Friday Free-For-All – Holiday Wrap-up – Video Game

Published on by Jan Sikes

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday celebration! I enjoyed spending time with my family. We started our holiday celebration at the Dallas Zoo lights, then extended it to a trip to the Gaylord Texan for the Cirque Celebration show. Wow! That was totally amazing. This is all of us (except for the son-in-law).

And now we are marching toward a brand new year. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions and haven’t in a very long time. Instead, I choose a word that will resonate throughout the year. For 2022, my word was “Believe.” We’ll see what 2023 brings. I think I know because it keeps popping up everywhere but waiting to make sure.

I’ve enjoyed my blogging and social media break. I know I’ve missed some of your wonderful blogs, but this is a gift I have to give myself now and then to avoid burnout.

2022 has been an interesting year. I released two novels through Wild Rose Press, and they have been well-received with a good amount of 4 and 5-star review ratings.

PURCHASE LINK
PURCHASE LINK

I am SO grateful to the readers and reviewers. Often, writers say they write for themselves, but at the end of the day, we are lying if we don’t acknowledge that we want others to read and enjoy our work.

I have finished the first draft of “A Beggar’s Bargain.” My goal was to finish it by the end of 2022. I don’t know what I want to do with it yet, but I don’t think I’ll be submitting it to Wild Rose Press. The story is about hard times, forced circumstances, rebuilding, and surviving in 1947. I originally thought this would be a standalone novel, but now I have an idea for a second story in the same setting.

I’m still working on the logline for “A Beggar’s Bargain,” but this is what I have so far: Desperate to save the ancestral farm, Layken Martin bargains for a wife he’s never met and a future unimagined.

This story is so different from anything I’ve written so far, and creating it was fun. The biggest challenge was staying true to the time period and the setting of rural Missouri.

A title for this new series that keeps coming around to me is The Bargainer’s Series. We’ll see if that sticks.

On a very different subject, the video game adapted from Ghostly Interference is now live on Chapter Interactive Games.

As you can see, they changed the title. But they also changed the entire storyline. If you’ve read Ghostly Interference, you know that Jag Peters is a computer geek, and Rena Jett works as a waitress in a diner. In the game, they have Rena as a singer auditioning for a position in a rock band where Jag is the lead guitar player. Uh, not even close to my story. But oh well, it’s out there, and who knows. It may lead to book sales, but I really kinda doubt it. This is totally new and uncharted territory for me.

I wrapped up my Book Marketing Series at Story Empire. If you missed my wrap-up, you can find it here. I’ll be heading in a totally new direction for posts in 2023, exploring different ways to include metaphysical things in writing. I’m looking forward to this as it encompasses two of my life’s passions. If you haven’t subscribed to this blog yet, you are missing out on a wonderful resource for writers! You can subscribe here.

On another different and interesting note, I received a report from YouTube that I don’t recall ever seeing before. They called it 2022 In A Snapshot. I had a total of 629 views, 620 watch time minutes, 26 total likes, and 7 new subscribers. The top viewed videos were: Picasso or Picture Jasper‌

Saddled Hearts Book Trailer

Hundred Miles of River – Rick Sikes

I will be selecting my Top Ten Best Reads for 2022 soon. Choosing just ten will be difficult and the most challenging by far, as I’ve read 95 books, and SO many of them were fabulous. However, I’ll give it my best shot. That will be coming in the first week of January. If you missed my Top Ten for 2021, here it is:

I’m toying with the idea of changing up my Monday Motivation posts. But don’t know yet what I want to do differently. I am waiting for the Universe to nudge me in the right direction. There will be no post this Monday, January 2nd, as I am still in holiday mode.

I look forward to promoting other authors and their books throughout the year ahead. That’s always a joy! So, if you have a new book releasing, I’m always happy to open my blog up to you for promotion.

As we close out 2022, let us reflect on the miracles that have happened for each of us. It’s so easy to focus on what went wrong when a slight shift in what we lend our energy to can create a whole new perspective—one that will lift us and bring a bit of peace.

Here’s wishing you a healthy, prosperous New Year ahead!!

36 thoughts on “Friday Free-For-All – Holiday Wrap-up – Video Game”

  1. Oh my gosh, Jan. You have a video game!! That was cool. I didn’t know that was even possible. So what if it’s a different story. 🙂 It sounds like you had a busy but fun holiday and a much needed break. It’s great to know that there’s a book in the works to keep you occupied in the coming year. Wishing you a wonderful 2023. ❤

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    1. I had really forgotten all about the video game because it took so long for them to create it, but yep, it’s out there. And you are right. As long as they reference my original story, it doesn’t matter. Yes, there will be books coming from me in 2023! Looking forward to a year full of surprises! Thanks for stopping by and I wish you a healthy and prosperous new year!

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  3. Happy New Year, Jan. You accomplished a lot in 2022. I hope 2023 is an even better year. Thank you for the information you share through SE, the fun posts you wrote, the books you introduced me to and the support you provided.

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  5. Have a great 2023, Jan! I’m especially curious about the video game and how that came to fruition. I’m guessing you posted about that before, and I must have missed it.

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    1. It is such new territory for me, Pete. This came directly through the publisher. Crazy Maple Studios contacted them, and the contract for the game was between the publisher and the game maker. However, I will get royalties off the game for 7 years. So, guess it can’t hurt, even though they totally changed the storyline. 🙂 Happy New Year to you and your family!

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      1. I’m guessing this falls into the category of mixed blessings. How cool is it that they made a video game after your book? That has to be a bit of an ego boost. At the same time, I’m sure you probably regret that they messed with the story. Have you or your grandchildren played it? If so, what do you think?

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      2. Hi, Pete. It definitely falls in the category of mixed blessings. I am playing the game and am finding that there are lots playing it as well. It’s not appropriate for my grandchildren as the book has adult situations that they aren’t old enough for. 🙂 But my daughters and some friends are playing. I just wish they would have stayed at least close to the storyline.

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  6. Sounds like you’re having a wonderful holiday season Jan. Love the idea of writing in a different element. I like the Bargaining name theme, and great logline. Wishing you a happy, healthy and exciting new year. ❤

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  7. What a great end-of-the-year post! I love all the happy smiles and the reminder of books to embrace. I hope you and yours have a fantastic New Year! 🎉🎊🎉

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  9. Beautiful, Jan! Congratulations on the video game release. I, too, don’t make resolutions but focus on a word the universe sends out to me. There are two nudging at me, so I’ll see what happens. Happy New Year, my friend! I so enjoy your blog posts! xo

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    1. Happy New Year, Mary! Thank you for the congratulations and kind words. I love that you choose a word for the year. It is always grounding and inspiring throughout the year. I post affirmations everywhere using the word. 🙂 I also pull twelve Tarot cards, one for each month, and I’ll be doing that tomorrow. I hope the new year ahead brings wonderful things your way!

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