Seeking

I'm reading Aleph by Paulo Coelho and appreciate the quote about how what we seek is also seeking us. I believe that.

hands, in and out of my

I index books for a living and slipped into that mode to enter this post. Last week, my third work of fiction, Painted Deserts, became a Finalist for an annual USA Book News International Books Award. My two previous books—Music for the Dream: Seven Short Stories and Tanner Blue—have both won awards as well. It’s thrilling to receive this recognition, which has me thinking about the partnership of discipline and faith. While writing, the work is in the hands of the creator. When that work is completed and released, how does one get a grip on certain expectations?

The Way Things Should Be

Yeah, there's that, then there's the way things are.
I took a Buddhism class as a freshman at Cornell and remember a key aspect of that particular world view:
See things as they really are.
Cool. Then, what?

I Know What's Best for You

That's a lie. How could I? I only know what's best for me.
Why can the tendency to tell others how to live their lives be so strong?
Because, ideally, we want optimal outcomes for each other.
Any other questions?

Seadrift

According to Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary Tenth Edition, seadrift is nowhere to be found. Yet, here it is, swept up onto the shore of this week's blog entry. Perhaps the concept is inspired by a recent trip that my husband and I took to Fort Bragg on the North Coast of California. Maybe it's reinforced by a picture that my brother sent from a family trip to Rockley Beach in Barbados, our mother's homeland. I was trying to think of a word to describe things that bodies of water rake up onto shore. Probably, a "real" term exists that welcomes this brand-new synonym.

This morning at the pool, I swam beneath the natural condensation that drifted above the surface of the water. The sky was clear and the sun smiled through green meshes of sequoias. The sensation was one of flying through a thin cloud. Sometimes, it can feel that way when we cast our nets far and wide, waiting and wading, until all that seadrift forms some welcome thing that is easy to recognize.

I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett

This consummately original tale sets out to answer the question, "Then, Who am I?" The journey brilliantly parodies Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, and Lilies of the Field with great subtlety. Also, The Defiant Ones and Buck and the Preacher. In addition, it's quite amazing to witness the license that Everett takes in including the personas of Ted Turner and Jane Fonda in his wacky cast of characters as well as inserting himself as an eccentric philosophy instructor. That's all I have to say except that this is one of the most thoroughly enjoyable and incisive pieces of fiction that I have read in a very long time.

Variation

Variation indicates change. So, how do we know when it's time to change, or when it's time for change? There are signs, discontent being perhaps the biggest one.

Change does not always mean improvement. That was my first reaction to the words, Change We Can Believe In, which defined President Obama's campaign in 2008. I kept waiting for someone to carefully place the word, Positive, in front of Change. No one did, so I've been chanting it to myself, more loudly each day.

Variation is no substitute for making things better, especially for those who need the most assistance. Fundamentally, positive change is such a simple thing—a mere matter of adjusting how we think and behave. Like any other habit, it will demand consistent practice and reinforcement.

It's True—Teaching Is Learning

Over the past four semesters, I've had the opportunity to teach a Spanish class at a local community college with a very diverse population. My favorite part of the job is watching students think. I can feel their individual and collective processes of offering thoughtful comments, posing intelligent questions, and sharing significant insights. I enjoy their kindness, sense of cooperation, and consideration of each other. They are trusting and their openness has great value. Their humanity is more of a reminder than a lesson that the answer to Rodney King's famous questions is, "Yes. We can all get along."

Hug the Day

During this morning's swim, I thought about Big Pictures, connecting dots, and noticing opportunities. The trite expression, carpe diem, came to mind and brought to life one of my pet peeves, which concerns tendencies to dominate instead of harmonize. Why seize the day instead of simply embracing it, giving thanks for it--engaging in one great, big circadian hug?

Something about Inspiration

Earlier this week, a friend who is a painter wrote about being inspired by an exhibit of Picasso's work. Immediately, I gave thanks that I can recognize moments of artistic inspiration, some of which have translated into novels and short stories.

Just this morning, another painter who is a mentor and friend wrote, "When I am in the studio, all is well with the work."

In my experience, there is something about inspiration that cannot be denied.

Clouds and Change

Winds of change is a familiar metaphor.

Wind, as a noun, relates to speed applied to the movement of air. As a verb, it has a connotation of turning or spinning.

Change, as a verb and noun, indicates difference and transformation. As a noun only, change can represent coins left over after dollars have been broken.

During this morning's early, outdoor swim, I witnessed darkness giving way to light in a sky dominated by gray clouds promising a storm. Wind rearranged clouds as if they were puzzle pieces, implying that there might be some order or plan to all this obvious shifting. By the time it was fair to say that it was light outside, the clouds had all but disappeared and imminence of rain seemed to pause, perhaps at the mercy of second thoughts. The rain has arrived, gentle and sporadic at this moment. I cannot help but think of flipping coins, taking chances, and believing that good will prevail over its formidable opponent.

InneRhythms

I've worked in the publishing industry as a development editor, managing editor, and am still employed as a freelance indexer. When I was working in house at a company in Emeryville, I remember how a copy editor who I supervised hated intercaps. Up until that time, I had been neutral about the practice of imposing capital letters in the midst of lowercase. In coining the term, InneRhythms, I invoke the privilege of doing something in moderation to make a point.

The idea of inner rhythms came to me while exercising on my mini stair stepper earlier this week. I played a mystery CD and was thrilled by being in perfect sync with the first two tunes--Across the River by Vasquez and All One by Oscar Castor Nieves. Esperanto by Kurt Elling proved to be a perfect finale. That workout was a tremendous moment of clicking.

If there are InneRhythms, there must be a counterpart, right?

Audience Roundup

Audience: A group of listeners or spectators; a group of ardent admirers or devotees: following

Roundup: A gathering in of scattered persons or things

I was anxious to harness these reflections after this morning's constitutional swim at a local outdoor pool. In the process of writing this post in my head on the way home, I stopped at a produce market for apples--I believe in eating one a day. I realized that I didn't have my wallet with me and in the same breath felt in the pocket of a jacket that I wear on blustery days like this, and found enough change to buy some organic Fujis. While I was paying, the cashier asked me if I wanted some bananas. Immediately, I said, "No," and left the store. I returned and said, "Yes, I would like some bananas." When I purchased them, the cashier asked me if I wanted some organic oranges. This woman whom I was seeing for the first time had succeeded in making me her audience. How did she do it? She captured my attention.

I've just finished self-publishing my third book, Painted Deserts. My first novel, Tanner Blue, has won national and international awards. My second book, Music for the Dream--Seven Short Stories, was a finalist for an international award. I'm grateful to those who find value in my writing because I sure do love to write!

I live in a field of dreams, firmly believing that "The people will come," as a simple matter of faith and trust. It is out of my hands to determine the "when" or "how" of my audience being rallied. All I can do is keep casting out the lassos, book by heartfelt book.

The Successful Writer

Happy Valentines' Day!
Writers--what does success mean to you? Is it enough to simply sell lots of books, or is it more important to develop a devoted audience that eagerly awaits your next work? While the two can coexist quite symbiotically, I often wonder how many sold books actually get read. I hope to inspire positive, critical thinking as part of this intricate process.