Dear Friends;

Thank you, one and all, for a wonderful blogging season.  Last week was my final weekly essay of the year.  From here on out, I’ll be retreating into winter to work on my newest book.

But wait!  Before I go, I want to talk to you about something special that’s happening this winter. My blogging habit and winter writing projects are supported in large part by reader patronage, with many of you making monthly contributions of as little as $1-2. This sponsorship adds up and keeps me going.  It helps me create new material, partially covers my web fees, and starting this year, it will do something more for both of us.

For all patrons who sign on between now and Dec 31(and current patrons, of course!), I am doing something special.  I’m going to publicly (well, privately, with you), embrace my imperfections.  Patronage has enabled me to spend the last three years (or is it four??) writing my first novel, a work of semi-autobiographical historical fiction, titled Angels and Stones. It’s not done.  I’ve written it.  And re-written it.  And I’ll probably re-write it again.  Maybe I’ll re-write it ’til the day I die.  But my patrons have made it happen.  So starting this January, my patrons will have exclusive access to one chapter each week from the manuscript.  You can read it.  You can criticize it. You can offer feedback for improvements. You can witness and participate in the creative process.  I may not respond to all comments, but I’ll keep them, then use them as I revise it next winter. And next winter, I’ll feed you even more chapters.

Meanwhile, your monthly payments will support something else: the writing of The Radical Entrepreneur: a guide for surviving and thriving in a new economy — where family, community and planet matter.  I’ve put myself on a deadline to have my first draft of this manuscript ready before I start blogging next spring…So I really need to get to work!

Your decision to become a patron makes all this happen.  It doesn’t take much: A promise of $1-2 per month through Patreon, or more, if you feel like you can spare it.

Meanwhile, I’ll keep working.  I love what I do, and I’m thankful you are on the journey with me.

Thanks for reading & supporting my work for another year.

From here on out, the weekly posts will contain our Saturday cafe menus and farm news, and nothing else.  The essays will return at the end of May.

Have a wonderful holiday season and a joyful winter.  Please make sure you get outside to play!

Fondly,

Shannon