Poet Archives

Etel Adnan: A Life in Art, Poetry, and Famous Paintings

October 20, 2024 by Lokesh Umak

The life & work of Etel Adnan, a renowned Lebanese-American artist, poet, & writer. Discover her famous paintings, literary achievements, and her contribution to modern art.

Etel Adnan, born on February 24, 1925, in Beirut, Lebanon, was a creative force who transcended borders and disciplines. A prolific artist, poet, and writer, she left an indelible mark on the world of modern art and literature. Her unique blend of cultural influences and bold artistic expression positioned her as a pioneering figure in the contemporary art scene. Known for her vibrant paintings, Adnan’s work is often described as a synthesis of East and West, reflecting her Lebanese heritage and her extensive time spent in the United States and France.

Etel Adnan: A Life of Creativity and Expression

Early Life and Cultural Influences

Etel Adnan’s early life was marked by a rich cultural heritage that would later play a crucial role in shaping her work. She was born to a Greek mother and a Syrian father in Beirut, a city that itself was a melting pot of cultures and traditions. Growing up in a multilingual and multicultural environment, she was fluent in French, Arabic, and English, languages that influenced her literary and visual expression.

Her rich father, a high-ranking Ottoman military officer, instilled in her a sense of history and tradition, while her mother, a Greek Orthodox Christian, brought a Mediterranean sensibility to her upbringing. This fusion of East and West would later become a hallmark of Adnan's work, both in her literature and her visual art.

Adnan moved to Paris in the 1940s to pursue higher education at the Sorbonne, where she studied philosophy. Her academic pursuits didn’t stop there—she continued her education in the United States, attending UC Berkeley and Harvard University, where she further delved into philosophy and aesthetics.

Transition into Art

Although Etel Adnan initially pursued a career in philosophy, she eventually found her true calling in visual art. Her artistic journey began in earnest in the 1960s when she was living in California. Inspired by the light and landscape of the West Coast, she began painting vibrant abstract works, using a palette knife to apply bold blocks of color onto her canvases. Her paintings often focused on natural landscapes, particularly Mount Tamalpais, a mountain in Northern California that she frequently painted and referred to as a spiritual muse.

Adnan’s transition from writing to painting was seamless, as both mediums allowed her to explore the themes of identity, exile, and the complexities of life in a politically turbulent world. While her early work was rooted in abstraction, it was also deeply personal. She viewed painting as a form of language, a visual expression of her thoughts and emotions, much like her poetry.

Famous Paintings and Artistic Style

One of the hallmarks of Etel Adnan’s paintings is her bold use of color. Her landscapes are not attempts at realism but rather emotional expressions of the world as she experienced it. She often used a palette knife to apply thick layers of paint in flat planes of color, creating works that are both textured and minimalistic.

Among her most famous works is her series of paintings of Mount Tamalpais, which she painted repeatedly throughout her life. These abstract depictions of the mountain are characterized by their vivid colors and geometric forms, capturing the changing light and moods of the landscape. Her use of color—often bright and contrasting hues—gives her work a sense of vitality and dynamism.

In addition to her landscapes, Adnan also created abstract works that explored color and form. Her painting "Untitled (2010)" is a prime example of her use of bold color and simple shapes to create a powerful visual impact. This painting, like much of her work, is characterized by its simplicity and vibrancy, with large blocks of red, yellow, and blue juxtaposed against one another.

While she is most widely known for her paintings, Etel Adnan also worked in other mediums, including tapestries and drawings. Her tapestries, in particular, reflect her love of color and texture, translating her abstract paintings into woven form.

Literary Achievements

Etel Adnan’s artistic talents were not limited to painting. She was also a celebrated poet and writer, known for her powerful works that addressed themes of war, exile, identity, and love. Her most famous literary work, Sitt Marie Rose (1977), is a novel set during the Lebanese Civil War and is widely regarded as a masterpiece of modern literature. The novel, which explores themes of violence, oppression, and cultural conflict, has been translated into numerous languages and remains a poignant commentary on the human cost of war.

Adnan’s poetry is equally lauded. Her collection The Arab Apocalypse (1980) is a visceral, experimental work that blends poetry and visual art. The collection is a response to the Lebanese Civil War, using fragmented language and bold, abstract images to convey the chaos and devastation of the conflict. Her poetry often defies conventional form, blending language and visual elements to create a unique and deeply personal form of expression.

Her work as a poet and writer earned her numerous accolades, including the PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles Award for Literary Excellence and the California Book Award.

