Journeys

We all take many journeys in life - some good, some bad but almost all are educational. We learn about our selves through the events that take place and how we handle them. Many times I have wished I would have handled things better but even that was a step forward as I became aware. A friend of mine has started on a frightening journey. One against a silent killer - ovarian cancer. She is brave and courageous and I admire her spirit. Another friend is nursing an aging father whose health is precarious and requires daily assistance. Still others face the uncertainty of retirement. My younger friends face the challenge of growing up in the age of instant media. Gone are the days of blissful ignorance and innocence. They know too much too soon. When faced with difficult journeys, I always recommend that my friends journal. There is something therapeutic about getting it down on paper and out of our internal organs. I have journaled for years and some of it landed in my first novel, Threads - the story of a woman's journey to her true self. I chose only those journeys that were universal, ones that most of us travel - the pains of an awkward childhood, the metamorphosis into adulthood, loss, love, divorce and the growth of the soul.

I would love to hear from readers about their sweetest and toughest journeys. How did your cope? Did you journal and did it help? Who helped you most on your journey? What did you learn?

All journeys lead somewhere - where are you now and how did you get there? The road behind is as important as the road ahead.

Book Clubs

It's always a bit intimidating to meet with a Book Club that has read your book. Last night I had just that experience. Upon arrival, I met with the woman who had invited me and she informed me that this was a church group. I immediately thought about my novel and whether or not I had painted church ladies in a positive light. I think I had been fair in my handling of religion. Although my main character, Maggie, was more Taoist, she did have an experience with a "higher power" that reflected positively on the christian view of God. After introductions, I talked about what it takes to get a novel written and published and how the cover design evolved. I told my Oprah story which involves a message from the beyond (I'll share this in another blog). The evening carried on with conversations running from marketing to what happened to the high school boyfriend - which of course could only be speculated on since he was a fictitious character. The lemon cake was divine (really) and the women kind. All-in-all an enjoyable evening. I will probably do this again in the future and I hope it will have a similar outcome. We writers are sensitive souls so please if you are asked to critique a book in the presence of the author, be kind. Remember, we are human and have risked a great deal to expose what we know of life through our characters. Even if the book is awful, find something kind to say - maybe you really liked the dedication or the author's bio in the back of the book. I'm guessing perfect strangers don't come to your office to critique your work - put yourself in their shoes and as my mother used to say (okay and probably someone famous) - 'if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all". Well, okay, I recommend you find something to say, even if it's about the weather. Book critics will make sure your author knows his or her place in the echelon of writers.

River Rafting and Gnats

So what the heck do river rafting and gnats have to do with writing? A lot. Words are like that, you know. Sometimes they flow at 13,000 cfs and sometimes they hover in the air and bite once in a while. I find each day is new when I pick up my pen. Somedays I get muscle cramps because the words come so quickly I can't hardly keep up and other days I am struggling to pick them out of the air and have them take up residence on the page. What is that all about? Is it hormones, biorhythms, lunar cycles, a bit of undigested beef???? Who knows. It is what it is, so go with the flow so to speak. On days that you are plucking them out of the air like an amateur guitarist, don't get frustrated, just let them come in fits and starts and when they are flowing, well happy days! I believe every book writes itself and so the its rhythm may not be your rhythm, relax and let it happen. Happy days!

Writing Backwards

It's weird to think about aging. Instead of a biological clock ticking it's our lifespan clock taking pieces of us and scattering them to the winds. In my case they are adding to the sandstone of the Colorado National Monument in my backyard. I've read about the insidious nature of time passing but the reality is so much more, well, real. My neck is crinkly, my eyes can barely been seen beneath the droop of the lid, I can't go 24/7 like I used to (this, I think, is a positive), and my feet are trashed. I was a runner, 5ks, 10ks and a couple of short court triathalons - now I'm happy to walk. So what's the point of all this whining, you ask? I can think of a million reasons - seeking wisdom, advising the young to appreciate youth, accepting my aging body, gaining a sense of humor, looking for grace, honoring all women of age but I think really it comes down to mortality. I am and you are - Finite! We, like a good story, have a beginning, a middle and an inevitable end. Stephen Covey said "write your epitaph" if you want to know how to live your life. Start with the end and work backwords. What do you want to be remembered for - this changed my life because I didn't want to be remembered for being a good project manager. So I quit and wrote a book and am working on two more. Think about it - it might just work for authors. Start with your last chapter and write in retrograde like running a movie in rewind.

