Happy New Year’s Eve. It’s an especially special day at our house since it’s our son’s birthday. He’s twenty. How did that happen? Wasn’t it just yesterday that after 2 1/2 months of bed rest, the doctor sent me to the hospital to be induced. Three hours of pain later, a nurse said, “Maybe you’ll have the first baby of the New Year.” Um, no. It was only 3 in the afternoon. Thankfully, he came at 6 that night.
Besides birthdays, the new year makes me think of achievements of the departing year and goals for the upcoming one. Last year, I didn’t read much
for pleasure, but I did a lot of reading through editing. I tried to make this work to the tune of the twelve days of Christmas, but I couldn’t pull it off. In 2021, with my editorial hat on, I read fourteen submissions, rejected eleven, and accepted three. One of the acceptances was a debut author. I did the content edit on four Historical Romances, three Mysteries, two Romantic Suspense Novels, four Contemporary Romances, two Women’s Fiction titles, and 3 Novellas.
I judged one contest, read five entries, & critiqued two winners.
I didn’t read any books just for fun.
As an author, I wrote a proposal for a three-book series and my first ever novella. I revised the proposal and a book I’d written a dozen years ago. I parted ways with my agent because our contract was all-inclusive, meaning I’d have to pay her a percentage for books I write for a company I was part owner of until May. Even 
though, I sold my shares to have more writing time, I still don’t need an agent to write for the company since my good friend is the owner. I just need more time. I queried three agents. One never responded. One called, said she liked my book, but she’s never taken a short length author to long length, and she focuses on nonfiction. One called, is very interested, and asked for revisions. I’ve almost finished them to send back to her.
Next year, my goals are to sign with the agent I’m in talks with, get my long length and my three-book series contracted, and take on more freelance editing jobs to keep me busy in between writing. I want to read at least a dozen books just for fun. That doesn’t sound like many, but when you’re an author and an editor, it’s a lofty goal. For me anyway.
I also want to write a new book. I got the inspiration for it from watching The Voice. I don’t listen to Country music or secular for that matter. Except when we watch The Voice. We’ve watched the show, along with American Idol from day one. My husband and I are amazed by people who can sing, carry a tune, and have such powerful voices. I love seeing people’s dreams come true. To me, singing competition shows are like trying to get published. So this year, a country song one of The Voice contestants sang inspired a book idea. I’d never heard the song before. I made copious notes and I’m eager to get busy on it as soon as I finish an editing job in January.
So what about you? What are your reading achievements from last year? What are your reading goals for this year? Or any achievements and goals you’d like to share. I’m giving away winner’s choice from two of my titles, Winning over the Cowboy or The Cowboy’s Missing Memory. Deadline Jan 7, 2022. Happy New Year and I hope you meet all your reading goals and discover fabulous new or new-to-you authors.
Award winning author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance and has over a dozen published titles. A romance reader since her teens, she hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as she demonstrates that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does. She gleans fodder for her fiction in rural Arkansas where she spent her teenage summers working the concession stand with her rodeo announcing dad and married a Texan who morphed into a pastor. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her husband and son, flea marketing, and doing craft projects.
Wow, congratulations on your son’s birthday! I, too, feel as though the years hurtle by at light speed when I look at my children. Especially the one who’s now taller than me, ha ha.
I haven’t kept a tally of the books I’ve read this year (I probably ought to start), but it’s at least forty fiction and a similar number of non-fiction. I read some for pleasure, a few because I’m nosy, beta read a handful, others because I love to learn new things, but mostly to immerse myself in my genre. Although these last also partly overlap with the ones I read for pleasure.
Sadly, I don’t feel as though I’ve achieved much this year when it comes to my own productivity. Perhaps next year will make up for it!
May God bless all your plans for 2022. Happy new year!