Political Engagement and Activism

Throughout her life, Etel Adnan remained deeply engaged with political and social issues, particularly those affecting the Middle East. Her work often addressed themes of displacement, exile, and the impact of war, reflecting her own experiences as a Lebanese expatriate. Adnan was a vocal advocate for peace and justice, using her platform as an artist and writer to speak out against violence and oppression.

Her political engagement is perhaps most evident in her novel Sitt Marie Rose, which draws on her own experiences and observations of the Lebanese Civil War. The novel is a searing indictment of the violence and sectarianism that tore her home country apart, and it remains one of the most powerful literary works on the subject.

Adnan’s activism extended beyond her writing, as she was also involved in various political and social causes throughout her life. Her commitment to peace and justice was a driving force behind much of her work, and she remained an outspoken advocate for human rights until her death.

Legacy and Impact on Contemporary Art

Etel Adnan’s contributions to modern art and literature are immense. Her work as a painter, poet, and writer has inspired countless artists and thinkers, and her bold, abstract style continues to influence contemporary art. Her paintings have been exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world, including the Tate Modern in London and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

In 2014, at the age of 89, she participated in the Whitney Biennial, one of the most prestigious exhibitions of contemporary art in the United States. This marked a major milestone in her career and brought her work to the attention of a new generation of art lovers.

Adnan’s ability to blend cultural influences and transcend traditional boundaries between disciplines has made her a unique and enduring figure in the world of art and literature. Her work continues to resonate with audiences, offering a deeply personal and universal exploration of the human condition.

Etel Adnan’s life and work are a testament to the power of creativity and expression. Whether through her bold, abstract paintings or her powerful, experimental poetry, she explored themes of identity, exile, and the complexities of the human experience. Her legacy as an artist, writer, and advocate for peace remains as vibrant as the colors on her canvases, inspiring generations of artists and thinkers to come.

Poem Rainbow: Gratitude’s Radiance

July 25, 2024March 16, 2024 by Julia Orozco

In a Silver Moon night adorned by a thousand Luceros, a woman finds solace in the presence of her soul. Their dialogue unfolds amidst celestial wonders, as she expresses gratitude for the divine spark within her heart. This exchange, rich with imagery of stars, mountains, and oceans, reflects on the profound interconnectedness between the individual and the universe. Through the woman's words, we glimpse the transformative power of gratitude and love, as they weave a tapestry of light and resilience amidst life's challenges.

Poem: Rainbow

A Silver Moon night,
surrounded by Luceros, a thousand
the woman was found with
his soul,
and they spoke to me like this:

Do you know the soul of my soul?
I never gave you gratitude for
give spark of Heaven,
inside my heart ,
not even for being inside me,
and make it possible to be me,
that star, that star,
that field made into flower;
that mountain on fire,
that ocean water,
where are they going to stop me?
the rivers that I love so much;
that word of love,
when someone is
suffering,
that Light that they need
those that darkness
they lived,
and at this, he interrupted
the soul saying,

Gratitude forever
to you,
for sheltering me in your
body,
allow me, my beloved,
May you dress as a rainbow
as long as you continue living me,
and thank you (he told him),
to brighten all Aurora,
all night, all being,
Well, all your prayers
go up to Heaven like
wind and kisses the Face of
God, and come back to me
again.

Poem Analysis

The poem reflects on gratitude, love, and the interconnectedness of souls. Through vivid imagery of celestial bodies and natural elements, it portrays a dialogue between a woman and her soul. The woman expresses gratitude for the divine spark within her, allowing her to blossom and overcome challenges. The soul, in turn, acknowledges the woman's role in nurturing it and vows eternal gratitude. The exchange symbolizes the reciprocity of love and the cyclical nature of energy and blessings. The imagery of stars, mountains, rivers, and light emphasizes the universal bond between humanity and the cosmos. Ultimately, the poem celebrates the symbiotic relationship between the individual and the divine, highlighting the power of gratitude and love to transcend earthly limitations.

Poem “I will do” celebrates love and gratitude

July 25, 2024March 7, 2024 by Julia Orozco

Poem extols love, faith, gratitude, and God's guidance through life's journey, urging to walk with joy, kindness, and appreciation for blessings.

I will make your life cheerful,
may you walk forever in love,
I will fill your paths with flowers,
because you see the face of your God.

There is no other way to live than loving,
love the love of the verb to love,
without offending or mistreating,
always smiling when walking.

