hello!
*brews a pot of tea and fetches biscuits*
If you’re into slow & creative living you’re in the right place. I’m so delighted you’re here!
Haver & Sparrow is a corner of the internet that feels like my kitchen table in Shetland (a group of tiny islands in the wild North Sea). This is a cosy space for us to gather with a mug of tea to talk for hours. I share stories & photographs of everyday magic, memories, little moments of island life, and reminders to keep looking for the light.
I’m essentially obsessed with documenting the little moments and details that might otherwise pass us by with both words and photographs. The light moving across a wall, the petals on a wilting flower, the textures on a frosty walk… All of it contains magic.
There’s a chair right here for you…
This community is filled with like-minded souls who share experiences, support each other, and learn together since we’re all winging it every step of the way. People just like you - I’d love for you to join the conversation and be part of it all with us!
To make sure you don’t miss a letter, discussion thread or a workshop, simply add your email below to subscribe:
Free & Paid Subscriber Benefits
You can subscribe for free and receive my weekly Sunday letters (including a VoiceOver of me reading it to you), access to 8 weeks of the archive plus one additional archive post that I reshare without the paywall each month. There will also be occasional live events for all subscribers and regular discussion threads. This is a great way to get to know the community, to get involved in the comments and to support my work - every like, share, comment, and subscriber means the world!
Looking for a little more magic?
To further support my work and to receive everything this community has to offer, you can become a paid member for under £1 a week (if you opt for the annual plan).
Paid membership includes:
the free weekly letters with VoiceOver on all things slow living, creativity, capturing magic, and figuring out how to make the days soft while we navigate life’s harder moments
access to the full archive of Haver & Sparrow posts (as of Jan ‘24 that’s 65 posts!)
exclusive content including voice notes, poetry readings, writing prompts, and Q&As.
…and more in future as I develop the space - let me know if you have any suggestions for what you’d like to see here, would love to hear your thoughts!
If you’d like to join the paid members community but can’t make the financial commitment for any reason at all, you can email me haverandsparrow@substack.com and you’ll receive a 6 month pass for free, no questions asked and no explanation needed.
Lovely things readers say about Haver & Sparrow
“Charlene’s writing is simply beautiful. So is her perspective and her imagery. I always come away from her work feeling better. Feeling inspired. Feeling less alone. Seeing something in a new way.” - Lisa
“Charlene is a magician weaving stories through her words & photography like no one else. I love reading about her life in the Shetland Islands, and every post she shares has such intention behind it that you can feel the warmth in her voice through the computer screen.” - Hunter
“I look forward to your writing every week. It’s a balm for the soul. Thank you!” - Jess
“Charlene writes with beauty, simplicity and clarity. Reading Haver & Sparrow is like being washed in clean salt air, straight from Shetland. A joy.” - Jill
“Charlene effortlessly weaves lyrical stories from home with thought-provoking pieces on reading, writing, and the creative life. She also champions others, which makes her Substack an invaluable treasure trove for passionate readers and aspiring writers.” - Sarah
Book Links
Just to let you know, a few of the links I share here are from an affiliate page on Bookshop.org - if you buy a book through those links a small commission (at no extra cost to you) will go towards Afrori Books, the UK’s biggest supplier of black books. The site is a great alternative to Amazon because they support independent bookshops which are places I’m guessing you love as much as I do! 📚
