Shouting Out Our Friends, Or, Saturday Morning at 10:14am

Let’s revisit the age-old practice of a Shout Out. Remember? Remember always making sure we supported our Internet friends and colleagues? Why yes, I do get nostalgic for the halcyon days of blogging, back when we were all journaling in public and the twin towers of monetization and ego production hadn’t yet cast their long shadows.

(I hasten to add, as I have said before, I actually enjoy the monetized blogs/influencers I follow, Une Femme, Emily Henderson, Northern California Style, Carmeon Hamilton, etc. The weight of industry has not distorted their aesthetic or voice one whit. And I use monetized links myself, sometimes, as the service I belong to has a great search engine. But we all know a presence for whom it went terribly wrong.)

In any case, caveats aside, this morning I am recommending the work of a few women I like and admire enormously.

Goods

Let’s go back all the way to the 2010s;). Remember Patsy Kane? She has stuck by the nautical, while broadening her jewelry line. There’s something about a latitude and longitude that for me encapsulates our attempt to situate in an unknowable universe. Or else just a cool bracelet for a cocktail party, worn with default black trousers and top.

Books

And books. First up, Marchelle Farrell’s book, Uprooting, will be released in August. I know many of you follow her at Afroliage, on Instagram, and are therefore familiar with her lush/crisp, romantic/analytic writings. Her book delves into and examines with one lens her garden, her personal history, and some of what transpired in British/Caribbean history. Available for pre-order;  I would not let 2023 go by without reading it.

Next, two, count them, two of my dear fiction-writing critique partners will be publishing novels this year.

Naomi Shippen will release her debut; Far From Harm. For lovers of suspense and domestic noir, with the additional interest of a setting in the High Country of Victoria, Australia. A woman must recognize the evil in the plans of her new husband, or risk her life and that of the baby she so desperately wants. Naomi is the absolute queen of ostensibly personable, creepy, criminal male characters.

Kerry Chaput will release two, count them, two novels this year. Both available for pre-order now. Chasing Eleanor is the story of her heart, for lovers of historical fiction about found families. A Depression-era orphan finds her chosen family via the words, spirit and finally the actual presence of Eleanor Roosevelt. Daughter of the Shadows is the sequel to Kerry’s very successful first book of the three-part Defying the Crown series, Daughter of the King. For lovers of historical action-adventure fiction, especially if the action and adventure are led by a woman, through the streets and tunnels of 17th century Paris. Kerry’s heroines are impossible not to love, and her stories will make even the most blasé hearts beat faster.

Arts

Kathy Leeds, a friend featured here before, is investigating ceramics. Her large, organic tulipières have already developed a fan club. (I own, and love, one of her paintings.)

Lis Addison is a friend from high school, who as she says, makes music for the voice, body, and higher self. You can listen here, on Spotify. Or follow her on Instagram when you need to reverberate.

Websites

I couldn’t finish this old school shout-out without acknowledging Mighty Minnow, the designers/builders of my new website. I worked with Kristin Long, the company’s founder, in a custom process, and as a result got something better than I’d even imagined. Highly, highly recommend.

For that matter, I can’t conclude without thanking all of you. If anyone would like, BTW, to shout out themselves or someone else, the floor, as we say, is yours.

Have a wonderful weekend.