Welcome to Malika Bourne Legacy's New Shopify Store
Welcome, kindred soul.
You’ve stumbled upon the tale haven of Malika Bourne's Legacy...
—where every box holds a story, and every story crowns a memory.
I was so excited that my store was coming together.
I had unpacked the boxes of aromatic teas and books... I was looking forward to opening the doors of this e-commerce store. Though I create personalized, intentional gift bundles from my home, most of my store's products are print-on-demand.
I was so excited to open the doors of my e-commerce store. The tea smelled delightful, the books were arranged, and the dream was coming to life. But like any good story, there was a twist…
(The image below is supposed to be me... and, no, I could not fit in that dress since I was 21, except in my imagination. And the romantic storefront that I painted with word pictures is virtual.)
... and not everything is ready to be shown. I am still creating and writing every day!
I put together this Shopify store all by myself. (My first e-commerce store was called Heart Felt Play Store.) Yes, I make my share of mistakes... lots of errors... and I learn from every one of those mistakes.
A few weeks ago, I asked family and friends to take a sneak peek at the store's pages to make sure everything worked.
My sister and tech genius son shared the news about my online storefront.
I can only imagine which of the two was to get the honor of telling me what a spectacular job I did of connecting this tech gizmo to another wire and button.
My sister and my son might have had a conversation that went something like this:
"Aunt Julie, you can tell her. She's your older sister. Besides, you have a gracious way with words."
"Oh no. I'm not telling her. David, you tell her. She's your mother. I need to go buy support hose, or something..."
My son informed me that the front store worked much like the image below... peaceful, serene...
You know the expression —like being in a boat without a paddle, not moving forward or back... isolated... no one knows...
That is how Malika Bourne Legacy on Shopify was working. And life went on anyway...
My family, who cared, couldn't navigate from one page to another.
Nothing worked for Pinterest, either on my old blogs... and my vacuum was clogged... my book publisher scammed me, and Meta questioned why my Facebook account seemed abandoned.
Uh-oh!
Being the Queen Bee of the family, I turned to my expert copilot for advice, who went back to the drawing board to determine if I had connected a do-hickey to a thing-a-ma-bob instead of a what-a-ma-call-it.
I needed solutions:
How can you get 'rich and famous' if the world does not know you exist?
I hope the problem is now solved. I apologize for any inconvenience.
I switched 'themes' to one more appropriate for the functions the store needs, I think.
If you still have issues navigating between collections or pages, please let me know by using the contact form.
Yes, I turn to Copilot for advice on technical issues.
Who is responsible for the artwork?
I used to do all of my photography on my phone.
All artwork on this blog was created by me using Artistly. I also design jewelry product cards and edit measurements in Canva. The prompts come from my imagination, and the copyright is mine. Often, I face swap or make artistic changes.
Any resemblance to real people—like the man who looks uncannily like my late ex-husband—is purely coincidental. I have no clue what artificial intelligence, like Copilot, would look like. Do you?
And the music?
🎶 Music & Lyrics
I write the lyrics, refine them with Copilot, and compose music prompts on Suno. Each song is a sensory thread in the tapestry of my legacy.
“This melody carries no words—only the hush between heartbeats. It’s called ‘Love to Light My Way.’”
🎧 Listen here
We are all new here...
Something new will be arriving...
Since our shop is newly opened, we have a 'thank you for your patience' gift. Everyone who spends $100 or more on their first order will receive $10 off—plus free shipping.
Offer valid through November 30th, 2025.
Your discount will be applied automatically at checkout, along with free shipping...
Don't let the chance for epic, mythical adventures mixed with shopping slip away! Sign up for our newsletter and alerts to get the latest updates. Your email inbox is safe with me, no spam here!
Go ahead, peek into some boxes. I only wish you could enjoy the aroma of peppermint and pumpkin spice from the tea as much as I do. Everything is neatly shelved in the extra closet.
I will admit that I have a setup for taking my own images of items that need a better view—it's messy. But not for much longer now that the storefront is fixed.
...more boxes...
FYI: Malika has handpicked gifts in limited quantities in her home-based shop in Iowa. Once sold out, there is no guarantee any item will be restocked. But all orders are shipped from the US. (No slow boats from another continent.)
🌊 Up the Creek Without a Paddle… But Pregnant with Possibility
The nursery is glowing.
The stork is perched.
The river is calm but uncertain.
And somewhere between the crib and the cobblestones,
Malika Bourne is rowing with one oar made of poetry
and one made of perseverance.
She’s expecting something new—
a product line, a story arc, a mythic arrival.
And yes, the paddle may be missing,
but the current knows her name.
Most intentional gift offerings are aligned with POD, print-on-demand suppliers.
Our suppliers, primarily ShineOn, do the personalization when requested, print, and ship directly to you from Florida. This is a quick turnaround from your order on Malika Bourne Legacy, processed in 2 to 3 days at ShineOn, then delivered to your address.
Pay attention to the weather and busy shopping days. These can cause delays.
If you see something you like but aren't ready to buy, let us know! We can email you when that item is back in stock, with no pressure to make a purchase.
Each item will be examined for flaws before being lovingly wrapped and taken to our local shipping store.
As a tiny business, you matter to us. We promise to get your orders out as quickly as possible, with a personal touch...but alas! Life and weather happen.
Although we have magic wands on our shelves, we cannot control road conditions during inclement weather, such as blizzards, along the route from our place to yours. We want our delivery drivers to stay safe, so if you have a deadline, please plan well in advance.
(I have a story about a blizzard and a birthday party order when I had a previous online store. Who wants to hear that story? )
The Typo Queen Strikes Again!
Kind souls, if you spot anything amiss in our product description or button functions, broken or out of order, please send Malika a message.
You will be rewarded with the 'Eyes of the Underground Spies' badge for special perks in this storybook adventure. I am grateful to my family members who discovered that the store theme was not connecting—Kudo badges to you, family.
What's the store's niche?
My target market is ladies aged 20 to 50 who enjoy mixed genres: fantasy, mystery, romance, speculation, and sensory clues all inspired by my first published novel, now turned trilogy.
...and your journey begins into the sensory and playful realm of Celesterra as written in The Secrets of the Unwritten Book by author Malika Bourne.
My novel's first version appeared in 2010.
It had many typos! My slow left hand caused letter mix-ups. They looked fine to me. That's why spelling correction apps were invented. These apps also fix unintended words.
As a writer, I may have challenges, but I know that The Secrets of the Unwritten Book has something unique to offer...
Connecting an e-commerce store to a book - why?
Mixing books and merchandise is not novel. Check this out...
When the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was released in 1997, it was evident from the start that J.K. Rowling had created something special. What followed was the development of a strong, recognizable brand that resonated not only with young readers but also with adults, becoming a cultural phenomenon. Branding became the cornerstone of Harry Potter’s expansion, and this strategy was evident in how quickly the franchise turned into Beyond the Books: How Harry Potter Became a Merchandising Powerhouse -
Who knows? You could be purchasing a collector's item from this store.
News Flash!
Just putting a bug in your ear before the official launch announcement...
In October, I created a treasure hunt at the Old Ray Mansion.... but no one could get in... oops! No purchase was required to window shop and play.
Please share the next fantastical journey event to promote Malika Bourne Legacy on social media.
Why?
- Because new businesses can use the traffic.
- I, Malika Bourne, have a playful side.
- This store is designed to promote my written work. (Details later...)
Got Comments?
All comments from actual humans are welcome. That is why we moderate before approving...bots will be blocked.
Share the magic. Promote the myth. Support a legacy in bloom.
Malika