The Path Becomes Clear

Photo of author and her dog Teddy by Kevin Tomasello

Happy new year, everyone! 2015 will be exciting and busy for me. I will be launching my debut novel: Where the Heart Lands with my publisher, Unsolicited Press www.unsolicitedpress.com; my son is getting married; I am working on getting the first draft of my next novel completed; and we are hoping to pay off our house by year end! Hard work and celebrations galore!

I would like to take a moment to focus on gratitude, particularly in reference to the beginning of my writing career. Yes, I am calling it that, because there is no turning back now that the dream is real. I have been fortunate to have met so many wonderful people who have offered their time, expertise, encouragement, and enthusiasm for my writing. Years ago, I took a writing course through the community college's continuing education program. Valerie Zehl was the instructor. She encouraged me to try to get my writing "out there" and she even co-wrote an article with me to get my feet wet. It was in her class that a classmate asked me if I ever considered writing fiction. I had been writing non-fiction, not sure if I could write anything else. That was the first spark (since giving up on my writing back in the 1980's, but that's another story). During a previous career change from nursing to speech language pathology, I met a psychic intuitive woman through a friend. Never having done so before, I decided to have a session with her after meeting and talking with her. The experience was quite literally mind blowing. I came away believing that we are all, indeed, energy beings and that I had a purpose: to write. Of course, no one told me what I was supposed to write, so I put it on the back burner yet again while I worked through graduate school and started my career in speech language pathology. Through a patient, who also made a living giving psychic readings, I was again encouraged to go ahead and do this fiction thing. This time, I decided enough is enough. Deep in my heart I have always believed I am a writer. What was I waiting for? So, I searched and found a writing retreat in rural Vermont called When Words Count Writer's Retreat. I was their very second writer. Steve Eisner and Jon Reisfeld were enthusiastic about my germ of a story and encouraged and coached me into changing and creating the first few chapters of my untitled novel. After working on it, I went back several months later and met several amazing writers and entrepeneurs, one of whom was another psychic intuitive and down to earth person. We formed a core group of caring souls who continue to inspire and encourage me as I move forward with my goals. Thank you, Gregory, Mari, and Julie: you are all amazing people.

Things continued to happen from there, I met a local author, Elena Greene, who introduced me to another group of fabulous women writers: Jeanne, Kathleen, and Karen. They have become another source of inspiration, encouragement, and tremendous help. Then, through my other job, my friend Cathy introduced me to another local writer, Mary Pat Hyland. Another beautiful soul who has generously shared her knowledge and taken me in as a fellow author.

There are so many more people to thank: Jessica, Cathy, Jenny, Kristina, my mother Sandra Bear, my husband Kevin--the important thing to take away from all this, is that when you follow your dream, when you really decide to go for it, the Universe lines up to help you. The pathway is revealed. Yes, it is hard work, but work that you love is never as hard as working hard at something you don't love. And that, my friends, is my hope for you: to find what you love and work for it with all your heart.

Many blessings on your new year!

Heartfelt Resolutions

Photo by Kevin Tomasello

After the sudden wintry weather in November, it's spring-like in December. Spring enveloped in clouds of gray, until, eureka--the first truly sunny day in the past two and a half weeks!

The holdiays were swift this year. Thanksgiving turkey leftovers gave way to the mad shopping "season." Before I knew it, Hannakah and Christmas flew in and out before my brain could take it all in. I was a terrible Scrooge this year: a whiney sourpuss.  Tired of the commercialism, I was annoyed by cheesy sentiment. Utterly depressed, actually. As the year comes to a close, I tend to reflect on all my regrets then feel guilty and try to focus on all my blessings. There are many in each category.

The creative side of me loves the drama, the warmth, the sorrow, and the sweetness that comes from reflection on another year. Mourning people lost during the past years, I still have hope for the future. I still look forward to the next year: to new beginnings. As I age, I savor the present much more than I ever did when I was younger. The present is really all we ever have. Why not cherish every second? Because this is bullshit. It sounds great! I want so much to be "Zen," to take it all in stride. And I am grateful; quite blessed, indeed. I have a roof over my head. Fire in the woodstove to keep me warm. A husband who loves me. A wonderful, successful son. I have a book coming out in 2015: my dream! Who am I to whine? A devilish drudge, that's who. Although I need constant reminders, I hate to be told what to think. I have issues; I am working on them. Frightfully flawed,  I am guilty of being caught up in the useless chaos of daily life. Minor annoyances irk me beyond reason as I allow myself to get stuck in the piddle in the middle. I ruminate on all the things I don't have, all the things I wish I had done differently, all the things I desire. As Brandi Carlile wrote so directly, "my mind is full of razors." If only I could cut these worries from my mind with them. So, here are my resolutions for the new year:

I plan to meditate, regularly, for real, every day. Rid myself of the "monkey mind" that steals my joy.

