Woah, are we really at the end of another year? Have we really spun around the sun one more time? No wonder I’m feeling dizzy…
As has become a recent tradition on my blog, here’s an old year summary of books, life and stuff that helps me to reflect on where I’m at going forward. Do you do something similar? Perspective keeps a lid on reality, I find. Especially for a dreamer like me.
Novel WIP progress in 2024
This year it felt like I hadn’t made much writing progress, but looking back at my word count in January compared to December, it seems I was wrong.
Ghost novel WIP#7 was at 27k words at the start of the year and is now at 59k = 32k words written.
Psychological novel WIP#8 (which is the sequel for The Buddha’s Bone) was at 23k words in January and ends the year at 56k = 33k words written.
Will either be finished in 2025? Hmm. Maybe I’ll go visit a fortune teller for a prediction on that and get back to you.
Books published in 2024
One book is better than none! I released Pseudologia Fantastica on 20th June in time to celebrate the summer solstice.
Manuscripts finished in 2024
In November I completed my final draft of Love you to Death: ghost stories for Valentine’s Day. This collection is about 55k words, so the length of a short novel and will be released on 1st February 2025. Happy dance.
My bestselling books of 2024
My short story collection, Diabolical Dreamscapes, sold the most copies out of my back catalogue this year, followed by my Christmas ghost novel, The Fairy Lights, and my other short story collection, Pseudologia Fantastica in third place.
Literary life in 2024
Aside from my own writing and publishing pursuits this year, I started a new position working in a library and also, after an 8 year hiatus, got back to teaching creative writing to sixth form pupils in one of Northern Ireland’s leading grammar schools. Just as life tends to flow in cycles, this meant that something else had to give, and I found myself unable to continue reading submissions for Bindweed anthologies due to lesson planning and preparing materials for my classes.
Reading progress in 2024
I’ve read 60 books this year between my two Goodreads accounts. My author account is mostly for books I read for writing research, and I’ve read 23/25 on that one. My indie reader account, which predates my author account, is at 37/40 books. Hurray.
Health goals in 2024
In January I outlined a target goal of 2 stone/24 lbs/ 12 kg weight loss. In the first half of the year, I stuck to my weekly yoga classes, started attending a spin class, kept to a strict low-carb diet…all of which got derailed when I fell ill and ended up in hospital. I am ending the year 4 lbs heavier than my starting weight in January.
Oh dear. Such is life.
For 2025, I am not going to set such rigid goals. As long as I have air in my lungs and all my faculties in place to do what I need to, a few extra inches on my waistline isn’t a biggie (pun intended). I have already had the foresight to stock up on joggers with stretchy waistbands. Aren’t I clever?
As for 2025?
The end of every year is always time for gratitude. From a literary point of view, I’m thankful to have readers. Thank you for following my blog, engaging with my social media posts, pre-ordering my books, buying from my back catalogue, borrowing my books from libraries and keeping me motivated to keep writing more books. Although I would write even if only for myself, I wouldn’t continue to be a published author without readers like you. I’m grateful to have you along on my author journey. I hope you’ll stick with me in 2025.
Happy New Year!
Leilanie Stewart 
Happy new year 🎉 ✨️
Happy New Year to you too. 🎉☺️