Welcome all to the new year.. 

I found the last one a bit draining.. creatively, that is.  I did publish The First Coming, and completed a second draft of An American Crusade, but I spent the year editing, not creating, and I found.. I missed it.  

Although editing is a necessary evil.. it doesn't ever meet the same creative need that writing a first draft does.. at least not for me.  When I'm writing, the characters are living with me.. inside me.. to the point where I miss them when I finish a book.  And over the past year, I missed creating someone new.

But the new year is off to a good start.  I've started working on REM again, and it's been a long time since I've touched it.  I found that in the interim I lost a chapter somewhere in shuffling electronic files, but nonetheless I'm moving forward.  And I have to say.. it feels amazing to be writing a first draft again.. to share my life with my characters.

I find that I often ask people what they do for a creative outlet.. and I get a variety of answers.  Some few also write, many play an instrument, some paint.  But it's surprising how many don't really have one they can lay their fingers on.  How many of us are going through life... through the year... and never expressing ourselves?  Are we too busy?  Too distracted?  Because I can't believe that every one of us doesn't have something creative to express... and I find that, for myself, I feel better when I do.  Much, much better.   This last month has been really good for me. Hey, I'm even blogging again..!

So my wish for you all for the new year..?  Express yourselves creatively..  Do something.. take some time.  It will help you better understand yourself.. others.. the world.. life.. everything.  Just pick something you love.. and do it.

Trust me.. it's worth the time...

Good luck!