Setting Goals Instead of Resolutions

Many people make New Year's resolutions, but statistics show they usually aren't successful. Only about 8% of the resolutions made around the first of each year are kept. In fact, so many people have failed to keep them that only about 45% of Americans say they make them anymore.

Making resolutions may be rather futile, but setting goals have better results. We often try to achieve resolutions all at once, but with goals, we expect to break them down into steps. Goals are targets and not absolutes, so it is more acceptable if we have to adjust them along the way. With resolutions, we see failures, but with goals, we view them as temporary setbacks.

Whether we do it at the end of a year or at other points on the calendar, it is good to evaluate the previous year and set goals for the new one. When I taught school, I always evaluated the past school year in June, reflected over the summer, and formed a new set of goals by August. This doesn't have to be done on paper, but it helps to do it. I plan to do something similar as a writer this year. As a historian, I know that assessing the past can help plan for a better future.

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When the Wise Men Came

...behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him (Matthew 2:1b-2).

The second chapter of Matthew is the only biblical account of the wise men or magi who came to visit Jesus. They knew of the prophecy that told of this special king, and they had seen the strange star in the eastern sky as predicted. How adventuresome and bold of them to make this long, grueling journey to honor this King.

...and , lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: and when they opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:9b-11).

Although the Bible doesn't name the foreign visitors, legend and tradition give their names as Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. Neither does the Bible tell us how many came, but, because the plural is used, we know there was more than one. We get the idea there were three because they brought three gifts: frankincense, gold, and myrrh. These gifts were ones commonly given at the birth of a king. In contrast to the shepherds, these were wealthy, educated, respected men. This must have happened sometime after the birth because the small family was now in a house.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way (Matthew 2:12).


The magi may have learned of the Messiah's coming from Daniel (see Daniel 9). Daniel had become important in Babylon, and then Persia conquered the Babylonians and had access to their records. These wise men appear in contrast to the common Jewish shepherds who first worshipped the Baby. Perhaps they are another example that the Christ Child would be the Savior of the whole world. Would that all people go to as much trouble to find Him.

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Are Series Better?

I have been told many times, even by publishers, that each book in a series has better sales than standalones, but I'm not sure that's true for me. After publishing fourteen books, I have two series and another pair that is slightly connected. The first, the Appalachian Roots series, is a set of four historicals. The first book, Cleared for Planting has done really well, especially in the print version. Sown in Dark Soil, the second in the series, has sold well, but not quite as well as Cleared for Planting. Then, each of the next two, Uprooted by War and Transplanted to Red Clay have done less than the ones before them. The Farmers series, a contemporary trilogy, has similar statistics, although not numbers quite as large.

My seven standalones have held their own against the series. Mountain Mishap has done far better than any other ebook, and its done fine in the print version, too. When Winter Is Past is my second bestselling standalone, but its the one with a slight connection to With Summer's Songs.With Summer's Songs, however, hasn't sold nearly as well. It seems to me that each book in a series garners less readers than the ones before it. If the number of reviews are any indication, other authors experience a similar thing.

So, do books in a series sell better than standalones? I would say not. I find that readers choose books based on other criteria, and if they like an author, they will buy other books, regardless of whether they are in a series or not. However, they'll choose what appeals to them. A good series or a good standalone will sell, and a poor series or standalone will not, or at least not more than one trial book. The bottom line is good writing sells, and a talented author will stand out. 

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The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas in 1822 when Clement Moore first shared his classic poem with his family at Chelsea Mansion in New York. The Greek scholar and theology professor liked to dabble in poetry, and his home beside the picturesque Hudson River provided plenty of inspiration. One account says he wrote much of "A Visit from St. Nicholas" while on a sleigh ride to choose a Christmas tree. His wife and six children made up his audience on that Christmas Eve.

He wrote  the poem strictly for entertainment and never expected for it to be published. Someone else who heard it later actually sent it in  the following year. Moore was not comfortable with all the attention the whimsical poem garnered. He would have much preferred that one of  his more scholarly works became popular, but the poem did become popular indeed, more so each year. Today, we consider it a holiday classic.

     Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
     Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
     The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
     In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

     The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
     While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
     And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
     Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

     When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
     I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
     Away to the window I flew like a flash,
     Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

     The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
     Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
     When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
     But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

    With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
     I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
     More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
     And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

     "Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
     On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!
     To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

     Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

     As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
    When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
     So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
     With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

     And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
     The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
     As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
     Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

     He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
     And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
     A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
     And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

     His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
     His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
     His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
     And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

     The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
     And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
     He had a broad face and a little round belly,
     That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

     He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

    And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
    A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
    Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

    He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
    And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
    And laying his finger aside of his nose,
    And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

    He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
    And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
    But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
    HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!

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"Highly Favored"

Hail, thou that are highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women (Luke 1:28b).

Mary is a central figure in the Christmas story and a good example for us all. Unlike Zacharias, she didn't doubt what the angel told her, and what would happen to her was even more incredulous than Elizabeth and him having a child in their old age. Mary was humble, accepting, and said to the angel, "be it unto me according to thy word." She was willing to do whatever God wanted of her, even put up with gossip, a soiled reputation, or what Joseph might say and do. She loved and trusted God.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger. because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7).

Months later, when her time to give birth neared, she traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem with Joseph for the government census. Perhaps no one in Nazareth would have helped her in her condition if he had left Mary behind. This couldn't have been an easy journey for her, either. And, of course, when they got there, Bethlehem was so crowded from the influx of all the others who had to register there that they couldn't find a room. Therefore, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable.

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the peace of God was upon him (Luke 2:40).

A little later the family would need to go to Egypt to escape Herod's wrath, but we aren't told much about Jesus' childhood until the incident in the temple when he was twelve and lagged behind his parents so that they had to go back and look for him. I wonder what it was like for Mary to parent a perfect child when she wasn't perfect? It might not have been as easy as one would first assume. But all indications are they were close. We don't know what  happened to Joseph, but Mary seems to have been near her Son on several occasions. Even from the cross, Jesus asked John to take care of her. We could learn much from studying Mary's commitment to God.

And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary:for thou hast found favour with God (Luke 1:30).

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The Mystery of Mountain Mishap

I have a marketing mystery that I haven't been able to figure out, and it's nagging at me. One of my historical novels, Mountain Mishap, has consistently been outselling all my other ebooks for close to a year now. In fact, its sales have grown until it's not unusual for the book to sell better each month than all my other books put together.

I have seven other historical novels, so that's not the reason. There's another historical novel that the publisher has had at 99 cents for a couple of months now, and Mountain Mishap at $2.99 has been selling better, so price isn't the deciding factor. I have four other books set in the Appalachian Mountains, so it couldn't be that. I haven't advertised it as much as I have some of the other ones because I haven't needed to. And it doesn't have as many reviews than some of the others. In addition, it has 4.7 stars on Amazon, and I have books rated higher, even some with nothing but 5 stars.

I would love to know why the book has done this well so I could use the information as I publish and market others. If any of you have read it and/or have any ideas to answer my question, I would love to hear from you. In any regard, I'm extremely grateful it's doing so well. I have just started the process of producing it on audio books and have selected the narrator. We'll see if it does as well there.

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Maple Syrup

December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day. What a good day to have some pancakes, waffles, or French toast topped with maple syrup. Some cooks substitute it for corn syrup in recipes, and you can find some baking recipes online. In addition, it's fun to experiment to see which maple syrup surprises your family likes.

Red, black, or sugar maple trees are most often tapped to obtain maple syrup. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before winter. The starch is converted to sugar and rises in the xylem sap when spring comes. This is the time to drill holes in the trunks of the maple trees and collect the sap in buckets. The the sap is heated to boil out some of the liquid and leave a syrup. This process originated with Native American groups, but European settlers soon adopted their practices and improved them over time to meet their needs.

Although maple syrup and sugar have about the same amount of sucrose, maple syrup has some health benefits refined sugar does not, the main one being antioxidants. These antioxidants fight free radicals that are known to cause serious health problems. The darker the syrup, the more important antioxidants it has. So today is a good day to indulge in a good helping of maple syrup.

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