Know When To Hold 'em

And the other stuff

Hi friends!

I’ve been thinking a lot about toast. As in, I’m toasted. Crispy. Burnt. What do the kids say these days? Washed.

I’m tired. I’m ready to be done with 2024.

Luckily, I almost can be done with 2024. Most of my family Christmas duties are done. The houseguests are here. My out of office reply is set. I have a not-small list of To Dos for work before I can really call it VACATION but they’re doable and have to be done regardless, so I don’t really have a choice.

Has it been a particularly hard year? In some ways, globally, emphatically yes. Personally, it hasn’t been any harder than other years and in many ways it’s been great. I think I have just run out of steam. The little turnkey in my back has wound down. I need to go into shutdown mode.

And I am fighting off the feelings of guilt tooth and nail. There is NOTHING wrong with admitting your tired or need rest or want to stop earlier than you thought you would. (I really through I would go straight through until the 23rd, or at least this Friday before being all

I didn’t quite meet all my own expectations this year and I refuse to feel anything other than huh, that happened about it. IT’S FINE. I AM HUMAN. I DID MANY THINGS AND WILL DO MANY MORE AND EVERYTHING IS FINE. If you didn’t quite meet your goals this year, if you’re looking at a list of things undone, if you’re just about to beat yourself up for it, STOP. DON’T. Look at all the things you DID do, and pat yourself on the back. Getting up every (/most) days counts! Reading one (1) book counts! Writing three (3) words counts! Sending X number of queries counts! You did great in 2024. We’re all trying so hard.

I’m going to do the rest of my work-to do list this week and then hang up my agent hat until 2025. I’m going to write my year-end reading CHARTS post and the what kinds of books I sold CHARTS post—for subscribers only—and close the books on Agents & Books for the year. Don’t worry, I’m coming back. I know this posts sounds kinda like I’m riding off into the sunset, but I’m not. I have a book coming out next year!!!! And so do dozens of my clients! I’ll be back in January, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Thank you all for reading and commenting and sharing this newsletter. It means so much to me to know you’re out there and your kind and encouraging words always make my day. I hope for nothing but good things in 2025, for you, me, and the world over.

XOXOXOXOX,

Kate