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If you found out you were going to die tomorrow, what would you regret not having done?
Now there’s a somber thought. I know. But that question, “If you found out you were going to die tomorrow, what would you regret not having done in your life?” is the question that led me to finish and publish my memoir, Beyond All Imaginings.
In my life and creativity coaching practise, I have, on occasion, asked a client that question. When I asked myself the question, the answer, “FINISH THE BOOK!” screamed in my head. THE book… not the first, not the only, but THE book that is a memoir of a very strange and magical time in my life.
Sure, I was procrastinating. It’s a strange story to tell. What would people think?
BUT, the moment I asked myself the question and heard the answer, I knew it was essential to my soul to publish the story.
There are no words to describe the feeling of publishing a book that means so much to you. I’m a writer and I don’t have the words. Satisfying, contentment, peaceful, relieved, a purpose completed, frightening and fulfilling, honouring the loved ones, honouring the magic. These words don’t say enough but if I bundled them into a new word and sprinkled them with magic, that might do it.
Because it has always been a constant in my life, coaching and otherwise, to know of people who truly want to write, but who just can’t seem to get to it, I suppose it’s been a natural progression to take my passions and find a way to support more writers to get to their writing. Nobody else can tell the stories that are haunting them to be written. And the magic of writing and sharing the stories? It matters. So much.
But back to the question. Step away from my answer about writing my book. Ask yourself:
If you found out you were going to die tomorrow, what would you regret not having done?
Take a moment, listen to your answer. Might you honour that answer?
~~~~
Here’s my book, with a little excerpt:
Curious? If you’d like to read more about it, pop over
If you’d like a signed copy, please let me know. I love the synchronicities and connections that seem to happen when I’m signing a book for someone! (janet@novelminds.ca)
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Your writerly self, seaworthy
It’s a pretty great feeling to realize you really are doing what you love.
Writerly Kits is happening! My new venture is up and running and I could not be more delighted by all that it is.
ONE; everything I love to do, and am decent at, gets to go in these lovely boxes. It’s like an event in a box that let’s others find their own answers to their best way of getting to what they love – while having fun!
And these are things I love:
- Theme planning,
- creating the discovery content from the coaching and Novel Mindsprocess,
- creating the graphics, the art… and sometimes even the pottery;
- collaborating with authors I love
- collaborating with others to include very cool items that support writers;
- testing coffees that may pass the test and end up in the boxes;
- stay true to my passion for organic products, less waste, a healthier earth, supporting artisans and companies in line with my values.
- and then.. THEN… building a community that supports each other!
These are all things that scream “Janet, You LOVE this!”
TWO: People who might not otherwise access coaching, (because it is hard for a writer to justify the cost of coaching) will find this accessible, affordable and do-able.
Writerly Kits is curated especially for writers. Dear to my heart. I know the struggles. But, what if you are not a writer? I suspect I’ll venture into other areas for other creative folks down the road.
If you are here, following this blog, you know I’m pretty passionate about each of us getting to whatever realm of creativity reveals our magic. More writers writing. More arters arting. More actors acting. More musicians making more music. More inventers inventing. More philosphers philosophizing.
I love the theme of the first box. It just seems a perfect place to start, given my history! Actual contents are a secret, because the gift- like quality of a subscription box is half the fun! The theme?
Seaworthy.
Because, guess what? You are not a train going from A to B on the same track every other train is on. You are a writer. You are far more ship-like. Treasures, techniques, cool processes to find your way to chart your course and navigate your writerly life. Fun and Imaginative
And THREE: Oh my. People are subscribing! The learning curve of finding nice ways to share this new project has been…. well, kind of like climbing a mast. Not much curve, I suppose. Straight up. I don’t want to play the same old same old rhetoric of sales that is out there in social media. You are too smart for that, anyway. I just want to share what this is and hope people care. And they do care. And I am feeling very happy.
It’s not always easy to do what we love way more often. But this is working for me. I wish for you more of what you love, too.
I invite you to have a peek: Writerly Kits
I also welcome your feedback!
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The Art of Deadlines
This is what a deadline looks like:
If not for a group of friends who randomly agreed to take the gallery space for a show, when the original artist was no longer available, well, none of these would have happened. We learned about the opportunity in November and it was almost a no-brainer that we would say yes. Each of us already know that there’s nothing quite like a deadline to make sure we make stuff.
The Muse Guild’s ‘Muses and Mysteries’ show opens tomorrow night. And yes all of us, all 12 of us, made stuff.
I can’t count how many times I’ve coached a creative soul – performer or visual artist – and suggested, “What if you just book a show?” Initially they kind of freak out; “But I need a body of work!”
Well, no, you need a deadline. You can be pretty sure the elusive-until-now, body of work, will happen.
Thinking about it, it might be the only way I’ve created: Announcing my home shows, booking an art show, off the cuff announcing what I would create when asked by a curator what I would make if I had a space in their gallery…. hmm.. yup, always a deadline.
My book? My client’s books? No, booking a Book Release Party before writing the book hasn’t happened. But then, those books, they take a long time to write. I wonder, would booking a Book Release Party before the book was done speed up the process? Damn, I think I’ll try that!
