Life Goals 2017

As I shared last Thursday in my Goal Setting post, being specific about your goals is important. I've decided to split my posts up into these categories: Life Goals, Writer Goals, Physical Goals, and Mental Goals. At the end of that post I also mentioned being part of a team and that's where you all come into play.

YOU are part of my team! (Didn't know what you were getting into, did you?). I realize how important it is to have more 'personal' teammates as well and I would say that I do have friends who fill that role, but what better way to be kept accountable to my goals than by announcing them here to all of you.

*Blinks* I don't know if I thought this through. *Gulps* Um, you'll be nice, right guys? *Starts hyperventilating* Right...?

My Life Goals for 2017

For this post, I've honed in on a few goals I wanted to share with you. These goals fall in line with what I mentioned in my previous goal setting post but some are a bit vague to save us all time.

Be more present 
This seems slightly nebulous but I promise to break it down a little. What I mean by "more present" is that I do not want to be the person who considers their phone as essential to living. I don't want to go to coffee with a friend and set my phone on the table as if to say to the other person "Yeah, I'm here, but something more important could come up". Nope. I want to be able to separate from my phone and--guess what?--I'll still be a living, breathing, functioning person!

Check out this video by Simon Sinek on this very subject. It's kind of long but so worth it in my opinion. He makes some great points:


Goals:
- Spend less time on my phone in general. Set a timer for social media browsing etc.
- Don't let my phone be the "third person" in a conversation.
- Value face-to-face interactions over digital ones.
- Don't use my phone as an excuse not to interact in the "real world" (no matter how hard it is being an introvert *cringes*).

Stay focused
Oh, ye old freelance life. You are a blessing and a curse!

But really...I love my job and the fact that I can do it from literally anywhere, but it takes a lot of discipline. Some days I'm great at this and others...not so much. I really want my work time to be work time and my free time to be just that. Fun and free! Yes, the lines blur being a writer for my job and for my fun-time too, but I think I can do this. (More tips on this in the future on the blog!)

Goals:
- Create a workable schedule (see the next point)
- Keep work out of the weekends where possible
- Don't let social media and marketing rule my life (even if it is fun)
- Have friends keep me accountable to this

Consider time a precious commodity and spend it well
Time is one of the only things we cannot change no matter how amazing we are--that is, unless you're Doctor Who...but that's another matter. Because of this, I want to make sure I'm spending the time allotted to me wisely. I could literally spend an entire day answering and sending emails...but there comes a point when I just need to say no.

Goals: 
- Keep track of how long things really take me and then plan accordingly
- Prioritize what's important
- Spend my time on things that matter

Love well & help others
To me, there is nothing more important than loving people and helping those I can. This year I want to focus on this (as I want to do every year). I want to take time to listen, learn from others, encourage, help, sacrifice for, and regard them as more important than my own selfish desires. I also want to give back where possible.

Goals: 
- Consider others interests before my own
- Don't let my work become so important that I don't have time to be a good friend
- Do something (by myself and/or with others) when I see a need
- Find ways to help those less fortunate than myself
- Put LOVE above all things



Believe
Each year there is a word that I focus on. Last year's word was joy and...I'll be honest and say I'm not sure how well I did. The focus wasn't on me having joy so much as creating joy in others. It was my aim, though I'm not sure if I accomplished it well or not.

For this year, I wasn't sure I was even going to search for a word when one dropped into my lap. (Thanks God!) Believe is my word for 2017. For me, that looks like believing that what the Lord has in store for me this year is good. That's a tricky thing because "good" doesn't exactly mean "what I choose" or "what I think is good". God's good for me is often very different from "Emilie's choice of good" but, if I can be candid here...God's good is always always better, even if I don't always see that immediately.

Yeah, that's not an easy concept when this world is filled with bad things, hurts, and death...but ultimately I know that I don't live for this world. I live for something greater, for a purpose defined by Love and a Savior who died and rose again to show that love to me.

In 2017, I choose to believe that, no matter what happens, He will work things out for His good. That He will be with me through it all. That He will use me to encourage, cherish, love, and support those around me. Sounds like a pretty good focus for the year, huh?

Goals: 
- Take quiet time to listen to Him
- Don't be so obsessed with what I want but what He wants for me
- Release my anxiety about trying to plan my life (this is a tough one, friends)
- Spend time in His word, with His people, and talking to Him

So there you have it friends, my "Life Goals" for 2017. I'd love to hear a Life Goal you have for yourself this year! Share in the comments below!

