Francesca's Thoughts

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experience gifts versus physical gifts

08/11/2025

Gifting Patreon Memberships to the No. 1 Readers’ Club (ft. spreading out costs, digital gifting, supporting independent creators and other ways to not feel bad about the festive season)

Hello hello, Looking to buy a gift you know a particular person will love, or searching for ways to support independent artists, educators and creatives when you buy presents instead of lining the pockets of a multinational corporation? You might want to consider gifting a Patreon membership. There are over 300,000 creators using Patreon and… Continue reading

The No. 1 Readers' Club

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Let’s close the door on the rest of the internet.

Francesca Astraea here.

When I began this blog in 2009, I was a teenager. That’s why you’ll find some posts have been hidden behind a paywall. I was an incredibly different, less eloquent person when I was a teen, so if you want to read the thoughts of that teenager, you can join the No. 1 Readers’ Club for access.

What will you find here now?

This blog continues to evolve with me. My favourite topics are books and reading, travel adventures, the extensive works of up and coming rock band My Chemical Romance and the occasional update about my life and work as an author and scriptwriter. I’m also interested in digital minimalism, how we can solve environmental issues and why it’s probably a better idea to make a cup of tea than it is to shout at people you disagree with.

Speaking of tea… Make a cup and settle in.

Leave a comment on posts to continue the conversation and tell me your favourite MCR song! Oh, and while you’re here: this is a no-gen-AI household. You may not put any of my posts through an LLM. If you’re going to email me or write a comment, do it yourself.

Here’s how we can stay in touch:

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experience gifts versus physical gifts

Gifting Patreon Memberships to the No. 1 Readers’ Club (ft. spreading out costs, digital gifting, supporting independent creators and other ways to not feel bad about the festive season)