Are you allowed to be aloud out loud?
Happy whatever, team.
And here we are. In that special time of year between one global holiday and another. Please do not turn away from the news. It is important. However, I am not a reporter, even though I wanted to be a journalist when I grew up.
Good thing I course corrected to librarian.
Anyway, I’m coming at you live from my bed with Bob Belcher’s kids in my ears. I had a solo holiday. A witchy one. A loving one. A bespoke one.
And I loved every moment of it. Thank you to anyone reading this who made it happen for me. I fucking needed it. You’re swell, and I love you.
Ok, enough of that, Scrooge. Onward.
THE QUESTION.
I asked my friend, Johnny, what his question was re: life, the universe, and everything.
“I really enjoyed listening to your poetry allowed…out loud…aloud, do you have any plans to narrate more of your work?”
Maybe! Voice work is exhausting for me. I’ve been playing with reading Island Come True aloud to myself to see how the words would feel in the mouth of narrator. So, I’m hunting. Let me know if you know a guy!
THE PLAN.
I’m nothing if not a project manager, classically trained over at Alverno College in Milwaukee. And so, I conduct my life accordingly. Some people call it ambition. I call it planning. Here’s what’s on the creative docket for 2025:
Begin working with book coach, Rachel, on a grimm retelling: a novel-in-verse (maybe) feminist retelling of my favorite tales. Fingers crossed we can get this pitched by the end of 2025!
Self-publish the Pandora poetry project. That will start sometime after Q1, likely. Working with my favorite artist on the cover! I’m so excited!
Continuing to poke at Island Come True. There’s something here, I know it. But it’s not ready. It could be in 2026, though, and I need an agent. Preferably a talent agent. Again, lmk if you know a guy.
I also will be enrolled in two grad school courses online and trying to automate my income as much as possible. Buy my book maybe? It’s on sale until Jan 1, any eReader. Like, $2.49. It’s got badass babes, end of the world emotions, and written for 14+ readers. You’ll probably like it. Throw a coin to your witcher, etc.
OK… NEXT.
East coast is calling. And I’m answering my phone again.
Be well. Be happy. And for fuck’s sake, be healthy. We need you. Here. Now.
Happy 2025, birds, weavers, and butterflies.
Goodbye 2024 to the rest.
-js