The Goal Setting One

It's that time of year... again.

Happy New Year! Time to set my goals. I love the possibility and the hope that comes with it. So here goes:

Reading Goals:

The last several years I’ve set 100 books for the year and far surpassed the goal. For example, in 2025 I read over 150 books and in 2024 I read around 180. I could set a higher goal, but why? For 2026, I’m going to cut my goal to 50 reads. Why? It just feels right. So rather than raising the number, I lowered it with the intention to continue reading as I always have. Perhaps I’ll read 150 books again, and that will be awesome, but instead of making reading a “goal,” I think I want to just continue to find pleasure in it.

Like last year, I want to read more of what’s already on my shelves including books I’ve already read. This means being more intentional with my reading choices and finding comfort in books I love. So there, perhaps that is why I lowered the number of new reads.

Yeah, let’s go with that.

Some of my favorites this year

Writing Goals:

I will publish the CL Walters title The Cipher of Tolo (Ring Academy 2) this year. I’m looking at a date in October—October 15, 2026 to be exact. Currently, I’m revising it! So this is absolutely achievable. An exciting development: I’m working with the cover artists on this book now!

I will finish writing the Maci Aurora paranormal romance The Reluctant Sereph, the 2nd book in the Carran Hollow series that begins with The Accidental Sereph. This book is in pretty good shape to meet that goal. I’ll shoot for publication for summer of 2027.

I will draft the next Roan brother novel with Thea Masen this year. We’ve discussed getting Jafeth’s book published in 2027. No definitive date yet. In addition, we’ve discussed a new project, though I’m not sure if we’ll start that this year or next.

I will continue publishing on SubStack.

Personal goals:

I will continue to focus on getting my full-time working life into focus. While I have a bunch of project ideas, those are going to stay on the back burner. The next Ring book 3 is in the works, The Compass of Fractured Memory is another, an alien romance, Cal Wallace’s romance, The Wedding Assignment is another as well as Mattias’s Time Fairy tale and three dystopian ideas. Eek! So many things I want to do but can only do one at a time.

I will continue my workout routine incorporating yoga and weights. I will also be more intentional about walking each day.

I will get a tattoo with my daughter this year.

I will publish a writing course on my website this year. This course will be geared for the writer who has a book idea, but isn’t sure where to begin and/or needs support refreshing their writing toolkit after being out of high school and college for a while. My son asked me to work on this idea with him, and so I started crafting those online classes at the end of 2025. I’ve developed a series of 5 lessons so far with more to come and my goal is to publish the first 5 lessons in March of this year.

Tell me one of the things you would like to accomplish in 2026.

Blessings to you and yours in 2026.

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Have you voted for The Messy Truth About Love yet in the Bedside Reading Cover Contest? Here’s the link:

The Fareview Fairytale series is finally complete (Well mostly. Mattias might need a story). And that includes all the audio books as well! In the Shadow of an Obsession is out.

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