Rachel Pellegrino of Little Lamb Books | Writer Wednesday

A little bit about Rachel...

Rachel LaMonica Pellegrino is the founder and publisher of Little Lamb Books, an independent, boutique publisher of faith-based fiction books for elementary, middle grade, and young adult readers.

Rachel has worn many hats including the ones for journalist, radio promotions assistant, a special events coordinator, and teacher. She launched Little Lamb Books, a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), to give readers ages 5 to 18 a chance to read creative stories, meet intriguing characters, and wander through interesting worlds while developing, learning about, and growing their faith.

Rachel is an Italian wife and mom (which means she talks with her hands most of the time), and a tea drinker, an avid reader, a professional photographer, and a fangirl of all things Disney. She also writes on her personal blog www.aboundtiful.com

Connect with Rachel...


Website: www.littlelambbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/littlelambbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LittleLambBooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little_lamb_books/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/littlelambbooks

Get to know Rachel and Little Lamb Books...

You and Books
I have been a passionate reader from the age of four. My mom took me to the library every week, and I’d come home with piles of books that I’d race through in just a few short days. Pippi Longstocking, Jo March, Anne of Green Gables, and Nancy Drew were some of my favorite characters as I grew up.

Then, I became a teacher, and I loved teaching books like Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor to The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis.

Now, as a mom to a little one, I love reading bedtime stories with colorful illustrations and fun characters, like The World Champion of Staying Awake, A Bear Called Paddington, or the Fancy Nancy Series.

When I decided to become a publisher and launch Little Lamb Books, I felt like I was finally able to mesh my passion with my purpose!

Your Company

Who is Little Lamb Books?
Little Lamb Books is a small, independent publishing company based in Texas that is focusing on traditionally producing faith-based fiction for elementary, middle grade and young adult readers. Our main goal is to encourage young readers in their faith, inspire their love of reading, and delight their imagination through stories that incorporate faith and values, character education, biblical parables, and lifestyle principles within interesting plots, strong characters, and colorful settings.

Why did you start Little Lamb Books?
As a teacher of 15 years, I know how important reading is for kids. And, of course, I love to read! I also recognized after having my own child that while there was an abundance of amazing books being written and placed in bookstores, I wasn’t finding the same inspiring characters and colorful creativity in books with a biblical worldview. I wanted to not only create a legacy for my daughter, but also to enrich and expand the character, setting, and story choices of children in homes where faith is the core value, and I think there are more families that desire this as well.

Are you accepting new manuscripts, and if so what genres are you focusing on?
Yes, we are accepting submissions for elementary, middle grade and young adult readers, or ages 5 to 18. We are accepting manuscripts in a variety of genres, including Contemporary Christian/Inspirational, Comedy/Humorous, Mystery & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction, Simply Sweet Romance, and Historical Fiction.

Was there a passage of scripture you came across or used while building this company?
There were quite a few; some that helped with choosing our name, some which helped define our mission. Mostly, they were confirmation passages that really supported the purpose of creating this company. Here are three of them:

“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11

“Start children off in the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14b

Publishing and Writing

How long does it take to publish a children’s picture book?
Everyone is always amazed at this, but it honestly at minimum takes a good year. I know when I started a few years ago, I too thought that with all the advances in technology, a book should be able to be edited, printed and distributed quickly, but if you want to work with a traditional publisher, twelve months after signing a contract is a good time table to prep your cover art and illustrations, edit your content, build in a marketing plan, gather reviews, build momentum, and so much more.

How do you pick a manuscript to publish?
I know this is different from pub house to house or agent to editor, but I mostly look at a few writing things, like story plotting and character development, content or chapter flow, but I also look at more business oriented items, such as marketability, genre data, and author platform. Most of the time, I know after reading the cover letter and the first one to two pages whether or not a manuscript will work for us. Sometimes, it’s a physical reaction like the hairs on the back of my neck stand up or I’ll get actual goose bumps on my arms. That’s what happened with our first picture book.

How hard is it to send a rejection letter to an author?
Believe it or not, it’s quite difficult. A rejection letter isn’t generally something that a publisher, editor, or agent enjoys. I always think about how I would feel receiving the letter, and I’m a sensitive soul, so I know when I send it, it’s going to hurt someone. That’s very hard. We can’t reply to every submission because there’s just too many, but when we do, I try to be the one who sends the letters, and I struggle over what to say, how to encourage.

