Okay, I know I said I don’t believe in the whole ‘new year, new you’ thing. And I still don’t. But I AM hell-bent on expanding and transforming the same ‘ol me to the next level, and shaking things up here on Substack (or, smashing them?) is part of my 2026 evolution.
Why Maverick?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a maverick is:
1: an unbranded range animal
2: an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
You won’t be ‘branded.’ You are independent. You push back and stand tall, and you certainly don’t go along with anything that doesn’t align with who you are.
2026 is not a time to be quiet and small.
This newsletter is for the Maverick in all of us—shattering convention with every metaphorical steel-toed kick in the ass. (for anyone who tries to shush us, and for ourselves when we need a reminder of how badass we are.)
If you check out my website, you’ll see that it, too, got a fresh new look, and you’ll notice the same basic theme carried through over there.
What about Pen & Tarot?
Not long ago, I announced that I wanted this newsletter to reflect more aspects of me and my thoughts than focusing solely on tarot and writing. This rebranding is perfect timing, as you may have noticed that Pen & Tarot is soon to become a real-life app!! My app-baby has its own website, and I didn’t want it to be confusing. You will notice that what I share won’t be any different than my last few posts—there will always be tarot, as that’s a part of my life, but I now feel more free to expand!
I’m so excited to share my app with you! Pen & Tarot will be like having a tarot deck in your back pocket, except that every card provides different writing prompts! Ideas for what your character can ponder or do, where your plot could go, and even the option to interview your characters and receive writing motivation—all inspired by the Major Arcana tarot cards.
If this sounds like something you can’t wait to get your hands on, sign up on our waiting list to ensure you’ll be the first to know when it’s ready. You will also have the option to test it out and give feedback before it hits the app stores!
Coming Up…
I’m looking forward to attending another First Draft Minneapolis event on January 11th at the Troubadour Wine Bar. This time, however, I won’t be reading…I’ll be sharing my tarot magic with writers after the show! I will be available to both participating readers and any attendees who would like insight into their WIP. Have a question for your character? Want to know what they could be thinking, or what they could do next? Wondering where to take your plot? Wanting to do more journaling, but you’d like a prompt from the tarot to start? The next topic for your newsletter??
The event is from 6:00-7:00 pm, and I’ll be at a table ready to pull some cards when it’s done. If you’re a local, I’d sure love to see you there!
Okay, Maverick. Are you ready to shatter convention with me? Let’s do this.
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