On Resolutions, Realism, and the Year That Surprised Me

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 — Orlando, Florida

I’ve never been much for New Year’s resolutions. That just wasn’t the kind of tradition our little, lopsided family—Mom, my older half‑sister, and Yours Truly—ever took seriously. Sure, one of us might toss out a hopeful line now and then: “This is the year I’ll finally hit the Florida Lottery,” or “Maybe I’ll manage to be a better person.” But even those felt more like conversational filler than declarations of intent. We never sat down and compared resolutions—not with Mom, and certainly not with my half‑sister, whose absence now stretches between us like a long shadow at dusk.

Truth be told, I’ve always thought New Year’s resolutions were polite fictions—little stories we tell ourselves because the calendar flips and tradition insists on ceremony.

(For the record, I did come dangerously close to millionaire status once. In 2016, I snagged five out of six Lotto numbers and walked away with a modest $3,000—close enough to taste victory, just far enough for poetic disappointment.)

When it comes to resolutions, I prefer to keep things realistic and quietly ambitious. Take my 2025 goal: finish my novel, Reunion: Coda. By the end of 2024, I’d muscled it to about 75% completion. Four months of relentless typing, existential tea breaks, and wrangling feedback later, I finally unleashed it on April 5, 2025. Mission accomplished—with flair.

I don’t recall resolving to write anything else in 2025. I probably didn’t. After all, Reunion: Coda—a 531‑page magnum opus with two interwoven timelines expanding the story I began back in 1998 with the elegiac but tightly written Reunion: A Story—had wrung me out physically, mentally, and emotionally. My plan, one year ago, was simple: finish the novel, rest for a bit, then either assemble an omnibus edition of what was then The Reunion Duology or start a new project to carry me into 2026.

But Fate, as ever, had other ideas.

Between Reunion: Coda’s publication in April and early July, I wrote and released a companion story: Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen: A Jim Garraty Story. Thankfully, it’s not another novel-length undertaking. Instead, it’s a quietly luminous companion piece, capturing one night’s transformation from awkward beginnings to the kind of closeness that rewrites your inner dialogue. It’s a story about music, memory, and the rare kindness of someone meeting you exactly where you are—with patience, humor, and unexpected grace.

And because 2025 wasn’t done surprising me, I also stepped into the world of audiobooks. Reunion: A Story and Comings and Goings went into production through Amazon’s ACX and have been available on Audible since early November. Reunion: Coda will join them in early 2026—possibly as soon as February—thanks to producer and narrator Stefan Lee.

As for the omnibus edition of what is now The Jim Garraty Chronicles? That project is still simmering. Some of the delay is due to the quirks of the Kindle Create app, but most of it stems from my own stamina and emotional reserves. Still, it’s on the horizon.

And yes—you can probably guess what my “resolution” for 2026 is.

Before we step into the new year, though, I want to offer something simple and sincere: if my stories have intrigued you, moved you, or even just piqued your curiosity, I’d be grateful if you’d consider purchasing, reading, and reviewing them. Independent authors live and breathe by the generosity of readers who take a chance on our work and share their thoughts with the world. Your support helps these stories reach the people who need them.

Whether you make resolutions or skip them entirely, I wish you a warm, hopeful, and meaningful 2026. May it bring you good stories, good company, and the quiet courage to keep going.