Tag: writing

That’s One Dark, Gloomy Spring!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized15 Comments

I realized the other day that I have been so preoccupied with things like, you know, money and bills and moving on a shoestring budget that I had completely let reading you all’s blogs fall completely off my radar.

But I imagine you won’t hold it against me as I am seriously trying to pull off a move with nonexistent funds.

Wish me luck!

In any case, I hope you all are still out there reading, and I hope you enjoy this week’s tarot cards for inspiration and May’s horrorscopes!

https://horrortree.com/may-2024-tarot-cards-for-writing-inspiration/

https://horrortree.com/may-2024-horrorscopes-femme-fatales/

(I’ve narrowed it down to two places, although I had an inquiring phone call from a potential employer with some leads that I’m hoping against hope come about–because it sounds like a dream come true! *crosses fingers*)

I hope all is well with you, and I hope you have some great summer activities planned!

All’s Fair in Love and Noir!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized14 Comments

So, yes, I have been as incognito as a Cold War spy, but work and school have been hectic as my school semesters are going into the “final project” mode!

I hope you enjoy February’s horrorscopes and inspirational tarot card readings! Head down that dark alley at Horror Tree!

Love in the Time of Noir: https://horrortree.com/february-2024-horoscopes-love-in-the-time-of-noir/

February 2024 Tarot Card Reading: https://horrortree.com/february-2024-tarot-cards-for-writing-inspiration/

Beware the Beach!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized27 Comments

And not just because of the higher temperatures!

July’s horrorscopes promise to drag you down to the depths of pure zodiac terror…

https://horrortree.com/july-2023-horrorscopes-how-youll-die-at-the-beach/

And, slightly less terrifying is my tarot card reading for writers/creatives:

https://horrortree.com/july-2023-tarot-cards-for-writing-inspiration/

In other news, I’ve started doing book reviews for The Horror Tree. Simply search the HT website for “Epeolatry Book Review” to access tons of great book reviews from myself and others–a perfect opportunity to find your next summer (or midwinter) read!

Lastly, I may be more of a ghost around the WordPress world, at least while I transition into a new schedule (and, perhaps, even after that).

I’ll be working full time, going back to school full time, and making sure my kitties get enough attention (not that they’d let me forget!), and I’m trying to organize a concerned citizen advocacy group here to act on behalf of nonhuman animals here in small-town Kansas–with the hope it will turn into a nonprofit someday. Because this place has an abysmal track record when it comes to animals and animal welfare–as some of you may remember from the heartbreaking owl incident.

So, yes, apologies in advance if I’m not as active over the coming months on here as I should be.

Summer is Abuzz with Horror!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized12 Comments

One of the few things I actually like about summer (I’m an autumn aficionado!) is the return of the insects and other creepy crawly life forms.

For the set of June horoscopes I did over at Horror Tree, I wanted to attract attention to insects that are threatened/endangered by the activities of people.

Hope you enjoy, and remember to look where you step…there’s a whole world of amazing lifeforms at your feet!

https://horrortree.com/june-2023-horrorscopes-the-creatures-that-skitter-in-the-night/

As I’ve been trying to figure a lot of stuff out over the past few weeks, I drew upon that energy for June’s tarot reading as well.

https://horrortree.com/june-2023-tarot-card-reading-for-writers-and-creators/

I’m sadly still playing catch-up and not quite back into my usual schedule yet, and 99.9% of the time I’m not even sure what day it is, much less anything else. But I’m making progress, however slowly.

What are your summer plans? Reading anything good so far?

Getting Away From It All…From the Comfort of Home!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized10 Comments

Let’s settle down in the comfort of our (dream) homes, or find the gateway to the world of our dreams!

[I started a new day job, but somehow things are more chaotic than ever. I’m running behind on blog-reading and such, and, unfortunately, my prediction is that’ll have to continue for the next couple of weeks, as there’s some big changes (hopefully!) coming over the next few weeks. And, holy heck, am I tired as all get out. I’m gettin’ too old for that pesky thing called work! Ha!]

But here’s my “Tarot Cards for Inspiration” for April…as well as my mock horoscopes!

I’d love to hear what dream home you’ll lay your pen in!

https://horrortree.com/april-2023-tarot-cards-for-writing-inspiration/

https://horrortree.com/april-2023-horoscopes-home-is-where-the-pen-is/

The Glowing Neon of Spring!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized21 Comments

Rabbit Book

It’s been a busy week,  so this’ll be short and sweet. My “Cultivating Inspiration” post is up over at Horror Tree in all its (neon!) glory!

Go get creative, and Happy Spring Equinox, everybody! (If you’re in Fall Equinox mode where you are, feel free to search Horror Tree for the post I did last year).

https://horrortree.com/putting-the-neon-back-into-spring-cultivating-inspiration-in-2023/

Oh, and it’s World Rewilding Day, so go out and make things Wild again!

https://rewilding.org/

Give the Groundhog Lots of Love Today!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized27 Comments

Groundhog

Happy Groundhog Day! Doesn’t this groundhog look adorable? Or at least in need of a hug*!

