Tell us about yourself.:
I'm the Editor-in-Chief at From Addict 2 Advocate and Two Drops of Ink. I'm also the author of the memoir Finding North: A Journey from Addict to Advocate. I recently celebrated 32 years of abstinence-based recovery.
My memoir reflects a lost child who started using drugs at age 9, managed rock bands, gave up her children, and was mandated to treatment by her employer. With only ten months in recovery, a chance encounter with a 74-year-old Native American helped me find my purpose – opening North House, an award-winning residential facility for women.
In writing my memoir, I thought it was necessary to understand a good memoir's correct mindsets and mechanics. That research helped me write my memoir and create Memories into Memoir: The Mindsets and Mechanics Workbook.
I'm an avid reader, grandmother, and mother to two daughters who are also in recovery. Their children were born after they got sober and are all now teenagers with a greater understanding of the hereditary aspects of addiction, so we are optimistic that they will not continue in the cycle of addiction.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I was born in Indiana and grew up with several educators in my immediate family. Reading, discussions of history, and mid-west values were the norm, and family was important.
Moving to rural Tennessee and labeled a Yankee was the beginning of bullying, and I found release and comfort in a journal. At age four, I understood that the black squiggly lines on the page told a story or described something, so words could take me somewhere else or help me process what was happening to me.
Encouraged by my father to write, I wrote terrible poetry but created strong characters in my short stories—these make-believe protagonists stood up to the bullies – something I couldn't do.
It was not until I opened North House that I returned to writing, creating the Therapeutic Integrated Educational Recovery System (TIERS) used by the women in the house and other men's and women's recovery homes.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unlike Mark Twain, I don't make it a habit to write in bed; however, I am like Vladimir Nabokov and keep a sleep/dream notepad next to my bed for the 3 AM inspiration.
I also never destroy my darlings, whether it's a killer sentence or three paragraphs. I may not use them in a post for the two blogs, but file them under the topic. I review the darlings each time I write to see if I can finally use them.
What authors have influenced you?
I was born in Indiana and grew up with several educators in my immediate family. Reading, discussions of history, and mid-west values were the norm, and family was important.
Moving to rural Tennessee and labeled a Yankee was the beginning of bullying, and I found release and comfort in a journal. At age four, I understood that the black squiggly lines on the page told a story or described something, so words could take me somewhere else or help me process what was happening to me.
Encouraged by my father to write, I wrote terrible poetry but created strong characters in my short stories—these make-believe protagonists stood up to the bullies – something I couldn't do.
It was not until I opened North House that I returned to writing, creating the Therapeutic Integrated Educational Recovery System (TIERS) used by the women in the house and other men's and women's recovery homes.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Don't call yourself any of the following:
Aspiring
Newbie
Soon to be published
The next New York Time Bestselling Author
If you write, you are a writer. Give yourself credit for overcoming fears and obstacles and writing.
Please show your work to family and friends and ask that they give you an honest assessment of the work.
Don't take criticism of your writing personally. You're still a writer; you need to learn to edit better, revise, and proofread.
Study books on grammar, syntax, and how-to for writers, both fiction and non-fiction.
Read. Read things that aren't New York Times Bestselling books. Read books on "your" topic or niche.
See if an aspect of your niche is under-developed, and that may be where your writing can take center stage.
Submit guest posts, enter contests, and keep writing.
And last? Keep writing and improving.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
My father graduated from college with a degree in history. Many of his life examples and advice reflected this knowledge.
He always said that history is doomed to repeat itself – until we learn the lesson. At age nine, this didn't make sense to me; however, when I got into recovery at age 41, the advice had new meaning.
My grandchildren have grown up hearing this, and hopefully, one day, the advice will resonate for them, too.
What are you reading now?
This year's 'genre' for pleasure reading is "Ancient-artifact-if-found-will result-in-catastrophic-destruction-for-the-human-race-if-the-other-side-finds-it-first".
No, it's not a genre, but religious/conspiracy thrillers were on sale at ThriftBooks, and I got 10. Think Dan Brown, Sam Christer, Katherine Neville, Alan Jacobson, E. M. Davey, and Mike Hockney.
I'm also reading or, in some cases, rediscovering books about writing by Roy Peter Clark, William Brohaugh, Steven Pinker, Strunk and White, Natalie Goldberg, William Zinsser, Steven Pressfield, Julia Cameron, and Annie Dillard.
These authors share what's worked for them, what hasn't and give practical, usable advice. Their books have been lovingly packed and moved to each of my houses for over 25 years. Some books are dog-eared, have pages with not-so-sticky notes, and a few need to be rebound, but they still prove insightful for a writer like me.