Why is it not living in tears?
or regrets,
walking is knowing how to walk,
with the faith of birth and the light of gratitude,
everything that life puts in front of you,
for it is the path that your feet walk,
and if sadness or great sorrow comes,
or maybe you'll get the feeling of not having,
feel son of my soul, my star,
that in every dawn and dusk
God, the Giver of Love,
will sow tenderness in your soul,
for loving you even more, my dear.

And with Him, as a companion,
your path will be water of love,
river of laughter and lucky life,
that you and me, me and you,
We will walk loved until the end.

Poetry analysis

The poem celebrates love and gratitude, emphasizing the importance of walking life's path with joy and kindness. It speaks of finding solace in faith and the presence of God's love, guiding one through sorrow and hardship. The imagery of filling paths with flowers and walking in love portrays a hopeful and optimistic outlook on life. Overall, it encourages embracing love and gratitude as guiding principles, leading to a fulfilling and blessed existence.

All you need is a Life coach mentor in the life to succeed

July 25, 2024December 17, 2023 by Lokesh Umak

The universal truth that everyone need a life coach mentor. In this interview with Andrew, he talked about his source of inspiration, books, hobbies and sung his favourite poem for us.

About author

Andrew Lafleche is the award-winning poet and author of No Diplomacy, A Pardonable Offence, and Ride—among other titles. His work uses a spoken style of language to blend social criticism, philosophical reflection, explicit prose, and black comedy. Following his service to Canada as an infantry soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces, Lafleche received an M.A. in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Gloucestershire. He lives on a farmstead in the Bonnechere Valley with his two cats, Hemingway and Bukowski, and his Gerberian Shepsky, Raymond Carver.

Please tell us about your native favourite place, the most lovable person in your family and your hobbies apart from writing

The east coast of Canada, hands down, is my favourite place. Signal Hill in Newfoundland, the red sands of Cavendish Beach in Prince Edward Island, the Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick, the Cabot Trail of Cape Breton. It’s the way the ocean meets the land and the fog rolls in and the tide chases the moon that creates this tragic romance of existing, that ever since I first seen the Atlantic as a child I’ve been drawn to her.

The most lovable person in my family? My younger brother, Kenny. He’s a real stand-up guy. Kenny owns his own landscaping company, coaches little league, teaches young people to ice skate, and always has time for the people of his inner-circle. He’s full of life and I’m proud to know him.

Apart from writing, there are a variety of activities I participate in. It’s the spice of life, right? In the spring and fall I’m out hunting bear with my bow. I also do a little trapping over the winter months. My grandfather was a carpenter and some of that must have rubbed off on me—though I am nowhere near as talented—but I like building tables and other small pieces of furniture. My current project is using 3-inch thick slabs of ash wood from out back to build a 7-foot live-edge farm table. Other days if I’m feeling inspired I pull out a clean canvas and work on an oil painting. I love playing darts, going to the firing range for target practice, hiking the woods; very rarely do I get bored.

How many books you have written yet, please enlist them, and what is your favourite one from them?

It feels outrageous to admit, but I’ve written 14 books so far, which includes eight collections of poetry and two novels. Asking me to pick a favourite is like asking a parent to pick their favourite child—and we all know they have a favourite—so, if I had to choose one, it would be my novel Ride. It’s terse, punch-rough, and trade-sex-ready; it’s about a young man trying to find his place in the modern world while reeling from teenage id, peer-pressure, and drug addiction.

POETRY

Shameless (CreateSpace, 2016).
Ashes (Bywords.ca, 2017).
On Writing (Pub House Books, 2018).
Merica, Merica, on the Wall (Pub House Books, 2019).
After I Turn into Alcohol (Cyberwit.net, 2019).
Eyes Wide (Cyberwit.net, 2020).
Moon Poems and Other Deathless Songs (Cyberwit.net, 2021).
Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall (Pub House Books, 2021).

FICTION

A Pardonable Offence (Pub House Books, 2017).
Ride (Pub House Books, 2020).
The Morning Edition (Cyberwit.net, 2021).
Trident Legion (Cyberwit.net, 2022).

NON-FICTION

No Diplomacy (CreateSpace, 2015).
One Hundred Little Victories (Pub House Books, 2018).

When did you think that writing is the most interesting and easiest thing for you? Furthermore, when did you write your first story, which was appreciated the most by your friends and family?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a creator of some sort. All through childhood I wrote poems and stories and radio plays. Actually, my mother saved one of my first books I wrote, complete with illustrations, titled “The Magic Bird.” My mom even wrote an author bio and glued my Grade 3 school photograph to the back cover of the staple bound pages. In high school, I was fortunate to have an English teacher, Ms. Sheila Mayberry. Who was passionate about the freedom writing permitted and spent quite a bit of time mentoring me, developing the craft of writing, and encouraging me against self-censorship, to write unfiltered. If not for her, I might never have pursued writing as I have.

