2010 was the year I threw everything at the wall. As much as I enjoy writing for periodicals, there is a tedium that accompanies repetition and so this past year I determined to widen my focus scripturally. I finished and shopped a novel; wrote not one but four installments in an episodic series of fiction shorts I began in the mid-90s; became communications director for Keep Food Legal; and scored a deal for a nonfiction book.

The novel has elicited zero interest, although I did sell one of the short stories. The nonprofit position requires very little responsibility, which is why I’m the ideal candidate. And the book, a biography of a man who was arguably the most successful privateer during the American Revolution, is well underway. Samuel Smedley, Connecticut Privateer will appear on shelves this summer.

I was pleasantly surprised to see traffic here grow by more than 500 percent over 2009. Thank you — I appreciate your stopping by to visit my strange hodgepodge of local reporting, personal commentary, archaeology news, travel advice, and book reviews. Also, a big “Hallo!” to my Dutch readers, “Ni hao!” to the Chinese government (please don’t hack me), and “Pryvet!” to all of you Russian spambots. Happy new year.