What's New?

I Want To Be a Mermaid re-released!

Hey Write-Riders!

It's been a minute but for good reason. Yes, I know we are all busy and STAY BUSY, but it has never been more true for me than now.

I am working on two poetry collections simultaneously. One of them, Conversations Over Water, is being rushed to publish by this weekend.

To go along with the book, I will be appearing live on YouTube at The Lounge of Sound with Los Castro on Friday, August 8th, at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET. Don't leave me hanging. Come on in for poetry, music and real conversations over whatever you're eating or drinking at the time. Lol. Look forward to the chat!

Next on the list, hubby is pivoting our tailor shop biz to feature his own designer menswear, Michael Iji. So, that's a shameless plug for him, www.michaeliji.com, and also to say that I am busy in the background, choosing fabrics, paying the bills and keeping the whole ship running - despite him thinking he's at the helm of it all. I am doing about 15 jobs on a daily basis along with this! Give me my flowers, please.

What's next? I am in meetings with a lovely young lady from Detroit that has ten toes down on uplifting women entrepreneurs around the way! The stories behind these women motivate us to show them love and encouragement as they balance family life, health, and mental wellness while building a business to support their families I am so excited to be a part of the project we have on tap, and I can't wait to share more of it with you. Just know that when she has something to do or say, She Speaks Success over it!

And then there is the wonderful artist I met on NextDoor last month. I was captivated by a watercolor sketch she posted, and before I knew what hit me, I had written an entire story to go along with her artwork. I reached out on her post and now we are in collaboration to present a children's storybook to the world by year end. I have already designed the cover and am editing the story. With her artwork and my prose, we look forward to sharing our collab with local libraries, bookstores, kids' corners and daycares everywhere. I am building a marketing plan in my head as I type, also putting it on paper. I feel very strongly that this is going to be a wonderful success!

Ok, say where are we? Other projects still include attempts at crowdfunding and grant writing to secure capital to launch the greeting card - novelty gift business. In the spirit of robbing Peter to pay Paul, I am launching many of these other initiatives to raise funding to launch the business, Narrow Gate Greeting Card Co, a subsidiary of parent company, Jess Vaughn Creatives. Yes, Jess Vaughn and I are still rolling together after 25 years of this pen name. It's all love...

I am working on refreshing my presence on Instagram; contemplating how to present myself on Facebook and which pages need to close. I am haphazardly starting a new YouTube channel, which I hope to work out the kinks on and add new content consistently soon.

May be heading up north for a poetry reunion later this year, if all things fall into place...

Also will be doing a few weeks of volunteer work in what we call 'seldom worked territory' and hosting a house guest in the autumn, so there is never a dull moment nor any to waste where I am concerned.

That's the gist of it. I'm sure I've left a few things out, but this is enough, right?

So, when I tell you I'm busy, believe me. Hope all is well with you and yours.

TTYL,

JKV