Exit 2013, Enter 2014

Posted on December 30, 2013

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2013 is almost over. Whew! I’d like to say we dodged a couple of bullets this year, but I’d be lying. My flak jacket is riddled with holes. I’ve either gotten too old to dodge them like I used to or we were in over our head without sufficient back-up. Between you and me, I’m leaning towards that last one. And this has been a year of experiences and lessons, not all of them even mine.

Remember the guy from Duck Dynasty who A&E suspended and then brought back? Well, did you hear that a congressional candidate named Ian Bayne went and said Robertson (the Duck Dynasty guy) is the Rosa Parks of our generation because he took a stand against the persecution of Christians? See, Robertson also said that blacks were happier during the time of the Jim Crow laws than today. Rosa Parks stood up against Jim Crow laws. Not the best analogy a congressional candidate could make. I wonder if anybody pointed that out to him.

I’ve recently been looking over some reviews for the Butt Pirates From Space anthology and especially some of the comments about Spacehunters. It’s been called self-indulgent and full of inside jokes. You know what? They’re right to a point. I wrote Spacehunters as a valentine of sorts for my fellow authors and people we got to know at OutlantaCon. In that way, I did limit my audience. The only other people who seemed to enjoy the story are folks who were already familiar with my work. Spacehunters still makes me laugh and I think it’s a fun story, but it was a learning experience for next year’s short story.

If I associate a color to it, Spacehunters feels like a red story. The one for next year, Twink Ninja Tiger, Flaxen Buns Of Fury, feels like a blue one. It’s a bit broader in scope in that there are very, very few ‘in’ jokes. I’m still no romance author, but I think a romance audience might enjoy this one a bit more. We’ll see. God knows people on the review site I was reading are certainly free with their comments. They’ll let us all know.

I rubbed a few people the wrong way this year. One or two were on purpose. The rest were entirely accidental. For those who I did and it wasn’t purposeful, I do apologize. Some of it had to do with coming to terms with and accepting my branding as an author. I write comedy and not everybody has the same funny bone. What’s funny to me is insulting to someone else. It happens. It doesn’t mean it’s wrong, but one does have to be cognizant of it. Trust me, I don’t have any intention of going the Gilbert Gottfried route.

This has also been a wonderful year to have spent time with other authors (Kiernan Kelly, T.C. Blue, Eden Winters, J.P. Barnaby, G.A. Hauser, Shae Connor, Patricia Logan, Jeff Adkins, Lee Martindale, CR Guiliano and Ally Blue…who still claims to be a writer…the jury is still out), friends (like Miss Kim, Jay & Mike, and Monique), and my own family (husband and brother-in-law included). These are the people who make life bearable and keep me inspired to write.

I think I’ve long given up trying to come up with New Year’s resolutions. Well, I really only ever had one and that was typically to annoy as many people as humanly possible. Check! But after this year, looking into 2014 leaves me with a sense of dread. Will it be better? The same? Worse? I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand the thought of a repeat of this year. Still…if I did decide to come up with at least a single New Year’s resolution, it would be to continue the journey.

With people like you to walk alongside, how can we lose?

Happy (early) New Year!

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Kristoffer Gair (who formerly wrote under the pseudonym Kage Alan) is the Detroit-based author of Honor Unbound, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To My Sexual Orientation, Andy Stevenson Vs. The Lord Of The Loins, Gaylias: Operation Thunderspell, several short stories featured in anthologies (to be combined in a forthcoming book), the recently re-published novella Falling Awake, its sequel, Falling Awake II: Revenant and Falling Awake III: Requiem.

22 Responses to “Exit 2013, Enter 2014”

Monique says:
December 30, 2013 at 11:06 am
Wow to say I am surprised is an understatement. Thank you for including me in your post. Happy New Year to you too.

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Kris says:
December 30, 2013 at 3:56 pm
You are very welcome, Mo. I know I give you a hard time sometimes. What? I do. And you need it. Someone has to keep you in line.

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Dorien says:
December 30, 2013 at 11:10 am
When it comes to your future writing, Kris, I suggest you take Admiral Farragut’s advice: “Damn the torpedos; full speed ahead!”

Dorien

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Kris says:
December 30, 2013 at 3:57 pm
That is typically my attitude. However, in respect to my fellow anthology authors, I can still write an entertaining story that interests me, but also helps accentuate their own work, too. For my books? That whole torpedo thing…or in my case, photon torpedoes.

