NEW YEARS EDITION: OR, WHAT I DONE THIS YEAR

So this year has been pretty epic for me. It started REALLY SHITTY, with my being unhappy about a lot of stuff in my life. Granted, I was unhappy in a Nicole way, which meant coping MARVELOUSLY (coping is my super power and usually involves sublimating my troubles in travel). But I was also aware that things were off–I was having to sublimate a lot harder than usual, and my bank account was showing the strain.

Anyway, at some point I realized I had to stop running (I am sooooo good at running, when it’s a metaphor) and figure out how to be happier here, in the place I am. Through that I also realized the areas in which I was my own worst enemy. While I’d figured out a lot of shit, there were a few REALLY big holes in my self-awareness.

So not saying I’ve got all the answers now, but I’m proud of myself for doing what I needed to do in the areas I needed to do it. I dug in and admitted a few things that made me super uncomfortable, and took some advice that I fundamentally disagreed with even though I knew MY version of the situation wasn’t working. And I was, once again, proven TOTALLY WRONG, only I was so happy to be wrong cuz then I had a place to start fixing shit from.

So here are the things I’m proud of this year:

1) Moving!

Moving sucks, even if it’s just to the city an hour away, and this move meant buying a house, which felt HUGE to me. I’m super peripatetic so to invite rootedness seemed like the craziest thing I could ever do. It’s turned out to be such a marvelous decision, in so many ways. I love my new city and I adore my little house and it’s turned out to be such a haven, my little home.

2) My Tribe!

I really learned to appreciate my Tribe this year, mostly through starting from scratch on a new one here in the Burgh. I realized how lucky I am to make friends easily, and how fortunate I am to know myself and to know the kind of folks I want in my tribe. But I’m lucky to have found them here in Pittsburgh, which made me appreciate how lucky I’ve been for so many years, and I send all my love to all my tribes throughout the world. xoxo

3) My Magic!

I’m really good at picking friends but holy hell I was absolute pants at picking lovers. So I took a formal hiatus, read all these AWFUL dating books (that were all spot on, much to my feminist horror) and I started dating to date. I learned so much! But the best advice given to me was by a pair of tarot readers I went to for research for the new book. I wasn’t expecting them to be AMAZING, but they were the wisest people I may have ever met, and they gave me the best advice. They told me that, as a creator of worlds, I was magical, and that I shouldn’t be with anyone who didn’t recognize that magic. Now, I don’t know if I’m magical or not, but I do know that I’m fucking weird as hell (like a lot weirder than all but my closest friends realize). And I dated a lot of people who actually didn’t want that–while they liked the idea of me, in reality they wanted someone much more normal and much less difficult. So I went on lots and lots and lots and lots of (often hilarious) dates (SO MANY DATES) until I met this amazing dude who knows himself and recognizes my weird, but appears to revel in it.

Bless his heart, he has no idea what he’s getting into.

4) My Tenacity!

I really recognized that I do not give up this year. Like not only do I not give up, I don’t even recognize down. This tendency may border on the psychotic, but I’m glad I have it, as this industry is rough as hell.

5) My Readers!

I think this year I finally got comfortable with the idea that people read my books. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. Partly that was because this year I really got into Facebook, and I realized how awesome y’all are. I’m so grateful every day that I have all these people who genuinely care about me and my books, even though I’ve never met them. So thank you for that, and I hope that the new series will give you as much pleasure as Jane did.

To all of you, HAPPY NEW YEARS. You’ve helped make this one of the best years of my entire life. xoxo

Posted by Nicole Peeler

Author, Professor, Lover, Fighter

14 thoughts on “NEW YEARS EDITION: OR, WHAT I DONE THIS YEAR”

  1. Thankfully you don't have to meet people in person to know how awesome they are! I am glad you started on the great Facebook adventure I love reading your posts! I think of Facebook friends like my instant pen pals. Another advantage of Facebook over meeting people in person if you find out they are rotten you can remove them from your life with a click of a button!

  2. Right back atcha Dr. Peeler!! We love your craziness and how you create. Keep on keepin' on and we'll be along for the ride. Happy New Year!

  3. Aw, same to you!! You were really nice to me in Dallas even though I got all stupid shy and weird. I am actually genuinely pretty weird but I don't usually get so stupid shy. Though that could also possibly be chalked up to too much alcohol and pasta… So very happy for you that things are looking up and love that they did so because you're totally boss and made it that way. ๐Ÿ˜€

  4. I raise my glass to you, NP. I have always been too subjective (and British) to be too subjective, so you are streets ahead in the "know thyself" category. It's scary stuff but you've wrangled it. So glad I got to see your face in 2013.
    <3

  5. I have enjoyed facebooking with you this year. It's always good to laugh daily or be amazed. Congrats on a fine finish to the Jane series and best wishes on the new one.

    Lynn

    “In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”
    รขโ‚ฌโ€ข Mortimer J. Adler

  6. Happy New Year, Nicole! Your weirdness and your magic both shine through in your writing, and I mean that in the best way possible! Wishing you all the best in 2014, in your personal life and in all of your author-y glory. Looking forward so much to the new series! Thank you for all the wonderful hours spent with Jane and her gang. ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Happy New Year Nicole. Thanks so much for enlivening my Newsfeed during 2013. Jane True is just fabulous! I’d also like to thank you for reminding me via your posts that it’s more than ok to be yourself. I hope 2014 brings you many lovely and amazing things x

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