As of July 6, 2026, by the power vested in the circuit court of Henrico County and the Commonwealth of Virginia, my new name is officially…. Valley Jane!
Farewell to the final 4— Cecelia Yane-Smith Haggard — each of which made me, formed me, transformed me, and now with the blessing of bureaucracy, are dissolved back into the ether from which they came.
Valley Jane — my first two names—feel light and nimble, without mouth fulls of syllables, contracting hyphens, alphabets of ancestors scrambling around getting their tentacles into everything.
I loved having 6 names! Each one with its own beautiful story. But even the most beautiful stories change.
The sensation of excising 4 names is not unlike the sensation of chopping off a few extra feet of dead hair or losing a few extra tons of dead weight, or shaving off a couple of centuries of densely packed time.
There is a lightness, a joy, a relief—and also a grief— that comes with this death knell, this felling of the past, this changing of the guard, this end of an old life composted into the earth, making room for something fresh and new.
I feel a power and a magic in Valley Jane—the first two names given to me by my mother. Valley for the Shenandoah where I was conceived and Jane, the name my mother felt signified every woman.
So here I am again, and at last: Valley Jane!
And of course, it’s time to make the official announcement that Cosmo has a new name, too!
Introducing Prince COSMO JANE, Emotional Support Dragon to the Queen!
With lots of love, Valley + Cosmo Jane
Hello friends…. I’m excited to be approaching the ancient work of my heart in an expansive beautiful new way and I would love to share this transformational work with you— in small group series, or in the budding new Writing Fire community on Skool.
If you are interested in learning more about all the juicy new pop-up classes, guest teacher workshops, community writing shares and the growing library of guided writing activation videos, join for $33/month before my birthday on July 18 or $44/month after and you can cancel anytime! I’d love to see you there!
Valley Jane
A 6-Week Writing Activation Series with Valley JaneBeneath the stories you tell about yourself, there is another story. Older. Truer. Waiting.
Thursdays, Aug 13 - Sep 17, 2026
10 AM - 12 Noon EST
Sliding scale: $333/ $444/ $555
Zoom
Your life is stranger, wilder, more mythic, and more meaningful than any fiction you could invent. Are you ready to write it?
A 12-Week Writing Initiation with Valley Jane of Writing Fire
Tuesdays | September 1 – November 17
11 AM- 1 PM PST / 2-4 PM EST
Not sure if this is right for you? Book a free 20-minute discovery call with Valley.
HI BRAVE WRITER!! Subscribe to my new dispatch, Letters from the Fire, to receive workshop and retreat updates, as well as a Sacred Circle Writing Oracle card and prompt in your inbox twice a month!
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