I sit here this morning watching more snow fall down. Winters in New England are long and tedious, and each winter I sit here and wonder why do I live in this area of the country when I hate winter so much.

This is the year for that to change for me. Plans are in motion for downsizing and moving to a warmer climate as my kids leave the nest. Two out of three are already gone and one more remains. He will be graduating in June and then on to bigger and better things for him. It's bittersweet for me to look at my children who have been my life for the past 24 years and see them as adults. I am so enjoying having adult children, but when my youngest turned 18 last week, it struck me that they are all grown up. Two things hit me with that realization. One, I really do love having adult children even if I do miss the age of snuggling and wanting to spend time with me and two, I'm at a phase in my life where I can be a little selfish and do what I want, go where I want and for the first time in my adult life, not be responsible for anyone but myself. It's a strange feeling.

I can spend more time holed away writing and with that course, schedule at least two releases a year for my books. So I plan out my writing schedules and my release dates and with that comes another realization that I am about to make my dreams come true and be a full time writer. Wow--honestly I wasn't sure that day would ever come, but here it is basically and within the next year I will be able to write full time.

So what's new for Emma Leigh Reed, author? SECOND CHANCES is scheduled to be released in April 2015 and A TIME TO HEAL scheduled for late summer/early fall. In 2016, you can look for A FINE LINE and COMING HOME. There will also be some new projects started that I can't talk about yet, but be sure to look for news regarding those. As always, you can find me on Facebook or sign up for my newsletter to stay better informed and for some special surprises that come to only my newsletter subscribers.

Here is to a bright and busy 2015!

Two Fridays ago I went to a writers conference hosted by one of my writing groups, MCRW in Nashville, Tennessee. It was on plotting and Cherry Adair was there leading away with her color coding in her writing and plots. It was very good, however the one thing it reiterated for me -- I am NOT a plotter and will never be one. Plotting a book for me is a huge source of stress. I much prefer to sit down, open a blank document and just start typing. When I sit down, I do have character sketches and a general idea of what needs to happen with my book, but I allow the characters drive the story. To me this is much more enjoyable.

Although I don't plot the story, I have new ideas (with character sketches) planned out for another three books to write.

However, one thing that did become very clear to me. The plan I have set in motion for my future is a good one, financially and career wise. So I look forward to changes coming, excited about a career in which I will be able to write full time, and anticipate an exciting move to a new city, new state and be surrounded with writers that get the craziness of this business. Once I made the decision and put together a plan, the stress I had been feeling just lifted. Sometimes half the battle is just making a decision.