2022 In Review (goodbye 2022, hello 2023!)

 Book Love | Life | Year In Review 

Hello, Sweet Friend! 

Eek!!! It’s 2023!!! How crazy is that? The first week was…hard to say the least. I wrote a bit about how I was feeling and my struggles in this post: https://fablerosemc.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-chasm.html 

My mom actually wrote about what actually happened, so if you’d like to see that post (which I may or may not write my perspective on it soon), check here: https://www.abigailaviva.com/2023/01/little-green-boots-target-run-and-one.html 

Anyways, because last week was just a lot…I didn’t get to do a year in a review post. So here, a few weeks late, are some of my 2022 highlights. 

---

| My 2022 In Review | 

So much happened in 2022! There were ups and downs but through it all God was present! 

Here are some of my highlights (though I’m sure to forget some only to remember it once this is posted XD)! 

|  Fable Rose | 

On January 28th I started this blog! I can’t believe it’s almost been a year (which I’ll have a celebratory post coming up soon)! So much good has come out of this blog! I know God has blessed this. I’ve seen God work in this blog and there are definite posts I can go back through and see that God was there guiding my words! 

I’ve seen God move in great ways on this blog these past two months (which I’ll talk about more in my celebration post), 

 I just want to thank everyone who has subscribed, commented, read, and encouraged and supported me on this blog! You all mean so much to me! I’ve met so many wonderful bloggers that I’m so grateful I was able to meet and connect with! 

| Writing | 

In 2022 I wrote 2 books and started a third (A Hawaiian Summer, A Pumpkin Hill Story, and ¾ of Broken Ballerina), edited two books (my first book & A Hawaiian Summer), outlined 3 other unwritten novels, and wrote a bunch of short stories! 

Short Stories: 

• BROKEN BALLERINA inspiration  

• Christmas Magic (a short story) 

• A week of flash fiction 

Highlights: 

• I found out how my writing can affect me mentally & emotionally. Getting depression or immense joy!  

• I wrote A Hawaiian Summer which is my happiest novel, the one I know I will publish first, gave me so much joy & happiness, my first contemporary, helped me process and HEAL! I hope this novel will help others heal too! 

• I found that I love seasonal stories (summer, autumn, winter, spring). 

• I wrote A Pumpkin Hill Story & started Broken Ballerina!!!  

• I found my overarching theme through all my books are = God’s healing power, family bonds, and God taking you on a journey to heal even when you feel far away! (I want to help people HEAL and maybe my novels are how God will use me in that area)! Read this post for more on this topic! 

• I met wonderful writer friends to talk to about my books and they talk about theirs! I love the community of writers I’ve been able to meet and connect with! <3 

| Books | 

I read 136 books in 2022!!! I read so many wonderful books and was really introduced to Independently Published writers and novels in 2022 which was so fun! 

My favorite books of 2022 

My favorite authors of 2022 

| On Faith & Maturity | 

I feel like I've grown and matured a lot this last year. Both in my faith and life. 

For one, I led a zoom book/Bible study meeting at the beginning of 2022 with my sister and best friend. That was a major growth time for me (and all of us). I don’t do zoom calls, I don’t do facetimes, I don’t lead things, I tend to like to support and have someone else lead. Then one day I was editing or working at school when I looked across my desk at my little bookshelf where the book LIVE FEARLESS was. I had read through the first few chapters before and found it really impactful. All of a sudden I had this thought that I should read it with my friend and do it over zoom. I remember shaking my head and laughing aloud because that just wasn’t me. Me? Lead a zoom call and book meeting? No way. But I felt it inside me that I had to do this. I remember throwing up my hands and saying “Fine God! I’ll ask her!” I did and was hoping she would say no. Guess what? She said yes. So thus started our zoom meetings, I set up zoom links, discussion questions, a reading plan with things to write down, everything. Before every call, my stomach was a flurry of emotions, I would pray through it, my parents would pray for me too (I surprised them too by doing this). It ended up being AMAZING. We read the whole book, we grew closer together as believers and friends, we prayed for each other consistently, and God was also healing us. It was amazing and one of my favorite memories of 2022. 

I also experienced a lot of healing and maturing as I wrote A Hawaiian Summer. That book gave me such joy and happiness and it's amazing how God used it in my life. I didn’t expect my writing to affect me as it did. I knew God was always with me, my writing partner as I like to call him, but I felt him so much while writing that book. I NEVER thought I’d write contemporary (I just never found any books I liked from the genre) and here I was writing contemporary and it was so impactful. I felt freer and happier while writing this book. I know God met me while writing it. 

