Pages

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Kate Angell: Goals


GOALS: I have many, and try to achieve each one. Sometimes I falter or fail. Other times I grab the brass ring. Always I persist, breathing new life into all that's important to me. Never-say-die has always been my mantra. 

I knew from a young age I would someday become a published author. I had no idea 'when' that might  happen, but I believed nonetheless. There were days, weeks, months, years when my life took a far different course than writing. I groomed dogs, was a social worker, managed my family's fast food restaurant, and worked in the public school system. I had many wonderful and eye-opening experiences. I met a lot of interesting people; a few later became character sketches in my books.

It took me twenty years to sell my first book. I received so many rejection letters, I started a scrapbook. Declines motivated me. I saw rejection as editorial selection. I had yet to write the book an editor would buy. I waited for that right book, right editor, right time.  

I would write each day, even if it was only a paragraph or one page. I tried every genre imaginable: historicals, paranormals, suspense, women's fiction, category romance. Not until I set my mind to romantic comedies did I truly find my niche. I'm very happy writing light, sexy, contemporary novels. When life is hard, a happy ending appeals to me.

Push forward in life, whatever your goals. May success be yours!

I hope readers will enjoy my fifth baseball romance Sweet Spot (May) and my first beach, boardwalk romance, No Tan Lines (June).

Sweet Spot: A hot male athlete is tamed by a quirky, passionate woman. Star second baseman James “Law” Lawless and ambitious financial adviser Cat May have a memorable sexual encounter while in costumes and masks at a night club. He spends much of the book trying to identify “Wonder Woman” while she tries to pretend the incident never happened. Meanwhile, as affluent investor, Law meets Cat in her professional role and is wowed by her business acumen. Fans of the Richmond Rogues will enjoy cameo appearances from the whole team and their sweethearts

No Tan Lines: The Capulets and Montagues had nothing on the Cates and Saunders families, who own opposite sides of a Florida boardwalk town and live in cold disdain of their neighbors. Shaye Cates is a natural beauty, happiest in shorts and flip-flops, who runs her family’s faltering businesses from the beach on the Barefoot William side of town. Handsome Trace Saunders is rarely seen without a suit as he manages a dignified and profitable real estate empire in a traditional office. A volleyball tournament that straddles both sides of the beach forces them to work together, and instant sizzle leads to inevitable romance, despite disapproval from both families.

Question: Do you set goals? Short-term or long-range?

Post a comment for the giveaway: $25.00 Amazon digital gift card to a winner drawn at random. I will also give a copy of Sweet Spot as a second place gift. And a copy of No Tan Lines to a third winner.

Happy Reading!
Kate Angell
www.kateangell.com

***Kate's winners are: Megblod, Na, and Lil!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing info!  Thanks!***

30 comments:

Mary Preston said...

I do believe in setting myself short-term goals. I find this do-able. Sometimes the short-term goals are steps along the path for the Grand Plan.

Laney4 said...

I set short-term goals that lead to long-term goals. My goals aren't "numbered", though. That is to say, lots of people try to increase or decrease their "number" (like weight, or number of times you execute a certain exercise, etc.). I used to do that, but it set me up to fail too often, so now I simply "do it", no matter how many times. I say I want to work on the mending pile, but I don't say I have to mend ten items a day, for example. The same thing goes for my scrapbooking pages; I am currently working on 1991, but I don't create pressure on myself to do one event/day or one month of photos/week to try to get caught up. I've learned that "real life intrudes" more often than not, and sometimes those things temporarily take priority over my own goals (like funerals, phoning a friend going through a rough spot, going out for lunch when I need to lose another pound, etc.).
My goals for TODAY are to clean out my emails (that constantly slow down my computer), work on my mending pile, work on the scrapbooking pages (duh), and to find my living room floor (as scrapbooking items are all over it at the moment) before I head off to play badminton tonight. What the heck ... I probably should eat and do paid work in there too, LOL.

Karen H said...

I'm not much of a goal setter but I find when I set a short-term goal, I am more likely to satisfactorily complete the task.

petite said...

I do set goals that are reasonable and then I am pleased with the result.

Eli Yanti said...

i do not set goals bf but i'm planning starting to do it soon, i have a goal to reach now

Dina said...

Hi Kate, I don't set goals anymore, I try and hope it goes the way I'd like, if not try again, lol

Lil said...

I set goals and then work to reach them. And yes, sometimes there are detours to reaching them but I just consider them part of the journey. Tenacity really does help.

little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

Fedora said...

