Like jellyfish, 2020 is galumphing to a close and none too soon for any of us.
Some years are sunny and beautiful, like 1967, the year of the Summer of Love.
Some years are dark and crazed, like 1968, the year of assassinations and Nixon.
Some years are 2020, when no one enjoyed any luck.
Except me.
I had a good year in the practice. I made my yearly requirements without going too far over my “nut.” I don’t want to make too much money as a lawyer, as I need to be in the exact tax bracket I am in. I even started, finally, to pay my quarterly taxes, which will make next April much more pleasant for me.
As a writer, I placed a few short stories in anthologies and magazines. In fact, I started 2020 with three consecutive days of acceptances, including my second Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine publication (which will be printed next year).
I also wrote four book-length manuscripts, three of which are publishable. I think a 75% success rate is pretty good.
Okay, I haven’t yet finished the fourth manuscript, which happens to be the Minerva novel I’ve been mulling and slowly writing over the last year. But I’m on the last 6000 words, and if I really worked at it, I could finish it tonight–New Year’s Eve–and walk into 2021 with three books I can query agents about. About which I can query agents, for you grammar freaks.
So 2020 was pretty good to me, other than not being able to go to the movies or my favorite restaurants. I miss going to Starbucks or IHop and setting up to write for a few hours. I miss going to the local library on Saturday morning and putting in 2000 words on my latest project. I miss people…
Okay, I don’t really miss people. I don’t usually socialize with my so-called friends (though I’m going to visit a long-time friend tonight for NY Eve). The lockdown did very little to change my hermit-like lifestyle. It just gave me more time to write.
I am a rogue. And not in the Sarah Palin way, either.
My life seems to darkly reflect what’s happening in the world. Worldwide death and devastation? Mark Bruce does very well. Worldwide happiness and joy? I duck under the covers.
We’ll see what 2021 brings. I’m hoping I’ll be able to go back to Starbucks and IHop for writing sessions soon. But forgive me if I also root for just a little stress for the world. It seems to do wonders for my career.
Mark Bruce, Writer 