Time for Change: Art of Divine (My YouTube Channel!)

Hi everyone, and welcome back to Too Many Books to Count! This month, we’re talking all about change, specifically changes both personally and professionally, in my life. And this week’s topic really isn’t one I wanted to do. But you know what? It was bound to happen sometime.

I have a YouTube channel. It’s called Art of Divine, and I’ve been creating videos there for a couple months, at this point. Videos that I’ve been having a lot of fun with. Videos that have made me realize I’m not sure what the future is here, in TMBTC, when I have YouTube Channel too. I know, I know, I’ve been here for years and it’s been a lot of fun, but video is the "in" thing, and honestly, I’m enjoying it. That’s not something I ever thought I’d say, either.

So today’s announcement, today’s change, is that I’ll be phasing out blog posts, by the end of the year. Maybe sooner, we’ll see. Point is, these are the last days of Too Many Books to Count. And if you want to keep keeping up with me, you’ll just have to follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Trust me, if you like what I do here, you’ll love what I’m doing in Art of Divine.

There, so far, I’ve recorded a few vlog-style videos, videos where I’ve talked about life, about what’s going on with RAD Writing and what to expect from me in the future, videos where I’ve spent some time talking about belly dance (which you all know I love), and even videos where I break down paintings I’ve done at paint night.

It's fun. It’s artsy. And it’s a creative channel that I’m hoping will bring me better success and more joy. Don’t get me wrong; I love the blog. I love writing in here, for all of you. And I’ll probably keep the page up, keep it open, so I can post in here from time to time as well. But YouTube is where I’ll be, primarily.

One video a week, for now. Maybe more, eventually. We’ll see how it goes.

Again, thank you all so much for supporting me through all these changes. Thank you for being there, for reading what I’m writing. I hope you’ll stick around, and watch me on YouTube, too.

You’re awesome.

[love]

{Rani Divine}

Time for Change: Quarantine hobbies

Hey guys! Welcome back to Too Many Books to Count! I’m so glad you stopped by. This month, as you know, we’re talking about change—new things coming up for yours truly, both personally and professionally. Lately though, it’s all been professional… so let’s talk personal today, shall we?

I finally have my own office! My own place to work from home, and it isn’t even in my bedroom. Goals, guys. Seriously. I’ve never had my own office before. It’s crazy.

And with the new office came all sorts of new things I’m doing. Really. All sorts of things. As of a few weeks ago, I’ve begun jewelry making. Mostly chain mail, though I’ve also been dabbling with wire wrapping as well. It’s a difficult thing, when you can’t go to the store and get supplies. Sheesh. It’ll be nice when we can all get out again, eh?

Anyway, I like doing things with my hands. Sometimes I think better, clear my brain better, when I’m doing something like that. So chain weaving really fit the bill. I should’ve posted some pictures on Instagram by now, so feel free to head over there and check it out! If I haven't posted anything there yet... I'm sorry. It's been on my list of things to do. Really.

I’m also learning to sew… though I’d say that’s been more dabbling than actual learning, so far. I’ve not had time to do a whole lot, partially because weaving chain takes a lot of time and once I get going I just can’t stop. But I am learning to sew, and I’m planning on making my own custom belly dance costumes (with matching jewelry, more than likely).

I’ve done a little bit of cross-stitch too, since the quarantine started. Not a lot, but I did a little one for my best friend, and she absolutely loved it. I’ll try to remember to put that on Insta, too.

I’m still painting, still dabbling in learning to draw, still dancing at every available opportunity…

And really, that’s what I wanted to say, today. During all this, during the chaos that has been this quarantine, art has been the one constant, hasn’t it? Art is the one thing almost everyone turned to, because art is the one thing we know we can fall back to, a place of safety and comfort, of simple joy and fun. And I’ve really been embracing that, in a time when I know I could easily have been panicking. But I didn’t want to panic. I’m not a panic person. I’m a doer. Who couldn’t do much, work-wise, and needed something else to do.

Art, it is!

I’ve started a new story, one many of you have been hounding me to write (no, I won’t tell you what it is yet), and so far I love it. I’ve really been throwing myself at my art, and I’m loving every minute of it.

To the point that I'm even offering commemorative pendants, chain woven by yours truly, to some of those who help with the crowdfund of Cayau: People Among Us. 

My moral today? Don’t let go of creativity. Embrace it. Hone it. Learn something from it. Because there’s a lot to learn from the arts, if you give it a try.

[love]

{Rani Divine}

Time for Change: Cayau: People Among Us – Now on Kickstarter!

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Too Many Books to Count—I’m so glad you stopped by. As we talked about last week, this month I’m spending some time telling you all about the changes coming up for me, both personally and professionally. And I’m starting with the most important ones.

Which is where today’s topic comes in.

Cayau: People Among Us – Now on Kickstarter!

There was one thing that was really breaking my heart, when I received contract termination notices from RAD Writing, when the company decided to break up. My beloved series, my Druid Novels, was supposed to release its finale, this year. This was meant to be the year that you all finally got to read how the story ends. This was supposed to be the year that we all said goodbye to the druids… and now that wasn’t going to happen.

I spent a long time, talking with the rest of the RAD Writing team and coming up with every idea under the sun, until we settled on this one. Crowdfunding.

If you’ve never heard of crowdfunding… well, where have you been? ;-) It’s a project where we’re asking for money from patrons, in exchange for a copy of the book (plus some other goodies, of course). It’s where we’re asking a pledge from you, to allow us to finalize the interior of the book, print it, and file a copyright. That’s what all the money is going toward. 

Here's how it works:

Click Here to go over to our Kickstarter Campaign, where the crowdfund for Cayau is now available.

Pick your tier, and go ahead and pledge. You won't be charged unless we meet our goal.

Once we’ve reached our goal, Kickstarter will collect payment from you, and we’ll get the ball rolling. We’ll finalize the interior of the book and send it to our printer. We’ll file for a copyright once those copies are printed. And then, once we have the copies in our warehouse, we’ll start shipping them out—to everyone who helped crowdfund.

I’ll also be throwing in some goodies, with every crowdfund order of Cayau – and yes, these will be personal gifts, from me. They might be stickers I’ve designed or candy I like. They might be jewelry I’ve made (more on that, next week!) or one of my favorite pens. I have all sorts of ideas! But the tier you pledge will determine how many gifts you get – and I’ll have a video up on my YouTube channel this Friday, with more information about the pledge tiers!

Ready to pledge? Click Here! 

If you want to hear me actually talk about this, look me up on YouTube! I'm at Art of Divine, and I've got a video all about it.

Any questions? Leave a comment or send me a message! I’m ready and waiting to tell you everything I can. Promise.

[love]

{Rani Divine}