Looking for snowmen

And what's happening in 2026

Jan 01, 2026

My toddler is obsessed with snowmen this holiday season. It’s her favorite word to say, so I’ve heard it hundreds of times (in an adorable toddler voice), we have to say good night to the snowmen decorations in our front yard before bed every night, and we’ve been on many walks through the neighborhood looking for other snowmen (sorry, neighbors, we aren’t scoping out your house, we’re just looking at your decorations). I never realized just how many there are at the holidays until actively looking for them! We’ve seen all sorts and sizes, including a giant inflatable snowman with a cowboy hat, vest, giant belt buckle, chaps, and cowboy boots (yes, we live in Texas).

It got me thinking about other things in my life that I don’t always notice if I’m not actively looking. This past year, I’ve felt like I was behind in many areas. I wasn’t as active on social media, didn’t do as many book signings or events, had trouble finding time to write, and struggled to feel inspired. We had lots of family health issues to deal with in 2025, which added to the mental load.

But when I decided to actively look for the things I did accomplish or enjoy, like looking for snowmen, there were more good things than I thought, and I’m grateful for them.

My husband and I kept a tiny human alive.

I launched my fourth YA romance book (Love Unmasked).

My writing group launched a cyberpunk anthology (Eon City Burnout).

I attended YA Midwest, did some school visits, and had a couple of book signings.

I wrote my fifth YA romcom (The Candy Crush, coming in 2027).

I nearly finished the draft of a new sci-fi novel.

That’s not a bad list! Are there any snowmen you need to look for in your life?

2026

Looking ahead is much easier for me than looking back! So what’s ahead? Unfortunately, I won’t have a new YA romance releasing in 2026. But don’t give up on me! New YA books will be coming in 2027 and 2028. Here are a few things I’ll be working on this year:

Edits for The Candy Crush, YA romance #5

Write YA romance #6

Launch two sci-fi projects on Kickstarter

Beyond that, I don’t really know! I’m hoping to do more local school visits, and I haven’t decided yet about some larger in-person events. I do love meeting readers and other writers, but it takes time away from writing and my family, so I have to be more selective lately. I may start another draft in the second half of the year, but I’m not sure what that will be yet. And I’ll possibly start doing some research into self-publishing for some finished books I’d like to release soon-ish.

For someone who likes to set goals and make plans, 2026 feels nebulous so far, but I’m surprisingly okay with that! (Most days…)