a few surprises along the way...

Murderbot is SO much FUN. The second installment is just as good as the first, and introduces more locations, new well-meaning humans getting into trouble, and some of the answers our favourite SecUnit has been searching for.

I love how Murderbot goes through several physical, mental, and even emotional changes during this story. The first one being that it makes a friend. A very helpful friend who helps Murderbot during its quest for answers.

Asshole Research Transport, aka ART, is a giant transport bot, and their connection is awesome. I love how they interact with each other, and even enjoy watching shows together. Another great thing is how ART's sensitivity to humans helps Murderbot develop an even deeper awareness.

I can't wait to read more Murderbot adventures!

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Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading the second novella in this fun series, I had to read this too.

The cargo ship called Perihelion and its crew arrive at a space station with an important mission on their agenda, but Peri's acting a little differently nowadays...

I really enjoyed it. A lot!

Reading stories in this world from the POV of other characters is so exciting. I liked Iris and her crew. The closeness, the bickering, how they relied on Peri and know it enough to notice the changes!

And that brings me to Peri, aka Perihelion. Or ART. Murderbot's friend! I hope we get to see more interactions between them in future novellas. 😁

You can read it free here: https://reactormag.com/rapport-martha...


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CONVENIENCE STORE WOMAN by Sayaka Murata

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading and enjoying Earthlings last year, I bought a copy of this book for my Kobo. And decided to get stuck into it today.

Keiko Furukura is a single woman who doesn't have too many friends, keeps to herself, and loves her job. If only other people would understand how much the convenience store means to her... 

OMG. This book! It's SO good. I couldn't put it down and read it in one afternoon/night.

Furukura is such an innocent and unfiltered character. She spends so much of her life learning how to behave and how to dress in order to fit in because she learned pretty early on that not acting normal gets you shunned by others. She's pretty good at fitting in, but even that's not enough. It's never enough because everyone expects her to get married and get a better job and have children and fit the norm instead of acting weird.

It's exhausting how many hurdles people expect others to jump over in order to be accepted. But Furukura doesn't care about all those things because all she needs is the convenience store. I love how she describes everything about her workplace like it's an organic being that keeps her on track. Not just during her shifts. Her job ensures she stays healthy and even helps her sleep. And you know what? She's really good at her job and never asks for more than she deserves. So I got really angry with her so-called friends, co-workers, and family for being so freaking judgy.

And for the record, I really disliked Shiraha. The sexist incel who takes advantage of an opportunity that Furukura offers in order to keep her working for him. Even though he doesn't like her and treats her like crap. She really is too good for him.

Anyway, I love the final scene because there was no other way to end the convenience store woman's story.

Irasshaimasé!


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WE ALL ROT EVENTUALLY by Mia Ballard

We All Rot Eventually by Ballard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This little novella caught my eye because of the blood splashed over the cutesy pink cover. That doesn't reflect what lies within the pages, lol.

Alexa Valentine might not be her real name, but it's the one that's going to make her a star. She went to LA to become an actress, and she's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure everyone sees her...

Yikes. What an unhinged story that turned to be! It's like MaXXXine meets Dexter with a heavy dose of feminine fury.

I read this book in one sitting because it's not long. Besides, it's fast-paced, the chapters are snappy, and the narrative takes some outrageous twist and turns as Alexa barrels through every expectation the reader might expect at the beginning.

Her rise to fame is full of violence, gore, and chaos. Until you're left wondering if Alexa's evil influence comes from an internal or external force.

While I enjoyed it, I did have a few issues: I can't get past the phone scrolling in 2005, and the fact that the epilogue is actually referred to as a prologue. I think this tale could've used another round of edits/proofreading.


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MISTER MAGIC by Kiersten White

Mister Magic by Kiersten White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here's another book I've had on my Paperwhite TBR pile for a while.

After Val's father dies, her small world is shattered when three people, she can't remember from her past, appear out of nowhere. According to Isaac, Marcus, and Javi, they were all part of a cult children's TV show. Mister Magic shut down thirty years ago, but now a podcast wants to interview them to reboot the series...

