I know I said a turtle, but I wanted to introduce you to a friend of mine from Costa Rica. He can attest to my sincerity when I say thank you to Julia Lund for tagging me to be a part of this tour. Julia is a wonderful write; and if you haven’t already, you definitely should head on over to her blog, where she shares her thoughts and talks about her book, Strong As Death. You should pop over to http://julialundauthor.wordpress.com/ and check her place out. I also must apologize for my delay in getting this done. We have just moved back to the states after some months in Costa Rica, so I am just getting settled in to the house and trying to unpack. I have done this dozens of times but it seems endless this time. Again, thank you Julia!
So, I have to answer some questions and then tag three talented writers to continue this blog process project. That is the tough part. I follow so many talented and wonderful people out there! You are all wonderful.
Here are my three nominees to carry the torch for the tour
Amy Pinkrose at http://herladypinkrose.wordpress.com/
Dan Antion at http://nofacilities.com/about/
Janey at http://cupidorcats.wordpress.com/about/
Okay on to the work-
What are you currently working on?
While I try to write something every day which usually translates to a bit of poetry to go with photos I have taken or inspirations that fill my soul, my current “real” project is my ongoing attempt to complete my very first novel. It took nearly a year to write initially and I have been editing it ever since. My final cut, so to speak, has been to post chapters here on this blog and hope for input and feedback from good friends and visitors. The characters in my work have become more like friends to me and I love spending time with them; so it is truly a work of love.
I am an avid photographer and am not happy unless I find something unique and beautiful to capture each day. It was quite easy while I lived in “paradise” with amazing creatures all around, often coming straight to my door! See “Bovine Adventures”. Even though I have always been a writer-ever since I first picked up a pencil and learned to write,-the photography aspect has truly worked to inspire the writer within as I view world as never before with the eye of my camera.
How does your work differ from others in your genre?
This is a most difficult question because to date no one has been able to properly identify my “genre”. In the early stages of completion, I submitted to one publisher who said the work was well done but couldn’t quite place it in any of their specific genres. The closest would be a Spiritual Fantasy or Fiction. I have one friend who has been faithfully reading chapters for me and is very supportive, generous and honest (I hope) He has recently told me that the story is not identifiable with any particular genre but that it encompasses all of them! I was blown away by this assessment and hope that this will be the thing that sets my novel apart from so many. My story is different in that it begins before the beginning and attempts, through its characters, to suppose they why of our existence and the how of our decline into our personal battles of emotional struggle. Instead of writing a theoretical spiritual piece, I have brought these ideas to life through the inhabitants of an original world, created in Love and given to its inhabitants to nurture, enjoy and keep alive with the Light from which it came. While there are no typical “good” and “evil” characters, there are those forces that succumb to the call of darkness, bringing fear and pain with them. If you feel the story begins slow, stick around. And buckle up for the ride….
Why do you write what you do?
Well, my poetry is usually a way to work through my own sorrow, joy, experience and questions. It is a way to enhance what I see with my camera and to honor the individuals I capture through photography, whether persons or nature. My novel has been a way to work through my growth process and to share what I have discovered and am still discovering along the path within this illusion. In the words of Christopher Walken in Blast From the Past. I write “because I must.”
How does your writing process work?
Well it just does. I don’t have a formula. I have not been much of a planner in my life, am very spontaneous, and this I suppose has been not much different. The original idea for my novel came to me while I was living in Florida and walking on the Seminole Trail. It is edged by marshy woods in places; and there came voices whispering to me of magical things and ideas. It would be another two years before I actually began to seriously write the tale; but over those two years I would jot down basic plots, names and thoughts about its theme. When we moved to Costa Rica the first time in 2012 I was completely inspired by the jungle life. We were in a small home overlooking a lovely small jungle valley where each day I was visited my monkeys, iguanas, beautiful insects and marvelous birds. It was as though I was in a virtual “Garden of Eden”. My mind raced with inspiration. And then there were the vultures. Always showing up any time I was writing. And I mean showing up. In the trees and flying low. One day when I was out of sorts, homesick and feeling so out of touch, I heard a shuffling sound on our metal roof. I thought it was the little monotitis arriving early and ran outside with my camera to say hello. I was amazed but not shocked to see a huge vulture there, sunning itself and drying its feathers on the peak of our roof. It just looked at me as if to say, “Just what are you waiting for? If you want to be lifted up, follow your inspiration. In lifting others you will also be lifted.” It was all I needed to get back to work! At this point my process includes writing, sharing for feedback, editing and reading again after a few days when my head is clearer and my mind is looking at the story from a fresh perspective. For me it is about finding a balance between wanting to produce something that will appeal to people without just putting out work that fills a niche. I want to be true to my inspiration and artistic nature. And within that truth I always hope my work will strike a chord with someone and they will feel less alone and perhaps more understood.
And I am so looking forward to editing and posting my next installment of the novel over the weekend. I hope it will be read by more people with each chapter. I hope it resonates with whoever reads it. I know that I will see it through to the end. As always, I thank you for reading and I thank you, Julia. 🙂
Tropical Affair 
You must be logged in to post a comment.