I hope everyone’s getting into the swing of things with the new year, such as it is. We definitely live in frightening and dynamic times. It’s changing all of us, I think, but it’s too soon to accurately gage how, and how much.

Goals for 2021: I’m anxious to finish the sequel to “Boxing Day.” First, however, I have to finish my master’s thesis. The thesis is my project for January and February. So I won’t be doing much fiction writing for the first two months of the year. I feel so grateful I was given this opportunity to study history at the graduate level. The humanities have become “frivolous” in the minds of many, but in my opinion they’re essential for building a more compassionate and functioning society. Studying and reading history helps you understand how certain power and political dynamics persist throughout centuries of human civilization. In a broad sense, history can help you interpret and understand the present. However, there are also rich and endless differences between historical eras and topics. History is a field full of rabbit holes. (So if you love rabbit holes: give studying history a try.)

I feel silly saying this since I’m just starting out writing fiction, but I’m so grateful to anyone who has taken the time to read “Boxing Day.” Books are not fully realized until they’re read. Writing is a creative act, but so is reading. So if you’ve put in the effort to create with me, thank you.

Here’s to tackling 2021 with a blend of compassion and a fighting spirit.