New Year Goals and Lunar New Year by Tena Stetler

 Well, did you survive the holidays?  Seems like we were just putting up decorations in time to take them down, and I decorate from September (Halloween) to New Years. Isn’t it sad how it’s not much fun to take the decorations down as putting them up? But I digress. Though most of January is gone, let’s talk about New Year’s Resolutions or what I call goals.

I met most of 2022 goals, despite a few health issues. Good for me! 

Fast forward to 2023 goals. Word count goals easy peasy now that my muse has returned. I have two more books in the pipeline this year, first book in Mountain Town Mysteries, Security Force of Two (March 20^th release), Raven’s Hollow Spring Magic, in edits as we speak. I’m working on the second book in Mountain Town Mysteries Series, and hope to finish the sequel to Mystic Maples this year.

More hiking is in my future, now that I can walk again without pain (hip was replaced in Oct 2022). Along with that regular exercise is on the agenda and eating healthy, at least most the time. I’ll never give up pizza or chocolate. LOL   

Make more time for friends, participate in book signings, enjoy quality time with my husband, dog, parrot, and turtle. Lots of Camping! All these things lead to a happier me!

Now how about you?  Any New Year’s Resolutions or goals you want to share?  I'd love to hear 'em. Leave them in the comments.

Now lets switch gears for just a moment. I discovered that today my birthday, January 22, fell on the Lunar New Year this year. Sounds like another reason to celebrate. LOL I had to investigate and share with you.

Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, falls on Jan. 22 this year, when Asian communities around the world will say goodbye to the Year of the Tiger and usher in the Year of the Rabbit. The Chinese new year is predicted to be optimistic. Let’s hope they’re right.

 Though New Year celebrations often start the weekend before and can continue for weeks after, only the first 15 days are considered public holidays. Gee I wonder if I can celebrate my birthday for 15 days?

The Lantern Festival is held on the first full moon of the year to mark the end of the New Year season. In 2023, it lands on Feb. 5.

What animal is being celebrated this year?

The year 2023 in the Gregorian calendar is designated the Year of the Rabbit. The rabbit is the fourth animal in the Chinese zodiac and symbolizes grace, beauty, mercy and good luck. Rabbits are also associated with the moon, because of the mythical Jade Rabbit who lives there. 

People born in the Year of the Rabbit are said to be peaceful, avoiding arguments, criticism and change. 

Famous people born in the Year of the Rabbit include Albert Einstein, Angelina Jolie, Michael Jordan, Brad Pitt and Frank Sinatra.

Across Asia, red and gold symbolize good fortune. Many people wear red during Lunar New Year, and children often receive red envelopes stuffed with money. Families will hold feasts, clean their homes and visit shrines to honor deceased relatives.

But different communities have distinct ways of ringing in the new year: In Korea, the first day of the Chinese lunisolar calendar is Seollal, when families exchange gifts and dine on rice cake soup and savory pancakes. Yum!

According to my nail tech, Kellie, in Vietnam, where Lunar New Year is called Tết, Jan. 22 is actually the start of the Year of the Cat. Participants enjoy special foods like Thịt Kho trứng (braised pork with duck eggs) and decorate yellow apricot blossoms and other plants.

Americans are typically most familiar with Chinese New Year celebrations, with dragon parades, boat races and fireworks. The Lantern Festival at the end of the New Year season includes paper lanterns and treats like tangyuan, a dessert of gooey rice balls.

Could Lunar New Year become a US holiday?

It's a possibility, though not a likely one for the moment. In early 2022, Rep. Grace Meng, a Democrat from New York, sponsored a bill that would have made Lunar New Year the first new federal holiday since President Joe Biden signed a bill recognizing Juneteenth in June 2021. New York City has observed Lunar New Year as an official school holiday since 2015. In September, 2022 California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill making it a state holiday "I am immensely proud of the richness of diversity and backgrounds represented in our state and understand the importance of wanting to see one's own experience reflected in state holidays," Newsom said at the time.  Sounds like a good idea to me.  How about you? 

 I’ll leave you with a feel-good series to fill up your new ipad or tablet about second chances, animal rescue and rehab, paying it forward and love. You guessed it A Witch’s Journey Series. Take a peek and you’ll  be hooked.  Pssst... An Angel's Wylder Assignment is on sale for #99cents. An impromptu assignment for a Scottish Warrior Angel and a Native American shapeshifter from present day, must time travel to 1878 in an effort to unravel a dangerous mystery and creature their future. Happy New Year!

A WITCH'S JOURNEY SERIES. Pssst....Also all available in audio book! https://www.amazon.com/Witchs-Journey-Lobster-Cove-ebook/dp/B01F0LRJ7U/

A Witch's Journey - Former Navy Seal, Lathen Quartz helps Pepper, a powerful witch, achieve her life-long dream of a wild life rescue, but can they save the McKay magic & find love?

A Witch's Holiday Wedding -A small town paranormal romance/mystery. Lathen’s covert military mission threatens life as he knows it. Torn in too many directions will Pepper and Lathen make it to the altar?

