Phew 2025. What a year!
Who's ready for vacation and the hope of new beginnings in 2026?
Dear Fantastic Friends,
As we come to the predictable close of the end of the year, I find it’s only natural for us to take stock as we gallop into 2026 the Year of the Horse, in the Chinese Zodiac. 2025 was the Year of the Snake, where we were supposed to shed the skins that were no longer serving us. A massive year of transformation and regeneration so that we are free to roam, unburdened and unshackled into this reset. (which traditionally starts in February, but I’m a planner so I like to plan now)
For me, this was one of the busiest years to date. Starting the year off with the awful fires in Los Angeles, and all the trauma that that entailed. Then returning to Los Angeles in March for AWP and Byron Katie, meeting my fabulous business coach, Serena Hicks in person, and her dear friends, Lindsey, Crystal and Lori and spending quality time with my mom, all which was phenomenal. While at the same time putting an offer in on the house next door to us so that we can break down the wall in between to grow our space. This was a sign of fortunate timing as the woman who owned the house had never thought of selling until we made an offer and because she had found some property where she wanted to retire it was a win win for both of us. And from that developed a lovely friendship as well.
Then speaking of friends that lead us to May/June where my oldest and dearest friend, Evan and her mother Stosh came with their dear cousin, Cari and her close friend, Renee to The Writers Retreat, which, as I hope you know by now was absolutely fabulous! One of the biggest take aways being the gratitude of having created a business which aligns with my values. The opportunity not only for the women to claim being a writer and allowing themselves the space to create but also to have supported over twelve female entrepreneurs by that week in the villa. That was something that I was the most proud of, not to mention enjoying all the delicious food and the view!
Then in July, having another dear friend of over thirty years, Kate visit with her son, which was so truly special. How joyous it is to have friends who know you so well, who have been through almost every season of your life and theirs and you can still be real with each other. Speaking of the gratitude of having those that know you so well who you can be real with, my awesome aunt and her dear life long friend also came for a fantastic visit. Then we finally signed for the house, after many delays. Securing a new bank, one who accepted my foreign income. Then the hip replacement surgery of my mother in law, Andrea, going to BreadLoaf in Vermont for twelve glorious days, then coming back and immediately moving her into a facility for Alzheimer’s. The kids starting school again in September, going back to Los Angeles to launch my mom’s book, Blinky and Me! (have you bought it yet?) moving over 2000 works of my dad’s art to fireproof storage, maintaining my business, keeping the writing workshop going and writing my own book, PHILOGYNY PARTY! What a year!
Not to mention we also sold our Paris apartment, my husband passed the series 65 test becoming an official financial advisor, as we took care of our kids and ourselves, all while the world burned, our rights were taken away, people were disappeared, bearing witness to horrific genocides in several countries in tiny squares from our phones and perhaps watching empires fall. They said 2025 was going to be messy and it was. But it’s all changing. Women are about to have more money than they ever have in the entire timeline of the world and it’s all about to change. Well, it’s always changing. The only thing that is constant about the world is change.
But if you’re tired not only from this clearly incomplete list of my own life events that I’ve just rattled off to you, (thanks for reading this far if you’ve made it,😉) I imagine that your own lives this past year overlap with my own in many ways. By which I mean, there is so much going on, so much we are collectively trying to do, so many projects and desires we have going and are wearing so many hats as we juggle and balance all the things. I’m hoping these next two weeks give us the hibernation we need as we enter into the darkest time of the year, the longest nights. It is a sign of rest and rejuvenation, where we are hopefully warm and cosy. (Unless you’re in the Southern Hemisphere and then it’s actually summer but still, what really is time anyway?)
This was the year I learned that a year used to actually be 13 months until Julius Ceasar came along and named a month after himself and deleted a month. The 13 months were perfectly aligned with a woman’s cycles of 28 days, and the year actually used to start in Spring the month of March (which really makes more sense for the start of a new year in the start of Spring) which is why September was the 7th month from sept, October (like octopus with 8 legs was the 8th month,) November the 9th and December (Decca the 10th). But I digress, every change of season, like the start of a new journal, is an opportunity for a new chapter, for a new vision board, for a new way of looking at things and a moment to write to check in with yourself about where you are at right now. Because it will change.
This is the year that I’ve made the decision to work exclusively with writers who want to self-publish a book next year as I’ve made the decision to self publish my new book, PHILOGYNY PARTY next year, and I want us to do it together! I’ve mentioned to you my new individual coaching program, Memoir, Marketing and Money and if you want to hold one of your own books in your hands this is for you! We’ll do every step of the process together, from writing the manuscript, to marketing it at the same time so people are excited about it, to figuring out how best for you to make money from it. There my three loves, memoirs, marketing and money. I’m not ashamed to admit I love money because money is what gives us the opportunity to make our dreams come true. (among other things like persistence, daring, courage and imagination)
Currently, I’m accepting five writers who are super motivated to write and publish a book. Don’t forget you will write several books in your lifetime. There is not just one. Even if you self publish the first one, that doesn’t mean you won’t find an agent later on, that doesn’t mean that you won’t have tons of press and book sales if you do it yourself. Self publishing my first book was one of the best decisions of my life and I want you to have a similar experience. Publishing your book automatically gives you authority, gives you a leg up, opens doors that you didn’t even know were there. While books are still being written by humans now is a wonderful time to get your work out there. I don’t want your manuscript languishing in a drawer! It’s so selfish to not share your genius with the world. And it’s definitely possible to do. I see this as a partnership, I think of myself as a book mid-wife, a sage femme to use the French term to bring your book to life!
I think the reason we seek traditional publishing is because we’re looking for the outside validation that it’s good enough (there is nothing wrong with this) but the only one who can tell you it’s good enough is you. I think the reason we seek traditional publishing is because it will give us money in advance, but sometimes with art we have to take that great risk and do it ourselves, invest in ourselves with the faith that the money will follow. I think the reason we seek traditional publishing is because we imagine that someone else will know how to market it, will know how to reach our readers, but again all publishers want to see that you already know how to reach your readers yourself. They in fact follow your lead. And the skill of knowing yourself how to write something that appeals to your people is like critical thinking or any intimate knowledge, it can never be taken away from you. Reply to this email if this something that you’re interested in and we’ll set up a time to talk. Reply to this email with your major life events of the past year, (I’d love to hear from you) and wishing you all the success in the coming year and a beautiful holiday season!
Thank you so much for being here with me, I truly appreciate it and am rooting for you!!
With so much love,
Augustine
P.S. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that there are still spots available for now for The Writers Retreat in the Côte d’Azur and I’ve create some stellar packages like The Champagne Package where you receive one on one coaching with me for an entire year as well as come on the retreat! Pretty awesome!