jeannine atkins

Ringing in the New Year, 2016

Another turn of the calendar page, and here we are, standing at the threshold of 2016. We had a quiet celebration, here at Chez Shore. No fireworks, no champagne flutes at midnight…we just reveled in each other’s company, and that of longtime friends. After dinner, we hiked to a beautiful vantage point, not far from our home. We watched in awe as the sun extinguished its fire in the Pacific Ocean, but not before putting its final punctuation mark on the year.

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I’ve been reflecting today on the highlights of 2015, while also imagining the possibilities for 2016.  No, I’m not planning to write a formal list of New Year’s resolutions–an illustrated journal page is more my style. In 2015, for instance, I created a collage of sorts for the word SUSTAIN, a multi-faceted theme that I oftentimes referenced.

I haven’t yet settled on a word for this year, but from my 2015 catalog of pictures and blogs, I pulled together a brief retrospective. Here, some of the myriad people and events that sustained me last year. I invite you to revisit those special moments with me, and to consider how we might respond this year to Mary Oliver’s question:

Tell me…

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Oh Happy Day! Harlem Gospel Choir workshop & onstage performance (February)

What is it you plan to do…

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His Holiness, XIV Dalai Lama talks about compassion, on the occasion of his 80th Birthday Celebration (July)

With your one…

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Leaf-peeping in history-steeped New England, and the singularly successful book launch of Jeannine Atkins’ LITTLE WOMAN IN BLUE, a novel about May Alcott (October)

Wild…

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A well-nourished leopard guards his “prey,” at the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound and Conservation Center (April)

And precious…

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This ray of sunshine, also known as my grandson (August)

Life?

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A backyard metamorphosis, from caterpillar to chrysalis to winged beauty (June)

Wishing you a joyful 2016, in which your relationships nurture and inspire you, and every day’s a grand adventure.

(Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? was excerpted from Mary Oliver’s hugely popular poem, A Summer Day. )

Little Woman in Blue, a novel of May Alcott

If you’ve read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, you no doubt remember Jo Marsh’s coddled, self-indulgent little sister, Amy, who trades away her artistic dreams for the promises of marriage. Little Woman in Blue is a refrain of Amy’s story, but with a twist: Author Jeannine Atkins calls Louisa’s character by her real name—Abigail “May” Alcott—and tells her story true.

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Abigail “May” Alcott Nieriker (Image via WikiCommons)

In the 19th century, most female artists eventually exchanged their professional ambitions for marriage proposals, and then plowed their creative urges into homemaking tasks and raising children. But while May Alcott has a frothy side (which no doubt irks her older sister), she is a headstrong woman with loftier goals: Artist. Wife. Mother. Wealth and professional acclaim, when her every wish is granted. In lively passages, Jeannine Atkins describes the myriad obstacles that May encounters on this “road less traveled.”

Over time, May’s persistence begins to pay off. She earns the begrudging respect of her older sister, fattens her art portfolio, and is ultimately granted exhibition rights at the esteemed Salon in Paris, where her paintings are displayed alongside some of the most famous artists of her day. Her dreams of marriage and family are eventually realized, when she married Ernest Nieriker and gives birth to a baby girl. There’s more to the story, of course, but you’ll find no spoilers here.

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May Alcott Nieriker’s ‘La Negresse,’ exhibited at the 1879 Paris Salon (Image via WikiCommons)

In this authentic, if fictionalized, biography, Jeannine Atkins breathes new life into one of America’s favorite literary classics. Alcott aficionados will find much to love between its covers, as will readers for whom this is a first introduction to the sisters in Little Women. Rich imagery. Relatable characters. Settings that are true to an era, and a story that celebrates May Alcott’s life, aptly published during the 175th anniversary of her birth year.

Within the first few pages, I became friends with “the little woman in blue.” I embraced her faults and virtues, railed against her torments, and celebrated her brave, if sometimes misguided, efforts to strike a balance between her artistic and personal ambitions. Though I was sorry to reach the end, I will remember May’s story, always.

