2015 in Review

By: Meradeth Houston on 10:31 AM

It's funny, but I've been thinking about this post for the past few weeks. There is so much that happened this year. Soooooo much. Looking back is almost mind boggling. Just to give you an idea:

• I got my tenure-track job, which was amazing and so stressful. I still feel like I'm recovering from that process.
• I taught my first semester as a tenure-track professor, which is a million kinds of awesome. And more work than I care to think about...having grad students is both amazing and insanity-inducing as I try to figure everything out.
• I set up my new lab, well as much as I could thus far, which is incredible, and I love having my own space to work. Though dealing with all the construction, ordering, and other headaches was eye-opening. 
• I applied for my first really huge grant for research. And didn't get it (which is the norm, so I'm not too bummed...terribly).
• I got an agent! Cristi is incredible and I feel so crazy blessed to have her represent my work.
• I went on submission with Coincidences. I think I should feel more stressed about that than I do, but somehow it's really kind of a relief to have an agent handle that aspect of things. I can just write :)
• I wrote a short story once a month for Lightening Quick Reads. That was a ton of fun (if a ton of work too :)
• TRAVELERS was released!
• I bought a house, which I love and couldn't be happier about.
• I got a dog, who has stollen my heart and I think is officially the cutest puppy ever.

I'll spare the rest of the list. Needless to say 2015 has been BUSY to an extreme that is over the top, even for me (which I don't mean to sound snooty, but I'm kind of a busy gal and always have been). It's also been a year filled with heartbreak. The ending of my 13 years with my husband took me out at the knees. I don't talk about things like that much here, but seriously, that's been one of the hardest things I've ever done/gone through/survived. I am trying to focus on the positive, as in some ways it was the healthiest decision for me, but dang...not so easy. Lately it's been tempered by some other good things, which I'm not ready to share yet, but still, there's been a lot of stress this past year. I'm moving forward. 

2015 was a good year for me. I may not have read as many fiction books (I usually average around 40+ novels, but only hit 35 this year, though that's not including a LOT of critique work I did for friends, which I love more than I can say). I didn't get another novel written, though I'm about halfway through one. But I do feel stronger. I'm happier than I have been in a very long time (if a lot more frazzled and missing some hair :). I am looking forward to 2016 with a passion, and hoping that it tops this year in many ways. Bring it on!

What is the best thing that happened to you during 2015?