Tell us more about your experience writing the memoir, “No Diplomacy” and what inspired you the most?

It took some time to clear my head after returning from combat in Afghanistan. No Diplomacy became the result of working through those thoughts on paper. At the time, a lot of the material being written about the war by soldiers who were there had the Hollywood glamour to them, everybody was a superhero, and well, that wasn’t my experience. I wanted to let the reader feel what it was like to be in the middle of it. The anger, frustration, disgust, excitement, joy, fear, love, hatred, unease, trust, and peace. All those emotions, collectively, simultaneously because that is the soldier experience. I wanted to give a voice to the people who were struggling at home, let them know that it was okay to be feeling the way they did.

One Remembrance Day, here in Canada, I was at an event when a soldier approached me, pulled out a knife and just let it rest there in his hand, blade pointed in my direction. He said, “You’re that author, aren’t you? The one who wrote No Diplomacy.” (Believe it or not, some people did not appreciate the book!) He reached into his pocket with his free hand and pulled out a clear plastic sheath encasing his challenge coin. He said, “I read your book, then my wife read your book, and then we read it together.” He said, “You saved my marriage. You wrote what I couldn’t say.” He cut a slit in the sheath and dropped the coin into his hand and gave it to me. That was the most inspiring thing to come out of writing this particular book.

How did ideas of writing the book, “Shameless” (poetry) comes from? Do you have any other poetry in progress?

Most of the poems in Shameless are true (except for the lies, of course!) and are about people I knew. One of the first modern poetry books I ever read was Charles Bukowski’s The Pleasure of the Damned. And I remember putting it down after I turned the last page and thought, I didn’t know you could write like that. A lot of Shameless was experimenting with finding the proverbial line and flirting with it, stepping over it at times, shying away from it. I wanted to write something to serve as a reminder for the rest of my career that it’s okay to have fun while writing. I wanted a book to give myself permission to step off the edge now and again.

Last year, Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall (Pub House Books, 2021) was released and serves as a collection of my poems from 2015-2020. It’s my favourite volume to date and captures the journey through a variety of poem styles. Much of the poetry I’m writing today is similar to what was included in this last book.

Andrew Lafleche Reading his favourite poem

What do you do apart from writing books, do you hold any IT or other professional degree?

Before I focused on writing, I served as an infantry soldier in the Canadian Armed Force, 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. Following my time in the military, I returned to school and completed a Master of Arts in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Gloucestershire, England. Currently, I’m enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at ACTS Seminary, Trinity Western University. Aside from writing and education, I have a small farmstead where I raise chickens and pigs and tend a few crops. It’s very satisfying to work with my hands and care for these young animals.

1 Poem on Beauty of girls | One Must read

July 25, 2024December 16, 2022 by Ranita Roy

The poem on beauty of girls, is carefully crafted, keeping unbeatable truths in mind.

Beauty | Poem on Beauty of girls

Your beauty is breathtaking-
fragrance Intoxicating -
Your presence, scintillating
Yet, your sparkle never touches others' soul-
Nor the radiance brightens up the
darkness around -
The inebriation in your spell fails to
mesmerize the rest?
Ever wonder why? - a voice asked softly-
"Look deep within inner self
"The answer my friend
Is blowing in the wind"
Absolve your heart, your mind of years of filth-
And your beauty will be etched - Within the soul of the Universe- Forever-for time

A Poem About Me (revised)

July 25, 2024December 2, 2022 by ivors20

portrait of a boy with curly hair wearing a black shirt

How to write a poem about me

The boy who lived by the sea

As a youngster, I was not a loudspeaker

Just a shy and quiet teenager

Who wondered about Dreams of the Heart

With my visions of yesteryear Well Preserved

I loved Vegemite, honey, and ice-cream

Then my life became Just a Little Dream

Looking at the Crystal Clear Shallows on the bay

I saw Ripples of Inconsiderateness turn my hair grey

Struggling, life was disappearing after my stroke

Emotionally I was crying out, Who’s Left to Row the Boat

Needing strength, my stars echoed, “I do Thee Shine”

Now I'm left with these Words of Mine

Recalling the days during her Everlasting Smile

Leaving my empty hands full of Memories and Rhymes

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November, After The Storm

December 17, 2023November 27, 2022 by AlexF

Last night, lightning turned my room into a photobooth.

