Book review: Called to be Creative

Thank you to the author, Mary Potter Kenyon, who allowed me to read an advance copy of her latest release.

I’ve haven’t always thought of myself as a creative person, but as I look back, I guess I have been all along. As a young girl, coloring with crayons ranked high on my list of fun things to do. Soon, I ventured into water colors. To clarify, I used the eight-paint trays with a “wonderful” brush included. It’s what I had available and I enjoyed the process. Other times, I dabbled in poetry or story writing. Even in a photo of me with my siblings, I held a pencil in my hand.

As a teenager, I learned to sew my clothing mostly because our family didn’t have the money to buy what I wanted. My mom let me dismantle old, full skirts and remake them into a-line skirts or culottes, which most high school girls wore back then. I continue to sew today. It became my favorite way to spend time.

So, I’ve had people say to me, “You’re so creative. I wish I could do something but I don’t have a creative bone in my body.” To them, I say, “Yes, you do.”and “Yes, you can.” This book can help you discover the creative side hidden away. Maybe you got told to color in the lines by a well-meaning adult. Or you received a C on an art project (like I usually did). It doesn’t matter how or when the ability to explore the creative side to you was buried, it can get dug out.

Mary sites scientific studies on the benefits of imaginitive “play.” Watch a young child entertain themself. One minute they jump off the edge of the sofa as they dive into the ocean and swim across the living room and the next minute they are milking a cow using clothes pins pinned to a belly side of a siblings shirt on his hands and knees. (Two of my favorite winter games to play with my brothers growing up on a farm.) Do you remember your favorite game as a youngster?

This book strives to inspire awaken the artistist side her reader and help them blossom and grow. Mary uses example after example of innovative people she’s met to inspire them. She follows it with a section designed to ignite her readers into action.

Creative people get discouraged, too. Sometimes, the perfect gene roars and shuts me down because I failed to live up to the vision in my head. Mary Potter Kenyon’s book, Called to be Creative, gave me the ammunition to fight the defeat dragon. She gave me, as a reader, permission to fail. She encouraged me to try, again. The old adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again” took over and I jumped out of my recliner to “try again.”

I’d encourage you to read Called to be Creative, to give a copy to someone who’s discouraged during these uncertain times. It may just help fill the time usually spent doing social activies.

To show my appreciation to Mary Potter Kenyon, I made her a tissue pack holder using scraps of fabric with antique books.

What would you like to try?

Bye for now.

Virginia

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Podcast on the Curiosity Hour

A huge thank you to Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund for the invitation to join them for a podcast on the Curiosity Hour.

Unless you come to hear me speak, you only know me through the words I type on Facebook, on this blog, on Pinterest, Goodreads, and comments on Amazon. Here’s a chance to hear my voice.

 

I love to talk about our story, mental illness, and my faith. I speak with libraries, organizations, churches, and book clubs.

Contact me to schedule an event.

virginiapillars@gmail.com

Gratitude – November 27

It’s been a challenge this month to post each day one gratitude adjustment. In addition, I  took the plunge to write 50,000 words this month in an attempt to write my first novel.

I have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to make my goal. At 44,850 I have some serious time in front of my computer before I can say, “I did it!” I think the stubborn side of me will kick in and I will push myself to finish. I can’t tied up all the loose ends with 6000 words, so I will continue into December with the conclusion. Next up, edit my work. It’s called a rough draft for a reason.

I’m grateful to have the ability and the time to pursue the goal. I know not everyone can spend the amount of time it takes to write every day for several hours. I’m grateful for the authors who wrote the “How-To” books for people like me who want to learn the process.

I’m grateful for the computer. I can’t imagine using a typewriter like I did years ago in high school with white out fluid by my side.

I’ve enjoyed the process. If I’m not at my computer, my mind runs through different scenarios for my characters. It’s fun to use my imagination to create drama in the life of someone with no repurcussions.

Happy Cyber-Monday.

P.S. My non-fiction book, Broken Brain, Fortified Faith, is still available for half-price through Familius.

 

 

 

Gratitude – November 22 – Thank you to my mentors!

Today is a repost from a previous gratitude post. I believe in saying “Thank you.” 

What’s a mentor?

I looked it up on the Merriam-Webster dictionary website and found:

A: a trusted counselor or guide

B:  tutor, coach

Next, I looked up tutor: a person charged with the instruction and guidance of another

I’m glad I found the definitions, but mostly I’m glad I found my mentors.

