Happy New Year, everyone!
The beginning of the year is always a time for new resolutions and fresh beginnings. It’s also a time for reflection and celebration of past achievements. Since I’ve already made the only resolution I intend to keep (12 Classic Women Writers), I’d rather get right to the celebrations.
“We’re All In This Together Medals” go to:
The Eight Lady bloggers:
The eight ladies have been at this blog thing for over a year now and despite at least one close call that I know of, not a single member has bailed. In fact we’ve gained Jeanne who is now a semi-regular. I’m not sure what the statistical averages are for the longevity of a group blog such as this, but not only are we still going strong, we’re better than ever. Raise a toast to us!
Congrats to the winners of this year’s “Crossed Fingers Award”
- Elizabeth recently placed third in the Historical/Regency category for the NW Houston Chapter’s 2014 Lone Star Writing Contest.
- Jilly’s book, Dealing with McKenzie has finaled in two RWA contests.
- Justine’s 3 Proposals was a 2014 Royal Ascot Contest finalist.
- Nancy’s recently completed My Girls has two agents clamoring for a full. It’s also garnered rave reviews from the 8Lady reviewers.
And a special congrats to all the writers who entered a contest, pitched, or submitted in 2014 regardless of outcome. We’re the bomb!
“Bravery in Writing Reward” Will be shared by:
- To the 8Ladies who plan on submitting to Golden Heart in 2015. We’ll be rooting for you all!
“Gives Me Hope Award” (for all of us still struggling with our first draft) goes to:
- Jeanne for completing her first draft of Demons Don’t.
In her own words: “It’s a mess, filled with dead ends and extra characters and things that don’t track, but it’s a draft. I finished out just shy of 107,000 words, which means it took me 2 ½ years to write the first 25,000 words and 11 weeks to write the last 82,000.”
“Most Inspiring Christmas Challenge Honor” goes to:
- Kay, who despite being bogged down in revision mode on her current WIP, hit one out of the park with her Christmas post “Twas Daybreak on Christmas” launching the future 8Ladies Christmas anthology (and motivating me to read Jane Austen).
“Marching Forward Academically (MFA) Accolades” to:
- Michille who is on track to complete her MFA at McDaniel in 2015. You go girl!
“Is There A Draft In Here?” Honorable Mentions:
- Kay & Justine: Hard at work on revising their current WIP (hang in, ladies).
- Kat & Michaeline: Continue to work on finishing their first drafts (2015 is our year!)
Applause for “Most Intriguing Story Idea” Goes to:
- Michaeline for Bunny Blavatsky (A Gilded Age photographer and Spiritual Investigator). Can’t wait for this one!
Have a shout-out for a deserving writer? A writing achievement of your own you’d like to share? Let’s celebrate it as we begin another year!
Eight Ladies Writing 
I’d like to thank the Academy and especially Kat for my award! Also my mother, my father, my cat, and my first grade teacher, plus everyone I’ve ever met. But really—thank you, Kat! It’s good to celebrate what we’re doing and what we’ve accomplished. Only by taking those first steps will we hit our goals.
Your cat helps you write? All mine do is stand in front of my computer screen (until they’re fed) or take off with my pens.
Love the photo, Kat, and thank you for my award 🙂 . I love this post. It’s good to take a moment to look back and celebrate, and even nicer to be able to do it as a group. Cheers, ladies, and here’s to 2015!
Thanks, Jilly, but I can’t take credit for the great photo. I recycled it from the archives.
If we all make it to NY this summer, wouldn’t it be fun to make one of our own with all 9 ladies?
Thanks for this, Kat!
I propose an additional award: Most Inspiring Persistence in the Face of Adversity for continuing to move forward with your story while balancing the demands of your day job. With bonus points for managing to come up with that very cool 3D collage that inspired ideas for the rest of your series. I happen to know that you’re going through the Software Implemenaton from Hell at work, so my hat’s off to you.
Thanks, Jeanne, I appreciate it. Still, I think we all deserve that one. Each of us (in our own way) have persevered in the face of adversity at some point.
Congratulations to all the Ladies for their awards, and for an amazing and awe-inspiring 2014. May 2015 be even bigger and better for 8LW and our followers/friends. Nothing but good times ahead!
I’ll second that!
Thanks for the award, Kat! It’s great to be reminded what I’m striving towards, and what I’ve accomplished, especially when 2015 started off not-so-hot (#lifewithboys — need I say more?).
Kudos to all the Eight Ladies, and everyone who reads this blog, and here’s to a stellar 2015!
I have a good feeling 2015 is our year!
(-: What a lovely post! I loved that pat on the back . . . and yes, I know that 2015 will be our year! The first draft will get done! (And I can’t wait to read yours!)
We really have all accomplished a lot in the 16 months we’ve been blogging. And I can’t wait to see the good things 2015 has in store for us!