Hello my dear Collective members, how have you been? I hope spring has gently arrived, wherever you are, and that you enjoy the first warm sunrays as much as I am, here in Berlin.

For today's Collective-exclusive blog post, I want to take a look back at 2024 so far – it's been almost three months, and quite a few things have happened. Some of them very much behind the scenes, so I hope you'll enjoy this!

2024 started with a very unpleasant surprise.

I remember this so clearly: I was sitting in my office, the second week of January, staring at our printer's invoice for Issue 11 and our bank account – and realizing that we just didn't have enough money in the bank to pay them.

Dear lovely Collective member,

it's almost time to wrap up the year! In just a few short weeks, I'll be taking a few days off to recharge, and I hope you do the same.

I want to say a very, very heartfelt thank you for supporting us in 2023. Every single contribution to the Collective helps keep the lights on here at Making Stories, and I deeply appreciate every single one of you. You make this work possible!

Hi lovely Collective members,

I hope you had a wonderful November so far! I've been leaning heavily into the coziness this fall – lots of evenings snuggled up under my favorite wool blanket on our couch with a candle lit, a soft WIP on my lap, finishing up final seasons of some of our favorite TV shows. (Which, for the most part were disappointing, sigh!)

As busy as this time of the year is, it also feels a little gentler this year than last. I'm not sure what it is - am I better prepared? (Now I probably jinxed it...) Is life with a four year old easier than with a three year old? (Yes, definitely, if you ask me.) Is it just luck? (I'll take it!)