Welcome to June's question of the month from the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Led by Ninja Alex Cavannagh, and with the help of this month's co-hosts, Pat Garcia, J.Q. Rose, and Natalie Aguirre, this group offers resources to help and encourage writers at all stages. Why not join in and build a community of writers?And this month's question is: Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?
My secret life is very much hidden. Only in recent years, have I begun to talk about my childhood, perhaps to finally heal. Tall, nerdy, quiet, and, yes, with glasses, I tended to stay close to the door of any classroom. Ready to escape.
My favorite mode of escape? Books I chose from the library (fiction of every kind and history). The thickest ones I could find. Two Years before the Mast was a favorite -- which led me to fantasize about running away to sea. Later, much later, I met DH and we pretty much have traveled on every continent, except Asia, Micronesia, and Australia/New Zealand (though that's on the current list).
How would readers know about my childhood? I'm not sure. Perhaps the themes underlying my first four books: abandonment, violence, economic upheaval. In each book, my main characters struggle for survival. Thankfully, I believe in happy endings.
Though I don't easily talk about my childhood, some of the healing has come from writing my memoir. Yes, all the details, though this memoir may never be published. Perhaps I've learned to accept my past.With my latest book, The Seventh Tapestry, just out May 1st as an e-book, this story takes readers right into a mystery about a theft from a museum set in Edinburgh. Sandra, a curator, and Neil, an art crimes investigator, attempt to retrieve a priceless tapestry with its own history.
This one was so much fun to write with settings in Edinburgh and Paris (and the 15th Century), that I'm already knee-deep in research for Sandra and Neil's next adventures in Egypt and the Pacific Northwest.
That's my update for the month. Even with the coronavirus (Day 86 of staying-at-home), and these latest rounds of protests to call for change following the tragic death of George Floyd, we all need nurturing, compassion, and hope for the future.
Thank you for reading. May you cherish each day.
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Here's the LINK. |
We need to remember love right now.
ReplyDeleteThe Seventh Tapestry sounds very interesting. I see it's on iTunes - I will go download.
Thank you for your note -- and your interest in reading. I'd really like to know what you think. All the best. Beth
DeleteYour work sounds wonderful. I love a good escape into another world. My first degree is in Art History, so adding in some good art is a bonus! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think that writing is what's helping me stay relatively calm through these unsettled times. I had the chance to teach humanities from prehistory through modern times. What an amazing adventure that just seems to fuel my latest writing projets. Thank you, Steph, for stopping by.
DeleteWhen I read revelations such as yours, I realize my experiences aren't unique. Not that it's a good thing, but there is something in knowing that there are others who understand. Also, I've been less freaked out over the recent pandemic and unrest than my friends who enjoyed a more idyllic upbringing. So there's that.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lee, for commenting. Perhaps a certain stubbornness keeps us focused, knowing we have and could persevere -- and that spills over into the writing. Not everyone makes it through, though, so cherish each moment. Stay safe and stay strong.
DeleteSometimes surviving tough times makes us resilient--or maybe our resilience is what let us survive the tough times. Chicken and egg. But I'm also less freaked out than some and better able to deal with the isolation, in part because of how I grew up.
DeleteYour life has been chaotic at times, but here you are! A loving husband, a lovely daughter, and two adored granddaughters. Nothing stopped you!
ReplyDelete❤❤
Good morning, Sally. Hearts right back to you for reading, commenting, and being my friend. <3
DeleteWriting has always helped me understand and cope with the difficult parts of my life as well. Glad you've had it as a helpmeet, too. @samanthabwriter from
ReplyDeleteBalancing Act
Hi Beth! I hope that memoir of yours will get published one day. I can’t believe you’ve been sheltered in place for almost 90 days now. That’s tough! Luckily, us creatives will never get bored. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlways wishing your adventurous spirit and creative outlook will keep you writing!
DeleteBooks are a wonderful escape. I am so happy you had so much fun writing your latest book. Writing should be fun. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJQ Rose
Thank you for stopping by. Yes, it was fun. May your own writing bring you joy!
DeleteBooks have definitely helped me get through this crisis as well. We've been sticking close to the house since March 14 or so. Yesterday was the first day I let my daughter go to a store with me to pick out flowers for our garden. We saw an odd sign that asked us not to disturb the duck. Behind this sign, a canvasback had made a nest in one of the larger pots. What a place to shelter: the outdoor plant department of Walmart!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tamara, for the heartwarming 'duck' story. Ducks happen to be the mascot at the U of Oregon. Yes, for reading, though small print makes the Kindle my reader of choice for far too many books. May the coming month be good to you!
DeleteEven though I haven't written a memoir, creative writing in general has helped me come to terms with some things from my past. I see how much those early experiences, however difficult, have shaped who I am and continue to shape my writing and my understanding of other people. Writing is liberating.
ReplyDeleteThe tapestry on your cover is in the waiting room of my oncologist at Fox Chase. :O When I first saw it, I thought, "This is a really creepy thing to have in a hospital."
ReplyDeleteThere IS healing in writing. Thanks for co-hosting!