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A miracle: art can create itself without me!!!!
This happened today. I did not make it. It made itself. My yupo paper was tucked upright in the side of a container, along
with my alcohol inks. Today I got the container out and noticed the red alcohol ink container had leaked.
Imagine my astounded surprise when I pulled out the yupo paper and this is what I found.
I have no explanation for why the ink creeped UPwards on the paper, nor why it dried so beautifully, nor why it chose to create a series of dragons and other critters. I do know a book is going to happen from this!!
Ah, the miracle of it all. I hope art creates itself for me more often.
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From Frustration to Magic – A Timely Reminder
“Shit,” she barked, as the props securing the old fence gave way, causing it to fall awkwardly into the alley. Walking inside, she acknowledged the grinding metal on metal drone of her furnace with a “Shut up. Just shut up.” The endless cycle of broken things, dust, and dog hair surrounding her were sucking the life right out of her. Aimlessly she paced the house, landing smack into her collection of paint.
And so she immersed herself in senseless paint blotches and strokes and tantrums on paper. She watched the paint flow, tilting and messing, and scowling at mud colours forming but mumbling, ”let it go” for, of course, the transition from pouty cranky fences, to bills that refused to fly to the neighbours, to dishes that have never been nor will ever be all clean at the same time… and into the space where passion, and colours transport her to where she becomes an observer… admiring what her hands are producing but certain they are not her hands, in awe of the concepts and theories and wisdom that flow through her mind…
~~~~
2012 ~ Came across this as I work on my book during nanowrimo. It was written a few years ago. A good reminder now to ‘just go paint’ sometimes~
2017 I came across this post AGAIN on my Musing Along blog today. (Thanks, Fb memories) Though specifically fences haven’t fallen down, other stuff can weigh heavy. I’ve found myself mucking about experimenting in paint mediums a lot lately! And it helps. It doesn’t matter what is produced. Its the magic, the flow, I’m happy with. Results: Some good enough art and some-not-so-good-but-quite-fun art happening…
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My Greatest Inspirations…
There’d be no gold splatters in my paintings if not for the oldest teaching me this technique when she was just 2. Playing with, observing, being near these grandgirls… they will never let me forget the power of imagination, play, looking at things in new ways. I’m the luckiest Nana in the world.
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The first mail I’ve ever sent to a celebrity…
I did this today. Inside is Beyond All Imaginings and a very very heartfelt letter to thank the Rolling Stones for the role their music played (and still does) in the magical connections to my family on the otherside.
I don’t know if it will ever reach any members of the band. Finding potential mailing addresses wasn’t easy. I just know I had to try. If it were your music, wouldn’t you want to know that it has gone beyond time and space and the reality we know in this world?
Beginner’s Mind, Creative Mind – Keeping that Door Open
I’ve just posted a number of alcohol ink items I’ve recently made, to the photo gallery on this site. This is funnier than hell. Who posts beginner pieces of art on their website? Me, apparently.
Maybe this can inspire you, and keep reminding me, to be okay with being a ‘janet of all trades.’ To be okay with experimenting in new mediums that may never make you money, that may never make you famous, that may never ever ever get posted on the Alcohol Ink community on Facebook. (Have you seen the extraordinary work of those people? Oh. My.)
There was no plan. Just pour and move inks. But, wait! There’s a ship! There’s legs!
(I know some of the pieces look decent in the photos. The pendants. But, trust me, they aren’t that great. This was one of those rare occasions where the artwork photographs better than in real life.)
But, oh my gom, the joys of beginners mind!
“Have ink. Have paper. Have brass.
Pour.
Oh, look how that colour mixes.
Cool.
Oh my god, stop! Stop flowing that way!
Ugh!
Oh look at how beautiful areas are when they dry. So unexpected.
A little more gold. Oops.
Thank goodness nobody is ever going to see this.
This is fun!
No, no, don’t use your fingers.
No, don’t wipe them on your once favourite hoodie. (now officially ruined.)
Oh, wait, this is beautiful.
I could pour a little alcohol here… cool! It makes distinct lines… “
Okay, you know the routine. You’ve been there right? I got to escape into colour and flow and creative thinking. Just a break from the day. Wrong. This process does SO MUCH MORE than give you a break!
This process keeps the door open for our whole mind to function better.
First it lifts our spirits.
Often it lets in humour.
Then the naysayer steps aside, thinking: ‘Whatever – she’s just playing.”
Next our mind starts firing with all kinds of new connections and ideas.
All of that doesn’t stop when you stop creating.
Our logical mind is, well, logical. It is busy helping us make decisions that it thinks keeps us safe. It runs on what it knows from the past and will purr along repeating the same old shi.. stuff as we go through our day.
It needs reminders that we can think differently. That we can make new connections and find new ways. If it’s hard for you to justify creating, and especially justifying making stuff in new mediums, you could 
remind yourself that you are retraining your brain. Giving it a good ol’ workout. Building a stronger, braver, more fun brain. The logical brain likes that kind of talk and will be more supportive.
And for me, as per my memoir, Beyond All Imaginings, it keeps me open to the magic that exists in our world.
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