Month / July 2024

by Lexine

Happy Birthday, Playgirl

The three faces of my first book, changed in the span of a few months. 😆

I published my first-ever novel a year ago on this day, and it’s been an interesting first year for The Playgirl, to say the least! I went through three book cover images. I accidentally uploaded the wrong manuscript to the first cover. I marketed it under the wrong genre. I used a promo service that I thought was legit until I found out the hard way that any “promo service” from IG should NOT be trusted. (Those accounts that DM you on your IG bump your follower count and do some promo after you pay them, but they’re not and will never be BookBub or any of these legit promo companies. At least I got some nice bots following me.) And, outside of mentioning it here and there, I’ve gotten lazy in promoting my book at the moment, which can explain its current sale rankings on Amazon, I know. (In fairness, other things outside of my control are keeping me from promoting it some more *cough*💰*cough*)

I definitely learned some things in my first year of being a self-published novelist, and I do wish my book’s debut and rollout went more smoothly than how it did. (I also wish I had more money for a proper editor/proofreader (best I could get was ProWritingAid lol), and I would have that if I didn’t have a little minor thing called “bills” to pay.) I still have hopes for my book in the long run, but as long as I can get some readers to enjoy the story for what it stands for (women proud to be strong-minded and owning their sexuality and refusing to submit to the patriarchy), then I’ve done my job. 

Happy birthday to my “first-born”! 🥳🎉And give her a read on her special day!

by Lexine

Quotes Of The Moment (7.21.24)

hamill tweet 1

Proud to have stuck with Biden even when his opposition kept growing. 

Never will be proud over all the media outlets and so-called “liberal” celebs/figures that pressured him to drop out because of trifling reasons while turning a blind eye to all the horrid things involving that convicted felon. 

But will be proud to support Kamala all the way! May I not ever again see a repeat of 2016 (or this generation’s version of 1968, for that matter). 

by Lexine

Scenes From The Willie Mays Tribute

I would’ve posted this on my socials yesterday, but various things kept me from doing that. Plus, I keep losing followers on IG/the bird app (was it something I said?), so looks like I’ll be posting exclusives here first, haha. (I also happen to be gaining followers here, much to my surprise.) 

From the Willie Mays Experience pop-up museum, across the ballpark. Went there before heading over to the event. 

Outside Oracle Park. The event was free to the public.

Turnout was decent, though I expected more fans. This is Willie Mays we’re paying tribute here! Probably the Monday afternoon start time kept some people away from the event. (It was also an off-day for the Giants.) The second pic is one of the many tributes to the GOAT around the park, as well as a tribute to another Giants great, Orlando Cepeda, who passed away a week after Mays. (Side note: go after the evil ones instead of the good guy legends, Grim Reaper!)

Some of the guests at the tribute. I didn’t expect to see former President Bill Clinton (1st pic), Spike Lee (4th pic), and members of the championship teams like Buster Posey, Hunter Pence, and Sergio Romo (all not pictured) there. Jumbotron pics are of (from left to right) Michael Mays (Willie’s son), Barry Bonds, and Juan Marichal (2nd pic), and former President Barack Obama (3rd pic). 

20240708_183622~2

Michael Mays, giving the last speech of the tribute to his dad.

20240708_160041~2 You’ll be forever in our hearts and forever missed, Mr. Mays! 🧡🖤

by Lexine

This Poem Of Mine (7.4.24)

I’ve been writing poems for almost all of my 200 39 years on this earth and have had a few of my pieces get published to newspapers and poetry anthologies. I have a Google Doc that holds all of the poems I’ve written since 2011 (none of them have been published elsewhere), and I’d like to share this poem I wrote two years ago today. It’s succinct and I think its message suits how I feel about this year as well. Share it if you like.

the realization poem (watermarked)

by Lexine

Message of the Day 7.3.24

It’s from me, by the way.

I may not be famous, but I still have a voice (for now) and I’m using it today to get any American of voting age who has stumbled upon this post to please VOTE this November! Scared of Project 2025? And what the conservative loons of our Supreme Court will do next? And if we’ll still have a democracy and a livable planet next year and beyond? Don’t complain or pout and definitely don’t skip the election this time around. VOTE!

Register at: vote.org