What are things you would advise or encourage writers to work on?
I started a list last year after getting grumpy over some items we were seeing over and over again in submissions. I felt like I was a teacher again, and needed to make a cheat sheet for students:

• Spell Check. 
• Follow the submission guidelines exactly as they are described. 
• Build your platform - which doesn’t mean you have to be online all the time. 
• Work on your pitches for conferences, conventions, and pitch parties. 
• Don’t send nasty letters if you receive a rejection or negotiations fall through - it doesn’t reflect well on you.

You

What are you currently watching?
Well, I’ve been binge watching The Crown on Netflix. I love all things royal, and the holidays were so busy, so I’m just now wrapping up season one. I’m not sure I can wait for season two!

What’s one thing you are looking forward to in the New Year?
I’m really excited about the release of our first children’s picture book by our author Shelly Roark. It releases at the end of summer, and it’s a precious story about a small bubble that faces some mighty challenges to complete an important mission and fulfill his purpose. It’s beautifully illustrated and has a simple, but important message for children and parents alike.

What are you currently reading?
Aside from our most recent submissions, my first book for 2017 was Lauren Graham’s Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (And Everything in Between)! If I’m going to read non-fiction, I enjoy a good, fast-paced biography, which this is. It was a Christmas gift because I’m a big Gilmore Girls fan!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unexpected Storms by Patti Shene | Guest Post

Resolutions. I quit making them a long time ago.

The reason? I just don’t keep them.

The older I get, the more I realize life just doesn’t work that way. You don’t go to sleep on December 31st and wake up a completely different person on January 1st, with new habits, a new mindset, and a life that goes just the way you plan.

I often fall short of accomplishing the goals I set the previous night for the next day!

Why? The answer is simple.

Unexpected storms.

The Christmas program our church had planned was scheduled to take place at Sunday morning Worship Service on December 18th. Snow was expected for Friday evening, “trace to one inch” the weatherman predicted for our area.

We woke up Saturday morning to a blanket of several inches, and with the whipping wind, four-foot drifts kept some people prisoner in their homes. The program, along with our Worship Service, was canceled that Sunday morning.

We had to postpone our program until January 1st. Despite the delay, we accomplished the same goal of spreading the message of God’s great gift of His son to the world.

Storms rush into our lives in many forms and at the most inopportune times. An unavoidable home repair needs attention, the car breaks down, illness strikes, a death occurs, a job is lost, the list goes on.

All of these circumstances and much more disrupt our writing schedules and force us to crunch deadlines, beg for extensions, or back out on commitments. Add to that the frustration of computer issues, Internet connection failures, and the worst onslaught of all – writers block!

I’ve been frustrated for the longest time (years!) with the goals I don’t reach in a day, a week, a month. So, this year, I’ve started using a new system to track exactly what I do accomplish.

All it requires is a simple Excel file.

I make a list of the previous evening of tasks I want to complete the next day. This includes household chores, writing commitments, even reading goals.

The following evening, I go over that list and check “done” next to the items I can cross off.

If some task is accomplished that wasn’t on the list, I simply use the insert feature and add it, then check it as “done.”

Tasks that don’t get completed as planned are moved down to the next day.

I don’t delete anything, which allows me to a) see how many days a certain task is moved before it is accomplished b) track what I have accomplished over a period of time.

I’ve only been using this system for a few days, but I’ve already learned from it.

I accomplish more than I think I do

One project often leads to another. Even though the original task may not be completed, others that have been on the back burner are added to my list and checked off as “done.”

Interruptions are essential

These usually come in the form of phone calls from a friend, an unexpected visit from family, doing a favor for someone, taking care of responsibilities to church or organizations. I can’t sacrifice my relationships to accomplish my goals.

I don’t feel guilt about what I don’t get done

I’m learning to take pride in what I do get done. Putting away my Christmas decorations was delayed because I took the time to organize the room I store them in. It’s a win-win!

I don’t compare myself to others

God made me unique. My friend can watch her grandkids, do farm chores, and be active in several organizations and still keep her house tidy. I struggle to do the routine housecleaning, keep up with organization commitments, complete a couple of blogs posts and add a few pages to my manuscript. I work at my own pace and give my best in all my endeavors.

I pray over my day

God has plans for me that may not even be on my radar (tweet this). I try to stay open to opportunities to serve others, share the gospel, stay connected with family and friends, and accept the challenges He places before me. I pray those experiences make me a better writer!

