Life updates

Once again, it has been a while since I posted consistently on any of my platforms. This time I am feeling confident that I am setting up a routine that I can stick too. A routine that I feel can help stop being consistently inconsistent. I am sure I was just as confident last time, but I feel like I have a greater sense of what I want this time.

So, I am guessing you are all wondering where I have been? I would like to give some epic answer about some epic pandemic adventure I had been on that was super fantastic but, in all honesty, I have no idea where I have been. I would love blame 2020 but to be fair, 2020 hurt my feelings a whole lot less than 2019 did. In all fairness though, 2020 was still a whirlwind.

 

Branding and Name change:

You will probably notice that some things have changed around here. I have changed my pen name from Monique Diplock to Monique Cherie. There are a million and one reasons why I have decided to do this.

One of the biggest reasons is to distance me from 99% of the people I am related too. I know, that sounds pretty harsh, but let me explain the parts that I am able to explain.

All my life I was raised by my mum. My father skipped out when I was less than a year old. I have tried on a gazillion occasions to get to know him, but it is just something that is not meant to be. Of course, there are a lot of personal reasons for this, but that is a big one that I have mulled on for a long time.

I considered taking my mother’s maiden name, McIntosh, which I would have zero problems doing but on the off chance that I decided to get married one day that would probably mean another name and branding change. After a lot of thinking I decided to use the two names that I was given at birth. The two names I would keep unless I was whisked away into some random witness protection programme. They are the two names that will stick with me for life.

Monique Cherie.

I believe I have changed 99% of my branding. I will keep making changes as I remember places. If you do happen to notice something I have not changed yet, please feel free to let me know.

 

What am I working on?

So, what about the other stuff? The important writing stuff…?

I am currently working on completing a short story called ‘The Wicked End’ that I plan to submit to an anthology. I am hoping to have that completed, well and truly sent to the people who need it by the end of January.

Once that is done, I plan to spend February, March and April getting my new adult fantasy ready for Beta readers. My original plan was to have Iridescent ready for publishing by May, but I realized with everything that is going on both professionally and personally that was a little bit of a pipe dream. Even if I was not going through a truckload in both of those categories, it was still a massive pipe dream.

 

Goals:

My goals for 2021 are a little bit more specific than my new year goals have been previously.

Writing:

Iridescent: As mentioned, I would like to have Iridescent ready for hard Beta circulation by May.

I would like to have book one published or have a clear path to publication.

I would like to have the Iridescent series mapped out for at least 3 books.

Other writing:

I would like to have a bank of short stories that I can publish in other anthologies and in/on multiple platforms that can help me build my author brand.

Vlogs, Blogs, and community:

I would like to post weekly on both this blog (my personal one) and my book review blog (The Book Mystress)

Social Media:

This year I would like to build an awesome community around myself. One like what I had when I first started blogging back in 2010.

I would like to promote my content well but not annoy people. I want to use my social network as a network, not just a platform to throw something in people’s faces.

By the middle of the year, I would like to be posting regular videos to my YouTube channel. To do this I need a new computer with bigger space. So, we will see what happens.

Reading:

In my office, I have books, like most people. Among those books I have two exceptionally large shelves that are doubled up with lots of books that I’ve either saved from going to the dumpster or I thought had a great cover. None of those books is particularly appealing. Although every time I attempt to purge them, I find myself feeling guilty about not having read them. A big goal of mine this year would be to read as much of these two shelves as I can so I can feel better

about moving these books on.

I have set a total of 24 books for my goal on Goodreads. I am one and a half books in on the 10th of the first…. I am feeling pretty hopeful, we’ll see.

Personal goals:

I could bet that I could come up with a new personal goal every day. But that is not how this thing works is it? So, my top three personal goals for 2021 are as follows.

Freelance:

I would like to build up a good income by doing the types of things I enjoy. I would love to be able to do them from my home… because you know… introvert… So, I would like to set up and sustain a freelancing business this year.

Move:

If you know me at all, you will know that the house I live in is not a castle. Not in the way it looks, and certainly not in the safety surrounding it. Since I moved in here almost 9 years ago, I have been broken into more times than I can count. I have had tree’s lit on fire, windows smashed, fences broken. It is insane. On the 31st of July 2019, I came home to feed my animals after my brother aka best friend’s funeral to see yet another window had been broken. I cannot take my dog outside unless she is on a leash, even then it is still dangerous for her with the number of strays around. So finally, I am in a position to move to a new house. *massive celebratory fanfare* I had the goal to have this done by Christmas 2020, but Covid-19 and Now I just want to do it ASAP. This is my biggest goal for 2021.

Routine: I have an insane want inside of me to build a good wholesome routine. The routine I want to build will encompass my family, career, health, hobbies, self-care, fun. I just need to feel a little less chaotic. I might have dyed my hair blond and have a radiant smile (don’t know if I do, just assuming) but I’m pretty sure I’m 87 under this 33-year-old exterior.

I am sure there is a lot more I could put in this blog post. Like health goals, house goals, but I am sure I’ve bored you enough at this point. Of course, if you’re interested in that sort of stuff, feel free to let me know.

 

X Monique Cherie.