Going to Market

 So I've decided to try something new this year. I'm going to be visiting the local farmers markets in the Denver area to sell books and paintings, as well as get some writing done, paint some new pieces, and generally just focus on my creativity. (For those who don't know I've had some minor health issues lately that have made it hard to work a 'normal' job and my concentration is completely shot.) I've got it all planned out and I'm working on the final details now. It's exciting for me. This is something I've always wanted to do, and I can finally see a chance to do it right. My husband fully supports my desire to do this, and though I have no clue if it will be a lucrative mission, I do know it will be successful in the way that I want and need it to be. 

Traditionally I don't really pay for marketing when it comes to my books. I focus on what I'm able to do, take care of what I'm able to do myself, and let the rest just ride. It's served me well enough over the last year, but it's time to put in just a bit more effort now. It's time to really do something that can make a difference. I"m not talking about the kind of 'difference' that comes from just selling a few more books, either. I'm talking about also raising awareness of human trafficking (since that's so often what I've written about or what my paintings have incorporated in some way), and opening peoples eyes to knowing what that looks like when it's staring them in the face.  

How many survivors of human trafficking have you ever met? I'm willing to bet that number is much higher than you might believe. There's a stigma involved, and a lot of people don't want to admit to it. We're looked down on for it. We lose jobs over it. We're shunned by family and friends because of it. We're thought of as 'less than' due to it. But we are not less than. We are warriors. We are survivors. We do what so many have not been able to do. Statistics shared over the last several years indicate that less than 2% of all victims of human trafficking ever survive. So few ever thrive. Maybe if people begin to see what's possible from a survivor of trafficking, I might help to change that stigma.  So I'll welcome those people into my world and remind them that every face is attached to a human, every story of survival is attached to success. 

This is my new world.