Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year from BRBTV!

I'm looking forward to seeing how 2009 unfolds, as I've had several professional and personal goals on my mind for the new year.

For the past three years, I've been producing the BRBTV News Blog as a way to offer fun little tidbits to the fans of the classic '80s TV shows I love. It's been fab, because even though during this whole time I've been working in the ministry setting by day, I have felt like I've been able to maintain some sort of journalistic "practice" with this blog. I've still been able to think like a newsgirl, in some way!

In the past three or four months, though, I have felt the Lord leading me in a new direction. I am feeling led to dial down a few of my projects, such as this blog. That's why I am transitioning it to an occasional blog (weekly or biweekly), rather than a Monday-through-Friday one, as it's been these past three years.

The BRBTV News Blog will still feature the monthly celeb birthdays, and the Archie Comics releases (frankly, because Rik just makes that so easy for me!), as well as a few other posts now and then. I have two book-signings planned for this year, so I'm sure I'll have some photos and news to share from those. Plus, coming up very soon, on the 11th of this month, will be a rare post on "Archie's Weird Mysteries" -- a fresh BRBTV interview with writer Paul Castilglia.

The blog's current content, dating back to January 2006, will remain online (Blogger.com permitting, of course!). We've had some fun times, this blog and I, and I want to leave available the original content I've posted here from interviews and events.

As far as other BRBTV stuff, look for a fourth electronic edition of the reference guide "Send Me to Santa Barbara," most likely in the next few months. There may be more updates to the other three BRBTV e-books, but it will be a while.

There's been a brand-new BRBTV Report in Amazon's hopper for about a year now; it's been on hold for their determination of the direction of their Amazon Shorts program. If the Shorts program doesn't publish the Report, it will be published via BRBTV.com. And the show it references, you ask???? Well, how about a clue: "Rut-raw, Shaggy!!!!"

There are at least two more BRBTV Reports planned for 2009 and beyond: I have been collaborating with talented "voice man" Will Rodgers of Tennessee on guides to the animated series "Superman" and "Justice League" / "Justice League Unlimited." Basically, this collaboration means Will's writing the stuff, and I'm doing the editing and graphic design. (Will's a highly capable uber-geek! ... Sorry, Will -- to me, that's a compliment!)

I've had a terrific amount of fun with this whole silly BRBTV thing; I don't know that I would ever give it up, and I don't believe the Big Guy would ask me to. Time is finite, however, and we must spend it in the best way we can.

Outside the BRBTV realm, the big project I'm focusing on right now is my third novel, "Enie," which I'm hoping will surprise you just a bit. It's nearly ready for release. See BillieRae.com to read more.

I've loved the My Mother's Clothing project very much. I've loved the weekly format, and the elements of raw photography and sociological study. I've decided to continue that yearlong photo essay format with a new 2009 project, "The Inexplicable Lives of Dolls," which launched yesterday.

There are other projects in my brain, and I dare say they will see the light of day. I often joke with people that writer's block is a very foreign term to me. I've always had way more writing ideas than I've had time for.

So ... that's that! Thank-you for your comments on this blog, for your emails to me, and for encouraging me in these past 10 years of BRBTV ...

- Billie Rae Bates