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Little Woman in Blue: A Novel of May Alcott (Cover image via Jeannine Atkins’ website)

 

This review is based on an Advance Review Copy (ARC) of Little Woman In Blue (SheWrites, September 2015), provided to me by the author. I was awestruck when I read one of Jeannine Atkins’ earlier books, Borrowed Names, and I’m a big fan of her subsequent works. Though we live on opposite coasts, our shared sensibilities have sparked an enduring friendship. Even so, I’ve done my level best to write an unbiased review of this book, in hopes that May Alcott’s story will reach—will touch—a broader audience of readers.

Of Roots and Wings, Poetry and Birds

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My friend Jeannine Atkins  surprised me with a beautiful book just recently: The Poet’s Guide to the Birds.

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We share an affinity for winged creatures, Jeannine and I. We swoon over beautiful writing.

Jeannine pens gorgeous stories-in-verse. Borrowed Names, for instance, is at once accessible and relatable. But truth be told, I’m as flinchy about most poetic forms as this hooded oriole is camera shy.

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He allows me to take his picture through the sliding glass door. And I approach poetry sideways.  I pore over the words, one at a time, search line breaks and punctuation marks for the keys to understanding.

It’s a subtle nudge, this book, in that the subject matter keeps bringing me back to the page. I’m learning to find my song within even the most obscure lyrics, to feel the pulse of this poetry in a way that resonates most with me.

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Just yesterday, this hooded oriole posed for a long while on our backyard feeder. I watched it intently. Such a standout, with that glossy beak and sunshine-y feathers! You’d never guess its shyness, given those bold, bright colors.

Coincidentally, I’d just finished reading Patricia Kirkpatrick’s “Orioles,” a short poem about an ancient garden from which an orange and black tulip yearns to escape its rooted existence. As you might’ve surmised, the tulip takes wing and returns as an oriole.

The color orange suggests a Baltimore oriole, but I understood this creation story anyway. And as synchronicity would have it, the poem forged an even deeper connection to my friend Jeannine, for whom tulips are a favorite flower.

Roots and wings. Gardens and floral arrangements. This is how I’m grounding myself in poetry these days.

Art Challenge: Stars at Laguna Beach

The stars aligned for me yet again, in that this week’s Challenge Word enticed me away from my computer and into yet another outdoor adventure.  I grabbed a picnic lunch, my camera, and a couple of  books, and sped down PCH steered my roadster toward Laguna, which is where I photographed this constellation of stars.

There’s so much to love about Cynthia Lord’s upcoming release, A Handful of Stars. I’m reminded of my junior high school friend, Luz, the daughter of a migrant farm worker who takes a lead role in my contribution to the YA anthology, Dear Bully.

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Bibliophiles, don’t you fret! There’s a waxed paper barrier between this sweet little book & the wet sand.

Lucky me, I’ve also got an advanced review copy of Jeannine Atkins’ newest novel, Little Woman in Blue! At a time when women assumed subservient roles on the whole, artist May Alcott steps out from behind her famous sister Louisa’s shadows and becomes the star of her own life. *applauds wildly*

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Little Woman in Blue, sitting pretty on a lifeguard’s rescue watercraft

There’s a shortage of starfish in our local tide pools, so I brought one of my own, for the purpose of this challenge. Funny story: When I was snapping this picture, a cluster of Aussies gathered ’round, talking with animated gestures about what they’d assumed was a gift from the sea, washed ashore by these waves. We laughed about it afterwards, and they joked that they’d brought with them the whales that were breaching off shore before I got there.

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No, he’s not a star. But when this seagull kept wandering into the frame, I decided to give him his moment in the sun.

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This bright yellow bloom is a reflection of the sun itself,  which everyone knows is a star.

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Blue on blue, what a stellar day! I’d rate it five starfish out of five!

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Linkfest! If you want to see other bloggers’ responses to this week’s challenge, click here.

My photographic response to last week’s challenge, coats, is here.

VIEWS FROM A WINDOW SEAT: Thoughts on Writing and Life

I first came to know Jeannine Atkins when she posted her blog entries to LiveJournal, the little corner of the blogosphere that I call home. Her writing style (her way of being) resonated with me then, as now: she has a poet's sensitivity and an artist's eye. She is a story-teller at heart, with a soul-deep appreciation for all that life has to offer.