On August 1st, I got baptized with three of my siblings and it was incredible. We were all ugly crying by the end of it. We felt God’s presence so strongly. It was absolutely amazing!!! 

Posts on getting Baptized:

• Getting Baptized 

• An afterthought after getting baptized  

| Friends | 

God has brought a lot of wonderful people into my life this year. Through instagram I met so many wonderful Christians, writers, and book lovers. It was amazing. Even after I went off, kinda unplanned, I am so grateful for the girls who have reached out to me in this time away. 

God also confirmed me leaving Instagram (because at the time I was unsure if it was the right decision) and he opened the blogging doors and all of a sudden I started meeting and connecting to all these amazing bloggers and fellow Christians and it’s amazing and has been such a blessing! 

I am so grateful for my friends on Instagram and the ones I met through blogging. All of you have made my life a little brighter and happier. Thank you all for being a part of my life and sharing your story and lives with me. It's an honor. 

| Side Note on the plague that shall not be named | 

Lol, I thought that was a funny title. I got COVID this year *sarcastic hurray*. I think I got it before in 2020 because in 2021 I started having “long COVID” symptoms mainly in extreme hair loss, exhaustion, and memory problems (which has almost completely stopped, THANK YOU JESUS!!!). Anyways, this summer we did the test and got a positive. 

Funny story, I got COVID a few days before we went hiking at Yosemite National Park. The day we went I was MISERABLE. It was hard to walk, to breathe, I just wanted to sit and maybe pass out. I had a meltdown as we came back home. Then at home my parents started feeling sick and they took the test and found out it was COVID. So I went hiking with COVID. Nothing special there but I thought it was a funny memory looking back (but not in the moment, it was terrible in the moment). 

| Health |

I learned a lot about health and my body this year. One, I tend to be Iron deficient which is not good when you are a woman. So I’ve been learning how to balance that along with having a healthy diet, lots of water, and different supplements to support my body. 

My parents have been fasting a lot in 2022 and the beginning of 2023. From them I learned a lot including Intermittent fasting. Now I haven’t gone full fasting but off an on (I’m looking at you Christmas cookies) for the past few months I've been intermittent fasting. Basically, you eat in a certain time-frame (mine is 7-8 hours), not before or after. I have found that I feel better eating later, having two filling meals a day, and having cut offs. I just feel better, mentally, physically, gut wise, all of it. 

Anyways, I wasn't planning on sharing about health today but it’s something I’ve been learning this year and was a highlight. I also just want to remember this for myself. 

---

You may also like…

• The Chasm  

• My Favorite New Authors of 2022 

• When Characters Become Real (part I) 

• God The Good Author (part II) 

---

| Look Ahead at 2023|

| All The Things I’m looking Forward To In 2023 |

• BEHOLD PEACE: I am SO excited for this Bible Study launching in February! I cannot wait to start and study the women of the bible with all of you! 

• Continuing blogging: I love this blog and the people I have met through here! I can’t wait to keep creating for you! 

• BOOKS: there are so many books I am excited to read in 2023, along with new releases I’m ecstatic for! 

• WRITING: I can’t wait to keep writing! Right now I’m figuring out what I want to write next. I’m feeling that a fantasy or fairytale retelling is due next! + I have a lot of editing I need to start working on. 

• Being in a book club and connecting with fellow Christian bloggers and book lovers! 

• Graduating: I’m graduating high school this spring!!! I’m SO excited and am ready! I mean, I've been waiting since kindergarten for this! 

• An official adult: wow! I'll be a real life adult this year! 

• BIG THINGS: my whole family feels that 2023 will be a big year. I’m not sure what that will look like yet but I’m really excited to see! 

---

Discussion Time

I hope you liked this post looking back on my 2022 and what I’m looking forward to in 2023!!!  

I want to hear from you! Meet me in the comments and tell me how your 2023 is going? What was one of your favorite memories from 2022? I would love to chat! 

If you have any questions or want to talk, make sure to comment down below! Be sure to subscribe to this blog to stay in the know because I post new content here every week. ALSO, If you want to hear more about my writing and read snippets from my newest story, make sure you are subscribed because I am doing special updates for BLOG SUBSCRIBERS ONLY! 

XOXO Moriyah 🤎