Hey Cosmic kids (at heart) ~
So, while our friendly correspondent @riajbulthuis is still traveling in Japan, I thought I’d step back into the role of newsletter-writer temporarily because, well, the news keeps happening and THE PEOPLE MUST BE INFORMED!! I will do my best to channel her ebullient spirit…
But before we get down to VERY SERIOUS business, here’s a little pop quiz:
What the name of the co-op that makes the popular and delicious, super-tart—yet often sweet(ened)— red-colored berry beverage that you’ve probably drank a thousand times without knowing it was made by a co-op? (The answer’s at the end of this email.)
∞
Before we get there, a word from our friendly/fiery book-marketing department, which has issued an injunction: MORE BOOK REVIEWS!
Did you know, through our upstart imprint Untimely Books, our little co-op that could has already published FIVE astounding works of literature? And we have TWO more on the way over the next month or two? And many more in the works?
Sadly, not enough people know that, even though they know how to read… and would absolutely LOVE to read our visionary books. Hyperbole? You be the judge….
Per our marketing taskmasters, we must now GIVE AWAY books for FREE to anyone who promises to write a review and post it somewhere, wherever readers who buy books read about books.
You, personally, don’t even have to love the book. You could even HATE it. We are testing the maxim that even bad publicity is better than no publicity at all… and frankly, some of us have a love/hate relationship with marketing itself. And that’s OK. We’ve just poured a ton of work (blood, sweat, tears, all kinds of bodily fluids) into these books, and we want people to frickin’ READ ‘em (if not weep).
Here’s where you can request your FREE review copy of any one of our books. All you’ve got to do is promise that you’ll share your review somewhere—yes, even Amazon, although the New York Times (if you have an insider connection) would be better.
∞
Now that that’s out of the way… two irresistible (we hope) invitations:
First, our next Cosmos Community Meet-up is happening NEXT TUESDAY, 3/5, at 12 pm MST (convert time zone) in our virtual space. If you’re new to Cosmos, it’s a chance to introduce yourself, meet the others, and get your questions addressed (if not answered); and if you’re an old-timer, or somewhere in between, it’s another opportunity to hang out with some of your favorite humans, have a great conversation, and catch up with what’s going on in the community.
Again, that’s Tuesday, the 5th of March, and here’s the registration link: https://cosmos.coop/events/community-meet-up-2024-03-05/. Be there or be rhombus!
Next, for you aspiring as well as actualized writers—did you know there’s a simple antidote for that gnawing sense of loneliness, isolation, and lack of healthy perspective on your own work that you may feel sometimes? Did you know that a little encouragement and camaraderie could actually help improve your writing? The abysmal anguish of existential solitude is overrated—and guess what?—it may or may not be good for your soul, but it doesn’t really make you a better writer. (I know, I’ve been there.)
Sure, you could pay tens of thousands of dollars for an MFA, to share your work with others and get (hopefully) useful feedback (though bleak job prospects)—AND/OR, for as little as $25/month (or 1-2 hours of work-trade) you can join the wonderful Mary Thaler’s upcoming Writing Critique Circle, which begins in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS (on Monday 3/11), with only a few spots still available. She even recorded a 1-minute video to personally invite you:
∞
Now, I have one big ask to wrap things up: Our lawyer wants money. Yeah, you might say, what else is new? Lawyers are always charging huge fees. But our lawyer is different. She is really trying to provide us with the legal acupuncture we need to make the wisest possible choices at this critical juncture in the formation of our co-op, as we decide on some deep questions of organizational structure, equity, and governance.
This is super-important stuff for the long-term viability and integrity of Cosmos Cooperative—and you can help us make sure we complete our due diligence. Immediately, we need $1,500 to cover the cost of Sarah’s retainer. But we are estimating the total cost of legal and accounting work over the next few months to be around $10,000—so that is our goal.
We’ve been working with Sarah since 2021 and she is worth every dime. (I highly recommend her newly renamed firm, PathLight Law, for your legal-counsel needs, particularly if you’re involved with a social enterprise, non-profit, or cooperative.)
Help us level-up by becoming a “Cosmic Catalyst,”with a contribution of any amount you feel good about. Why? Because we need some cash to catalyze us now. Then, if you wish to continue on as a member of Cosmos, we’ll dub thee one of our “Founding Members,” when it’s all official.
Contribute here: Catalyze Cosmos | Cosmos Cooperative
(Now there’s a deal of the century. Our authors have written whole books for that honor. But we’re not even on the ground floor of this enterprise yet; we’re still laying the foundation. So get in before the crowds start showing up, and we have to play it like we’re too cool for the masses. You could say you knew us when…)
∞
And now… the answer you’ve all been waiting for. The cosmic cranberry juice conglomerate which is actually a co-op is…
OCEAN SPRAY
From the Ocean Spray story:
“Many people ask, ‘Who owns Ocean Spray?’ The answer: Our 700 farmer-families! Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative, which means our farmer owners all collectively share ownership. The cooperative turns their crops into products consumers really love and gets those products onto store shelves.”
So let’s raise a toast and enjoy a glass of cranberry juice cocktail, or snack on some yummy dried cranberries. (So much better than raisins!)
Very (tart and sweet) best wishes,
Marco V Morelli
Co-Creator, Cosmos Co-op
@madrush | on Infinite Conversations | on Mastodon
To subscribe to the Cosmos Pathfinder newsletter, please visit Cosmos.coop.