An Author Finds Inspiration in a Door

An author looks for inspiration everywhere. I found it in a door.

Alexander Graham Bell said, ” When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. ” In other words, we can get stuck lamenting the door that’s closed and not see the one open, the one showing another possibility. It seems very fitting then that I’m here in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, a city known for its decorative doors. Creativity is rampant in this beautiful place. Each door gets me thinking about new directions, if only I give my imagination free reign.

It’s a city Robert and I visited in 1996. Back then, we attended the Instituto de Allende, where I took a took a course in water colour painting and Rob studied bronze sculpture. Since then, I’ve painted in acrylics and oil and Rob has sculpted in stone and wood. But the big door that I opened was the one to the writing world.

Closing the Door on my Third Novel

Within that writing world, there are also many doors. I’m finally closing the door on my third novel, SUNFLOWERS UNDER FIRE, which will be out on May 7th. This book has been a labour of love based on family stories. And I’m opening the door on its sequel, which starts where my third novel ends.

San Miguel de Allende’s Writers Conference

Though my husband, Robert and I are in the very exciting city of San Miguel de Allende, I’m finding time to write, which is always a pleasure.
I’ve already written ten thousand words of the sequel to my new novel so I’m hopeful this one won’t take as long. In a week’s time, I’ll be attending the magnificent San Miguel de Allende’s Writers Conference and Literary Festival. It’s a great opportunity to hear some of the best writers speak about their work.

Keynote Speakers

To prepare for the conference, I’ve made a point of reading books by two of the keynote speakers, Paul Theroux and Sandra Gulland, who were both unfamiliar to me.

I finished Paul Theroux’s My Secret History and was blown away by his masterful writing. In this novel, the reader gets the impression very early on that the author is using much of his own life in telling the story. What I find remarkable is Paul Theroux’s fearlessness as a writer. He’s not afraid to show his flaws, and by doing so, he succeeds in showing the humanity of his lead character. He’s created one who’s largely unlikable, but it makes for a very compelling read.

The book I’m reading now is a historical novel by Sandra Gulland. Tales of Passon, Tales of Woe is about Josephine Bonaparte and her marriage to Napoleon. It’s the second book in a trilogy. I’m impressed with the research the author must’ve done and with the clever way she’s spun this tale. Josephine reveals her marital journey through her journal entries. This form of storytelling makes a life lived centuries before seem immediate, contemporary, and very accessible.

What Door Are You Opening?

I haven’t always walked through the various doors that have appeared in my life. To start something new or go somewhere new can be both exciting and daunting. What about you? Are there any new doors that you’re opening? Is there one you’d like to open but you’re holding on to the closed one?

Comments are always welcome.

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