views from a window seat

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.

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."