Wow. What an amazing and darkly imaginative book this turned out to be. It's creepy, mysterious, and packed with engaging characters.

Val's story is as fascinating as it is frightening. A woman living a quiet and isolated life with her father finds out about her past when it comes knocking on her door after his death. Rediscovering her childhood and the friends she left behind takes her on a very dark journey into the desert. To a bizarre house in the middle of nowhere and the townspeople who helped conceal a menacing secret.

It's an intriguing tale about loss, rediscovery, and facing human evil disguised by malicious magic. And the ending is so freaking melancholy, because while it's the best conclusion, it's very sad.

I also have to mention that you shouldn't skip the acknowledgements page. After reading the author's words, everything about Mister Magic made even more messed-up sense. The line between religion and cult is almost non-existent.

Awesome book about a cult TV show that slipped into the shadows. Let's be honest, a lot of children's programming is creepy as fuck. I enjoyed this so much!


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DEAREST by Jacquie Walters

Dearest by Jacquie Walters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had my eye on this book for a while because that cover is super creepy, so I got stuck into it the other night.

Flora, a new mother with a newborn, feels isolated. Her husband is deployed, she's lonely, is having trouble sleeping, and is permanently uncomfortable. Then she reaches out to her estranged mother, and is surprised when she turns up at Flora's door...

Ooooooooh. The fever dream quality of this eerie horror tale sucked me into Flora's nightmare from the very beginning. I couldn't wait to find out what was really going on.

At times, I was convinced Flora was suffering from a severe case of postpartum depression and exhaustion. Then I thought she was slipping away from reality because of being alone all the time. I even suspected that there was a monster after her. But one thing's for sure, this story is very disturbing, and perfectly captures the raw and hardest parts of being a new mother.

I enjoyed Flora's heartbreaking tale SO much. The writing style kept the narrative dark and mysterious, with dread creeping up in every scene. The revelations are shocking and sad. The family secrets are terrible. The way Flora deals with everything gave me whiplash. And the ending is: 😳!!!

Excellent, trippy book.


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OUR WIVES UNDER THE SEA by Julia Armfield

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I started reading this book the other night and was instantly absorbed by the melancholy tone.

Miri and Leah are married and live in an apartment with the permanent noise of their neighbour's TV filtering in through the walls. Leah is a marine biologist who left on a three-week submarine expedition but didn't come back until six months later. And now that she's back, she's not the same. Leaving Miri with a wife who feels and looks more like a stranger every single day...

Wow. What an eerie and intriguing book.

Miri and Leah's alternating POVs tell their separate stories so we find out about their relationship, friends, and jobs. Miri delves into the awful six months living without knowing where her wife was. Leah reveals what happened under the sea and how it changed the three-person crew. Both experiences are interesting and captivated me for different reasons.

While the story is grimy, sad, and leaves you feeling a little sick from the effects of how the sea changes Leah and destroys their relationship, it's also full of inspiring situations and connections. I particularly liked the way the events unfolded. How well the past and present are woven together, leading to a tragic, horrifying conclusion. At the same time, the ambiguity stitched into the very core of this book also offers up an even sadder conclusion, similar to what is presented in the message board Miri frequents during Leah's abscence.

Either way, this tale of love and grief is written so well that both narratives work. Fantastic!


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The Last Month of the Year is here!

Hey! Long time no see. 😁

How are you? What's going on? How's December treating you so far?

Well, it's finally summer in Sydney and the weather has been totally nuts. It's either raining and the temp drops dramatically, or it's too hot and so sunny that stepping outside during daylight hours feels like your skin is melting as fast as your lungs. It's all over the place and very extreme. That's what happens when the people in power DGAF about the environment and are actively destroying everything. Ugh.

Anyway, enough of that. LOL.

We finally got our annual blood tests (everything's okay except my iron), finally found a chemist that has the latest Covid booster, and got the jab.

Last month I mentioned that I had one final vampire story-related piece to complete, and I did! It was something that's mentioned in the novels and some of the shorties, so it lived inside my head for almost a year. I'm happy to say that it turned out better than I expected, and clocked in at 377 words.

