One Year Anniversary !

🥳 Celebrating One year Collecting Dust

Collecting Dust is...One part Nostalgia. One part strange magic. All inspired by photos of real objects begging to tell a story if only we will pay attention.

Today marks one year since I started this Substack. One year since I “put myself out there.” The goal of this venture was for me to start sharing my writing, and I’m so grateful for all your support!

I can never find any images of myself sans sunglasses.

I wanted to do a quick recap / reintroduction for those who are new:

My name is Jacqueline. I’m a Southern writer drawn to history, mystery, and magic found in the everyday. I write stories about forgotten objects, outsiders seeking connection, and how place shapes us. I enjoy thrift shopping and up-cycling old furniture, which is plentiful where I live. I take pride in creating recipes with whatever’s left in the fridge, and I love studying new languages and cultures. I worked as a high school English as a second language teacher for twelve years and have recently transitioned to a more administrative role (reducing my stress and increasing my bandwidth to focus on writing). I have two children, a husband, and two cats.

I started to take my writing seriously in 2019 but mostly studied and practiced my craft in secret/with some online writer friends until last year. Thank you for joining me on this journey! I hope I have been able to bring a little joy to your days—and that my stories make you feel something, whether seen, curious, or inspired. Don’t forget: there’s power in the overlooked and wonder waiting in the most mundane things.

I am currently revising my first novel.

cute cat interlude

Now for the Recap:

• 1st Collecting Dust short story: (I still need to get my speakers fixed…)

• Most popular post: (Would you like more deep dives like this where I focus on one text? Please, lmk in the comments!)

• First Cross Post (It may now be behind a paywall):

  What Women Want #12

• Thanks for also humoring random forays in to poetry and my fascination with random objects (birthing stools or telephone tables anyone?) and of course this multi-generational story inspired by a milking stool:

• Finally, stay tuned, I have a new story coming to you in the next week! For now, my goal is to continue to share stories and book recommendations at least once a month (twice a month is the ultimate goal, but sometimes that just doesn’t work out b/c life.)

• I would love to hear what you enjoy most or would like to see more of in Collecting Dust. Just reply to this email or post in the comments.

Take Care,

Jacqueline

P.S. I am contemplating opening up to accept $ pledges, but am still not 100% sure. Thanks to all who have already pledge to support me. Your kind words and the number staring at me every time I log in is such a motivation to keep working at this!

<3