Let go--of all things that don't feed my soul, such as resentments and anger over stupid things.

Practice acts of kindness every day, starting with my own family. This is a tough one. I lash out my anger and destructive thoughts on those closest to me then I blame them. This is the ugly truth. Which brings me to my next resolution:

I will always tell the truth. I will try hard not to be cruel, but I will tell you the truth.

I will love the damaged little girl inside like she is my own child. I will care for her as the precious innocent that she is.

I apologize for the language, but the truth is, I swear like a sailor sometimes. If you are offended, I am truly sorry, cover your eyes. I am a woman, but not always a lady. I care with all my heart. An open heart can be quite graphic.

I wish you your best new year with all my bloody heart.

From the Heart

Photo by Laura Bear

As the editing process for my debut novel winds down: the final proof reading, the cover choice, the author photo (yikes!); as we hurtle through the holiday season (I'm not ready!); as I anticipate my 50th year on this earth; as I watch my only son marry his sweetheart in the new year (how did I get this old so fast?), I find myself erupting in a jumble of emotions. In a short few months, I will be a published author, a half century old, and a mother-in-law, in that order. I have anticipated the birth of my first book with the same trepidation and excitement of the birth of my son. The excitement--and yes, fear--of my only child pledging his life to a another wonderful individual cracks my heart open further than I ever imagined. The birth of a book has some of the same parallels. For two and a half years of my life, I labored, cursed, laughed, fumed, and bled over the pages to make them come alive. I want to jump and shout and cry and laugh and SING about all of this, but I will write because that is what I do. I am rusty. I am inferior. I am NOT Harper Lee. Or Hemingway. Or Plath. Or King. Or Lamott. I am only me. A small voice, but it's mine. So much to learn, so much to do, so little time.

Every one of us has a voice, though. Even the ones who can't speak. In my other career, I work with people who struggle with the expression and understanding of language every day: language lost through stroke or brain injury. What was once so natural becomes a strangled struggle to utter a single volitional sound or a constant failure to find the right word. Words once taken for granted become wispy figments for those who travel in the twisted world of the injured brain. I love language. Written language, poetry, and story-telling create a vivid alternate world for those who can partake. What happens when that world is cut off? Language is communication: written, spoken, painted, drawn, numeric, gestured--no matter the mode, we strive to communicate our thoughts, ideas, needs, desires. We are here to interact with others. Human beings need language in some form to become both part of and separate from the whole of humanity. Each voice is an important thread in the tapestry of this giant work of art we call Earth. The differences are essential to the strength and beauty of this world. Each one, fragile on its own, but strong in union. Different, unique, but together. No one insignificant. No one discarded. I expect a lot from language. From people. From myself. I want to be moved. I want to feel as much as I can. I want to know as much as possible. I wish this for all of you, too. For all of us. Thank you for checking in. I would love to hear your voice.

In the Shadows of the Onion Domes: Book Tour Introduction to Author Mary Pat Hyland

 This week I am pleased to introduce a talented fellow local author, Mary Pat Hyland. I went to the book launch for her latest work (see right) at RiverRead Books www.riverreadbooks.com in downtown Binghamton last evening. RiverRead Books is a jewel of a bookshop located along the edge of the Susquehanna River. People gathered close in rows of chairs as Mary Pat described her inspirations for each short story in the collection. We were rapt in our attention. Mary Pat is a gifted oral story teller, as well as a writer. The "onion domes" are the ornate, onion-shaped crowns of several of the orthodox churches in the Binghamton area that stand out from the less distinctive buildings along the highway.

Mary Pat Hyland is an Amazon Top 100 bestselling author and has published six novels and a collection of short stories. Her short stories have appeared in the anthologies Seasons Readings and Lost Love Letters: An Indie Chicks Anthology. In 2013, the Arts Council of Yates County selected her as an Artist in Residence. She is a graduate of Syracuse University and has worked in the commercial/fine art, journalism, education, and culinary fields. Mary Pat resides in upstate New York, the setting for her novels, and enjoys organic gardening, gourmet cooking, visiting the Finger Lakes and teaching the Irish language.

