Time for a story and a coupon code
One is free and the other saves you money.
I’m still very much hibernating under blankets and cats, but my hairy overlords have given me permission to share two major things with you before this long-ass year ends.
Also, thank you for loving up on my last note! Read it here if you missed it the first time.
Number 1: Time for a story
Here are more details…
On Saturday, January 8, 2022 (4 pm EST), GCLS Writing Academy After Dark presents “Small Bites: Flash Fiction” with Virginia Black, Olwen Wilson (me!!!), Slawka G. Scarso, and Renee Young, moderated by Finnian Burnett.
We’ll be discussing the flash fiction genre (which is still very new to me) and I’ll be reading my story, “More Sludge Than Pink Popsicle Sticks”. This is the one that will soon be published in an upcoming Flash Fiction Festival anthology after receiving a runner-up contest placement.
It’s important to mention that:
This is a free event.
It’s virtual.
You don’t need to be a member of GCLS to register.
I’d LOVE to have you join us!!!
Click here for more details and to register.
Number 2: Time for a coupon code
Use coupon code SAVE25 to take $25 off the price of Exploring Creative Connection Through Visual Journaling. The code expires on Jan. 2, 2022.
This course is all about giving you the space and support you need to explore your creativity in ways that work best for you.
I’m a big fan of making fun messes like these (best enjoyed with sound on). It’s simply a bonus that visual journaling also helps you boost your confidence around your creativity, deepen your self-awareness while you play, and manage your stress.
And in February 2022, I’ll be hosting weekly group gatherings, so we can create in community!
This means you’ll have more opportunities to connect as well as have some accountability/company while you make your way through the course. I’m always available to answer questions, but these weekly meetings can add some momentum to your creative practice.
Reserve your spot now and you can get started right away!
Don’t forget to use coupon code SAVE25 before it expires on Jan. 2, 2022.
Alright, Miss Violet is head-butting my chin which means I need to wrap this up…
Thank you for reading.
I wish you a gentle end to 2021 and all the very best, always.
And I hope you remember to ignore any and all of that “New Year, New You” bullshit that is already being shoved down our throats. Fuck that shit. We’ve got more important things to deal with.
PS. Insecure (HBO) has ended and I’m still in mourning. I’ve loved this show since the beginning and I love how they wrapped it up.
Work in Progress (Showtime) I didn’t know what to expect with this show but found it on one of those “underrated shows of the year” lists that make the rounds before January. I binged season 1 in a night but am giving myself some space to process it all before I dive into season 2.
PPS. Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi is breathtaking! The author amazed me within the first ten pages and I immediately knew I had to take my time with their words. So while I haven’t finished it yet, I already know this book is one that will stay with me long after I’m done.
Since bell hooks death I’ve been revisiting her books on my shelf (I suspect many lovers of her work have). I’m currently underling even more powerful passages in All About Love: New Visions and am forever grateful to an awful professor for introducing me to bell hooks’ words and wisdom while in university. Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center was the first book I read of hers and I still shake my head at how my professor (her name was probably Karen) didn’t really understand it.
I’m also thankful that approx. 20 years ago my dad gave me a twenty-dollar bill after I spent all my money at a book festival we were attending so I could buy one of the few remaining tickets to see bell hooks speak live at a church in Toronto. (I can’t remember what organization was hosting the event, but I do remember doing a double-take at the handmade sign announcing the ticket price of $20. I asked the people behind the table multiple times if it was for real, and if it was THE bell hooks that I’d be seeing even after they handed me my paper ticket.)
And even though I got to the church really early, I couldn’t bring myself to sit in the front pew. I was worried I’d start to cry when I saw her. Instead, I just stared at her from a few rows back with my mouth gaping open while she made me laugh. (FYI, I still have zero chill when it comes to meeting someone whose work has changed my life.)