This wonderful group of people guided me as I learned about writing. I entered my first writers workshop with no knowledge about the craft or the skill needed to put my thoughts to paper (actually to the computer screen.) The first pieces I shared with them had lots of mistakes. My mentors gave gentle,  yet constructive criticism. I considered myself an infant in the life of an author. They took my hand as I grew through the toddler stage, entered “school” and worked my way through the lessons they provided.

Within the confines of a supportive community of trusted guides, tutors and coaches, I gained confidence and learned from them the correct procedure to submit the things I’d written. When it came time to write my first book query, and then my book proposal, experienced eyes found my weak areas and offered me suggestions for improvement.

I recently attended the conference that I feel gave me a solid start, the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Workshop. On my way to the first day of the three-day conference, I stopped at the post office to pick up my mail. I marveled about God’s timing. For you see, my recently won award plaque had just arrived – the 2017 Selah Award for memoir writing. From an “infant” to “I’m not even sure what grade I’m in these days” in six years!

I remember May 24, 2017 – the night the awards were announced through a live Twitter feed. I sat in my home, alone as the words, “Virginia Pillars winner of the Selah Award for Memoir” appeared on my screen. I covered my face and cried – “I never thought it would be me.” May 24 is also National Schizophrenia Awareness Day. My book, Broken Brain, Fortified Faith tells the story of our family’s experience with schizophrenia. I still tell others to pinch me – wake me up from this dream I didn’t know I had.

I want to say, “thank you” to those who helped me. If you follow me, you may know that I write under a pseudonym at the request of my family. They fear stigma will re-enter our daughter’s life, so I honor them by keeping them out of social media. I don’t publish photographs of me, or my family for this reason, but I can share the photos of my mentors. Through them, I learned to write, publish and speak about my story through schizophrenia with my child. 

I’ve asked them to hold my award, for I believe some of the credit belongs to them, too. I couldn’t have done it without them.

 

 

Mary Potter Kenyon writes and speaks on the subjects of grief, cancer, friendship, the word of coupons, and writing for publication. She is currently working on her fifth book.

 

 

Shelly Beach

Shelly Beach is an award-winning author, founder of the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Workshop, author of six books and frequent speaker on PTSD.

Jolene Philo

Jolene Philo has a passion for those with special needs, especially our youth. She’s written many books and speaks extensively on the subject.

Wanda Sanchez

Wanda Sanchez and Shelly Beach work together in the field of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.) As co-authors of an award-winning book, Love Letters from the Edge, they speak nationwide. Reach them at PTSD Perspectives.

Mary Jedlicka Humston

Mary Jedlicka Humstom co-authored Mary and Me: A Lasting Link Through Ink with Mary Potter Kenyon. It tells their friendship of over thirty years through the art of letter writing.

Missing from the line-up is Jocelyn Green. I can still remember her critique on my first piece, “Show not tell.” She taught me how to accomplish this with her gentle guidance. I wish I had her photo to share with you, my readers.

And last, but not least, these are some of the group who meet regularly and have taught me, challenged me as we shared our writings, and heaped out large scoops of encouragement. If I overlooked someone, it is not my intent. I appreciate each and every person I’ve met along the way.

I’m still a work in progress. To all my mentors, past, present, and furture, I say, “THANK YOU!”

 

 

Thank you to my mentors!

Mentors.

What’s a mentor?

I looked it up on the Merriam-Webster dictionary website and found:

A: a trusted counselor or guide

B:  tutor, coach

Next, I looked up tutor: a person charged with the instruction and guidance of another

I’m glad I found the definitions, but mostly I’m glad I found my mentors.

This wonderful group of people guided me as I learned about writing. I entered my first writers workshop with no knowledge about the craft or the skill needed to put my thoughts to paper (actually to the computer screen.) The first pieces I shared with them had lots of mistakes. My mentors gave gentle,  yet constructive criticism. I considered myself an infant in the life of an author. They took my hand as I grew through the toddler stage, entered “school” and worked my way through the lessons they provided.

Within the confines of a supportive community of trusted guides, tutors and coaches, I gained confidence and learned from them the correct procedure to submit the things I’d written. When it came time to write my first book query, and then my book proposal, experienced eyes found my weak areas and offered me suggestions for improvement.