It was in 2010 that BORROWED NAMES first arrived in bookstores–a gorgeous book that threads together the lives and accomplishments of three extraordinary women and their daughters. I think I bought a copy for just about everyone I knew. It's that good. And my friends are worth it.

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Put this on your wish list for Mother's Day!

Jeannine's long since moved her blog over to WordPress, and she's added yet another publishing credit to her name.

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Voilà!

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If you haven't yet read this book, may I suggest it to you now? It's been a constant source of inspiration for me, as I work my way through the arduous (but no less rewarding) job of revising my current manuscript, CAN I GET A WITNESS? And good news: we'll use it as a springboard for discussion at our Writing and Yoga (with chocolate!) retreat in June!

I've mentioned it in earlier blog posts, but seeing as how I just posted a review to Amazon, I thought I'd also share those thoughts with you, here:

VIEWS FROM A WINDOW SEAT offers a wealth of fresh perspectives on what it means to be a writer, as told from the vantage point of a beloved author and trusted friend. Within each section, Jeannine Atkins invites readers to explore various aspects of the creative process, until we see for ourselves the illuminated space in which voices emerge, ideas flourish, and authenticity reigns supreme.

Here, a writer’s retreat, as inviting as they come. Divided into short, two- or three-page chapters, VIEWS FROM A WINDOW SEAT is easily read in a single sitting. I savored brief passages over breakfast, and found myself meditating on their layered meanings throughout the day. With regret, I turned the final page. But by that time, I’d learned to see my old patterns with fresh eyes, and could create for myself a new path forward. Gone, the clouded vision, knowledge gaps and blind spots. In their place, a welcoming candle, and a full-spectrum, panoramic view of the road ahead.

This is the first book published by Stone Door Press. You can browse the sample pages, and/or purchase it on Amazon.

Candles in the Window Retreat: Prize Winner

You spread the good word via Facebook and Twitter, and you commented on our prize giveaway post. You're a rock star in our book, regardless. But guess what? We dropped all entries into the proverbial hat, and you won!

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Star generator via Redkid,net
Congratulations, Julia! You can redeem your $25.00 discount when you register.

Thanks again to everyone who entered. We're so looking forward to meeting you in June!  We'll be hosting other Retreat-related giveaways in the meantime, so keep an eye on our Faculty members' blogs and Facebook pages. (Cool prizes include Jeannine Atkins' Views From A Window Seat, EarthHoney Chocolate, and The Little Book of Contemplative Photography, oh my!)

P.S. Don't forget: Early Bird Registration ends on Valentine's Day. Check out the sweet deals we're offering those who register early.

Candles in the Window Retreat: A prize drawing

When the day is devoted to writing, time moves as slowly as the sun. In an unbroken afternoon, my characters relax and tell the kind of tales you get when there are no buses to catch, no phones that might ring, when they know they’ve got my attention. They stutter less and speak whole sentences at a time.
“Retreat,” in VIEWS FROM A WINDOW SEAT, by Jeannine Atkins

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Winter’s upon us, but good news: Our 2014 Writing and Yoga Retreat (with chocolate!) is just a few short months away. And what better place to experience “an unbroken afternoon” than Land of Medicine Buddha, in sunny California? Tucked among the redwood trees of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the retreat center is two hours south of San Francisco, and just a few short miles from the beach.

CANDLES IN THE WINDOW: A Writing and Yoga Retreat (with Chocolate!) spans the weekend of June 6 – 8, but the memories we’ll create will last a lot longer, guaranteed. So will the stories we’ll write with VIEWS FROM A WINDOW SEAT author, Jeannine Atkins. Also on the agenda: gentle yoga classes, a contemplative photography walk, meditation hikes and how-to sessions, and a chocolate-infused writing activity on Saturday night. Want to know more? If you haven’t yet visited our Retreat website and Facebook page, please do!

Our Early Bird Registration discount ends on Valentine’s Day, but to sweeten the pot even further, we’re offering an additional $25.00 price reduction to one lucky winner.

