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When I committed three years ago to publish The Muse, I faced a seemingly interminable void of empty headlines. What could I possibly write about month after month? Wouldn't you guys get bored? And how did all those other people with weekly newsletters do it? Do they have some kind of secret idea vault buried underground?
But somehow, something always presents itself. The world is just too interesting for me to ever run out of things to say. Even when I actually prefer to be quiet, and listen.
This month, all the ideas I had for this issue were instantly blown away when my mom came to visit us.
It's always great to see my mom. She's on the East Coast, I'm on the West. She hadn't seen her granddaughter for two years, and she was able to come alone this time, so we all had a great time together.
But I don't think she was planning on dropping a bombshell on me.
"Your grandpa's aunt and uncle used to own a big bookstore," she said matter-of-factly as we were driving somewhere.
I nearly crashed the car. A BOOKSTORE??
It took all of half a nanosecond for me to link my entire lifetime to this bookstore in my hometown in the Czech Republic that I never knew existed. So that's where it all comes from. Books and business. It's in my blood.
It would have been really great to know this earlier. Much earlier. When-I-was-13-and-writing-my-first-novel earlier.
To be fair, maybe there really isn't a book gene. Or a business gene. The bigger question is, would it have made a difference?
I've thought about this.
I believe it would have. It may have sparked that interest in publishing, as opposed to just writing, earlier. It may have pushed me to merge my business interests with my books earlier.
None of this, of course, is my mother's problem. My destiny is my own to craft, and only I can take responsibility for it. Besides, I spent all of my university years and my early twenties grooming myself to be a film director. Not an author or publisher.
I woke up about a decade later.
But what I can say to those of you who are parents, watch for those clues. Those little lights that sparkle in your child's eyes, in what they do, what they say. What they seem to linger on a little longer. Be aware of your own parents' and ancestors' passions, dreams, accomplishments. Be open to patterns that express themselves over decades if not generations, and share them with your children. If nothing else, it's an extraordinary thing to view your worldview and your lifetime in the context of your bloodline.
~ Birgitte
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At long last. My "The Muse Welcome Package" is done and activated. Took a little while! But, as they say, good things come to those who've been waiting so long they forgot what they were waiting for.
What's a welcome package? Why, it's something you receive when you sign up for an eLetter (at least the good eLetters).
Of course, if you're reading this, you're already subscribed which means you won't receive the Welcome series in your Inbox. But no worries. You can access all four emails in the Welcome series right here:
• Email One: Welcome to The Muse
• Email Two: Timeless advice for writers
• Email Three: M is for...
• Email Four: Chronos and kairos
So spread the love! Forward this to friends so they can get their own "The Muse" welcome package.
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We're almost ready. This is my latest and final update on the production of the novel about the history and mythology of cacao you've been hearing about for what probably feels like years.
Why, you ask, has it taken this long?
Why, you ask, don't I ever share the title? Don't I have a title for the book? Does this book even exist?
The answer to question one I've never shared, but I will share it now. First, there were numerous delays with the original publisher (nothing unusual there). Then, when it was finally all edited and ready for a final copyedit, someone at the top wanted me to rewrite it because it was "too entertaining."
They actually said that. A book about chocolate for kids that's "too entertaining."
But I did rewrite it. Just not for them. I terminated my contract, rewrote the book, and made it several orders of magnitude MORE entertaining. Here's what some early reviewers and beta readers had to say about it:
"A mesmerizing, imaginative smorgasbord of facts and fantasy blended into a charming tale."
-- Dr. Allen Young, curator emeritus, Milwaukee Public Museum, and author of The Chocolate Tree
"A heady blend of honey and chocolate, science and mythology, help oil the wheels of this rollercoaster treat for younger readers." -- Dan Eatherley, author of Bushmaster: Raymond Ditmars and the Hunt for the World’s Largest Viper
(There's a reason I had a viper expert review my book.)
"Thanks for allowing us to be part of this unfolding story. There is a lump in my throat to leave [the main characters] especially. Thanks also for encouraging me to share this special story with my grandson. It will remain a special memory for years to come." -- Ruth, author and beta reader
As for the second question, yes, the book actually exists, and yes, it has a title. I know. I haven't been very forthcoming on any details. So, here is a sneak preview.
Next month, the eBook version goes live, but by invitation only to you and to my networks. The official launch won't be till March 2016, and that's because my team and I have much to do. This journey is only starting.
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You are receiving this message because you have signed up for my mailing list, registered with a user account on my author's web site, sent me flowers or dark chocolate, survived a live television program with me, or otherwise communicated with me and/or shown interest in my work or the official Birgitte Rasine author web site, or because you are someone I know personally. If you have any questions, please contact LUCITÀ via email at info@lucita.net or by telephone at +1 408.542.9942.
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