Although I write books, a poem or two has been known to leak from my pen. So have a couple of short stories. I’m in the process of cobbling them into a book, Slain Phantoms. They showcase some of my issues and fears, and how their exit from my brain to the page set me free. I’ve even made room for a true story, something I experienced that was just too crazy to make up.
Here are some lines of verse to give you a general idea:
Sunny Blonde was the girl I’d be
Yellow towel tight to my head
I don’t want that black doll
I said to my black mother
Laughable uproar at Barbie’s ‘assets’
When commercials were golden long
pretty blond hair
Oh well if your head hurts
Recently a friend raved to me about how threapeutic it was for him to write down his thoughts. When he found out that I have three books published and outlines for 20 more, he said “You must be a well-balanced and rational person.” Uhh, sure. But I got his point. The phantoms are hard to kill, and always manage to procreate before dying. But at least I know how to take them out.
JOYE JOHNSON - Politely Refusing the Kool-Aid 
I think a big part of being a writer is that you have all of these ideas in your head–characters, lines of dialogue, images, symbols, thoughts about the human condition, sometimes entire worlds–and if you don’t get them out of your head and onto the page, you feel like you’re going to explode. If I go too long without writing, I start to feel mentally itchy and restless. So you’re not alone when you say that your work showcases your fears and issues. I think that’s part of life for those of us who are artists in any medium.
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3 published books and outlines for 20 more? I applaud you for finding such an inspiring way to slay your phantoms & I think You Are Amazing 🙂
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Wow, Like Ladyligertyhenl said, wow! Love the title of your upcoming book. And the poem was very visual for me… Lisa @ http://www.lisabuiecollard.com
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A few months ago, my husband told me about a recent study that showed that writers actually are more mentally balanced than non-writers! (I’ll have to see if I can find a link about it.)
Apparently, this held true whether you simply wrote a private diary on a regular basis, or if you only ever wrote fiction.
I think the issues we wrestle with come out no matter what form we use. There’s some saying out there about how every portrait is a self-portrait, and I think that’s true! Often, when I think I am hiding behind an idea, I look back on it later and see right through my disguise.
Kudos to you for being so prolific!
~Tui
@TuiSnider on Twitter, dropping by from the #StoryDam linky. Hope you can join us for tonight’s chat at 8pm ET. 😀
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