A few years ago, I began doing video read-alouds of my favorite Advent poems on Instagram, and the community and conversation that grew up around those sessions kindled a bevy of ideas for me. I greatly loved the connection that formed around the sharing of good words; something keener and more intimate than the wider space of social media. I loved that those read-aloud spaces made for education, for real reflection, for friendship, for growth.

I’m currently using Patreon as a place to cultivate that sort of space; it’s a platform that helps creators run a subscription service, to create more of those spaces and events on a regular basis. You’ll need to go to my page at Patreon to join, but for those curious, this is what is offered there:

  • The Book Girl Fellowship: come for a cup of tea and a chat about books in my library
    Twice a month, I'll be hosting a video talk about my favorite books from my study. I want this to be a literary gathering, a place to talk good words and the power of story. I'll be focusing on a novel (or a set of novels) I love, or a work of radiant theology, or a children's book or author I'm loving with my pixies, or a work of poetry that has illumined my world, or some combination of those and more. We might explore reading research, autumnal favorites, poetry collections, or my favorite works on a particular doctrine. These visits are meant as bookish chats and deeper explorations of great works, a way to discover new ideas, revel in good quotes, and consider the power of story to form our worlds. I'll always include:

    • Two monthly fellowship videos. A literary talk you can watch repeatedly and at any time.

    • A post or pdf with all the notes and quotes from each session.

    • You will also receive a monthly set of downloadable images you can print or use as a computer desktop where I've combined my favorite bookish quotes with photographs I've taken in my explorations and adventures.

    • Patrons here will also receive a 20% discount on any of the Novel Theology events or any seasonal retreats I offer through Crowdcast.