Thunder rolled down rocks on me

and the floor trembled under my feet

It darkens early in November. In the afternoon's half-light

I half-thought I'd like to go out again about my business

as I did this morning, managing to dodge the worst of the rain.

Yet I stayed inside, listening to the wild wind.

And though the sun gilded the clouds in the watery sky

at the end of my street, I worked on,

attention divided between will-I and won't-I

until it felt too late to go.

Soon, they say, there will be snow.

The day has died, and I am still inside

playing switch-it-on-and-off-again with my lamp

as clouds gather and disperse behind my half-closed blinds.

Poem | Cold

July 25, 2024November 23, 2022 by Sheryl Lynch

The streets are frozen empty with the cold
The harsh ball of winter sun
Burns through the clouds
But not enough to warm us surface dwellers
Even mammals have a hard time being warm-blooded
Creatures scurry from place to place
Strategically looking for shelter from the ripping winds
A feral cat snuck into the newly empty house across the street
My husband and I did a mad dance to get her out
Torn between wanting to be kind
And needing to keep the place presentable
We showed her the door several times
Before she got the message
I feel like one of those mustachioed landlords
Evicting the poor widow woman in those serials.

Julie Kusma on Suspense: “A Technique Where The Unknown…”

July 25, 2024July 25, 2022 by Lokesh Umak

Julie has unique ways of telling the stories, in this interview with i'mBiking Magazine, she talked about her book, “The Poetry Mouse” and for her readers, she read her favourite poem. Moreover, there is good news for writers who love to write about horror and suspense. She talked about how her books ends leaving the readers astonishing, in a twist. Kusma also put her thoughts on difference between thriller and suspense according to her. Thus, she believes, unknown outcomes create a tension in any story. Therefore, learn from her why both, thriller and suspense are correlated to each other.

About Julie Kusma

Her paranormal, supernatural, and horror stories contain simple truths about our human experience, and she shines a light on shadows with weird situations, unexpected themes, and twist endings. She holds a Master of Health Education, a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness, and a Master in English, Creative Writing, fiction.

No matter what medium art takes; canvas, clay, or words on paper, the message isn’t so much what it means to the artist, but rather what the piece says to the observer. I hope my work speaks to you.
Julie Kusma

Moreover, every writer has his own way of gathering ideas. However, Julie get inspires is something unique.

What made you write about the book, “The Poetry Mouse”

The idea for “The Poetry Mouse” emerged in a conversation with my writing partner, Derek R. King. He shared several poems he wrote about hedgerow creatures and the idea of a mouse, Evie, anthropomorphized, took hold of me. I saw her living her ordinary life of doing what others thought best for her, and I realized this story had the potential to speak to children on so many levels. It is a story about authenticity and pursuing our talents and passions.

What was the first thought came to you before you begin to write the book?

For me, my first thought was the visualization of Evie holding her notebook with Derek’s poetry written on each page. I then formulated a storyline and wove Evie’s tale around his poems. At the end of the story, Evie sends her work to a publisher in the city, so there’s a sequel underway.

How many books you have written until now?

Wow, I’ll have to look… I have short stories in three anthologies: one with two stories that won publication in a contest, one with a horror story from a contest, and the third with four horror short stories. I also have two meditation CDs, three solo children’s picture books, two children’s picture books written with Jill Yoder (my amazing editor), three children’s picture books written with Derek R. King, eight more collaborations with Derek, and finally, three horror collections of my own.

So, the short answer is, I currently have 22 published works and 2 CDs. Additionally, three collaborated children’s picture books are slated for publication yet this year, along with another Keepsake book, Our Halloween all in collaboration with Derek, and a solo project of mine, The Crooked Crone & Other Mystifications, all scheduled for 2022 publication.

Does each of the books reveals the suspense at the end? Would you like to share your experience behind writing the suspense?

I do fancy a twist ending. My solo work, which is mainly paranormal or psychological horror, quite typically ends in this manner. I love taking the reader along on a ride and making that sharp turn at the end which reveals the destination is somewhere entirely unexpected. I love that.

For me, writing suspense is about layering your story, and this is accomplished through the writer’s voice and the literary tools and devices employed. Diction, syntax, figurative language, and the tone in which the story is told, offer many layering options for themes and symbolism— all creating the story’s motifs. So, with diction, for example, when writing horror, choosing words that are morose and macabre pull the reader in. All part of setting up the story’s suspense.