I recently attended the conference that I feel gave me a solid start, the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Workshop. On my way to the first day of the three-day conference, I stopped at the post office to pick up my mail. I marveled about God’s timing. For you see, my recently won award plague had just arrived – the 2017 Selah Award for memoir writing. From an “infant” to “I’m not even sure what grade I’m in these days” in six years!

I remember May 24, 2017 – the night the awards were announced through a live Twitter feed. I sat in my home, alone as the words, “Virginia Pillars winner of the Selah Award for Memoir” appeared on my screen. I covered my face and cried – “I never thought it would be me.” May 24 is also National Schizophrenia Awareness Day. My book, Broken Brain, Fortified Faith tells the story of our family’s experience with schizophrenia. I still tell others to pinch me – wake me up from this dream I didn’t know I had.

I want to say, “thank you” to those who helped me. If you follow me, you may know that I write under a pseudonym at the request of my family. They fear stigma will re-enter our daughter’s life, so I honor them by keeping them out of social media. I don’t publish photographs of me, or my family for this reason, but I can share the photos of my mentors. Through them, I learned to write, publish and speak about my story through schizophrenia with my child. 

I’ve asked them to hold my award, for I believe some of the credit belongs to them, too. I couldn’t have done it without them.

 

 

Mary Potter Kenyon writes and speaks on the subjects of grief, cancer, friendship, the word of coupons, and writing for publication. She is currently working on her fifth book.

 

 

Shelly Beach

Shelly Beach is an award-winning author, founder of the Cedar Falls Christian Writers Workshop, author of six books and frequent speaker on PTSD.

Jolene Philo

Jolene Philo has a passion for those with special needs, especially our youth. She’s written many books and speaks extensively on the subject.

Wanda Sanchez

Wanda Sanchez and Shelly Beach work together in the field of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.) As co-authors of an award-winning book, Love Letters from the Edge, they speak nationwide. Reach them at PTSD Perspectives.

Mary Jedlicka Humston

Mary Jedlicka Humstom co-authored Mary and Me: A Lasting Link Through Ink with Mary Potter Kenyon. It tells their friendship of over thirty years through the art of letter writing.

And last, but not least, these are some of the group who meet regularly and have taught me, challenged me as we shared our writings, and heaped out large scoops of encouragement. If I overlooked someone, it is not my intent. I appreciate each and every person I’ve met along the way.

THANK YOU!

 

 

Elephant in the Room

We’ve all heard the term, “elephant in the room” – the subject everyone knows about, but no one talks about it. Well, not in polite company anyway…

When I grew up, back in the 60’s and 70’s, lots of subjects fell into this category. Pregnancy, for one. PG was the term I heard often when I listened to my mother and aunts talk over coffee.

Cancer was another one. When the adults in my life discussed the “illness,” they referred to it as “C.” I don’t know if they thought they would catch it or what. But I didn’t hear the word cancer.

Of course, mental illness. I heard the term, nervous breakdown once in a while, but I didn’t know what that meant. People kept these struggles behind their front door. We didn’t know about them.

Fast forward fifty-some years. We’ve changed our thoughts on what is a topic of polite conversation. We chat about pregnancy and cancer often, with either joy, as is often the case for expecting a child, or concern over the devastating illness cancer. We, as a culture, rally around those who face cancer with cards, letters, fund-raisers, and food. We promise to pray for them.

Mental illness has lagged behind the other two subjects as one we feel we can tell our family and friends to obtain support. It’s still the elephant in the room. There is still some amount of stigma and shame associated with this illness that science has proven to have a biological base.

I know when it struck our family in 2004, I reacted the same way. I kept it to myself. I didn’t tell those around me on a daily basis. I told immediate family and no one else. I was embarrassed. Why? Because I didn’t know other families who dealt with it. I thought we’d be judged. What had I done as a mom to cause this? Why didn’t I prevent it?

Once I realized that my child suffered from a broken brain, I changed my attitude. I reached out to extended family and friends. I found support. I found understanding. I found people who promised to pray for our situation. And I found healing.

One in five individuals deals with a mental health issue at some time in their life. One in four families knows about the pain that accompanies it. More wages are lost to mental illness than cancer, heart and lung disease combined.

Let’s start a conversation. Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Let’s continue it. Let’s let others know of our struggles. Let’s support others in theirs. Let’s rally around families as they deal with the unthinkable. How about a gift card for gas? It takes many trips to doctors, therapists, hospital visits, and food. Can we send a card or note to let them know they are in our thoughts and prayers?

