It’s been two years since I released my last novel, and I’ve only published eight blog posts this year, compared to 58 in 2016. So, what the heck have I been doing in 2017? Well, if 2016 was the year of publishing content on antonymillen.com, 2017 was the year of publishing content on other sites.
Rest assured, Novel #4 is still in the works, but I’m also celebrating a growing portfolio reaching a wider audience.
Here are my 2017 highlights:
- Finishing and revising the draft of Novel #4.
- Launching second editions of Redeeming Brother Murrihy and Te Kauhanga, featuring new covers by Leanne Reynolds:
- Writing an essay about the literary scene in Taumarunui for The Spinoff.
- Along with five other New Zealand writers, contributing to a three-part series in The Pantograph Punch about voice, lyricism, and tension.
- Reading and reviewing Jess Richards’ City of Colours for Landfall, and Michalia Arathimos’ Aukati for The Pantograph Punch.
- Writing an essay about last year’s visit home to Nova Scotia for Canadian Writers Abroad.
- Writing a short essay for Minimalism Life.
- Seeing my short story, A Great Night, published in The Cafe Reader and my short memoir, The Burke Jersey, published in Canadian Stories.
- Appearing on the radio podcast, Blank Verse, on Access Manawatu, and on Jesse Mulligan’s Radio New Zealand programme.
- Learning I will be one of ten new authors profiled on NZ Book Council’s Writers Files in 2018.
- As part of the Whanganui Literary Festival, attending the launch of Christodolous Moisa’s novel, Wolves in Dogs’ Clothing, including seeing my review of his book, The Hour of the Grey Wolf, quoted on the cover.
- Seeing my review quoted on the cover of James Russell’s The Pitbull Returns.
- Hosting and contributing to a blog series about poetry, featuring essays by Chris Eyes and A.D. Thomas, and myself.
- Publishing some of my Weekend Name Drop profiles in The Ruapehu Press and seeing one written about me by A.D. Thomas.
- Competing online interviews with SONZA (Spotlight on New Zealand Arts), Nix Whittaker, Writers Plot Readers Read, and Susan Toy’s Reading Recommendations.
- Meeting Patricia Grace, Tina Makereti, Gina Cole, Airini Beautrais, Chris Eyes, and some other cool writers.
- Utilising my Instagram account for fun and marketing. Follow me here! I’ve also stayed active on Twitter, Goodreads, and on Facebook with my page and group.
- Watching Logan, Spiderman Homecoming, The Punisher, Wonder Woman, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (though I had mixed feelings about this film!)
- Not only watching the entire series of Game of Thrones for the first time (and twice!), but also reading all five books in George RR Martin’s series, using both Kindle and Audible editions.
- Working with staff at Taumarunui High School to overhaul our curriulum delivery for 2018. My new job title: English Expert-in-Residence.
- Continuing my child-free life at home with my wonderful and supportive wife, in which we learned that child-free still does not mean parenting-free, but must start leaning that way …
- Launching my quarterly newsletter, Antony’s Writing Life. If you haven’t done so already, you can sign up here. I’m sending out the second edition in the next week or so. My newsletter does more than recap what has been happening, it updates folks about what I’m currently working on and what’s in store for the future.
Happy New Year – I wish you all the best for 2018 and hope to stay in contact about my writing and your own creative endeavours.
Antony
Antony Millen is a Nova Scotian living and writing in Taumarunui, New Zealand. He is the author of three novels: Redeeming Brother Murrihy, Te Kauhanga and The Chain.