I'm feeling overwhelmed with gratitude right now and there's nothing I can do except open up my arms and throw out a big thank you hug.

As of this moment, the first issue of my {heart-project} magazine has broken even. I don't know if I should laugh or cry. So I'm going to do both. Like I'm watching an episode of The Foster's. {Seriously, how does that show make happy-cry-sad-cry every single time??}

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Maybe I should shrug my shoulders and just be like: yeah, of course people believe in me. Except I really thought people would shrug their shoulders and write me off as crazy. I mean, who do I think I am, trying to launch a new Can Lit magazine? Who?

I began this project with intentions to lose money. No. Let me rephrase that. I began this expecting to lose a little money. It was an experiment. It was almost a whim {though I don't want to sound so flippant} and I had no way of knowing whether or not it would gain any traction. I thought, I'll give it a try. I'll see what happens. I'll front the money because it's my venture and that's fair. People pay for their own pursuits every single day.

When I set up a donation option on the website, I didn't expect much. But people gave.

When I promoted the pre-orders, I didn't expect much. But people pre-ordered.

Yes. Yes, it is weird. I need to get over it.

All this is to say, when Blank Spaces 'hits the stands' on September 1st, it will not have cost me a single dollar. Of course, there's the HUNDREDS of hours I've poured into it, all that coffee I've been drinking, the time away from family, the late night editing sessions with my WONDERFUL/GORGEOUS/SELFLESS volunteers...but I'm okay with it because {for the most part} it's been fun! And it's exciting to see other people get excited by something that was birthed in my brain during one night of writerly frustration...

And so, profits from the sale of this first issue, from this moment on, will fund the second issue which means this is the real deal.

And that's scary AND amazing!

If you're interested in making me cry some more happy tears, you can head on over to the magazine website and put in your order for the premiere issue. I'm accepting pre-orders just until Saturday {August 20} so if you want one at my publisher's rate, you'll have to act fast.

To those of you who have believed in me by ordering and/or donating, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am humbled and amazed by your generosity. And when you do hold your freshly printed copy in your hands, I would be thrilled to hear your feedback. It's my hope that each issue will be better than the last.

Stay beautiful, my friends, and stick with me as we fill in the blank spaces...