Every December, writers are supposed to talk about sales numbers, rankings, and goals for the new year.
But that’s not what most of us are thinking about.
What we’re thinking about is you — the person who picked up a book, gave it time, and let a stranger’s words live in your head for a while. That’s not a small thing. It never has been.
So here’s my Christmas wish list. Not what I want from my readers — but what I hope for them.
1. Time to read without guilt.
Reading isn’t a luxury. It’s maintenance.
2. A book that grabs you and doesn’t let go.
The kind where “just one more chapter” is a lie you’re happy to tell yourself.
3. Characters who feel like people.
Flawed. Complicated. Worth rooting for anyway.
4. Stories that make you feel something.
Joy, anger, comfort, recognition — even discomfort. Especially that one.
5. Permission to quit books that aren’t working.
Life’s too short and the shelves are too full.
6. The freedom to reread old favorites.
There’s a reason you loved them the first time.
7. Quiet moments where a story feels like company.
Not noise. Not distraction. Just presence.
8. Trust in your own taste.
You don’t need to justify what you love to anyone.
9. Curiosity that leads you somewhere unexpected.
New genres. New voices. New surprises.
10. The reminder that stories matter.
Not because they sell. Because they connect us.
And if I get one selfish wish this season: May the books you love be written by people who care deeply about the work — and may you always feel welcome in the worlds they build.
At Stories Rule Press, we don’t see readers as “the market.” We see you as partners in the conversation. Every story is an invitation, and every reader who accepts it makes the whole thing worthwhile.
So thank you — for reading, for recommending, for leaving notes and messages, and for trusting us with your time. We don’t take that lightly.
Merry Christmas, and may the year ahead bring you great stories, warm light, and more books than you can possibly keep up with.
— Mark 