How do you distinguish between thriller and suspense?

Thriller is a genre where danger is present from the onset of the story: The thrill of the ride, reading the story. Suspense, although categorized as a genre, is really a technique where the unknown outcomes create a tension, a suspensefulness as the reader anticipates what happens next. Any story can be suspenseful, but not all stories are thrillers.

Are both of them correlated to each other?

Sure, a great thriller is suspenseful, and in a non-genre definition way, suspense is thrilling.

Are you currently writing any book? If yes, would you like to tell us more about it?

I am. This week, I will write the final chapter of The Crooked Crone, which began as a solo short story. I’ve expanded this into a novella by the same name, and it will release yet this year. Other than that, I always have at least a dozen projects going at the same time. Current open projects include two children’s books, a keepsake book— Our Halloween, and the above-mentioned solo project of mine, and dozens more just waiting to materialize. I seem to work best this way, as I can perform various tasks for the different stages of progress as suits my mood on any given day.

How do you get suspense ideas, what are the major sources, and why?

Just depends on, really. Sometimes, nature inspires. Other times, it’s people. The things people say and believe are excellent fodder for stories. For example, I saw an appointment reminder card stuck to a drain pipe with cobwebs, and Derek took a picture of this for me. A creepy horror story began to emerge as I asked myself how long has that been there and why. Additionally, my current stay in Scotland has inspired an entire series of micro fiction pieces titled Scottish Gothic and is available on my website here.

What is your favorite poem you ever wrote?

Probably “A Lover’s Silence.” I love the voice of this piece. It has been recorded for me by Jacqueline Belle and a video to compliment by Daniel Lacho of Guru Art Official. You can listen to this on my YouTube channel at A Lover's Silence or for all of my recordings, visit YouTube.com/c/juliekusmaauthor

But I’d love to share one of my published 50-word micros from my Scottish Gothic collection. This piece, along with a few others, is available to read on my website.

Do you love travel and meeting people?

I would have answered no before, but last year I met my amazing writing partner, Derek R. King. He lives in Scotland and I visited him last December. We have an amazing creative spark and exchange between us that is very easy and enjoyable. I believe this is why we are able to produce so many books in such a short amount of time. I’m currently in Scotland, and have been here since the end of March. I head back to the states in September, but while I’ve been here, I have travelled, met many people, seen a lot, embraced new ways of living and being, as well as created a volume of writing.

Would you like to tell us about your travel experiences that occurred funny, relevant to your writing or any sort of it, and eventually helped you a lot?

I don’t know if I’ve had anything particularly funny, but that’s subjective, right? I find life in generally humorous, so there’s that. However, walking through a grocery store in Scotland is quite entertaining for me. Seriously, no salad dressings to speak of. No pickle relishes. What? Pancakes are freshly made in the USA, not precooked and sold in a package on the bread aisle. And ice, don’t get me started on drinking soda room temperature without ice. Lots of funny stuff regarding food and lifestyle tickle my mind while staying in a foreign country. I highly recommend venturing outside one’s known territory and truly seeing how others live, especially if you’re a writer.

Enjoy book! Jackie Lynaugh: “Reading books for enjoyment is a luxury” sharing ultimate marketing tricks

July 25, 2024July 20, 2022 by Lokesh Umak

Every writer enjoy book on their weekend and on any occasions. Therefore, reading books teach us every day, and that is a time when most of our learnings occur. Every day is a new and special for us.

However, in case of Jackie, her education actually happened when she joined IBM. In 1972, during her schooling, everywhere was violence, the protesters, and the Vietnam War. Jackie also shared how her mother used to read romantic novels and enjoy her life. Jackie has also written a poem, “Out from the Shadows” accidentally, upon reading, it brings power to the one's selfness.

She believes, marketing is writing and selling an idea. Therefore, she took one more step and started investing more in writing romance as an endeavour to get lost in love stories.

About Jackie Lynaugh

Jackie's passion is writing, and her favourite place is the ocean. Besides, she loves painting landscapes, collecting sunglasses and crave sunshine like there's no tomorrow. She has worked as a marketing manager at IBM, writing technical spec-sheets for computer engineers. Now retired from the corporate world and writing fiction, family saga, and romance full-time. She is currently living in South Carolina.

Tell us when did you find interest suddenly evoked in you for reading or enjoy book, and at what age you got your first book and its name?

The first book I read at a young age was “Gone With the Wind”, by Margaret Mitchell. I read it again in a different mindset at 40 years old. The genre I gravitate to is romance and family saga. I also write in that genre. I don’t write historical romance. I write what I know.

