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How the Book Came About
People often ask me how it was that I came to write a book. In retrospect, after talking to many friends who are writers about the nightmares of writing and publishing, I see what a blessing my experience around the creation of my book has been for me. After getting to know me, and seeing some of my artwork on Orcas Island a few years ago, our dear friend Carol Wright took an interest in my story. She decided to gift Marilyn and I with a web site. She asked many questions and asked me to write a few things to post on the site. I decided to write about the journey in story-form rather than in a literal, factual way. The stories I initially wrote for the first web site were the humble beginnings of my book. Once the web site was up and running, Carol asked an associate of hers, Connie Shaw, to have a look at the stories. Connie is the publisher at Sentient Publications, in Boulder, Colorado. Connie read the stories, apparently liked what she read and asked me if I would be interested in writing a book. Feeling a little overwhelmed with the increasing number of people who were coming to see me, at that time -- people who, in one way or another, found elements of healing and hope in my story and my art -- I began to feel I needed a larger vehicle than just my presence to carry the story. When Connie asked if I would write the book I felt a great sense of relief. The timing seemed perfect, so I said, “Yes.” The problem was, not being a writer, I had written very little in my life. I did not know how to use a computer or type. With the ease with which events unfolded around this book, I felt as if unseen hands were helping me. I learned the basics of typing and the computer rather quickly. The stories came easily enough. I had always had an appropriate story to offer someone experiencing difficulty and in need of a more poetic point of view. With everything falling into place I managed to complete the actual writing of the book in about four months. My good friend Ed Severinghaus volunteered to take high quality pictures of my artwork for the book, and Connie personally and patiently did all of the editing. She was and is the most wonderful person to work with. For the miracle of this book I humbly owe a good deal to Carol, to Connie, to Microsoft Spell-check and to the apparent Mystery, which guides all things. |