The Writing Process Blog Hop

Hello Everyone,

Amazon 

Mary Clark, author of Tally: An Intuitive Life, invited me to participate in a blog hop. Please visit her blog and check out her book on Amazon. It looks really interesting. 

I admit, although I'm new to the official blog hop world, I--like many of you--have been hopping through the blogosphere for several years now. It's fun to read the goings on of friends. Part of the agreement for participating in this endeavor is to answer the questions on the writing process. 

1. What are you working on? 

My gardening memoir, Grace In The Garden: Thirty Years of Blunders and Bliss is in edits now. The title pretty much explains the content. It's a look back at how my garden and my gardening life have evolved over the years. It's a much lighter read than my first book, REACHING and hopefully will appeal to non-gardeners as well as those who enjoy digging in the dirt. 

2. Why do you write what you do? 

The short answer: because it's what I like to read. Memoir has always appealed to me. I enjoy reading about ordinary people overcoming extraordinary obstacles. It's what inspires me and give me hope in humanity. Crafting my own experiences into something literary makes me feel really good. That's not to say I'll never write fiction. I never say never. 

3. How does your writing process work? 

My most successful writing happens in the morning but because I work full time, I am forced to write when I can. I find that stepping away from a first draft for a while allows me to come at it with fresh eyes and often a better vocabulary. And I'm fortunate to have good editors. 

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To keep the blog hop going, I've got three fellow blogging authors that I know you'll be interested in visiting. 

1. Jeri Walker-Bickett (@jeriWB) writes short stories, creative nonfiction and psychological suspense. The rough mining town she grew up in--with its mix of bars, churches and whorehouses--populates her literary landscape. Food, travel and photography also inspire her creativity. She lives in Idaho with her wonderful husband and their demanding pets. You can connect with her at JeriWB.com where she posts about literature, writing and blogging. Please explore her titles via Amazon. She also works as a freelance editor. 

Blog: What Do I Know? http://jeriwb.com

Amazon Author Central: http://amazon.com/jeri-walker-bickett/e/UHV4CA

2. Leila Summers is a storyteller, writer and personal coach with a love for all things creative and human. She lives in South Africa with her two daughters and animal friends. As a Gemini, she has boundless energy and enthusiasm for learning new things and her variety of interests include reading, crafting, photography and holistic living. When she's not working, she enjoys spending time with her girls, homeschooling and learning alongside them. Leila published her first book, It Rains in February: A Wife's Memoir of Love and Loss, in 2011 and she is busy working on her second memoir at present. 

http:..leilasummers.com/za/blog/

https://twitter.com/leilasummers

https://www.facebook.com/leila0summers

3. Lisa Kerr is a fiction writer working on her first detective novel. She's an animal lover and tech geek who lives in California. Her short stories have been published in various magazines and journals. You can find out more about her on her website: www.thelisakerr.com

Book Review: It Rains in February

WITH THE HOLIDAYS fully upon us, I wanted to finish reading It Rains in February and get my review written before being swallowed up in the festivities. Here it is. 

What is love? Is it the warm fuzzies we feel while embracing our husband of 30 years under a moonlit sky? Is it opening a small, exquisitely wrapped package to find a diamond of commitment? 

It Rains In February: A Wife's Memoir of Love and Loss, written by Leila Summers answers this question without even trying. It's the true-life account of one woman's struggle to help her mentally ill husband. 

Set in exotic South Africa, Leila and Stuart meet, fall headlong in love, get married and have two daughters. But behind Stuart's artistic, somewhat eccentric demeanor lies a skewed view of reality, likely stemming from a chemical imbalance or personality disorder. Once he lays eyes on cinnamon-skinned Amanda, his affection for his wife takes a backseat to his unrequited obsession. 

Perhaps Amanda is flattered, even titillated by handsome Stuart's flirtations, we don't really know, but she doesn't leave her husband for him. And despite Leila's numerous urgings Stuart refuses to resume first place in her life. He continues in decline, ultimately taking his own life. 

Leila is a gifted writer. The book is a poignantly candid love letter written to deceased Stuart, detailing the events and emotional difficulties during the months and years of their relationship. Despite the enormous stress of trying to keep Stuart from fulfilling his own demise, Leila's unconditional love never wavers. To me, this is the take-home message. 

I can't help but contrast the long-suffering devotion Leila exhibited for her husband in a far from ideal marriage to many of today's marriages that quickly dissolve when things take a turn for the worse. Leila constantly reassures Stuart of her love for him and tries desperately to get him to seek psychiatric help. She writes honestly about being pulled in different directions, caring for their daughters and trying to make a life for herself. Despite the worst possible outcome, Leila survives and ultimately thrives. 

This not a feel-good read. To those of us who have a need to understand humanity and all its frailties, however, this book will enlighten.