Hidden Gypsy Magic - Gwen a wildlife rehabilitor, and Brock a veterinarian, discover the consequences of awakening hidden gypsy magic.

Chocolate Raspberry Magic- Fund-raising, Ice cream social, furry and feathered babies, romance, mystery, and magic what more could you ask for in a paranormal romance/mystery?

This one was a long one, and THANK YOU for staying with me 'til the end. Until next month, stay safe and enjoy life! LOL 

 

Do You Need to Have Writing Goals?

Becoming a writer is such a strange phenomenon. You start out just wanting to tell a story, and that soon evolves into wanting to tell it better, so you dive head-first into craft books and classes.  Then you get fussy over character development. After that, you start thinking about your writer's voice and style. And before you know it, more established writers are asking you about goals.

If you're going to be a writer, do you have to have goals?

The short answer is yes! But don't close out of this blog post just yet.

Yes, you do need to have goals, but your goals don't have to be about money or fame. Remember that you sat down and started writing a story because you wanted to tell a story. That was your goal. Sure, your writing goals have grown and shrunk over the time that you've worked on your writer's toolbox (skills and techniques), but your overall goal has stayed the same. You want to tell a story.

Now, there's nothing wrong with wanting to tell a story that is also profitable. That's a great goal too, but what I often see as I bounce from writing conferences to retreats is that the writers talking at these events are usually talking about making money with their stories. Again, this is a great goal, but it's not everyone's overall writing goal. Some people just want to tell stories, and that's a GREAT goal to have as well.

Just because we don't have the same overall goals doesn't mean that we can't work together as a community. There are so many good ideas and writing tips out there, and while one of those tips is having a writing goal, I wanted to validate all sides of the writing world regardless of your long-term goals.

Some of us want to write short stories, while others only write novels. You're all fabulous!

Still others want to remodel their kitchens off the money they make from their stories. To which I say, You go writing friend!

To those who love to write fanfic because they were that invested in a story. I see you, and keep it up!

Writing friends who haven't fallen in love with a singular genre, so you keep trying out new ones. Go you!

To the awesome humans who write every day, yay! And to those who don't: those words are coming!

And to anyone in between, your goal was to tell a story, and that is the loveliest goal of all.

Happy writing.

 

A Productive Rant About Setting Writer Goals by Keri Kruspe

 

Goals?! Why do I gotta set goals? I don’t wanna…(insert slobbering whine)

Ahem, I digress.

Why, as a writer, should I set goals? Working for myself, I know what I have to do. Write, market, write some more… wash/rinse/repeat.

Right?

Maybe. It depends on what you want from your writing career. Is it a career or a hobby? Is it something you want to do in your spare time, something to do when you’re bored? Or, (like me) are you looking to replace your secular job with your own business? Do you plan to replace your income with a steady inflow from your writing?

While goals were a big part of my previous secular life, I didn’t apply them to my personal writing career at first. During the various training sessions I worked through that first year, one thing kept repeating itself… make goals to achieve your dream to be a full-time writer.

I admit, I had a deep craving to take control of my writing life. I refused to be one of those people who went through life feeling like I never seriously tried to grab my dreams.

“Never quit. It is the easiest cop-out in the world. Set a goal and don’t quit until you attain it. When you do attain it, set another goal, and don’t quit until you reach it. Never quit.” -Bear Bryant

Dare to Dream Big

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” -Les Brown

I’m all for trying different things to become a full-time author, even doing something I didn’t enjoy in my secular life such as making goals. Author and poet Bill Copeland states, “When you don’t set goals, you can spend your whole life running up and down and not achieve anything.”

That really resonated with me. Not only was I trying to learn how to write, but there was a lot to do once I finished the novel I’d worked so hard on. The word overwhelmed barely scratches the surface on how I felt. I kept losing track of what had to be done to launch a successful book. In my mind, I only had one chance to make a good first impression with my debut novel.

While having a dream is everything (you gotta know what you want), you can’t get there by wishing a beautiful fairy will come and sprinkle glittering dust to make it happen (Yeah… and that magical being had better look an awful lot like a bare-chested Jason Momoa). *Sigh* We all know that’s not going to happen.

A true goal is something you can measure. Something you can set into time-sensitive steps and check off when done.

Decide What You Want to Accomplish

“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.” -Lawrence J. Peter

Just like you, before I get in my car, I have someplace in mind where I want to go. I don’t expect the car to take off on its own without me steering the wheel with my foot on the gas (at least, not yet!). Even then, I’m not going to drive around aimlessly, I have a destination in place. Why should I expect my writing career to be any different?

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” -Zig Ziglar

It’s my responsibility to get the tools I need to keep track of what I’m doing as well as when I’ve got to get it done. If I feel things are out of control, I’ll be bombarded by anxiety, worry, and doubt. It’s important to keep focused on what matters most.  This will help to keep those negative emotions at bay. As I get close to achieving my goal, I can revel in what that would feel like once I do. Maybe reward myself with something fun and delicious….