My mother was a romantic bookworm. I watched her get lost in her paperback romance novels growing up. Some of her books, she would tape a brown paper grocery bag over the book cover. I remember the first time I pulled off the brown paper to see what she was hiding on the cover. It was like unwrapping a present. I would read her romance books when she was out of the house. From then on, I dreamed of riding off on a white horse with the shirtless hero my mother was hiding on the cover of the book.

Reading books for enjoyment is a luxury I never had while raising my children and during my corporate career, and as a business owner. Life was too busy to just relax and get lost in a great novel. I know I missed out, and I am making up for lost time reading for pleasure.

Where did you finish your schooling, and what experiences of life counted in your writing career, loving and enjoy book?

I don’t believe we ever finish our schooling. Life lessons happen every day. I dropped out of high school in 1972, went to night school, and later took the General Educational Development Test (GED), which took me nowhere. In the ’70s, racial tension and school dropouts were high, and the Vietnam War and protesters were on every corner. The world was on fire as peace signs, tie-dye t-shirts, and standing up for our rights were the thing. The '70s is a future novel in the making I hope to write someday. Life lessons in a small southern town are on my bucket list for my seventh novel.

Fast-forward to the 90s, I returned to the classroom at Winona State University in Minnesota. Short-lived but productive. In 1994, I began my corporate career with IBM in marketing. This is where my education began. I learned more on the job than I ever learned in a classroom. Later IBM relocated us to North Carolina where I wrote technical spec sheets for computer engineers. The documents were online and sent with the product for the customer to read and learn how to use their new computer and software.

Would you like to tell us when did you write your first poem and read it for us?

I fell in love with poetry in college. In the summer of 1993, I wanted to add credit toward my marketing degree and took a poetry class. It felt beautiful to hear words flow, and Walt Whitman turned me on to poetry.
The first poem I wrote was by accident. I was writing notes for my novel, At Her All. The main character Lara Faye Edison is a college student. I was trying to get inside the main character's head. In my past novels, if I wanted to get into character, I would paint with oil on canvas the location's scenery.

Also, I sketched the scene on paper with a pencil and the character’s faces helped my creativity flow. It was like I could talk to the character, and they could talk to me. I am a visual writer. By doing this, the story would flow out of me like turning on a faucet, and the characters came alive. The poem in the novel At Her All is about Lara and her hovering parents.

Poem, “Out from the Shadows” by Jackie Lynaugh

“I wasn’t born to spoil under anyone’s shadow

and rot like an unhatched egg.

I wasn’t born to follow orders.

I wasn’t born for boredom.

I wasn’t born to satisfy someone else’s needs,

to take care of them

or they take care of me

or hide in their arms

or to be taken for granted.

I wasn’t born to follow ideas of what truth is

or to live according to someone beliefs

or to think along their lines

or to learn their facts.

I was born to think independently

I was born to find my own truth

and make my own rules

and find my own way.

I was born to meet life full throttle.

Walk the Appalachian trails.

To be seduced by an alpha male.

Kissed a thousand times

and loved for a million years.

To meet different faces, travel,

and learn other cultures.

Watch the stars at night.

Take long walks

dance on the beach

be swept off my feet

be taken by storm

to be heartbroken.

Stunned.

Shocked.

Devastated.

Lost

and found again.

I was born to get my hands dirty and

plant a garden and watch it grow.

To get sand between my toes.

Mud on my face.

Sand spurs under my feet.

I was born to jump into the ocean.

Pick up seashells and find starfish.

To go beyond time and space.

To welcome miracles.

To share a wishbone

and make a wish.

To totally lose myself.

I was born to feel everything

and to experience everything.

The bitter taste of sorrow.

The foul taste of hatred.

The sweet taste of love.

I was born to learn how to be grateful.

I was born to know the truth

and learn how to give to I have nothing more.

To work hard and play hard.

To pray.

I was born to learn how to speak the language of love

and unlock my heart.

How to take care of my health.

Learn how to let go of all expectations

and let the future unfold like unwrapping a present.

I was born to learn how it feels to lose everything

except for the things that matter.

I am born to spread my wings

fly towards the sun

burn into ashes

fall to the earth and rise again.

I will be proud of my scars and my wrinkles.

My stories.

My memories.

My wisdom.

My freedom.

I was born to be free

and therefore, time will let me live my

life out from the shadows.”

What circumstances made you to choose career into the field of marketing than going for writing? Could you please share with us in detail?

