Looking Ahead to 2025

At the time of writing this blog, we’re only a couple weeks away from 2024 coming to an end. I’ve never really bought into making resolutions at the start of a new calendar year as I’ve never seen the point. Why do we need an arbitrary date on the calendar to make changes?

That said… I can’t help but think about what 2025 has in store. In short, it will be a crazy year of change for me. For starters, I will have even more responsibility at the day job, going from managing the UX design teams responsible for a $500M business at Rockwell Automation to now doing the same for an entire Software & Control operating segment, to the tune of $2-3B (and growing). And…this change just so happens to coincide with the start of the New Year. With more resources, team members, and stakeholders comes greater responsibility, and it will no doubt impact my other life, which is that of a moonlighting writer.

Which leads me to my next rumination. I fully plan on staying as engaged as possible with the writing and reading community—including you. It will just be a matter of wisely managing my time and building in enablers and processes to stay engaged. Plus, of course, I’ll look to find time to write. My follow up to “The Towpath” won’t write itself.

With respect to engaging the writing and reading community, I already have some dates on the calendar to look forward to. And if you’re in the Cleveland, Ohio area, I hope you’ll consider coming to hang out with me. So far, you’ll be able to find me at the following events:

• Meet the Author| Lakewood Public Library (Ohio) | June 18, 2025 at 7:00 pm (my News and Events webpage will have a link when available)
• Meet the Author | Cuyahoga County Library Brecksville Branch (Ohio) | July 9, 2025 at 7:00 pm

At both events I’ll be giving a spiel about writing “The Towpath” and will go deep into the historical fiction aspects, especially those inspired by the Cuyahoga Valley and surrounding area. I’ll answer any questions you have (to the best of my ability) and will be selling and signing copies of “The Towpath.” There’s also a tentative event being planned in Cuyahoga Falls (my former hometown) in March, and I’ll also be dropping in on a couple of book club meetups this winter. Those are also TBD. Hence, I’ll be keeping the News and Events page on my website updated the best I can, so please check in every now and then if you’re interested in learning more about where—and when—I’ll be (wink, wink), as well as anything newsworthy.

That’s all I have for now. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or another holiday—spiritual or otherwise—I wish you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season with your family, friends, and loved ones. And as we ring in the New Year, I look forward to finding new and creative ways to stay engaged with readers and fellow writers!

All the best,

Jon

“Sapere Verdere”