How have you weathered the unexpected storms in your life?

_____________________

Patti Shene enjoys reading, writing, and encouraging other writers. She maintains two blogs, Patti’s Porch and The Over 50 Writer, where she promotes the work of authors on her website, www.pattishene.com. She hosts Step Into the Light, a weekly interview format Blog Talk Radio show, where guests share their journey from a time of darkness in their lives back to the light of hope and God’s peace. Connect with Patti on

Website www.pattishene.com
Step Into the Light Blog Talk Radio show http://ow.ly/IQ6c307PFUx
Facebook (personal page) http://ow.ly/dtbI307PEBY
Facebook (Step Into the Light) http://ow.ly/41DG307PEPg
Twitter http://ow.ly/dQ6d307PEX5
Pinterest http://ow.ly/yhqO307PF7z

Jen Turano & Christine Meunier | New Novel News

At Your Request 
by Jen Turano 

Published: January 3, 2017
Publisher: Bethany House
Purchase: At Your Request (FREE)

After her father lost the family's fortune, Wilhelmina was cast out of the fashionable set and banished to the wallflower section. Taking a position as a social secretary to help support her family, she's mostly come to terms with her new status. But when her old friend Edgar returns to New York society for the first time since she rejected his marriage proposal, she's newly ashamed at how far she's fallen--and how hastily she dismissed him years ago. Her strategy is to avoid a face-to-face encounter at all costs, but he seems to have other plans. Will Edgar take advantage of their now reversed positions and make her regret her refusal, or is there still hope for a friendship between them--or something more?


Get to know Jen...

What’s your favorite chore?
I absolutely love to vacuum. There’s just something mindless about it that appeals to me.

Would you rather go to the future or to the past?
The past – that way I could visit all the places I write about and see the original homes of the Astors, Vanderbilts, McAllisters, and everyone else who was a part of the New York Four-Hundred.

What are the names of your pets?
I recently had to say goodbye to my quirky Cattle Dog, Sasha. We named her Sasha because she was a pathetic mess when we adopted her from the animal shelter and my son, who was five at the time, decided she needed a pretty name since she was looking rather grim. She lived a wonderfully full life and died at almost 15 years old. And, while I have made the case it’ll be a very long time until I adopt another dog, I have been thinking that Gertie would be a wonderful name for a dog – which might mean I’ll find myself back at the animal shelter before I know it.

Connect with Jen on her website: http://jenturano.com/

Contagious
by Christine Meunier

Published: December 22, 2016
Publisher: Indie
Purchase: Contagious

Not everything that can be caught by another person is a bad thing. As Jacqui, Geordie and Hannah learn about managing the health of their horses and avoiding contagious germs, they learn that their attitudes can be contagious, too.

When Captain and Jaq fall ill, Jacqui questions what else she can do instead of riding. The timing couldn’t be worse – she needs to practice for her upcoming dressage test.

Unexpectedly finding herself spending time with Jared, Jacqui is surprised when he declares he wants to learn to ride. And he wants her to teach him. Should she say yes?

Get to know Christine...

Favorite season?
I love spring! Plenty of flowers, new growth, baby animals, sunshine and lots of time to be outdoors!

If your main characters were animals, what would they be?
Jacqui is a very sensitive but hard working character. I would say that she is like an Australian pony. Geordie is extremely excitable and changes her tune often, like a young pup. Hannah on the other hand is quite competitive and can be moody; she is like a racehorse.

What are you reading right now?
The Bible, A Place in His Heart by Rebecca DeMarino and the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.

Connect with Christine:
http://www.freereinseries.com/ - a horse series that focuses on the Christian faith for 8 – 12 year olds.  http://www.facebook.com/FreeReinSeries - Free Rein on Facebook
http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Meunier/e/B00D5SE2FS/ - my Amazon page where Contagious is available for sale.

Share Share Share 

What's one of the best way to help an author? To SHARE about their books! Use the links below to share about these new releases.

Click to Tweet!

Click to share this post on Facebook!

Feel free to use the image to the left to share on other forms of social media like Instagram! Come and join me on my book-focused Instagram: @createexploreread

The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof | Re:View

Charming, enchanting, and romantic! Joanne Biscof creates a world and a romance that will forever leave its imprint on my heart.