I’ve been in business for many years, and I was always marketing something. Marketing is writing, elaborating about a product, service, retail, wholesale, or selling an idea. In any trade, you have to write to market. It’s a labor of love.

Writing romance is one of the unlimited endeavors to get lost in a love story. To be invited into another human’s world of romantic thoughts and read stories about falling in love is the greatest triumph for a romance writer. I want the readers to question, cry, laugh, hope, feel emotion, fall in love, and dream you are the one and only. An overall feeling you belong in the story rescues optimism. Romance starts with an invitation into the most beautiful thing, love. Writing about love is personal.

The first manuscript I wrote was about health, and I mailed it to a publisher in New York in 1987. Motivated by the women who exercised at my health salon called Slender You in Winona, Minnesota. As a business owner of an exercise salon, I learned how important it was for women to support women. The manuscript was written to inspire women to exercise, with motivational quotes, and a diary to track success and healthy recipes. Six months later, it was rejected.

I filed the manuscript in the closet for safekeeping. I sold my business in 1989. The computer industry took off, and I knew IBM would change my life. I kept writing stories and frequently drew inspiration from my own experiences in the corporate world and private life. My career ended with a buyout at IBM. I reinvented myself and did something I had dreamed of for years. I took the real estate test and got my license to sell homes in North Carolina. I found success in real estate for 23 years. I am now a retired broker and writing romance and family fiction novels full-time.

I witnessed my son pass away tragically at the age of 45, in 2017. I learned he was also a closet writer, and he loved writing about his hunting and fishing trips. Heartbroken by my son’s death I learned writing was helping me with my grief. It was time to be the author I dreamed of being. In 2018 I wrote romance while working full time and as a caretaker for my mother who died at my home under the care of hospice.

I self-published my first novel, Plantation Hill in October 2020. Never planned to write a series, but I just kept writing. The next novel, Nectar (2021 second series) and then Hart to Hart (2022 third series) in Plantation Hill. The novel Inside Glass Towers was published in May 2021. I began writing Inside Glass Towers when my beloved husband was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and treated with radiation and chemo at UNC Cancer Center. My latest novel At Her All was published in February 2022 and the story would never be complete without At His All (second series) out in 2023.

Life squeezed every ounce out of me. My books have been my recovery from life’s blistering truths, turbulent trials, inner turmoil, overwhelming grief, and a maze of absolute chaos through the healthcare industry during the pandemic. I am a caretaker's survivor and I came out on the other side stronger and wiser. It was time to come out of the closet, and share my novels with the world.

Today, my husband is cancer free. A comeback story all in itself for a future novel. Since retiring in 2020, I have published five novels in two years. Stories that have been buried in my brain for years came alive. To write and publish you cannot be a wimp.

Do you currently write as a full or part-time, and why?

I write full time. I am currently writing the novel At His All, the second series in At Her All, a bottle of lies. A Her and His (ladies come first) family saga. I have been patiently waiting for this stage in my life to open up and be who I was born to be, a storyteller. I came from a long line of storytellers.

Over the years, I was inspired by all the characters I met while growing up in a small, close-knit agricultural town in Belle Glade, Florida. The Glades motto is, Her Soil is Her Fortune. My grandfather Walter and my father Douglas were both incredible storytellers and role models for my future craft and my desire to write stories.

Which book you have written for the first time? It is fiction real life inspiriting? Moreover, tell us which character is your favourite one from the book and its journey, creating the character making it to live.

My first book is Plantation Hill. A Florida location from 1990-1992. Inspired by a southern family in the citrus business growing oranges. The family lives in an old southern white mansion tucked behind large oak trees with Spanish moss hanging from the trees that looked like an old man's beard. A typical Florida scenery of the old south.

My favorite character is Tee Hart. The readers tell me they fell in love with Blossom Hart, Tee’s daughter. The Hart family goes on different journeys, but with this family, blood is thicker than orange juice. And money grows on trees.

What struggle aspiring writers face? Could you please share your journey with us, when you were being an aspirant, what learnings you got as a first-time writer?

I was born an aspiring author. Two years as a self-published author have been exciting and challenging. If you are not ambitious, curious to learn, and thin-skinned, I’d find another industry to tackle. If you don’t like marketing yourself, social media, technology, and the ever-changing secret world of publishing, it might be a better option to work on your craft and keep writing and keep your day job.

The World Wide Web is still the Wild Wild West. The publishing industry has been like stepping back in time to find the secret code. To me, the most important thing is to entertain the readers.