Ahoy March!

I am hibernating just like Punxatawny Phil told me to do. He did say six more weeks of winter, so I am like these fishing boats in the historic New Bedford Massachusetts harbor staying safe. I notice they they are huddled up connecting left and right or port to starboard. It almost looks as if they are collaborating or planning their next voyage out to sea! Let’s see what I have been up to and what you can do to connect and collaborate in 2025 to arrive at at your goals with deep purpose. Life is about the Connections we make with people and Grabbing the opportunity to Collaborate with People

March is supposed to come in like a lion and out like a lamb or something like that. While the winds have battled the windows of our home in the northeast(even the wind turbines were shut down), I have been battering the tiny panes of letters on my keyboard. I keep hoping these words will eventually form into a book that I can share with the world. I am cognizant of this time of year when it is easy to hibernate like the ships instead of connecting with people to create possible collaboration’s.

I recently listened to a creative artist describe the importance of developing or updating a newsletter. Kiley Bennet, a surface pattern designer with Bonnie Christine states that, “People are craving long form connection  in the form of newsletters, podcasts, Substack etc. I am working on the newsletter. People are moving beyond the short bursts of Instagram and wanting more of the story behind the creative. Really? Ok, I will admit the more I know, like and trust people, the more I want to buy their book, purchase their art or take their course. That is a fact.

The other fact is that we can be stubborn humans. I think back to my then two year old son, whose favorite response to anything was, MY DO IT! In a loud all caps voice, he would assert his intentions. We like to do things on our own, but true creativity comes about when we connect with people with similar interests allowing for the next level of collaboration which produces content or products that we could not create solo. I have been writing alone and with support from various critique groups for several years, so recently when I was presented with a collaboration, I grabbed onto it.

I have been a member of Hope*writers for several years. They have expanded into supporting writers with publishing and their newest project includes creating a collaborative book. They accept ten writers to submit a chapter based on one of many topics. I have been working on a book about my own mid-life capsize story and more specifically on the empty nest or better said free bird experience. I decided to connect with them by an inquiry and proposed a chapter idea that was accepted into their collaborative book project. I am excited because it is a good way for me to share my work in a safe way. I don’t have to write a big book or float a big boat, just submit a tiny dinghy. That is an oxymoron, a dinghy is tiny. You get the idea, and of course the risk is less.

All ten of us are in it together, we get to learn with each other and from each other. We get to sail forward with a book because we all chose to grab onto an opportunity to be part of something. This will hopefully be helpful in sharing the marketing part of the author, publishing and marketing trifecta. The more the merrier. In my upcoming book, the Uncapsize Perspective, I talk about the third motion which describes the importance of grabbing onto resources both free and paid that present themselves either as a person, place or thing. Grabbing the book collaboration (thing)and connecting with other writers(people) publishing in June in Charlotte NC(place). I know have a solid purpose and a goal, a “PURPOAL”, which will help me move forward. I know PURPOAL is not a real word, but I like the sound of it and I like the color purple.

This is my third month of collaborating with a friend so that we can share our creativity with words in the form of a newsletter, blogs and book share. It is getting easier to work through technology, (last month I couldn’t get the logo at the top of the letter) and we are able to support each other and be accountable to our deadlines. We collaborate on the topic and then share our separate ideas. When I am done writing, I take a look at her blog to determine how I can connect her words with mine. Take a look at my friend and language of flowers, expert and author of A Bouquet of Words, Mary, to see how she experiences connection and collaboration working for her writing and teaching. READ HERE

Here is to “hoping” your March lopes in like a lamb while you stroll into spring. March on and Ready About!

Ahoy, Duck

About Me Y’all…This was my college nick name, simply my last name shortened. I decided that since both sons are in college, I wanted to feel that fun part of me as if i was back there too, (minus all the course work), so I am reverting back to the name passed down from my grandfather, Duck, my dad, Ducky, me-Duck and my oldest son is now Ducky.