Mary Pat answered the following questions for our interview:

1. Name
Mary Pat Hyland

2. How long have you been an indie writer?
Since 2008

3. What formats do you publish in?
Paperback & ebooks

4. What genres do you write in?
Short stories, chick lit, suspense, humor, family saga

5. Are you on Twitter or Facebook?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cailinAolain
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marypathyland

6. What’s your current book?
In the Shadows of the Onion Domes, Collected Short Stories

7. How do you want your readers to feel after they’re read your book?
This book is like a Whitman’s Sampler of my writing styles. I hope it will bring smiles, maybe a few tears, and leave you thinking.

8. What’s your next book about?
It’s a humorous suspense novel that I’m currently writing as part of National Novel Writing Month.

9. What types of jobs have you had other than writing?
Cook, journalist, art director, portrait artist, greenhouse assistant

10. What did it feel like when you were first published?
Finally, a long-held dream came true.

11. What’s your go-to song when your writing muse needs to be recharged?
“Coyote” by Joni Mitchell. Her writing is exquisite and I love the sense of being on a road trip somewhere through the strumming of the guitar chords and Jaco Pastorious’s beautiful bass notes.

12. What do you do when writer’s block strikes?
Go for a walk. There’s something about the fresh air and change of scenery that helps re-charge the imagination.

13. What’s the best compliment your writing ever earned?
That the reader kept thinking about the characters and what they were up to, months after reading the book (The House With the Wraparound Porch).

14. If you’re stranded on a desert island with a solar battery recharger, what would you be reading on your Kindle?
I think I’d need something humorous. My Life and Hard Times by James Thurber.

15. If you could have dinner with three other writers, who would they be?
Dorothy Parker, Eudora Welty and Frank McCourt. All dead, unfortunately, but if it were possible, the conversation would be anything but that.

16. What’s your blog and/or website address?
Website: http://marypathyland.com/
Blog: http://www.marypathyland.com/thehylander/

17. Cats or dogs?
Dogs. Border collies, to be specific

18. Cake or death? (To soothe the boisterous Eddie Izzard lobbyists…)
Cake with thick chocolate frosting

19. What fictional character do you identify with most?
Sybylla Melvyn in My Brilliant Career

20. What’s the closing line of your latest book?
At that moment, knowing she was nearing the bridge between this world and the next herself, nothing else mattered but the fact that for the first time in six years, she felt fully alive.

Thank you for spending time with us, Mary Pat! If you would like to read her latest or explore her previous works, please check the following links:

PURCHASE LINKS

Barnes & Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-the-shadows-of-the-onion-domes-marypat-hyland/1120666168?ean=9781502358646

The Author’s eStore

https://www.createspace.com/4997212

GIVEAWAY

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway contest to win an autographed copy of In the Shadows of the Onion Domes, copies of her ebooks or a piece of original art created by the author.

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Mary Pat Hyland

The Introvert and the Not-So-Solo Writing of a Novel

Photo by Laura Bear

I'm an introvert. I say this with confidence after reading a recent post on social media about how to interact with an introvert: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/16/understanding-introverts-_n_5989656.html . According to this article, an introvert is defined not by who we are, but by how we recharge. I love that! It's true that introverted people don't dislike company. We do! It's just that it's draining and we need time alone, in our own space, to replenish that energy drain or we get grumpy, even nasty. Introvert, on social media? Actually, it's easy for an introvert to engage with other people over social media because there's no immediate demand. There's time to reflect. Reflection is important to introverts. We do a lot of staring at our navels, gazing at nature, sitting in the quiet. It seems like writing a novel would be an isolating experience--perfect for someone who needs to work alone. And while writing is often a solitary labor, it does require a certain degree of social interaction: with other writers, with readers, with editors, and, for some of us, working with a talented publisher. I relish those interactions. But, publishing comes with its own challenges. If you want to sell your book. If you wish to give other people the opportunity to read this thing that you labored over for weeks, months, years at a time, you must engage with fellow humans. And they are often delightful, but it still sucks the life out of me. And now there is an article explaining this to the extroverted people who are recharged by the very interaction that depletes us. A roomful of people is daunting to the introvert. On the other hand, the extrovert thrives on that same crowd. Let the party begin, right? I love a party, but I will need at least a day--maybe a week, depending on the party--to  recover in quiet solitude or one-on-one intimacy. Call me what you will, I know what I need to stay healthy and happy and to have enough energy to write. Wine helps, too, but not too much of it!

