The paper cutter sliced through another sheet of cardstock—another. One by one, I stacked sheets in piles. The base, the image layer, patterned paper, ribbons, tags…

Once I’d gathered all the pieces, assembly began. Some needed coloring, others just layering. As much as I love to use ribbons and brads and all that funness, I tried to keep them semi-flat.

It’d get expensive to make and pay double-postage for hundreds of cards a year. But that’s what I was going to do—mail hundreds of cards.

The first batch went out. The next. And yet another one followed. Occasionally, I got behind and people got their cards a few weeks late, but I kept it up pretty well the first year. The list doubled. I still managed okay the next, and then it happened. I got one back. Wrong address.

Talk about discouraging. That first one was easy to fix. I had the email, and in less than a day, it was on its way to the proper place. With just a quick email, I was back on track.

If only it had lasted.

More came back as more people moved. Every time I received one back, it became harder to find where it should have gone. That’s when I got more than a month behind. More like two or three. Still, I kept trying. You see, I love making cards, and I love blessing people. Birthdays are important.

I wanted to celebrate yours.

There was a hidden benefit for me in the whole thing. I got to make cards. Since that kind of creative outlet really does bless my socks off, it was a win-win situation. When it worked.

But the further behind I became, the heavier the guilt was. So, I did the only thing I could think of. I closed my address book, put it back on the shelf, and told myself it just wasn’t the season to do it anymore.

Every time I see that address book, my heart squeezes.

You see, I want to do that. And yet, I couldn’t.

I can’t tell you when the idea hit me. Part of me thinks it was in Las Vegas at the convention. Actually, I’m pretty sure of it. I could still do the birthday club. I just needed to adjust it to a more manageable form. I’d streamline it—just a bit.

No more making cards for everyone. As much as I love that, it’s not the season of my life to do it. Some people will get the handmade card—at least one a month. However, most people will get a postcard with custom artwork I commissioned from one of my launch team members. Sometimes I’ll color it myself, and other times I’ll leave it for you to color. It just depends.

To learn more about Florence and her artistry, you can visit her HERE.

But you guys know me, right? You know that wouldn’t be enough for me.

So, like when I come up with a plot point, I kicked it up a notch. I decided I wanted to give everyone a gift, too. I mean, birthdays mean cards and presents, right?

That was it. I’d have to do it. It took a while to figure out what to do and how… but I did!

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Have I Got a Birthday Gift for YOU!

I decided I’d create an exclusive short story that you can only get by joining the Birthday Club for 2019. At the end of the year, I’d publish it, and write a new one for 2020.

Everyone receives a card with a handwritten note from me… and a link to that short story.

The short story for 2019? How about Kari’s birthday? “Many Happy Returns” is just that. Kari’s last birthday before the opening of Past Forward. I thought it would be hard to write, knowing what would happen just four months later, but…

It was nice. I loved getting to see Kari and Willow’s life through Kari’s eyes. And now you can, too! How? I’ll tell you!

But first, a few things.

1. To receive your birthday card, you’ll have to sign up for the birthday club and give me a physical address where you can receive postal mail. This offer is NOT limited. I’ll mail it worldwide. A long as you can receive mail, I will send it.
2. By signing up, you are giving me permission to send you mail. I may, at times, send you some encouraging note during the year. However, I will NEVER give or sell your address to anyone, I will keep it in a password protected place, and I will not use it to send junk mail. I hate it, too, and Cassie would hurl Think at me if I wasted paper that way.
3. Signing up also is a silent agreement that you will not distribute my short story. Your friends are welcome to their own copy. In fact, if they sign up AFTER their birthdates, I’ll still send their card—even if it’s November and their birthday was in January. Just please allow me the privilege of being generous. Please don’t take that joy from me and do it for me.

How do you sign up?

Glad you asked!

You just go HERE

Or fill out the form below.

So, Happy Birthday, to everyone. I can’t wait to send YOU your card and access to the short story! 🙂