I’ve heard it said in NAMI groups, “No one brings you a casserole when your loved one is in a mental health unit…” We did. We actually had someone bring us a casserole when our child was in the hospital. But the best part – they sat and shared a meal with us. They stayed with us to listen and cry with us.  They reminded me of the friends at the end of the book of Job.  They didn’t say anything because they knew our pain was so great.

Because of my own experience, I reach out to others and give them permission to talk about whatever it is they need to say.

 

How to Eat An Elephant, Part 4

     Still with me? Keep chewing…

     I sent my book query off to a publisher, Familius. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I prepared myself for a rejection e-mail. After all, almost every speaker I had heard repeated numerous times, “Nobody gets a contract on the first time.” One even said they’d been rejected over fifty times. So I got ready for the “I’m sorry…”  

 Imagine my surprise when I received a note back with a request to see more of my writing. I reviewed my book proposal for a final time, making sure I’d dotted every i and crossed every t, attached it, hit send and held my breath. The idea of a published book seemed distant, far away.

After what seemed like months, in reality, a few days, I heard my proposal was under consideration and a contract may be offered. “What? No way!” were my sentiments. The publisher wanted a phone conversation before we solidified the deal, so now we played a game of tag. He was busy, I was busy, he was gone, I was gone. After a couple of months, we finally connected.

I explained why I thought I was qualified to write this book about mental illness. My qualification? I lived it, I breathed it, I already shared my story with others as a volunteer for our local NAMI organization, on church retreats and in conversations. I wanted others to know recovery is possible and support is vital.

On August 1, 2015, I received the contract! Excited doesn’t begin to cover it. I shared my joy with a gathering of cousins and aunts within the hour. How convenient the luncheon was on my day’s list already. I had a hard time wrapping my head around my good fortune. One book query sent. One book proposal sent. A contract for me who still didn’t have confidence that I had reached maturity in the life of a writer.  The deadline for my completed manuscript was March 31, 2016.

I signed the contract on September 22, 2015, with the deadline for my completed manuscript on March 31, 2016.

Time to buckle down and finish recording my story using the required format: Times New Roman 12, double-spaced, one-inch margins.

 

 

How to Eat an Elephant, Part 3

Why a Pen Name?

May 2016

A pen name? Why?

I wrote a book which details my personal journey through mental illness with my child. She became ill with schizophrenia in late 2004. Uneducated and unprepared I found myself struggling to understand our situation.

First, I am not ashamed of my story, nor my experience with mental illness. I am more than proud of my child, who’s overcome the nasty symptoms mental illness unleashed.

However, this story is about me, and my reactions to the chaos that accompanied our journey through mental illness. In telling my story, I needed to discuss other family members and their place in our story. They didn’t ask to be part of this journey through mental illness, nor did our affected child. Or me, for that matter. In addition, this time in their life evokes many painful memories. Therefore, they wish to leave those recollections in the past. A place where they’ve been dealt with and resolved. Continued discussions about those times may only open them to additional grief. In order to keep their identities private, I used a pen name and changed all our names and locations.

In concealing our identity, my hope is that you’ll concentrate on my story, what unfolded, and how I dealt with all the issues that accompany mental illness. I think I have some of the most supportive, loving and caring family, as well as friends. Therefore I would like to leave them in the world where they live, separate from the eyes of any publicity that may accompany this book.

And I’m grateful for your understanding. Broken Brain, Fortified Faith releases on September 6, 2016. It is available Amazon, Barnes and Noble, direct from the publisher Familius, or from any bookstore.

Thank you for stopping.

Virginia Pillars

How to Eat an Elephant – Part 2

June 2015

A few more bites…

During the summer of 2008, two strangers told me within a week of each other that I should write a book and tell my story. I didn’t feel like a writer, but I gave their comments some thought. I decided if I wanted to write a book, I needed to find out if I had the capabilities for such a task. Since my only writing had been our family Christmas letter, I found a local group of writers who met once a month. My daughter had found this group and invited me to join her.

I remember the first time I read a piece I had written. The comments “Wonderful,” “I love it,” and “That’s so great” sounded wonderful.

However, I didn’t think my writing warranted such responses and asked for feedback. The floodgates opened as constructive criticism was given with honesty and compassion. I took their advice to heart and added some spit and polish to the piece.

