Books Read in 2024

I read 33 of the 35 books I challenged myself to read in 2024, which isn't too bad. I won't list them all, but I do want to share some highlights or you can visit my Goodreads year in review to see them yourself.

Highlights

33 books            6,382 pages read

shortest book: My Name is Elizabeth! by Annika Dunklee, Matthew Forsythe (Illustrator); 24 pages

longest book: The Wonderling by Mira Bartok; 450 pages

Recommended Reading

I really enjoyed everything I'd read in 2024 but here are just a few of my favorites. (This way I can list some of them without listing everything - haha!) Just a heads up, I read a lot of young adult, childrens, and fantasy so my recommendations (from the books read in 2024) are in those genres.

Fairy Tale / Folklore / Remix fiction:

1. How to Save Your Tail*: *if you are a rat nabbed by cats who really likes stories about magic spoons, wolves, with snout-warts, big, hairy chimney trolls ... and cookies, too. by Mary Hanson, John Hendrix (illustrator)

Similar to Scheherezade in 101 in 1001 Arabian Nights, a cookie-baking rat name Bob spins tales to keep from being eaten by the two hungry cats - Brutus and Muffin - who've caught him. He tells tales of familiar fairy tales in not so familiar ways in the hopes of distracting the kitties long enough to keep his cookies from burning and of changing their minds from eating him. Really cute book!

2. The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley, Marian Tomas Griffin (narrator)

I chose to listen to the audiobook and am glad I did. The narrator really brought the tale alive and transported me into orphan Corinna's world. Those familiar with certain folktales of the area (no spoilers from me) will recognize the clues sprinkled about in the story. I really enjoyed this original folk story and have added Franny Billingsley's books Well Wished and The Robber Girl to this year's To Read list. Definitely a must read.

3. Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry by Rosalie K. Fry

The Secret of Roan Inish is one of my favorite films, so I decided to finally read the book which had inspired the film. This was a magical story, full of family, friendship, and a child's faith and determination .. oh, and selkie lore. (hee hee) It's a wonderful book to share with the young people (and young at heart) in your life. 

4. Once More Upon a Time by Roshani Chokshi

A delightful remix of various fairy tale princess stories and trope - a prince named Ambrose, a princess names Imelda, a curse, a quest, magical creatures! It started out as a sort of Twelve Dancing Princesses but with a twist and didn't disappoint in the end. Roshani Chokshi is another author on my To Read list.

5. The Wonderling by Mira Bartók

Although it's not an obvious fairy tale or folk tale or a remixing of classic wonder tales, this story about a shy fox-like foundling with one ear who sets out to find his family is a magical tale worthy of the book's title. 

Rereads:

1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (narrator)

It's been decades since I last read The Hobbit, and it's as good as I remembered it, all these years later. Who better to narrate the story then Gollum himself? Andy Serkis was remarkable, and I looked forward to listening to this on my walks.

Series:

1, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #1-6 by Maryrose Wood

Starting with The Mysterious Howling and ending with The Long-Lost Home the books follow governess Miss Penelope Lumley and her charges, the Incorrigbles of Ashton Place - Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia. The series is full of mysteries, including who are Penelope's parents, why were the children running wild in the woods, and what has Lord Ashton got to do with it? The series is full of interesting characters like the mysterious coachman Old Timothy, the Babushkinovs, Simon, Edward Ashton, .. and full of adventures and mysteries-within-mysteries - wolves, pirates, balloon rides, the Rainbow pony books-within-the-book which Penelope adores, a runaway ostrich ... I absolutely loved how Miss Lumley was written, too. A really fun series to read.

I actually listened to these books and highly recommend doing so because the narrators Katherine Kellgren (#1-5) and Fiona Hardingham (#6) do such a wonderful job. I couldn't figure out why the narrator had changed for the final book until listened to the author's note at the end. *sniffs*

2. A Memory of Fire (The World Gates #1) by Holly Lisle

I've read the first book in the series and have the others on my To Read list. Holly Lisle created a vivid, living, breathing otherworld (other universes) in this book with unique inhabitants and rules. I've followed Holly online for years for her writing advice and lessons, which are offered on her site and are also highly recommended. She was a prolific writer of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

3. Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes #1) by Travis Baldree

Cozy fantasy / high fantasy with a twist. The orc Viv retires from the warrior's life and sets out to open a coffee shop in the city of Thune. A fabled artifact, a mysterious cat, the succubus Tandri, Thimblet's cinnamon rolls, friendship, love, perseverance, and the courage to try something new are just some of the people and the themes we encounter in the tale. I'm reading book #2 Bookshops & Bonedust right now.