Happy New Year Shannon! This retired high school English and German teacher has surpassed her reading goal of 150 books for 2021. I joke that after being retired for 9 years, I am finally retired. For 9 years was caregiver to my dad, grandkids, old pets, and January thru May I was teaching coach to my 3 grandkids (grades 10, 7, & 1), who attended Oma’s Virtual Academy. Another goal I achieved this year was to address each weeks’ prompt in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge by Amy Johnson Crow. As a first generation German American, since 2009 I have been researching my family tree. After my dad passed in 2014 and finding my German mom’s WW2 diary, I have been researching the Battle of Kalingrad. May write a book about her heroic journey. Best wishes.
Last year I was really struggling with health issues, and busy typing for customers, and did not do any reading for pleasure. I really missed it! I recently started participating in the contests for free books, and found many authors I have never read before, so I am excited to start reading again. I finished one audible book in less than a day, so now I need to continue a book I started yesterday. It is so good to be reading again!!
Shannon, I don’t have a teaching goal nor to I keep track of the number of books I read. But, I would guess I have read between 200-250 books this year. I’m retired, and have limited mobility, so I often find myself immersed in a book. But I have been an avid reader almost since I learned to read. My goal this year is to help my husband finally finish our project of going through our “junk” and getting rid of old papers and things we realize don’t mean anything to our kids. We helped my mother clean her house, downsizing to move to assisted living. And then18 months later we cleaned out her room after she died. Both of us agreed we didn’t want to put our daughters through something similar after we died, so are trying to do it now. Happy New Year!
I’m reading books 226 and 227 now! One is for fun and one is a proofreading/editing “job” which is also fun for me! Most of the books I’ve read this year were either part of my proofreading/editing “job” or were ARC’s. A few I picked up from my TBR stack. My insurance business has grown this year, thanks to many referrals from current clients. I have plans to paint my office/craft room and get it set up this year, which will be another step in the long grieving process. All of the major “firsts” are now done, though I’m still having to remind myself that I don’t need to make plans for Mom or include her in my plans, which is extremely hard, since I did that for years even before I was home with her for 9 years as her caregiver. 2021 was the second year I kept track of how many books I read!
I don’t make goals as i am not good at keeping them. Just hoping 2022 will be a quieter year with covid and that the mutations get less severe.
I don’t really make goals.These Last two years have been really weird for my family with covid starting and then my grandma dying at the beginning of covid and her grandchildren couldn’t even go to the funeral.I am just so ready for the mask to come off where we live they lifted the mandate and then they put the mandate back.i have read 200 or more books this year
Happy 2022! Your son is only 4 months older than mine! It’s not as hard for me to realize his age, in a sense, as my daughter just turned 32. But being disabled and where my husband has been gone for 10 years it’s still somewhat different having him grown.
I can see why you haven’t read any pleasure books! I do some ARC, beta and editing work though not nearly as much as you do and my pleasure reading is almost nonexistent! I don’t know exactly how many books I read this year though I had one month I hit 28. I haven’t set any specific reading goals for the next year. I just want to continue doing what I can where some days or times of days I am not able to concentrate due to my body’s invasive way of protesting!
I have set a desire/goal of having my Daddy come from his assisted living home at least once a month for dinner. My daughter has been back in state for a while and we had Thanksgiving with just the four of us this year. I had not been able to cook a meal for Daddy in more than 10 years (cooking & baking has always been my passion though I have had great difficulty with it for several years now). Watching him enjoy the food the way he did made me remember the joy something as small as a meal can bring him! Between that and all of us being together, having such a great time is something too special not to repeat. I will make much simpler meals and not tax my body the same but as long as the home lets him go out I am going to bring him here as often as possible. He is one of God’s most precious gift to me!
I also have the desire to have no more than one major surgery next year. Obviously I can’t really control that but it is a definite desire! I made it through this year with just one and would love to have that repeated.
Hi Shannon, first “Happy Birthday to your son!” I actually don’t like to set goals on my reading, I enjoy the books much better if I don’t set a reading goal as to how many books I will be reading. I will be reading for sure, I actually just started a book yesterday and I am already into it. I do want to catch up with writing book reviews, I need to do that and Godwilling I will be doing that soon. May you and your family have a Very Happy and Blessed New Year.
