Well, here we are! Over half a decade of running this, that, and the other thing (three websites/blogs that are tangentially connected) and I’ve finally found that I have a desire for a central, dedicated HOME BASE, where everything I write on can run amok under one roof.

If you’re not familiar, I run Harlow Heaven, a site dedicated to Jean Harlow; AdrienneDore.com for (you’ll never guess) Adrienne Doré; and Vitaphone Zone, for deep dives into general film history and other obscure actresses. Don’t ask 20-year-old me why I thought it was a great idea to separate blogs by topic—and no, I am not abandoning them, simply branching out. On top of the breath of fresh air I’ve gotten from creating a singular, cohesive webspace for everything, there’s also this:

Another reason I’ve decided on launching a Substack is a certain combination of discipline and hopefulness. I’ve never gotten paid for my work beyond the pocket change that some lovely, gorgeous, and very generous people have kindly given to me in tips, and the esoteric topics I’m partial to don’t always make great pitches for publications. I don’t do it for the money; this has always been a labor of love.

There’s also the weird aspect of AI training and how its foundation is just our collective public work, so at this point, two dimes to rub together would at least offset some of the annoyance.

This isn’t to say at all that I’m abandoning free articles in order to force everyone to pay for my words—it’s just a kick in my own arse to offset the time I sink into writing and researching. After all, I do currently toil the days away in retail.

I also don’t plan on keeping my longer, paid pieces in a gilded cage forever. I’m highly passionate about remaining accessible to those without the money to shell out for every third writer, and I plan on setting them free for everyone to read after some time has passed from its publication. On top of Jean Harlow and all the other actresses I tend to wax rhapsodic about, you’ll definitely find reviews and other musings on Hollywood or fashion history I come across.

With all that said, here is a photo of Jean Harlow and Cary Grant in a scene from Suzy (1936) from my collection as a thank you reading (and considering).