Entering is easy. 1. Leave a comment on this blog entry. Be sure it includes your name and a way for us to reach you.  
2. Click “Maybe” or “Going” on our CANDLES IN THE WINDOW Facebook page. 3. Share this blog link with your Twitter followers and Facebook friends.  Do one or all three—each option gives you another shot at the prize.

All entries must be completed by 5 p.m. Pacific Time on January 13th. The lucky winner will be selected in a random drawing on January 14th and will be informed via this blog and Facebook.

P.S. Becky Levine’s offering a signed copy of Jeannine Atkins’s lovely book to one lucky winner. We’ll explore VIEWS FROM A WINDOW SEAT at our Writing and Yoga retreat, so once you’ve entered our drawing, so be sure you drop your name into the hat on Becky’s blog, too!

Keeping a Journal, via Jeannine Atkins

Just as a runner isn't wise to skip stretching hamstrings that were stretched yesterday, writers need to warm up every morning, waking up the connections between our eyes, hands, and words.
–Jeannine Atkins

I like the ease that comes of setting my own schedule, within or outside the typical workforce hours. I also appreciate the quiet satisfaction that comes of my own, heads-down efforts, whether or not they yield immediate results. But while writing is a solitary endeavor, I'm really a kumbaya girl at heart. So I like knowing that the view from my office window isn't all that different from that of other writers.

This theme is portrayed beautifully in Jeannine Atkins' VIEWS FROM A WINDOW SEAT: Thoughts on Writing And Life. I'll review the entire book later, likely after the busy holiday season is behind us. Meantime, I'd like to share a couple of passages from the chapter called Keeping a Journal.

"I start most mornings at the same kitchen window or on the porch," Jeannine says, "where I often ease into work by recording what I see.

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Me, too! I stand at my kitchen window before my own writing sessions, steaming mug of vanilla-hazelnut coffee in hand. As my eyes flit from one garden patch to another, my mind drifts from one idea to the next. Goldfinches gather at the feeder, late-blooming camellias tilt their faces toward the sun. I am at once comforted and stimulated by their presence. Where do I want to take my writing today, I ask myself, and what (who) will I take with me? A click of the shutter, a quick scrawl in my journal…I record, with all senses, the answers available to me in that moment.
[While] no one may read what we write, Jeannine continues, a journal brimming with woes and their analysis can be useful if it clears the mind to let us return to something with more grit or polish. Putting complaints or concerns on the page sweeps them from my mind, so I'm better able to focus on the work at hand.

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I get that, I really do! In fact, this is the journal page I created yesterday, as warm-up for my time at the computer. It comes of standing at my kitchen window for a long while, gathering ideas and letting go. (Soften your gaze, please, 'cause while I've got major love for art supplies, Technique and I are total strangers.)

I planted a sunflower, bright and cheerful, and surrounded her with nurturing thoughts. The image itself is a very loose interpretation of something I saw on Pinterest a while back. I drew it freehand and then added text, off the top of my head. Oopsies are part of the process, I kept reminding myself–put down that eraser and keep going! Growth: that's what came to mind as I painted, stamped, scribbled, and glitter-glued the images and text. Funny, isn't it, how certain themes sometimes burst through the topsoil, as if they'd been planted there on purpose?

This journal page is pinned to a certain point in time, so please don't view it as a representative sample. It's sunny again today, and warm. But the Santa Ana winds might kick up overnight, wreaking havoc in their wake.

One thing I know for sure: journaling helps me find clarity in the moment, and calm. Gifts for any writer, maybe more so for memoirists like me. More importantly (and in Jeannine's words again), journaling helps us "commune with ourselves, in a given moment, as honestly as we can."

Friday Five: April Fools

In honor of April Fool’s Day, I offer you four truths and a lie. Can you separate fact from fiction?

1. I received this beautiful package in yesterday’s mail. Note the crochet-inspired pattern on the wrapping paper, which I love. And isn’t that gift tag amazing? Would that I could be so crafty!

 I ripped that puppy right open, and lo, look what I found!

*squeals of joy* Thanks, Master Winchester, for drawing my name. And a million thanks, [info]candice_ransom , for hosting such a generous contest. I love my new journal, and I’m already thinking up new things to scribble & doodle on its pages.