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PromoHomo says:
December 30, 2013 at 11:13 am
Funny, it was a great post all the way through yet the last line made me tear up. I am so thankful to have such a great friend as you and know that 2014 is at least going to be bearable because of it. You are loved!

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Kris says:
December 30, 2013 at 4:02 pm
Jeff, you have been a HUGE positive influence this year and I appreciate all of your kindness, help and friendship! I’ve also enjoyed seeing you venture out into authorhood. I just hope I can continue to be a sounding board for you and help you avoid some of the pitfalls and hardships out there. It’s an honor to call you my friend.

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Sharon S says:
December 30, 2013 at 11:15 am
Awesome post, Kris! Great New Year’s resolution.
Wishing you a wonderful 2014.

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Kris says:
December 30, 2013 at 4:03 pm
Keeping my fingers crossed that our paths will meet one day, Sharon. =) Many hugs.

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Ally Blue says:
December 30, 2013 at 1:13 pm
I R A RITER, I RITE GUD! You’ll see, unbeliever.

I am very glad to have gained a new friend in you this year, Kris. Wishing you love and happiness, always <3

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Kris says:
December 30, 2013 at 4:06 pm
Ally, I enjoy the hell out of giving you grief! =) But if I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t have my staff keep tabs on you at conventions. I honestly cannot wait to read your story for the upcoming anthology.

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Joelle Casteel says:
December 30, 2013 at 1:17 pm
lovely post, Kris. I gotta write my own for Jeff 😀 but yeah, I relate to the “sense of dread”- with my last two months of personal catastrophes, dread is the first thing I thing of for next year. Interesting to read you also don’t do traditional New Year’s resolutions; somehow I suspected you don’t

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Kris says:
December 30, 2013 at 4:08 pm
I used to come up with a list of resolutions. Seems silly to me now since I’m weak. I can’t go through a year and not buy a Blu-Ray. I can’t not buy a CD. I can’t not make a sarcastic comment about Patti Logan. I b a very, very weak gay man. lol

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Joelle Casteel says:
December 30, 2013 at 6:00 pm
lol! blu-ray, CDs, and making fun of Patti- what a bunch of things 😀

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Katherine trick says:
December 30, 2013 at 3:42 pm
To muster on into the future is always a good resolution. It’s about the only one I can ever honestly stick to, really. Great blog today, Kris.

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Kris says:
December 30, 2013 at 4:09 pm
Thank you, Katy. =) I always tell the hubby to take a step forward. Either way, we’re moving to some sort of resolution.

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Kiernan Kelly says:
December 30, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Aw! *sniffs* Look what you did. You made me tear up, and that’s never a good look for me.

I loved hanging out with you, working with you, and generally participating in the Facebook nuttiness that is you, Kris. I look forward to more of the same in 2014!

Seriously, this past year bit some big, fat, hairy monkey balls. Here’s a wish and a prayer that next year is better for everyone!

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Kris says:
December 31, 2013 at 10:17 am
Just a few more months and then it’ll be May, Keirnan! Am so looking forward to Atlanta again. =)

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Summer (Decadent Kane) says:
December 31, 2013 at 3:25 am
Happy New Year to you as well and honestly I have every faith you can make whatever you want of 2014. The fact that you want to continue your journey with good people is already a step in the direction of a better year.

I’m an ever optimist and have faith next year will surprise you. 🙂

~Decadent

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Kris says:
December 31, 2013 at 10:18 am
I love and appreciate your optimism! Here’s to making 2014 one for the record books…in a positive way.

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Wade Kelly says:
December 31, 2013 at 7:56 am
You took MY resolution- to annoy as many people as humanly possible! Now I have to think of another one 🙁
and if romance readers might like “Twink Ninja Tiger, Flaxen Buns Of Fury” then I want too read it! but where can I find it. Short story? I didn’t see it listed with your books.
Anyway, I hope 2014 is a great year for you and HH.
🙂

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Kris says:
December 31, 2013 at 10:20 am
With a little luck, Wade, it’ll be out in May. We’re launching the anthology (Butt Ninjas From Hell) in Atlanta at OutlantaCon. And we’ve got some really awesome writers contributing to it again this year; Kiernan Kelly, Eden Winters, J.P. Barnaby, T.C. Blue, Ally Blue, Jevochas Green and Shae Connor.