Rising

This week I’m thrilled to announce that, over the weekend, I finished the final edit of the manuscript for my forthcoming book Rising: Notes on a Resurrection. It’s now in the hands of my capable creative consultant who will magically turn it into a finished product. It’s been an intense couple of weeks, and I’ve had little else on my mind. Which means that today you’re going to be treated to my shameless promotion of my work by way of an interview I’ve conducted with myself. We all know that I have a vivid inner dialogue going on most of the time, so why not share?

What is the book about?

It’s about rising from the ashes of catastrophe and realizing that all of the hardships along the way were also the seeds of incredible miracles.

What genre is Rising?

It’s non-fiction. It’s memoir about  a specific period of my life (the last ten years), although there are bits of my formative experiences woven throughout.

What format did you choose and why?

I chose a hybrid format of essays, fragments (like lists or other short entries), and entries taken from the journals I kept during this period. I felt that this format perfectly mirrored the recursive and fragmented nature of both my experience and my state of mind.

You’ve included essays previously posted on your blog. What percentage of the material is new?

Roughly fifty percent of the material included has not appeared on the blog, or anywhere else. And all of the material that previously appeared on the blog has been edited to some degree.

How does it feel to be finished?

I’m experiencing so many strong, sometimes opposing, feelings (depends on the moment). I’m delighted at keeping this long-term promise to myself. I feel a great sense of accomplishment. I feel a sense of relief, and I also feel a sense of letdown that I think is common at the end of a big project. I feel like a parent who has left their newborn with a sitter. I feel a sense of mastery and also a twinge of imposter syndrome. I feel incredible gratitude for how far I’ve come since my life imploded ten years ago. As a result of focusing on the entire book so deeply in the final stages, there’s also a resurgence of some of the feelings of grief and loss involved. Mostly, it feels great. And I’m excited to see what happens next.

When and where will the book be available?

When depends on how decisive I am about the many moving parts involved, but definitely before the end of the year. Possibly sooner. It’ll be available at various online booksellers.

Tell us a little bit about how you write.

For the past three years, I’ve written at least 5 days a week, usually for 2-3 hours in the morning. Most days I work at a desk (previously facing a wall in my bedroom, now at a window in the room I call my Creatorium). Sitting down at the desk reminds me that it’s time to get to work, but I’ve also had success in coffee shops or quiet bars or on the couch (all seem to open up a different part of the brain). On days when the words just weren’t flowing, I’d stay connected to the work by editing the last thing I’d written or researching. For the past year or so, my devoted assistant has been right by my side every moment.

My devoted assistant

What’s next?

First up is a long-awaited trip to Italy and Switzerland where I’ll be completely unplugged, soaking in all of the beauty and culture, and seriously relaxing while reconnecting with an old friend. On my return, I’m hoping that one of the book ideas that’s been simmering on the back burner (too premature to share) will have come to a boil. If not, I’ll keep writing and living and listening for guidance.

I’d also like to continue posting weekly, and would LOVE to hear from my readers about what topics they’d like to see covered.

Do you have a favorite quote about writing?

These days it’s a quote widely attributed to Hemingway (that seems to be a paraphrase of something said by American sportswriter Red Smith):

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.

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Thanks for reading! Please let me know in the comments anything you’d like me to cover in future posts.

Also, I’ve been trying to find a way to provide factual information about some of the issues currently tearing the country apart (as I mentioned I’d like to do here), but I’m having trouble not sinking into despair while attempting to do the research necessary. I’d love your thoughts on things that might be useful, especially for winning hearts and minds and turning the tide.