2. This lovely gift came my way via a kindred spirit, [info]inknbeans . You might remember that I borrowed a similar scarf for my trip to Connecticut (tea for two–Jeannine Atkins and me– in Salisbury). I loved it so much…it was like wearing a warm hug–and I hated that I had to return it. Handcrafted crochet items remind me of my Nana. (For some reason, she rarely finished any of her projects. But boy oh boy, those hands were always flying!) So when Emjae sent me a scarf of my very own, in a color palatte customized for me, I wore it around my neck for about two weeks straight, no kidding. I’d be wearing it today, if it wasn’t already 80-some degrees outside and climbing.

Warm hugs back at you, Emjae. I’m grateful for your amazing gift, and for all that it represents.

3. I’ve got tickets to hear His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, talk with us about "Compassion and Global Leadership."  Seats sold quickly, so I’ll be perched among the pigeons. Doesn’t matter. I’m glad for for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

4. I play an April Fool’s Day joke on my husband every year. And without fail, he falls for it. Hee, poor guy. This time ’round, I switched out his nondescript ringtone for "Soul Man" by the Blues Brothers. Then I cranked up the volume to its maximum levels, for the benefit of passers-by his listening pleasure. Well now! My husband is brilliant, but he problem-solves in a linear-sequential way. So as you might imagine, this switcharoo threw him for a loop. He turned the phone over and over in his hands, as if inspecting it for defects. "So strange," he marveled. "Sprint must have pushed out another upgrade." Fish in a barrel, folks. Fish in a barrel.

5. It’s supposed to snow here this weekend! Whoa, pretty random, right? An extremely rare occurance…a wonder to behold. White on white: a clever disguise for my camilias.

Happy weekend, everyone! I love you all, no foolin’.

Home again

Hello, dear friends! I’m still jet-lagged, but here I am at home again, and everything that implies. I’m eager to catch up with you, to hear all the latest. But until I’ve got both feet planted on this side of the continent again, I’m hoping you’ll accept this touch-and-go landing…

When I arrived in Connecticut a little more than a week ago, my in-laws were frail and unsettled. At times, and each in turn, they seemed ready to let go. Scary times, for all concerned–a lot like what’s depicted in this short video, in fact. But when we said our goodbyes on Saturday, they seemed much more relaxed. Rejuvenated, even. I think that comes of having their affairs in order, of settling into their new nests. For now, and for however long, they’re clinging to life and to each other. =:) 

It was a challenging time for lots of reasons–the cold weather, among them. I’m not used to wrapping myself in thick layers of clothing, or navigating wintery conditions. Example: One moonless night, my car got wedged between shoulder-high snow berms on a lonely country road. No GPS…wearing gym shoes and makeshift winter gear, I truly thought I was going to suffer the same plight as the Little Match Girl. Until, that is, a burly guy in a pickup truck swooped in to save me. Whew, thank goodness for guardian angels! 

A stranger in unfamiliar territory, I nevertheless found myself surrounded by the many kindnesses of old and new friends. For instance, I’m still beaming this morning as I think about the wonderful afternoon I spent with Jeannine Atkins. We’ve talked online for awhile now, but hadn’t visited in person. So I was beyond thrilled when she suggested an afternoon get together at the Chaiwalla tea house in Salisbury, Connecticut. Generous soul that she is, she braved the winter roads to meet me! Sunshine streamed through the picture window, surrounding us with warmth and light. It was a balmy 50 degrees that afternoon–a perfect complement to a cozy conversation among friends. And when she presented me with lavender-blueberry chocolate squares, plus an inscribed copy of BORROWED NAMES, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. (She’s posted a far more eloquent description of our afternoon–with pictures–here.)

One more bit of news, and then I really must unpack: Phoebe’s newest hatchlings finally fledged! If you know me, you already know that I’ve watched this video time and again. My heart soars whenever I do! Phoebe’s had some tough luck of late–some of her eggs weren’t fertile, and a few hatchlings fell prey to hawks. But good mama that she is, Phoebe never gave up. She built one nest after the other, and nourished each brood as if it were her first. And it just so happened that Bea and Jay took to the skies, on Valentine’s Day, no less! Hope–that shimmery thing with feathers–lives on and on and on.