Happy New Year!

A look at what's ahead and what was left behind

Hey, gang!

Thanks for stopping in for another issue of the monthly newsletter. I’ll be up front about something: The transition from one year to the next is always hard for me, as it is for so many others.

I have this tradition of going back to a list of goals I wrote last New Year’s Day in my journal, checking off the things I actually accomplished from the list, and crossing out the things I didn’t. I then go on to write a new list of goals for the coming year, as well as a comprehensive list of the things I accomplished (with added details).

I’m not one to share this list of accomplishments online. I have nothing against people who do, of course, and I’m the first in line to applaud and congratulate them on all they’ve done. But these lists, the ones I write in my journal, they’re for me and me alone. I use these lists as a point of reflection. I ponder over them, asking myself if I’m happy with what I’ve done this year, and what can I do this coming year to improve upon the scaffolding I’ve built.

I don’t think of my list of goals as “resolutions,” because resolutions can be (and often are) broken. These goals are simply things that I aspire to. Things to strive for. If I don’t accomplish something on the list, it isn’t because I didn’t try. I always try. And that’s what matters most for me.

What goals will you try to accomplish this year?

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Tommy and the Order of Cosmic Champions

The novel has been doing spectacularly well this year, as I’ve previously reported. We’ve continued to garner great reviews, and I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to know that people are really connecting with the novel. You can get your very own copy in hardcover, eBook, or audiobook formats. There are also still signed copies available through my shop. You can still also get a FREE bonus item with purchase: FREE BONUS ITEM.

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Subscribe with a Pledge

One of the new ways you can show your support is with the optional paid subscription to this newsletter. Please note, the newsletter will continue to be free for everyone. However, if you are so inclined, you can pledge your support by buying a paid subscription by the month ($5) or year ($50). You can also become a “founding subscriber” for $75/year.

If you’d like to show your support another way, there’s always my Patreon group which starts at the lower cost of $1/month and comes along with its own set of benefits, like digital VHS mixtapes, a private discord, livestreamed writing sessions, and other physical benefits at higher tiers.

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Join my new free subscriber chat

A private space for us to converse and connect

Today I’m announcing a brand new FREE addition to my Substack publication: The Candy Corn Apocalypse Newsletter subscriber chat.

This is a conversation space in the Substack app that I set up exclusively for my subscribers — kind of like a group chat or live hangout. I’ll post short prompts, thoughts, and updates that come my way, and you can jump into the discussion.

To join our chat, you’ll need to download the Substack app, now available for both iOS and Android. Chats are sent via the app, not email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens.

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How to get started

1. Download the app by clicking this link or the button below. Substack Chat is now available on both iOS and Android.

2. Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

3. That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.

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Food of the New Year

One of my favorite things to do is cook and bake. I’ve previously mentioned that you can follow me on Instagram if you’d like to see all the different pictures I post (many of them food related), but I thought I’d close out this month’s newsletter with a few holiday pictures.

Once again, happy new year! I can’t wait to share the new year with you.