Forty fiction books read. I’m so jealous Milla. I guess if you count the books I edited, I read that many though.
Wow Renate, that’s a busy year. I’m glad you finally really retired so you could do it all. I can’t imagine reading that many books, but my mom reads about 20 a week. And we have a maybe writer among us. All writers start out being readers.
I hope this year is better for you health and your reading, Julie. I bought lots of books this year. I just didn’t get them read. I’ve started my reading goal early though. I started reading a book last week. I get in a couple of hours each night and I’m almost finished with it. That’s not how I like to read though. I like to have two or three days to just read the book. A few hours a night is better than nothing though.
Wow, that’s a lot of books, Linda. That’s a lofty goal on the junk. We actually had a junk room until last year. We turned it into a laundry room and in the process, we dejunked. We have boxes and boxes of stuff in our storage building though. Theology books my husband the preacher doesn’t use, but they’re too nice to get rid of. Knicknacks I got tired of dusting, but someone special gave them to me. Flea market projects we bought back when we had a booth. We need to go through all that one day.
I feel like such a slacker, Trudy. Editing is fun for me too. But I don’t enjoy reading those books as much since I’m actively trying to find what’s wrong and fix it. This year, I plan to read the books I’ve edited once they come out in book form, just for fun.
I’m sorry about your Mom. That’s hard. My dad had some really bad health issues this year and it was tough. He’s on the mend now though.
We had lots of remodeling to do in the last four years. We’re pretty much finished now. Except for my office. We had a carpenter build it, then we finished the inside to cut costs. We went cheap and used paneling. I painted it and I love the color. But every time you touch the wall, the paint scuffs. I’m planning to fill the paneling cracks, so it’s smooth, and repaint it with Kiltz, so it will stick. The first half of my year is pretty busy with deadlines, so it will be later before I get it done.
I don’t keep a lot of mine either, Kim. But if I make goals, then I seem to achieve some of them at least. Happy New Year!
It’s been a weird two years and I’m really sick of it. We had a mandate, but they lifted it early last year. That’s a lot of books. I don’t think I’ve ever read that many in a year.
Our son is an only, Deb. And an only grandchild on my side since I’m an only. It’s weird for him to be grown. He’s been taller than me for several years. And I think he might have found the one. He’s dating a really sweet girl we love.
That’s wonderful that you got to have Thanksgiving with your family all together. There’s nothing like that. I hope you get to have lots of meals with your dad.
I think you should go for no surgeries :)
I’m fixing chili for his birthday. His request. I thought he’d want steak of something.
I’ve never set goals on reading before, Alicia. But after a dismal year of reading nothing for fun, I’m hoping it will help motivate me. Happy New Year and God’s blessings to you too.
I find things even in books I’m not proofing/editing! Some were already published and I was reading the paperbacks! It seems I can’t “shut off” that part of me, which is sometimes a good thing and sometimes not! The only thing that got done IN the house this year was my master bedroom and bath. Mom made me promise that I would move into those, and it got to where I couldn’t hardly LOOK in there, much less go in! Then, I decided I couldn’t live like that, so friends and I painted them, and I LOVE it now! I’ve moved in and made them “mine” with the painting, putting up different pictures, and getting a new shower curtain and towels to go in there. I think Mom would be really pleased, which has helped me tremendously!
I met & exceeded my reading goals for 2021 (100 books). This is my usual goal every year.
My only goal for this year is to read from my physical bookshelves. I have way too many books just languishing & collecting dust! This has been my goal for the past two years, so I hope to at least whittle down what I own. I won’t read all the books I have, but I’d love to make a good chunk in them :-)
It looks like you were plenty busy last year! Continued success on your writing!
I read 170 books in 2021 and reviewed most of them. My goal is to stretch that to 175 for 2022. I’m retired so have time to read. Most of what I read is for review from authors and publishing houses. So many are new releases. Now if the mail would just cooperate getting them to me in time.
I read/listened to 382 books this year. Surpassed last year’s of 365. No goal to read more LOL . But I hope to take art or piano classes. It’s been a stressful year with the death of my mom’s husband, becoming her caretaker etc. I am planning to do more for myself this year, to balance the stress.
