Part Two: On creating, writing, and publishing "Journey of the Dream Team"
the sketchbook, COVID, and intestinal fortitude
In my previous submission, I shared some of my personal background, writing inspiration, and motivation to achieve my life goal of writing a book. I also included a photo of this page of thumbnail sketches for page themes. This helped me formulate which photos I wanted to use and how I wanted the writing of the story to flow. A visual construct helps me formulate concepts, selections, and keywords to hone in on. Divide and conquer!
COVID reared its ugly head in March of 2020, as well as so many things that made my life seemingly impossible. No one, no place, nothing was free from:
grief
loss
anger
sadness
fear
trauma
uncertainty
tears
pain
disconnection
illness
a new normal
The impact was universal, daily, invasive, weakening, deleterious, and bleak.
Things I had worked so hard for were poof, gone. Solo shows canceled. Shortages of food, commodities, and resources. Unstable ground. Paralysis. New rules, new news. Daily counts of COVID cases and deaths. Traumatic loss. Impossible every day. Forever changed life. Surviving yet scared.
And then I was deemed “nonessential” as a small business owner yet could not work and could not get unemployment benefits until the groundbreaking measure was created to help people like me.
I had to put my creative journey on hold, start job searching again, and figure out all of my life’s impossibilities without a textbook.
But wait - that wasn’t the end of the story.
There is an interesting thing about creativity and love. They are unstoppable forces and cannot be contained. And even though things seemed impossible and daily living was a horrid version of Groundhog Day, somehow, we all had to find new ways of doing things. And amazingly, those new ways of doing things were often even better, more effective, and more intelligent, and brought us to the next level and definition of ourselves.
My creativity, motivation, and love were restocked. I was ready to write my book.
I printed out the pictures I selected that I wanted to use. I brought my sketchbook, a pair of scissors, tape, and a pen, and drove to Cromwell landing and wrote the story while looking up randomly at the Connecticut River with focus, determination, love, and tears.
I was writing a story from the perspective of two horses who were part of the organization I loved, and I was determined to make them proud.
I accomplished a life goal.
I wrote my book.
I compiled it and sent it to the Brooklyn Art Library.
My sister was a key part to making this a possibility.
I added “author” to my growing list of titles.
But like Billy Mays always used to say…
“But wait, there’s more!”
Catch part 3 soon!
*end of part 2*