With only a few days before Christmas, I was asked, "Katie? As an author, what do you want for Christmas?"
As an author?
That's a good question because the answer is definitely different from what I want personally. For example, Katie—the mom and wife—wants a pasta attachment for her Kitchen Aid mixer and blender so I can make soups and sauces. Ya girl loves to cook. Meanwhile, Katie—the woman—wants a massage and a new bottle of Chanel perfume.
So, as an author, what does Katie want?
To be honest, this would be my longest list. The things I want as an author are almost endless because Katie--the author--is the person I need to work the hardest on in 2025.
This gave me an idea, though, and I now present to you, "The 12 Days of Katie Rae Christmas Wishes."
*Clears throat and prepares to sing....
*Remembers no one will hear this (thank god) and will only be reading it...
I want...
12 million page reads:
Most of my books are on Kindle Unlimited, which is my primary source of income as an author. Twelve million page reads feels impossible for me right now but it would be career-changing in the best way.
11 months of promotional services:
I've worked with some of the most amazing people over the years and want to get back into using those services to take some of the pressure off of me so that I can write more.
10 people on a street team:
This goes hand in hand with a promotional service, but it's more about having at least 10 people who love my books enough to post them on their socials all the time, taking some of the pressure off of me doing it alone. I used to have a street team, but creating the content was challenging. I need some outside ingenuity and ideas, not because I'm paying them, but because someone just genuinely loved a book or quote or scene.
9 new words for vagina:
Let's face it, the V word isn't cute. But either is folds, muff, kitty, twat, beaver, and penis fly trap. I tend to use the P word, but I kind of hate that too. So, I'd love a few more acceptable naughty nouns in my life.
8 hours a day to write:
With the responsibility of homeschooling my kids, being the primary manager of our home, and the amount of laundry we somehow go through, I'll never see a solid eight hours in the office every day. But I feel like I could rule the world if I just had the time.
7 new story ideas:
This one is tricky because sometimes it feels like I have an endless amount of story ideas. But other days, it feels like zero. I'd love to have a solid seven. Just something to help me keep the creative juices flowing every day of the week.
6 'new to me authors' (sorta) to read:
One of my main goals for 2025 is to spend a little more time reading for fun. That includes reading the books of authors I've met and loved, but never read. It's never been personal; I'm sure they feel the same way. We just don't give ourselves time to read very much, and when we do, we stick with our favorite authors and tropes. I want to read one book a month in 2025, and half of those should be new to me authors. I say "sorta" because I know them, but their words will be new to me.
5 star reviews:
Every author's dream is to get those five stars. Not only does it feel validating, it helps nudge the book into the hands of others.
4 signing events:
Five is too many; three is not enough. So far, I have TWO for 2025, and I am happy with that number for now. This next year needs to be more about getting my feet back on solid ground after taking most of 2024 "off." But signing events give me LIFE. They put me in a safe space with like-minded people who love books and love love.
3 new book releases:
For 2025, I have 3 books planned, plotted, and ready to be written. In fact, one of those books is already well on its way to being your new favorite Katie Rae book. Let's hope all goes according to schedule.
2 more layers of skin:
This means I need to be tougher. I need to be able to power through the negative-nellys and keep writing. So often, something negative will pop up in romance land or the book world in general, and I shut down completely. These things don't have to be directed at me for me to react. I close off. I hide. Then, when I think it's safe, I start putting my fingers on the keys again and letting the words flow. I'm gonna need thicker skin to survive.
1 Amazon best-seller:
Is that too much to ask for? Haha. Probably. And truthfully, I'd settle for a top 200 so that I can break my own personal record of being 299 with The Way We Fight back in 2022. Ahhh, those were the days. But they're fleeting, and I don't think I fully embraced how magical it was. I want to feel it again.
Obviously, the list could go on forever. But I hope this gave you a glimpse at my goals, brought a little holiday spirit into your life, and, most importantly, made you smile.
Love,
Katie
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