***

Sometimes a book comes along and just makes you go *ahhhh* in a happy, contented sigh type of way. The Lady and the Lionheart was that book for me. It just made my end of 2016 favorites list (even though I cheated and finished it in 2017) but maybe that was because it needed to be on my favorites list for 2 years in a row.

I had heard such amazing things about this book - not to mention its rather impressive 5 star pick by RT Book Reviews, so I knew I was in for a treat when I first began it. But soon none of that mattered because I was lost in the world and falling in love with Ella, Charlie, and Holland's story.

In many books that I read, I find myself wanting more from the male characters portrayed--not so with The Lady and the Lionheart. Charlie is a wonderful, solid, complex, and masculine protagonist and I absolutely loved that about him. Ella was also complex and layered in a wonderful way that left me feeling the freedom to connect with her on a deep level. I felt sympathy, excitement, happiness, and curiosity with her as she made her way through the story.

@createexploreread

I absolutely LOVED the story world as well. Joanne did such a fantastic job of portraying the circus in such a complex light. It wasn't all popcorn and happiness. She delved into the other, sometimes darker, sides of a later 1800s/early 1900s circus and what it would have been like for her characters. I will also admit that I fell in love with the lions (aka Charlie's brothers). Their personalities added so much to the book even though they played a smaller role.

I won't say much more because I don't want to spoil any of this enchanting story for you. Suffice it to say that you should read this. I highly recommend it to historical fans, fans of wonderfully crafted romance, and circus fans (like me), but I would also say that--if you aren't a huge fan of history--you will feel right at home reading this because the world is so well crafted. It's believable in that the historical context fits the story but isn't the sole focus of the story. I enjoyed that fact very much!

I am so thankful to have experienced this story. It will truly live on in my mind and my heart.
That...and my crush on Charlie 😉

My rating: 5*
Purchase: The Lady and the Lionheart

Book Description
(from Amazon)

"Heartachingly beautiful" - RT Book Reviews, 5 Star TOP PICK!

Raised amid the fame and mystique of the Big Top, Charlie Lionheart holds the audience in the palm of his hand. But while his act captivates thousands, it's away from the spotlight where his true heart lies. Here he humbly cares for his pride of lions as if they were his brothers, a skill of bravery and strength that has prepared him for his most challenging feat yet--freeing an orphaned infant from the dark bondage of a sideshow. A trade so costly, it requires his life in exchange for hers, leaving him tarnished by the price of that choice. As the circus tents are raised on the outskirts of Roanoke, nurse Ella Beckley arrives to tend to this Gypsy girl. All under the watchful eye of a guardian who not only bears a striking resemblance to the child, but who protects the baby with a love that wraps around Ella's own tragic past, awakening a hope that goodness may yet reign. When their forbidden friendship deepens, Charlie dares to ask for her heart, bringing her behind the curtain of his secret world to reveal the sacrifice that gave hope to one little girl--boldly showing Ella that while her tattered faith is deeply scarred, the only marks that need be permanent are his own.

_______________

I received this book for free but was under no obligation to post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

Goal Setting in 2017

Ah, another year, another set of goals. I'm not one to make resolutions because I feel like they are destined to fail. Yes, a rather cynical viewpoint, but I'm just going off of past experience. 😉 Instead, I prefer to set goals with the understanding that I will work hard toward them but I will not feel defeated if I don't accomplish all of them. To me, this approach allows for goals to change and for some leeway when things don't go the way I planned...because let's be honest, not a whole lot goes the way we plan. Can I get an Amen?
 

14" of snow at home this year!

I've been blessed to spend time at my parent's house in Northern California for most of the Christmas's in my life. For someone like me who loves tradition and LOVES Christmas, this is a huge blessing. This year was no different and I got to spend some really amazing time with my mom and dad (only child here) enjoying the beauty of the season from tromping through the snow to get our Christmas tree, to participating as a family in their church's Christmas Day service, to sitting around the fire and watching Hallmark movies. It was a truly beautiful time and is always just what I need at the end of the year to slow down and think.

It's after this time that I start to create my goals list. For this post, I've combined some of the things that I think through when I'm setting my own goals. This isn't an exhaustive list but it should help if this whole goal setting thing is new for you.

Setting Goals

Be Realistic
The first thing to consider when creating your goals list is to think through the realistic things that you can (and should) accomplish this year. This advice may seem like it's contradicting my later advice (specifically the "be a dreamer" part) but it's not. I think the foundation for most goals is set in reality. People often make their goals to farfetched or impossible which leaves them defeated at the end of the year thinking that they've accomplished nothing.