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” – Henry Ford.

Psst... It's Not Too Late

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis

I’ve heard the age excuse a lot lately. Throw away those away! You know, like the one that you tell yourself you’re too old. Bull hockey! John Glenn was the oldest astronaut in space at the age of 77 in 1998. Well, until William Shatner did it last year at the age of 90. Dimitrion Yordandis was 98 when he finished a 26-mile marathon in 1976. In 2017, Irish racer Rosemary Smith became the oldest person to drive a Formula 1 car at age 79. 

As I enter the winter of my life, I plan on aggressively pursuing my dream of becoming a bestselling author (not picky – NY Times or USA Today) come hell or highwater. I have daily/weekly/monthly goals in place so I can achieve that within the next five years.

To keep track, here are some examples.

This first one is the pretty picture I make for the month – which I post on my corkboard in my home office so I can keep what I need to do at a glance:

1. Send WIP to ELF (my editor)
2. Complete 16 hours of marketing
3. Complete "1st 10,000 readers" (an online training course)
4. Create the outline for my next book

The one below is the way I keep a daily track. Here’s how I did in December. Forgive me for being a color-coding nerd. Can’t help myself.

Another side note for using this: it’s a great tool to keep for your records for IRS purposes. Undeniable proof you’ve taken your writing career seriously.

No Rant/Just Examples

“The great danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” -Michelangelo

Here are some examples a writer can use to create strong goals:

Weak: Write better. Strong: Take two creative writing classes by X date.

Weak: Make a name for myself. Strong: Shore up my author platform through weekly social media updates and blog posts.

Weak: Make a living as a writer.  Strong: Create a financial plan with specific income goals and ways to meet them.

Weak: Get published. Strong: Take online courses on how to become an indie publisher by X date.

After you’ve set your goals, it’s easy to set them aside and forget them. Don’t get lulled into that thinking! The key is for your goals to be a part of your daily/weekly/monthly habit. 

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” -Henry David Thoreau

Success belongs to all of us – so go out and make it happen!

Resolutions, Goals, or Intentions, oh my!

 By Maureen Bonatch 

 

A new year, but often the same resolution for many people. Most confident that they’ll be able to keep their resolution. Otherwise, why keep making them? 

Perhaps because we want to start fresh with a new year, and it’s difficult to admit that sometimes we might be responsible for not achieving successful goals. 

The good news is that we’re not alone. Most don’t achieve them, but even knowing that, it’s a good idea to make them since they have a positive effect in giving us hope for the new year. The other good news is that you have options. 

Resolution or Goal?

A resolution is more of an overarching decision to do, or not to do something, while a goal involves more taking action to make it happen. You could also set an intention, or determine a word that you want to focus and work toward through the year. 

I’ve found that often my resolutions tend to be the same year after year, so last year I laid out specific goals. I achieved many of them this way—such as publishing three books in my new Charmed Cocktail Cozies—while others I continued to struggle with, such as the roller coaster of embracing self-care and health. 

For many of us we want to set a very high expectation, which we think would be fabulous to obtain, but it can also set us up for disappointment if we can’t live up to our own standards. 

This year I’m planning to try something different. I know, the year has already started, but it’s never too late to make a new goal, or resolution, or intention in my opinion. 

Stop, Start or Pause

I plan to decide what I want to start doing more of, and stop doing with the hope that these will help drive me toward achieving more goals and overall satisfaction. Because usually there is something that is interfering, or stopping us, from achieving those goals. Perhaps getting to the root cause of the issue might help me find success. 

For example. I have won NaNoWri almost every year, yet it is the only month I hold myself to that word count standard. 

I plan to: 

• Stop lying to myself about how I will make up my desired daily word count during a few days of the week. 

• Start setting structured word count goals and holding myself accountable for them. 

Another would be to: 

• Stop taking course after course looking for the ‘secret sauce’. 

• Start implementing what I’ve learned. 

I might also decide to put some goals on pause. This might not be the right time to pursue them, but that doesn't mean that another time wouldn't work if I return to it later.

 How About You? Do You Make a Resolution? Goal? Intention? None of the Above, or Other? 

Check out this fabulous cozy mystery giveaway- maybe you can win some new books to start the new year! Enter RIGHT HERE.

Just a small-town girl, Maureen Bonatch leads a double life. She lives in a magical world as a novelist, and as a nurse leader in reality. Maureen’s first novella was a paranormal romance published when blogs were a new-fangled thing. She’s since changed her focus to writing paranormal cozy mysteries as M.L. Bonatch and urban fantasy as Maureen Bonatch. 

 While she’s not busy writing or doing nurse-things, she’s a mom to her twin daughters, bicycling in the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby, doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, and dancing as much as possible. She believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and that caffeine and wine are essential for survival. 

 Find M.L Bonatch on Amazon or  Keep the conversation going by joining my Facebook Group right HERE!