Hi, Kate! I still occasionally set goals, but in general, find deadlines easier to push myself to meet. I'm pretty bad about figuring out what I need to do in the short-term to meet a long-term goal for myself, although I don't necessarily have this same blind-spot when it comes to other people's goals ;) Maybe in part because it's easier to say, declutter a friend's house than my own!

Congrats on these new releases--can't wait to add them all to my TBR!

f dot chen at comcast dot net

traveler said...

I set goals and approach them with determination so that I can be successful.

Kathleen O said...

I try to set goals. And I try to make them. One of my goals this year was to get new furniture.. And I reached it. A new sofa, new kitchen chairs and a new beside table and lamp, plus a new dresser for the bedroom.. and I have reached the goal for the all.. Just a few more goals to go... A new area rug and new tables for the living room ... or and a Lazy boy recliner for the livingroom too...

Michele L. said...

I dream of the goals I would love to achieve. I have reached some of those goals too along the way. I love anything artsy and now work at an art supply store. Heaven! Also, I make and sell jewelry and cards. I always wanted to design cards and that dream has become a reality, plus people are buying them. To set a goal and achieve it, is pretty amazing!

Congrats on your new books Kate! Your persistance paid off when you got your book published after 20 years. A big congratulations to you!

host said...

I used to set goals but nowadays I just have one - to be happy

Jo's Daughter said...

Yes I do set goals and try to achieve them. Doesn't always work out as I planned but I keep in mind that you never know what will happen in life and you should be flexible enough to alter your goals.

Na said...

I have always been a goal-setter and often setting it helps me see where I am coming from and going. I set both small and long-term goals and actively look back on them. It keeps me motivated and from getting lost. The goals I make aren't set in stone. Sometimes they change or expand but it's important just to have them.

Cambonified[at]yahoo[dot]com

Totebag Guest said...

Hello Everyone! I'm thrilled to be blogging today. I love all your comments, I've had fun reading your posts. Short or long-term goals give us momentum to achieve. I always start small - then go bigger.

Have a Fabulous Summer!

Kate Angell

girlygirlhoosier52 said...

I don't think about it as 'goal setting'..but I am a planner!

erin said...

Thanks for a fun post! Congrats on the new releases! They look fabulous :)

I only really set short term goals. It's easy to get distracted and "give up" on the long term ones.

Leni said...

I haven't set any goals lately. If there is a direction I need to take or something that I want to do I'm aware of it and do it.

Natalija said...

Great post, thanks for sharing! Few years ago I had so many plans & goals, but one day I changed my life 180 degrees: left my job, my apartment & moved to Italy. Since that day I try to live a single day at a time & not to set any goals (especially the long-term ones).

penney said...

Wonderful blog! I have to set myself short-term goals that's it!
Your book sounds real good!
Thank you
Penney

runner10 said...

I am a planner. I love to set goals and see them achieved.

Pat Cochran said...

For a woman who is nearing the age of
seventy-six, there is no such critter
as "long-range planning." There is just
life and enjoyment of what time God has
allotted for us. I am totally enjoying
family, friends, and life in the big city!

Pat Cochran

Di said...

Yes I do set goals. I've been doing a lot of house renovations, so my original ideas of completion time are often pushed out, especially when others are involved, but the importan thing is that the projects do get done.

*yadkny* said...

So I don't end up disappointing myself I try steer away from planning too many long term goals. Short terms ones seem a little more manageable for me. I actually have No Tan Lines on my short term reading goal list for the Summer:)

yadkny@hotmail.com

Chrisbails said...

The only goal I have set lately is losing weight. It is definately a long term goal. I am not good at setting and completing them. I loose interest or something else comes up.
Love the titles of these3 books. Both look great. Kate is a new author for me and always looking for new authors to check out. Thanks for the giveaway.
Christinebails@yahoo.com

megblod said...

I'm really bad about making goals and then not being able to keep them.

Megblod@yahoo.com

Renee said...

I am good at setting goals then changing them so what's the point. If I manage to stick to a goal, I achieve it. You would think I would learn that about myself.

rrbcpa at bellsouth dot net

Maureen said...

I do set goals but don't always stay on track but then I have to re-start myself.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Laurie G said...

I'm much better with short term goals. I like to attack a project and get it I tackle another project.

johnslake at usa dot com

Lory Lee said...

It's really weird but, some, specially short term goals. But most of the time I don't set goals because I just end up failing them. Instead, I just live each day and see whats going to happen. No worries. ;>