My first piece of advice is to be realistic when setting your goals. Take into account things like how much time you really have, what is physically/mentally/emotionally possible for you to accomplish this year, and how much time you'll have to devote to these goals.

**I'll talk more about how this relates to different areas of goal setting in subsequent posts this month so make sure to check back!

Be specific
If you say you want to be successful in 2017 you've just set up an impossible goal. What success looks like to you may look completely different to someone else. It's such a vague goal that you'll never be able to know whether you've accomplished it or not at the end of the year. To me (generally speaking) a goal is set so that it can be accomplished. Rather than vague, no-action goals, break things down into manageable chunks. If this was me, rather than saying "be successful", I could approach it like this "make double the amount of sales (in my Etsy shop) from 2016". That's a quantifiable goal (if not a bit ambitious).

Be daring & different
In addition to making manageable goals, make sure you are pushing yourself. Using the example from before, if I were to say "make as many sales in 2017 as I did in 2016" that's a good goal, but it's not really being daring. Maybe rather than doubling the number I could reach for 20 additional sales.

Where the 'different' comes in is the approach you take toward your goals. Most of us will look at what we already do and try to keep that going. I'm not saying that's wrong--if it's working then great! BUT, in my mind at least, part of goal setting is innovation. I market my shops through my Instagram and occasionally my blog & Facebook. As I set my goals, the innovation side of things could be ways my shops can become more visible aside from what I already do. Maybe that's through blog posts or podcasts or in-person meetings. This is the brainstorming part that comes with goal setting.

Be a dreamer
Here's where it may sound like I'm contradicting myself. While I fully believe you should be realistic with your goals, I do think there is a time and place for dreams. For those goals that may seem unrealistic or impossible to meet. While these are good, if they are the only goals you make you will feel a lack accomplishment if they aren't met.

My advice is to dream and be daring about those dreams but ground yourself with other attainable goals as well. Make it a balance so that you are pushing yourself but also setting yourself up for success.

Be part of a team
This last piece of advice is crucial in my opinion: be part of a team! Whether this is one person or five, holding yourself accountable to others is the best way to achieve goals. This goes for fitness goals, career goals, relationship goals, and many others. Don't underestimate the power of friends asking how you're doing to motivate you. I think of NaNoWriMo and how, once you say you are participating, your friends will ask you how your novel is going. That pressure is good because it keeps us honest in our efforts. It's the same with fitness - when you have a person or group of people asking you how your workouts and eating habits are, you're less likely to slip into old habits. And if you do, then you have friends there to help you out of those ruts.

I'll be posting about my life, writer, physical, and mental goals for 2017 throughout this month and I'd invite you to come back for those posts! I'll also be creating a handy PDF download for those of you who are looking to set goals as well. Be on the look out for that.

So what do you think? Will you be setting goals for 2017? What are some hurdles you face when goal setting? Share in the comments below!

Spread the Christmas Joy | Winners

We've got winners from the Spread the Christmas Joy blogathon! I don't know about you, but I was so encouraged by all of the amazing posts. I mean... just wow! Thank you to all of the authors and writers who shared their hearts with us in celebration of the true JOY of Christmas.

If you are a winner, make sure you check your email. If you haven't heard from me, feel free to contact me using the form on the side.

Silver Bells by Deborah Raney

Heidi Robbins 

Deadly Encounter by DiAnn Mills

Caryl Kane

Wooden Ornament from my Etsy shop 

Rachel S.

Mistletoe & Joy Bookmark from my Etsy Shop 

Amanda T. 

Abducted by Dana Mentink

Susanne Mincer

Joy to the World bookmark from my Etsy Shop 

Melanie Backus

Moonlight Over Manhattan by Carrie Turanksy 

Jackie Wisherd

Bellanok by Ralene Burke 

Michaela Weidinger

A Stitch in Crime by Cathy Elliott

Dianna Gardenhour

One Enchanted Eve by Melissa Tagg

Candice Valdez

Hazardous Duty by Liz Johnson 

Pat Trainum

Where Treasure Hides by Johnnie Alexander 

Caitlin McCutcheon

Wrapped in Red by Meghan M. Gorecki

Brenda W. 

A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck 

Judy Jordan 

Almost Like Being In Love by Beth K. Vogt 

Beth Erin