4. The Light Fantastic (Discworld #2) by Terry Pratchet

Continuing right where we left off in the first book, Sir Terry Pratchett introduces us to more of the fabulously imaginative Discworld through the eyes of the wizard Rincewind, tourist Twoflower, the Luggage, Cohen the Barbarian, and of course, Death. The Great A'Tuin and a malevolent red star seem to be on a collision course, and Discworld's savior happens to be Rincewind, the wizard who failed out of Anhk-Morpork's Unseen University.

5. The Bookseller's Tale (Oxford Medieval Mysteries #1) by Ann Swinfen

Oxford, England 1353. The body of a student is discovered floating in the river, an apparent drowning, but bookseller Nicholas Elyot and his scholar friend Jordain discover clues suggesting the young man was murdered. While the mystery unravels, Nicholas's family is put in danger. Great for fans of period mysteries, I think.

2024 Writing Stats

As part of my review of 2024, which is mostly a personal thing, I took a look at some *writing stats for 2024 (a big improvement over 2023).

In terms of writing new stories and working on current ones, there wasn't a huge difference, but I had decided last year to be more proactive with my writing and be brave by actually sending out more stories and risking more rejections. After all, if I send out more stories, instead of waiting for conditions to be perfect and instead of letting self-doubt rule, I have a better chance of having more accepted. Zero stories out = zero chances at acceptances, or in the words of Wayne Gretzky, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take." It makes sense, but sometimes it can be hard to follow through.

So, here are my 2024 stats, along with the previous years (not all the years, just the last six) for comparison.

2024: I sent out 25 stories. I withdrew one, sold four, and am waiting to hear back on three others.

2023: I sent out one story, which was rejected.

2022: I sent out nine stories and sold one.

2021: I sent out six stories and sold zero.

2020: I sent out nine stories and sold one.

2019: I sent out one and sold one.

Hopefully, the number of stories sold this year will be greater than last, and maybe I'll be able to sell some to paying markets as well. That would be extremely helpful to me financially, but even if I don't, I won't stop writing. Whether I'm writing stories, letters, typing up a blog post, scribbling ideas on scraps of paper, making lists, or jotting thoughts in a journal, I am always putting pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard. It's been a constant since I was a child. I can't not write. Even if no one reads or enjoys what I write (and I hope that someone will), even if I'm the only one to read my words (as is often the case - writing only for myself), I won't stop. Writing can be difficult. It can feel like I'm just spitting out random letters and rooting around in them to form what I hope are sensical words. It can often resemble a bizarre word salad, but writing is a part of me. Writing = joy.

That said, fingers crossed 2025 shows even more progress. =)

*Writing, for the purpose of this post, refers to writing stories and submitting them in hopes of publication.

Cat Gerlach's Indie Authors Advent Calendar 2024

2024 is the 10th anniversary of author Katharina Gerlach's Indie Authors Advent Calendar. If you're unfamiliar with the online advent calendar, it's a collection of flash fiction from indie authors shared on her website's calendar each day in December, which is next month! (How did December come so quickly? *sigh*) If you sign up for the advent calendar emails, you'll also receive bonus stories along with other bonus items like recipes and pictures. 

Three of my stories* were accepted for this year's calendar (yay!) and will appear in the bonus emails, so if you'd like to read them be sure to sign up for the email notifications. The emails go out to advent calendar subscribers during December only. It's not necessary to sign up for the emails, of course. You can simply visit the calendar each day to read a new story, but you miss out on the bonus material. This will also the last year Cat will be hosting the calendar so be sure to sign up if you'd like to be reminded to visit the site and read the stories. Once December has ended, the calendar is closed. The stories are not archived. 

Indie Authors Advent Calendar

Sign up for Advent Calendar Emails

*One of my stories in this year's advent calendar, "A Familiar Kind of Magic," first appeared on author Holly Lisle's Alone in a Room with Invisible People (AIARWIP) Halloween episode 2. The other two are brand new. I actually discovered Cat Gerlach through the forums on Holly Lisle's website. Holly, who passed away in August of this year, was not only an author of over 30 books and short stories but also a mentor to many writers and a wonderful teacher. She’ll be missed by her fans, her students, her friends, and her family.