I have read 78 books, according to my kindle app. I’ve listened to about a dozen audible books. My husband enjoys audible and we often listen together. I’ve discovered a few new authors as well. I decided to learn how to crochet this year, trying to keep my mind active I’ve made some cute projects, even something for my mom got Christmas.
Happy New Years! For the first time, I kept a record of the books I read during 2021. I have read 73 books!
I did not reach my reading goals for 2021. I have set a goal of 40 books for 2022. My husband and I live in my childhood home. My Mom is now in a nursing home. We started slowly to declutter the house last year. It is challenging to get rid of items that hold memories. We are also disabled so it does not take us too much time to get tired so we have to stop. We are hoping to make a bigger dent into the house in 2022. Thank you for sharing. God bless you. Happy New Year.
I’m looking to read as many books as I can. I will even re-read some books if needed. I love to read & am making a few books also
I don’t have a special amount I want to read but want to read more then 2021.
I definitely have a new motivation to read a lot of books since I started doing the contests recently. So many new authors with interesting books to check into.
When I started writing, it ruined my reading experience for a while. I would edit as I read. I finally figured out how to turn my editor off and read for fun again after a few years. I’m glad you found a way to enjoy your rooms. I think your mom would be happy.
Wow Trixie, that’s a lot of books. I have a dozen or so that I haven’t read. I always buy my favorites authors new books when they release whether I have time to read or not. Bookbub keeps me posted on new releases.
That’s a lot of books, Paula. I need to do more reviews. I used to do that on Goodreads, but I got busy. I need to do better on that this year too.
Wow Yvonne, I’m impressed on your reading. I need to take piano lessons. My mother in law plays for our church and she’s getting older and in I’ll health. I’m sorry for your loss and that you have added responsibility. Definitely find time for yourself and what you enjoy.
I like real paper books, Cindy. I have a few in my tablet and I feel like I don’t really own them. But I can see how digital is easier to store and carry. I read alot of submissions from authors on my tablet since I’m in acquisitions. I used to crochet before I started writing. I made sweaters and afghans. Something had to give when I started writing so I stopped crocheting. I decided to make a poncho last year. It took forever and I gave up not even a 1/3 finished. I guess I don’t have the patience any more.
Happy New Years June. Good job. Keep up the good work.
I hope you reach your reading and decluttering goals this year, Debra. Maybe when you get tired from decluttering, you can sit down and read. I’m very sentimental, so I always want to keep everything. My husband had the idea to put things I want to keep but we don’t really have a place for in tubs on the storage shed. That way I still have it but it doesn’t clutter the house.
I love rereading my favorites, Amy. My favorite thing to do is reread favorite series in rapid succession instead of the original wait between books as they release. That’s cool that your writing. All authors start out as avid readers.
More is always better Sylvain. I hope you find lots of reading time.
That’s a great way to discover new to you authors. Multi-author novella collections are another great way.
I Love reading but I don’t have a goal of how many books I have read! Happy Birthday to your Son! And Happy New Year!
I am late as usual been a few hot days and finally cooled down today. I don’t have a goal but will start with 12 and add when I reach it. I had spurts where I tend to read more.
Don’t enter me as I am reading slow and would rather someone who can read the book win it (not that I thought I would win)
In 2021 I read about 60 books. This year I’d like to read even more. I need to get more intentional to put the phone down and make time to do what I enjoy.
Happy New Year, Sarah. I’ve already read one. Yay me!!!
We had a really warm Christmas and New Years in Arkansas, Ausjenny. It was 75 on Christmas day. Then the temps fell Saturday night like crazy and it’s been from 17 to 25 since. Crazy weather. Happy New Year.
That’s a lot of books, Megan. I’ve done lots of jigsaw puzzles this year, which I hadn’t done in a long time. And I really enjoy them, but this year, I want to read and puzzle.
No goals – less stress ;)
So true, Natalya. I resolve not to stress over my goals.