55 Comments
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M H's avatar

I hope you keep well and safe l hope you became a published writer.Love your photo it's beautiful.♥️🙏🕊️xxx.

Holly Starley's avatar

Thank you, thank you!! I appreciate you.

And I love this photo, too. Driving up the Yukon a few years back was just absolutely magical, and I'm grateful I had the opportunity.

M H's avatar

Thank you Holly 🕊️😊xxx.

Debbie Farner's avatar

Love your life and knowing that we’ve been a very little part of it. Onward!!

Holly Starley's avatar

You've been a pretty damn important part of these vanlife years, my friend. I'm so grateful we've met and so delighted to know you both (well, all three of you🐾).

Hope to connect in person in not too long!

Rona Maynard's avatar

We met on Facebook and I followed you here. These days I spend little time on FB and none on the other platforms; they just haven't worked for me and take time I could be using more fruitfully. I'll do my best to support you on FB, which happens to be a great way to bring new readers to Substack. I'm delighted to know you and wish you well with your memoir.

Holly Starley's avatar

I'm delighted to know you, too, Rona! As much as I have poo-pooed social media, I've met some pretty fabulous friends through Facebook. Not to mention that it was there my daughter and I originally reconnected.

Thank you, thank you for your support. It means a ton!!

Rona Maynard's avatar

Facebook is powerful. Good things still happen there.

Sherry Chidwick, Storyteller's avatar

I had no idea we were birthday buddies, Holly!

I have my own big three-year anniversary post coming out on Tuesday, complete with new optics, a new push for discoverability and extended distribution, and a renewed focus ("Trading comfort for peace"). I thought I had my links all set for Tuesday's post, but I will be adding a link to this post, as well.

I'm so glad I discovered you when I did. It's been great to roll along with you for most of these past three years. Congrats, friend. Three years (or seven) feels like a lot, doesn't it? 💜

Holly Starley's avatar

Birthday buddies!! Yay. I’m glad we found each other too.

I’ll look for your Tuesday post. So many links, right?!?!

I like “ trading comfort for peace”! That’s a great theme.

Nancy Hesting's avatar

Good luck on your memoir. I just followed you on FB.

Holly Starley's avatar

Yay!!! Thank you. 😊🥰

Stephanie C. Bell's avatar

Loved this so much!!!!

Holly Starley's avatar

Thank you, thank you. 🥰🥰🥰

Jeanine Kitchel's avatar

Congratulations on having an agent, Holly! And happy birthday to Rolling Desk! And yes, I zoomed in and saw sweet Ruby in that parking lot. What a great photo. Saludos!

Holly Starley's avatar

Well, I don't have an agent yet. She said she loved my stuff, but my platform isn't big enough at this time. Still, it was a wonderful almost yes.

Thank you, Jeanine! I appreciate you tons!!

Jeanine Kitchel's avatar

Take care!!

Jeanine Kitchel's avatar

Still a few more months to go! And fingers crossed re an agent.

Susan J Tweit's avatar

I'm keeping good juju flowing for your work impressing just the right agent, and for you to find a wider audience. I'll go look for you on Instagram. xo from me!

Holly Starley's avatar

Thank you, thank you, my friend. Your support means the world!

Paula Kostel's avatar

So glad you're here, HollyStar! So glad you're rolling. I'll look you up on the socials. Much love :)

Holly Starley's avatar

Thank you, thank you. I’m glad you’re here too. Seriously! What a treat that we’ve connected. 🥰😍

Liz Medford - lizexplores.com's avatar

Happy Substackiversary, Holly! That is super annoying that the publishing industry doesn’t count your nearly 6000 Substack subscribers as being enough of a “platform.” Is becoming an Instagram influencer really the only way to get a book deal these days?!

Holly Starley's avatar

Right?! It’s interesting how much is placed on whether or not your name alone will be able to sell. But it is what it is. Guessing I should be pushing growth here too. At any rate, I’ve decided just to look at it as the next challenge. Ha!

Thank you, Liz! I appreciate you!!

PS. How’s your arm?

Liz Medford - lizexplores.com's avatar

Good for you embracing the challenge!

I got my splint off this week, but my right arm is so stiff I still can’t feed myself or wash my hair. So it looks like I’ll be left-handed for a few more weeks!

Chris Stanton's avatar

A happy three years to you too, my friend! Look at us!

Holly Starley's avatar

Look at us go!!!

Thomas Alan White's avatar

It sounds like I shoot from the hip in writing just like you do! I don't think it's been successful so far unfortunately...

Holly Starley's avatar

Hmmm. I guess success has so many definitions. Does what you’re writing bring you some satisfaction? What would success look or feel like?

And thanks for being here.

Kimberly Warner's avatar

Your nomadic soul and the words she shares is a reminder to us all that we are so much more porous and entangled and unbound than we think. I’m so glad we found each other Holly. What a gift! And it’s warming to know that my unfixed work/paradigm landed with you right about the time you needed it most. It’s funny how that works.

Already following on IG but so happy you have a YT channel too! Subscribed.🙌❤️

Wishing you an enlivening and fruitful future with this new possible agent!

Holly Starley's avatar

Thank you, Kimberly! What a joy to have connected. Yeah it is pretty wonderful how often it happens that we find the people and work and ideas we need at just the right moments—especially when we’re feeling open or moving toward something.

Jerry's avatar

Great story telling. I am intrigued. And a new subscriber. Thanks.

Holly Starley's avatar

Thank you, Jerry!!! I really appreciate you joining. And I’m looking forward to connecting with you more as more stories roll out.

Jeffrey Streeter's avatar

"I’d been on the road for nearly four years, and I had stories to tell. But all roads lead to each other, tangling or crossing or bridging, clover-leafing or merging or junctioning somewhere along the way." This reminds me somehow of Calvino's Castle of Crossed Destinies. I hope your roads and stories continue to cross and merge and multiply, Holly.

Holly Starley's avatar

Ha! This response delights me. I discovered Italo Calvino early in my undergrad years, and I was completely fascinated. I was briefly moving toward a degree in digital design just as that field was opening up and based a major website design project on his Invisible Cities. So thank you. 😊

Donna McArthur's avatar

I also feel like some days all I can offer is a nothing sandwich. This is a great line!

Holly Starley's avatar

Right?! Thank you, Donna!

To us realizing on those days that having “ nothing” to offer is just fine. And to us then nurturing ourselves in whatever way it takes to be able to offer what we can when we can.

🥰