Broads of a Feather – Year in Review!! By C.P. Stringham

Top: Our first meeting. Bottom: Our talk on
being Indie Authors.

I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better blog partner than my cohort Robin Janney. We gel. We relate. We keep each other motivated—and, honestly, I wasn’t going to be able to maintain a weekly blog without her. Best relationship I have ever had. We’ve never argued or even disagreed slightly. We are “Yes!” women. Dare I even admit we finish each other’s sentences/chat statements sometimes?! Seriously! She gets a lightbulb moment and then mine turns on and vice versa. It’s writer’s kismet! On January 8^th, we will be celebrating our One Year Anniversary!!! Happy Anniversary, Robin! (Picture me flailing my arms Kermit the Frog-style and spinning around.)

It has been a great year for us at the Broads of a Feather blog. We have followers! And not just nationally, but internationally!! Hello to our readers from the UK, Poland, Germany, the Ukraine, Turkey, and Canada! I am delighted to have you join us with so much regularity. You never realize the reach of your voice online until you get a glimpse at your blog stats. Thank you for visiting with us weekly!

Not only did our blog start a year ago, but Robin and I got to finally meet each other in person at the Spalding Memorial Library on Saturday, February 1, 2014. Then we met up there again when we were invited back on April 5, 2014 to give a talk as Indie Authors. Even though we were scared to death, we managed to relax and have fun. Talking books and writing is always fun—even if it’s in front of strangers. Between the two of us, we published three books in 2014. Robin’s much-anticipated sequel to Farmer’s Daughter, Ring Of Fire – Book Two of the Country Music Collection, and books two and three of my Ellis Springs Series; A Moment’s Rest and Rest in Peace, came out.

Three books in 2014!

While Robin was hampered by health issues with her foot for several months, she managed to knock off her sequel before the year ended. Nothing like being on medical leave from your day job in order to concentrate on your work-in-progress. She’s back to work, but surgery is in her near future as well as another leave of absence. Can we expect Book Three, Robin? As for me, 2015 means I need to buckle down and finish two books, Overcoming Sarah and Objects at Rest – Ellis Spring Series Book Four. I’m finished with senior photo sessions, the holidays are over, and my daughter is finished with college tours. If I can manage to stay off of social media (Damn you, Facebook!), I just may manage to get some writing done.

News headlines ranged from triumph to tragedy. Thirty-six states now permit same sex marriage. ISIS beheaded hostage James Foley an American journalist. Two slogans rang out reminding us that America still has a long ways to go in race relations: “Black lives matter,” and “I can’t Breathe.” The entertainment world lost actor/comedian/humanitarian Robin Williams to suicide and our nation mourned as we recalled his most memorable roles for this funny man truly touched our lives. Unfortunately, tragedy seems to happen all too frequently and consumes our minds. But we persevere. It’s mankind’s nature. We take the good and the bad and hope that each experience helps to shape a positive future.

With that said (and I think this is my shortest blog post ever), cheers to you, 2014, and a hearty welcome to you, 2015! We can’t wait to see where you will take us next. Robin and I would like to wish all of our faithful readers a Happy New Year! 

We'd love to hear what your favorite memory is from 2014. Feel free to post in our comments section!