Many writers are introverts by nature, but I'm sure there are many who are not. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? How do you recharge your energy" What do you love? What rubs you the wrong way?

Join me next week when I introduce you to a wonderful writer who blazed her own successful trail in publishing her books: MaryPat Hyland www.marypathyland.com . I can't wait to share her story with you! Recharge this weekend, in whatever way you need.

A Brief Pause

Photo by Laura Bear

First set of revisions completed for my upcoming novel WHERE THE HEART LANDS through Unsolicited Press www.unsolicitedpress.com! A grueling month, indeed, but well worth it. I gained new insights on my characters and their story. Now for the copy editing.

Building a book is a tremendous undertaking. Yes, it really is like giving birth, but I prefer to think of it as a soul journey. This photo taken on a walk during my first visit to a splendid little writer's retreat in Vermont called When Words Count  www.whenwordscountretreat.com illustrates this journey well (minus the blood and guts it took to get there, but that's another story). It's a beautiful road, but there's mountains up ahead, so better be prepared!

Anyway, I took a day off from writing because, I admit, I was a tiny bit burned out. After all, I was working two full-time jobs all month: intensity all day in my other career, driving home, making dinner and spending a few minutes with the family (currently consisting of spouse, three cats and hyperactive canine--bless those writers who still have small children in their care), maybe a workout on the bike trainer in the basement, then writing the rest of the night until my eyes gave out. So my reward was a whole day to ride my bike (outside!), bake apple pies, and hang out at home watching shows on Netflix. It was lovely, but it's time to get back to work on the next book before I get the copy edits back on the first one. No complaints here, though. This is what I've been working up the courage to do all my life: write a book. A book of fiction, nonetheless. It's just as hard as I had imagined--the only difference is that now I'm ready for the challenge. My goal, as always, is to touch a reader and to become a better writer in the process.

I met a woman the other day on my weekly trip to the liquor store (you didn't expect me to write without a little lubrication, did you?). She was hosting a little wine tasting and noticed my t-shirt from Writer Unboxed www.writerunboxed.com. When she asked me if I was a writer, I didn't hesitate. "Yes!" I said, eyes reddened from hours of staring at words on the computer, hair tousled from lack of attention. After she asked me about my book, she told me that she was an English teacher, had always wanted to write a book, but just never made the time. I told her I had all kinds of excuses, too, but finally, I just decided to do it--no turning back. Eyes twinkling just a bit, she said, "Maybe someday."

In my day job at the hospital, I am bombarded with reasons not to wait. If you have a burning desire to create something or to visit somewhere or tell someone you love them or to follow a dream, why wait for the "right" time? Make your time right now. What do you have to lose except regrets?

Thank you for taking a little time to visit! Now, get out there and do your thing!

Revisions, Revisions

Photo by Kevin Tomasello

Hello all,
Sorry I've been delinquent in my posts. I received my manuscript back from the publisher late in September and am deep into the revision process. This post will be brief, but I relish the break.

Here is a lovely photo my husband Kevin shot, showing the beautiful fall days I am missing sitting inside on the computer. Because fresh air and exercise are necessary for mental health and clarity, I will be getting out today for a quick bike ride or walk.

Revision is grueling, but also exciting. I sent my little story on its way because I thought it was ready to meet the world. Turns out, not so much. Yes, they liked it, but boy, does it need work! All the molding and shaping and creating and caressing was just the preliminary outline of a story. Now it's time to get down below the dirt, to the tap root. Didn't I slice open my soul and bleed all over the pages already? Not in the objective eyes of my fine editors at Unsolicited Press www.unsolicitedpress.com. Time to go for the jugular! More description, less redundancy, more depth, more soul, more emotional connection, more of this and much, much less of that! Indeed! What does a reader expect? As a reader myself, I should know, right? But, knowing it and feeling it are different than writing it. I have more work to do. but I am challenged to make that essential connection--to touch the reader's soul. You'll have to let me know if I do so when the book comes out. Meanwhile, back to rewriting!

Bless you for reading. Create your best day.