Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays from my home to yours!

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays from my home to yours! 

This is a favorite time of the year for me. I love the lights, the colors, the festivities, the gatherings and the changes of pace it brings. Everything! And oh yes, the decorating and lots of entertaining. Nightly, we light candles and all the colorful lights. Love it all.

Normally, it’s a wonderful time of “togetherness” with family and friends; and a time of reflection on the past year … and think forward. Last year, many were hunkered down—Zooming their gatherings, with little to none in-person celebrations. It’s different this year. I’ve got the family over for Christmas Eve—the favored rack of lamb menu has been requested. Living in Colorado, we’ve had weird weather—reminding me of my California Christmas days where it was always sunny. In my 30 plus years here, this is my first non-white Christmas.

By the end of next week, gulp, is the beginning of 2022. Winter Solstice lands on December 21st, a favorite of mine … which means that THREE more minutes of daylight are added each day forward until June and the march begins toward Spring and then Summertime … and long daylight days!

And I hear AUTHOR SUCCESS! The 2021 Publishing at Sea was canceled last winter due the dreadful bug, but 2022 is a go for February 26–an 8-night Southern Caribbean adventure.

As you spend time with those you are close to, it’s natural to noodle a bit. They all know you have a book … or are writing one. Questions for you:

  • Are they encouragers or stompers?
  • Do they celebrate each step or shake their heads thinking it’s a folly?
  • And how about you … where … exactly are you in the process?

During this final week of the year slips forward, this is the time to look back and look forward during some of your “down days.”

What worked? What didn’t? And if something, just didn’t work, what are your plans? Scrap it? Morph it? See if it will right itself? What?

SO … your big questions are:

  • What are you going to do the same; keep doing–yet change a bit; or add new to your authoring/publishing mix? Why?
  • What’s worked this year? Why?
  • Are you going to continue to do the same or change it up a bit? Why?
  • What’s not worked? Why?
  • Are you going to keep it in the mix? Or change it up a bit? Why?
  • What would you like to add? Why?

What do you need to do … as in now … to awaken your author and book spirits … so that Your Author Force becomes your driver?

I would love to have you to make comments … let’s compile a list to share for a future blog.

All of us within The Book Shepherd team appreciates you and what your amazing words and stories do for so many. Congratulations to the authors who have won national book awards again this year–we celebrate your amazing journeys and success.

Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. Often, she must roll up her writing sleeves and become a Book Doctor, juicing up storylines and author words. She empowers authors and works directly with authors who want to be seriously successful and has been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the ’80s. Judith is the author of 37 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book PlatformsSnappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers, and How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech. Her personal memoir When God Says NO-Revealing the YES When Adversity and Loss Are Present is a #1 bestseller on Amazon. Collectively, her books have earned over 45 book awards. Judith speaks throughout the year at publishing conferences. 

Throughout the year, she holds Judith Briles Book Unplugged in-person and online experiences: Publishing, Speaking, Marketing, and Social Media. All are two-day intensives limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. Join Judith live for the “AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing” podcast on the Toginet Radio Network HERE

Follow @AuthorUYOUBooks and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorYOU, and join the Facebook group Book Publishing with The Book Shepherd. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact her.

©2021 Judith Briles – The Book Shepherd™ All Rights Reserved.