That Christmas, I entered a local contest for devotionals.Still unsure,  I threw out the proverbial fleece, much like Gideon in the book of Judges. I prayed, “God if this is your will for me to write, I’ll get in.”

After my bold proclamation and the piece appeared in their booklet in December, I felt that I had no choice but to move forward. I began to attend the monthly writing group. I looked forward to the lessons taught and the advice I received from the members.  I absorbed the things I heard and implemented their suggestions. My road to learning began.

The next summer, I attended a local writer’s conference. Through one of the presenters, I learned of a devotional book in the making. I submitted four pieces and total shock enveloped me when I learned one piece would appear.

Since I considered myself a toddler in the life of an author, I continued to attend the monthly group and the conference the following year.

While there, I met a woman with years of writing experience. For some reason, she took me under her wing with a boatload of encouragement. With her help, I submitted my first piece for a book of anthologies. In 2011, my first essay appeared. The thrill of publication filled me to my toes.

During the next three years, I continued to submit to anthologies. Chicken Soup for the Soul published two pieces, along with other books with collections of stories . Each year I had a piece or two accepted for inclusion in a book. My confidence grew. By January of 2015, I felt lead to write a book query and a book proposal, mostly at my mentor’s suggestion.

What’s a book query and a book proposal? Come again for the next leg of my journey. Read about my next bite of the proverbial elephant.

Sign up to receive the message when I post a new thought, if you wish.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit.

Virginia Pillars

Thank you, Familius

How do you eat an elephant?

March 13, 2016

I read an old saying this morning, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer, “One bite at a time.”

Boy, do these words seem appropriate for this time in my life. I just finished getting my first book ready for publication. It’s been exciting, incredible, amazing, humbling and scary all rolled into one. Lots of people have asked me, “How did you do it?”

My answer, “One bite at a time.”

Over  the next few months, I plan to discuss my process: from the tiny seed planted during the summer of 2008 to finishing the final edits of my first book in the winter of 2016, and on to marketing it in the summer/fall of 2016.

Up until the summer of 2008, the only thing I had written was the annual, dreaded Christmas letter, along with some random notes and letters over the years. Although, there was one exception. Many, many moons ago, our local newspaper had a contest: readers were invited to create a scenario to describe how the writers of the TV show, Dallas, would bring Bobby Ewing back after he died in a previous season. On a lark, I concocted a ridiculous story and mailed it in. To my surprise, my submission was chosen and I won the $25 prize. I took my winnings and pierced my ears. I wanted to always remember the circumstances of doing such a daring move for me, a rather no-frills gal. At that time of my life,  I didn’t wear any jewelry except my wedding ring and an occasional  necklace – if I felt especially daring. The thing that tickles me the most: I didn’t even watch Dallas on a regular basis. I couldn’t, I was a young mom with four children, ages 5-11. Who had time to watch TV?

But taking my writing seriously? I didn’t consider it. I thought my passion was raising my children, sewing, and not, but not least, helping my hubby run the family farm.

My focus changed after two strangers made similar remarks to me within a week. It helped that my children were all grown and living life on their own terms. I still enjoyed sewing, and our farm had morphed into an enterprise that no longer required my services.

Join me as I remember how I chewed  – one bite at a time.

Welcome to Virginia Pillars’ blog.

Welcome to the thoughts and musings of Virginia Pillars. My goal for this site is to share with you, my readers, my journey through an extremely difficult time in my life. And like most experiences in life, it changed me. But for today, I want to share my incredible, and exciting news.

My book, Broken Brain, Fortified Faith: Lessons of Hope through a Child’s Mental Illness is complete. The release date is September 6, 2016, although at this writing I know Amazon began shipping copies last week.

You may be asking, what’s the book about?

It’s about my journey into the world of mental illness with my daughter. In 2004, her brain broke and I didn’t know what happened or how to deal with it. The book is my story, how I coped, what I felt, and what happened to our family as we learned of her diagnosis, schizophrenia and entered her world, so much different what we perceived it to be. We had to learn about mental illness, about her specific brain disorder, medications, therapies, and all the things that accompany schizophrenia.

But how did my story get to this stage? How did I go from a confused, and sometimes angry mother to a published book?  I have been given a gift, a wondrous, incredible, unexpected gift. I’m excited to share this with my followers, as well.

Thank you for visiting. Please check back again.

Virginia