What’s your biggest weakness?
One of my weaknesses is my inability to ask for help. So, I gave myself permission to ponder, research, and devise a plan – for 24 hours. If I couldn't resolve the problem in 24 hours, I had permission to ask for help.
This guideline works for my recovery or writing. However, the 24-hour approach doesn't apply to math. I'll ask immediately for help with it. She smiles.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Portrait of Jenny by Robert Nathan.
I read it as a child and then again as an adult to see why this book was one I could never forget. Most of my books are color-coordinated on the shelf; I remember that something was in a blue or red book and often forget the titles or even the author, but Portrait of Jenny is one I remember, signifying that it made an impression on me.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
I am catching up on pleasure reading or checking my social media sites for information or entertainment. I also enjoy hearing about my grandchildren's week, so there's a specific time to catch up on their activities. COVID-19 has prevented many of our family gatherings, so face-time is a way to stay in touch.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I was 3 1/2 years old, and my mother was pregnant with my sister. We were reading from The Child Craft Encyclopedia. It was the Ballad of China.
"Her name was Dilliki Dolliki Dianah
Neice, she was to the Empress of China;
Fair she was as a morning in May,
When Hy Kokolrum stole her away."
Seventy years later, I can recite these verses, so they made a lasting impression on me.
I think, in retrospect, that this may have inspired my love of poetry and maybe alliteration. I have poet envy but can always find a non-cheesy way to use alliteration in posts.
What has inspired you and your writing style?
Permitting myself to write as I speak without the um's, uh, and pregnant pauses inherent in speech. I try to keep the reader in mind when I'm writing and tend to read my work aloud after sitting for 24 hours. If I'm stumbling over a word or wondering if a word is the simplest way to describe something, I'll edit or revise, which doesn't mean that I dumb down my posts or books but strive to convey information without a lot of pretenses.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I'm working on a compilation book about recovery and Grace. The concept of Grace has many meanings, just as there are many approaches to recovery.
So far, 22 people from various recovery modalities are submitting their stories for review and edit. They include professional ballplayers, literary agents, film producers, a GM for McDonald's, and several everyday men and women who make up the 23 million of us in recovery.
I'm also in the process of formatting my Glossary of Recovery Terms for publication.
I'm always writing posts for or editing a submission for From Addict 2 Advocate or Two Drops of Ink.
What is your favorite method for promoting your work?
Like most writers, I use social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and several book review sites.
I also contacted libraries about author signing availability and am doing them now that COVID-19 restrictions are lessening.
I'm working on a video for Memories into Memoir: The Mindsets and Mechanics, which I hope is instructional, and using it to market the book.
What’s next for you as a writer?
To continue writing, developing workshops on memoir writing, accepting more speaking engagements at 12 Step conventions and seminars around Finding North: A Journey from Addict to Advocate, and encouraging more writers to submit guest posts to both blogs.
How well do you work under pressure?
I believe I work well under some types of pressure. Running North House, with up to 17 residents with various issues, there was rarely a day when there wasn't some crisis or drama. Trying to be objective and level-headed was necessary.
That is not to say that I enjoyed the pressures, but I learned to act rather than react to situations as they arose.
Deadlines for submissions are another pressure that all writers experience. I like structure and organization and plan my writing around deadlines. While some people may wait till the last minute, I don't.
When I have, I always wonder if another 24 hours spent on the post might have made it better with yet another revision.
How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
I tend to sound preachy and pedantic if I'm not careful, regardless of the topic, so after I've written my first free writing draft, I have to check for preachy.
The tone of any post is about my attitude, either about the topic – if it's recovery, I'm encouraging, friendly, and supportive. If I'm writing about addiction, my tone is probably more intense and direct as people die from additions every day, so it is a serious subject, and my style reflects that.
If it's about writing, again, I tend to encourage but give working examples of how to improve, so the tone is helpful.
I also use humor sparingly and appropriately. I'm not a comedian but can write a funny sentence. If the humor does not diminish the topic, it stays.
For my memoir, I made an effort to write it honestly and to let the readers understand my mental, emotional, and physical realities during my addiction. There was never any attempt to rationalize my behaviors and the harm I caused others, so it was candid and not defensive.
For the workbook, I made an effort to be informative while relaying some of the mistakes I made in the early drafts of my memoir, so I hope it is inspirational for anyone that wants to tell their story in the best way possible.
If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
Thank you for reading my books and blogs and leaving encouraging, supportive comments. These help me stay motivated to keep writing.
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