Happy Writing!

Hot Salt Sisters

Wow, what a weekend we had. I attended a women's wilderness weekend that included rafting, hiking, writing, painting and relating. The setting was incredible, nestled between Fishers Tower and the Priest and the Nuns formation in Utah. The blues in the sky blossumed above us while the red dust coated our feet and souls. A huge thank you goes out to Sandy Dorr and Martha McCoy - our guides to higher artist achievement. Kellie and Ashley were great boatswomen and cooks - thanks for keeping us on schedule.

An amazing thing happens when women gather, the core of the earth splits open and the truth pours forth, gently, compassionately, humorously, and a plume of hope rises to the wisps of clouds floating over the desert. I want to pay homage to the raw courage of the twenty-two who attended. You are amazing. I carry within me images of woman as survivor, creator, reviver, embracer, jester, singer, wordsmith... Because of you, I find myself rejuvenated. My energy soars in the hot salt sand and searches the horizon for another refueling station. May we meet again to share, sing, laugh, live.

As a writer, we need to refuel often. The bills, children, spouses, health issues, finances, agents, publishers, and our own inner critic all deplete us. It's important to find those opportunities to fill our cups and drink deeply. I recommend any writers workshop conducted by Sandy Dorr. Go online to www.womenswildernesswriting.com. I will also be conducting a writer's workshop in Ridgway, Colorado on June 2, 2007. For more information go to www.redcanyonink.com.

Flying a Kite

The downs came for a visit today. Usually, I act like there's a religious affiliated person at my door and duck and cover, pretending I'm not home but today they caught me off guard. I not only answered the door, I invited them in. There they were sitting on my couch, drinking my coffee and reading my newspaper - quite comfy, I might add - too comfy. Had my dog not barked, I might not have noticed their tentacles slipping about my ankles. Just in time, I jumped and dislodged them. I quickly put on my sneakers and hurried out the door just ahead of their grasp. "So where to?" I asked myself. The answer came and I busied myself in the garage. Within ten minutes I was on the road. As I turned into Canyon View Park, I noticed the wind picking up nicely - good, I thought. I parked and opened up the back of my Highlander. I grabbed my spirit attached it to the string and sent it soaring into the rapturous gusts. After a few slams into the ground, a minor adjustment and a piece of torn sheet, I was flying again and this time I stayed up. My kite danced and played amongst the slivered clouds and last falls final leaves. The sun warmed and the wind cooled, such a nice balance and so it was that I was rebalanced. Moral of the story: when the downs come for a visit, go fly a kite.

Words, words, words

They're just words or are they? A certain grouping of letters results in a word but how it is received and with what power it is imbued is totally dependent on the receiver. What we bring to the gathering of letters is based on our prior experiences, our outlook on life, even our DNA - all of these things bring color and texture to words. Without them it's sort of like the proverbial tree falling in the forest - would they make a sound? The children's game, telegraph, aptly demonstrates this principle - each receiver runs the statement through their editor and what comes out is rarely what went in. So as you go through your day, pay special attention to how you receive and interpret words.

Torn Between Two Covers

Here is my dilemma: I am writing two books; one fiction; one nonfiction. It's hard to decide which one to work on and then to get the pen moving. Not only that but I am trying to figure out marketing ideas for the novel I have already published. Some days I get nothing done flitting about between the three competing energies. I would welcome any suggestions for managing my time. I love writing but sometimes it carries a stress of its own. Some days it's easy because a new idea for one of the books has crept in over night so my direction for the day is taken care of but some days I have no direction. Maybe I should just flip a coin but with three choices I would have to create the coin first. Oh, one more complication; I thought about publishing a book of poetry since I have around 50-60 poems I could use. It would serve as a giveaway - since the marketing gurus recommend having them on your website. So the question is how to prioritize and stay focused.