That was the last story I had on my list, but I still wondered if anyone else would start whispering in my ear. But they didn't. All the stories revolving around the main and secondary characters are told. And this is the vampire world update: two novels, one novelette, and twenty-four short stories.

That means the collection has now crossed 82k. Not bad. 

I'm very happy with all the stories that I've written in this world, and now that these are done... I can turn my attention to the two spin-off ideas. But first, I need a bit of a mental break because I've been writing and revising non-stop this year. And December is the perfect month for taking it easy.

So far, I've spent most of this month reading and it's been a LOT of fun.

At the end of September, I decided to read only women authors until the end of the year, and that's what I've been doing. Different genres and lengths, paperbacks and ebooks. As long as it's written by a woman, I want to read it. Also, I have to be honest, it's not a hard challenge for me because I primarily read female writers anyway. 😁📚

Did you guys watch Stranger Things, Volume 1? We did and I was underwhelmed. They're messing with the world building, the characters are stagnant, and nothing made any real sense. It felt a little off, tbh. The only thing I liked was the final episode 4 reveal, but even that doesn't make sense if you think about it. Personally, I also think that breaking it up into volumes is a silly idea. Especially for someone like me, who can't stop thinking about all the plot holes!!

At least season 5 of Only Murder in the Building was fantastic. I LOVE this cozy show.

Well, that's it for now. I'm going to ride out the effects of the booster and hope I get over the worst of it soon.

Hope you have an awesome weekend!!

THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR by Ally Carter

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's December and I've got a few Christmas-themed books on my Paperwhite and Kobo, so I decided to start reading them. Starting with this one.

Maggie Chase is a cozy mystery writer who doesn't like the festive season. Ethan Wyatt is a popular thriller writer who gets on her nerves. But when they're both invited to England, Maggie and Ethan stumble into a mystery involving one of the most well-known mystery authors in the world...

This is such a charming romantic mystery that fits perfectly into the festive season. It's fun, isolated, and absolutely cozy. Not to mention that the chemistry between Maggie and Ethan makes the story even better.

The rom-com banter and seemingly mutual hate between the two main characters keeps things light, but the reality of what makes these two so real (and perfect for each other) is their backstory. Maggie, the lonely woman everyone abandons and her ex-husband's gaslighting pushed her to the point of not trusting her own instincts. Ethan, the son of a soldier who failed to live up to his father's expectations. Both with shattered pasts that left mental (and physical) scars.

I really enjoyed the mystery at the heart of the story because Eleanor is another cool character who makes a huge impression even though she's missing for most of the book. Also, the snowy location inside a huge manor in the English countryside matches the mysterious/dangerous vibes.

Terrific story!


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WITHIN THE SPACE OF A SECOND by Elise Helliwell

Within the Space of a Second by Elise Helliwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first thing I noticed about this book was how beautiful it is. Yes, I've got the special edition with the lovely moon-sprayed edges. So pretty.

Mariella Adams is afraid she's going to inherit her mother's mental illness, and waking up with a strange buzzing beneath her skin doesn't help. The day she meets two strangers, Rose and Parker, everything she thinks she knows about herself is turned upside down...

Wow. I raced through the pages of this book, hooked on every detail and clue peppered throughout. And I had a blast!

Imagine meeting someone you're in love with in the future. Someone who's already lived a relationship with you but all you have is an instant attraction. Yeah, that's (some) of what happens in this intriguing time travel story about a young woman who desperately wants to be normal so she can escape her unstable and heartbreaking past.

Determined to become a psychologist, Mariella is convinced that understanding psychology will help her find out the truth about what really happened to her mother. Little does she realise that her differences might be the only skills she needs.

Enter Parker and Rose. Two strangers to Mariella, but both know her in their own way. And my favourite thing about these two characters is how easily they open up the world building and help shape the rules and mystery that's at the core of this excellent tale.

Although the biggest mystery—Mariella's mother—isn't solved in this installment, a lot of other things are revealed slowly. If you pay close attention, it helps make sense of a lot of things. I've actually got a theory about her mother, so I can't wait to see if I'm right.

Anyway, I loved this book. The characters, the setting, the writing, the clues, the romance... All of it.

Looking forward to book two!


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