Speaking of affection, you don’t have to wait another six months for the “romantic” holiday known as Valentine’s Day (Or Galentine’s Day)!

So, yes, I did create some lovey-dovey themed horoscopes, and did a tarot card reading…Horror Tree style, of course!

Hope you enjoy–with one click, and a happily-ever-after can be yours…or for your literary characters!

february-horoscope-fae

february-2023-tarot-cards-for-writers

How will you be celebrating Groundhog Day or Valentine’s Day in your realm?

*Giving random wildlife hugs is not a good idea, in real life. Just in case.

The Calm Right Smack in the Middle of the Storm!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized48 Comments

I put up a website for my not-so-secret other identity!

It took a while to get there, behind the scenes, for sure.

I just wanted there to be a place where I could redirect people to if they wanted to know more about the services I offer. 

I wasn’t even looking for anything fancy; a simple page that was more like a profile or a placeholder or whatever you call it.

I was having such problems with the complexity of the web design process (to those of you who helped with prior incarnations of the attempted website adventure–thank you! If you’re reading this, you know who you are!).

I didn’t want to go through WordPress for this, as it felt like overkill for the simple site I wanted, and I wasn’t looking at taking on another blog, and I just found using both Wix and Weebly to be a headache of a different flavour (yes, again, you think I would have learned from my first go-round with both platforms, but apparently not! Ha!).

And then an email from Mailchimp popped into my inbox when I was catching up on emails, telling me they were now offering website design through them.

What the heck, I said. And I gave it a try. 

It was exactly what I needed at this juncture, when I’m trying to bring in some $$$ as cheaply as possible (I chose the free version, of course) but it was perfect. I can go in and reedit it as I need to, I had just the stock photos I was looking for, and I could have the simple, basic, one-pager I needed, and I can upgrade when I get some income coming in and I continue to grow my preexisting business. 

I don’t get up to a lot of promo stuff on this blog (well, except for books and nonhuman animal- and environmental rights, that is!) but holy cow, I would completely recommend Mailchimp website feature!

I have been so stressed and overwhelmed and so oddly emotional and I just needed to have this free website process be easy and uncomplicated–a page I could just set it and leave it and I wouldn’t even have to maintain on a regular basis. And in this world where all this tech that should be making our lives easier instead feels like it makes our lives 100 percent more complicated, Mailchimp was like an oasis.

For real.

I can’t speak for the expanded and paid versions, but I feel that if my initial experience using Mailchimp’s free web design feature is anything to go by, Mailchimp is innovatingly mindful in this chaotic world.

Here’s the link to the simple website I did–please let me know what you think in the comments below!

(Honestly, though, I’m just so relieved to have it done, finally! It seems like a website would be such a small thing in the grand scheme of things, but it felt like a mountain-sized load!)

A big shout-out once again to Mailchimp!

https://kirsten-lee-barger.mailchimpsites.com/

 

The Shifting Sands…

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized12 Comments
Shifting Sands
Photo Courtesy of Canva.com

Welp, I put so much energy into trying to create something stable, but it seems that the sands have shifted yet once again from underneath me.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m used to living in an almost continual state of flux–hence the inspiration for the name of my business (A Chaos Fairy)–but I really tried to build something permanent over the past year, and it didn’t work out too well, to put it mildly.

I don’t usually do much of a crossover between my pen name/writing ventures and my other professional endeavours, but, needs must, I’m afraid.

So, I’m having one of my storm ravens drop a little message that they’ve carried over from my alter ego on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kirsten-lee-barger-4a984a49_opentowork-thankyou-connections-activity-6954426465169920000-QpZZ?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

Storm Raven
Picture courtesy of Canva.com

(I might change my mind, later, about putting the word out over here in the Realm of Nightmares and Storms, because my Willow Croft alter-alter-ego can be as changeable as the shifting sands I referenced with the photo above, but if you know somebody who knows somebody…you get the drift…)

Speaking of “alter egos”, check out my July Horror Tree horoscopes on your sign’s evil alter egos!

https://horrortree.com/july-2022-horoscopes-whats-your-evil-archetype-alter-ego/

And, because I’ve been getting a sense it’s been a challenging month above and beyond an already challenging year, my Horror Tree tarot card reading is geared towards nurturing and supporting other writers/creators: https://horrortree.com/july-2022-tarot-card-reading-for-author-and-artist-inspiration/.

Have a “soaring” Sunday! Thanks for the support!

Summer is the time to…organize!

On By Willow CroftIn Uncategorized14 Comments

Well, I may not be having the adventure my (fictional) character is, in the “writing inspiration” scenario I used to for the June 2022 tarot card reading, this Virgoan does love organizing!

(If you need inspiration for your own summer writing blues, check my reading out here: https://horrortree.com/june-2022-tarot-cards-for-writing-inspiration/)

I haven’t made any progress on the relocation front, but I wanted to say thanks for the supportive comments and emails (you all know who you are).

However, I am looking into doing tarot card readings, and I took a mini training course and even got a certificate! I think the classes and the testing and such were meant to happen during a longer period of time, but I’ve been doing readings so long I zipped through the classes.

So, now I just need to get things restructured on the biz front, and then see where I’m at.

Enjoy the weekend!