I wrote a book, and that was a major accomplishment, especially at age eighty-five. However, I never knew how writing a book would change my life – not because thousands of books were sold and I am now basking in new-found wealth. No, the change came about from book signings, making appearances at book festivals, speaking to women’s clubs and book clubs. The contact and support that I have received from strangers was a complete surprise and renewed faith in my belief that most people in the world are kind and encouraging.
I also have discovered that I am “living” with my characters now with the help of my readers. My last two book club meetings were amazing. I discovered just how involved people actually got with words that I had written. The first hostess made copies of my book cover and turned them into coasters that she used to decorate the table and give as favors to the guests. I was amazed by the trouble she went to in preparing a wonderful dinner and making everything perfect for the presentation.
The most recent book club was done in a way that brought my characters to life for me. Since the story takes place on a cruise ship headed to the Panama Canal, the hostess cooked some of the same items that I had written about when describing the character’s dinners on the ship. I was especially impressed with the “infamous” French onion soup she prepared — soup plays a rather prominent role in the story. She had also made crème broulee for dessert just as the characters ate during the cruise.
But there was one thing that totally caught my eye. In the middle of the table, there was a wonderful figure of a pirate that the hostess, Diane, has borrowed for the occasion. She added a large letter “E” (for Edward) that hung from his belt, and she draped a pocket watch over his body to capture the time travel aspect of the book. He was beautiful and a perfect fit for the backdrop of the dinner.
Looking around, I felt that the setting of the dinner and the table talk of the guests was similar to the dinners my characters share in the book. It seemed as if my characters were with us, enjoying the repartee and the meal.
At home later that evening, I couldn’t stop thinking about the pirate statue. I just felt that if he were in my office, I would be motivated to write the next two books of the trilogy with lightning speed. The next day, I contacted Diane to see if the figure had any markings that would show who made it or where it came from. Unfortunately, there weren’t, and the pirates I found on Amazon just didn’t have the same character as the one she used.
A couple of days later, I received an email from Diane telling me that the owner of the pirate was getting ready to down-size, and he agreed to exchange the “Edward” for a signed copy of my book. I offered to give him a book plus buy the figure from him but he insisted on just making the exchange. I am extremely happy with our deal. It’s just one example of how supportive everyone has been.
I live my life now as the writer of a fantasy romance novel and everything that surrounds me supports that life. I have been changed and the change agrees with me. I can’t wait to finish the second book — which begins with some rather surprising news!
From all of this, I have discovered that an author may be the one who puts words down on paper to write a story, but the readers – as observers – are the ones who bring the book to life. I want to thank every person who has read my book for helping me attain this life-transforming experience at an age when it is difficult to be taken seriously. Maybe I can convince people that eighty-six is the new fifty-six!
Life in the Word Mines 