High Tides: From Liesel to Barbara and Points Beyond

While I am still actively working to sell EAGLE OR DIE and ROCK UNSTEADY, I’m also knee-deep in a new project. Last night, I finished the first draft of the first section, “Liesel,” and have started on “Barbara.” I’m not ready to give many details, but this project will involve recipes, poetry, and text messages. I’m coloring outside the lines a bit. It’s what I need to do to grow. Credit to Dr. Tom Romano, my writing professor at Miami University of Ohio, for planting that seed. 

Writing’s a bit like a bay in the ocean. The water that flows in is what we transform into new work; the water flowing out is a story we’ve already completed, looking for its home in the book world’s wider seas. A writer needs this movement to continue their development. I love water metaphors—perhaps because my father was a sailor, or maybe because water is always moving. And, we cannot know what lies under the surface until we dive in. 

Speaking of water, I have an adventure planned for next month: a trip to the BSA’s Florida Sea Base. I will learn how to sail in the Coral Sea, fulfilling a bucket list wish from my childhood. It’s the first high-adventure trip I’ve done as a Scout volunteer. I’m a little nervous, especially since meningitis and a recent ankle injury have compromised my balance. But still, ready for risk. 

What risks are you taking this summer, either in the wide sea of life or the busy inlet of creative expression?

If you’d like to see pictures of my adventures, or short musings on the artistic process, follow me on Instagram and Twitter @elenavalewahl.