Last October, I told you, dear Reader, that I was working on another book. I announced that another book was coming down the pipeline with a quilt motif. You can read about my proposal again HERE. In fact, it was prophesied that Book #2 would be published soon. You may have thought the publication would be available within months. Initially, I imagined creating a compilation of readers’ favorite blog posts, organized by theme. I thought I’d be near the finish line by now.
Oh, well!
The Detour
Early this year, (January through March) I interrupted my work on the project because I got curious “translating” Aunt Ruthie’s diary, recording the years 1935-1939 when she was between ages 17 and 21. It was a tedious process, though a revelatory one, discovering my aunt acted like a teenager. Her entries documented her mood-swings and expressed “huge” disappointments.
When I gave the transcription to my friend Colleen to read, she let me know that there were big gaps in her understanding. The diary didn’t make sense to her. “I don’t know what you are saying,” she commented. What I learned: Though I as writer and close relative who understood the Mennonite culture, the era my aunt grew up in, and her personality, her diary entries could not stand alone on the page without more context and narrative development. To succeed, I’d have to write a series of stories, using her blog posts as anchor points.
That meant I had to write connective “tissue” – additional narration, so the story would make sense to a reader who didn’t grow up in the era, or within the Mennonite culture for that matter. The re-vamp would take a lot more time.
I felt overwhelmed because devoting my energy to this would divert me from my original intention. My conclusion: set aside the project for now and get back to publishing a collection of popular blog posts.
***
A New Direction
Thus, in May I returned to work on the project already in the pipeline, the one with the proposed title, My Checkered Life: Heritage, Hassles, and Hilarity. I had taken blog posts from 2013-2021 and organized them thematically. Two beta readers, Sally Constain and Anni Rawcliffe from the Riverwood Writers’ Club read my manuscript and offered helpful suggestions. In July I sent my slightly revised manuscript to my developmental editor, Susan Weidener, who suggested an altogether different route to publication:
Fashion the blog posts into a second memoir, pulling in blog posts chronologically to narrate my new life in Florida after I got married, had children, and developed a career.
WHY NOT? Her suggestion made sense to me. And so, I changed direction.
Now my Introduction reads . . .
My Checkered Life is a sequel to my memoir, Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl. The narrative continues in this volume, using modified stories from my blog, Plain and Fancy along with new writing. My Checkered Life: Heritage, Hassles, and Hilarity portrays the highs and lows of a woman, wife and mother who is curious about the world and the people in it. Though my first memoir recalls my early life, this book focuses more on what happened after I, at age twenty-six, married the man whose first portrait of me was a spoof: a goofy cartoon elephant with a blue bow around its neck.
What is Emerging
- The original quilt metaphor
- A narrative thread following chronological structure with three main themes
- A heritage section to include ancestry from my husband’s family
- A few lurid details
- More of artist Cliff’s paintings and drawings, like this
Photos from the Beaman side of the family, Cliff’s mother, Viola Beaman and her parents, Albert and Bertha Koethe on their wedding day
. .
“A miraculous event unfolds when we throw the lead of our personal story into the transformative flames of creativity. Our hardship is transmuted into something golden.” ~ Richard Rohr, Fallow Time
Coming soon: My Cover Reveal!
Wow, Marian! I heard a pastor say that a detour is a direction to the Promised Land. So it sounds like your detour took you to where you really needed to be now! Congrats on your new direction. It makes perfect sense, knowing how God moves people!!!
Thanks for the confirmation here, Linda Marie. Detour to a new direction, I guess that’s a good way to look at it. 😀
I’ve often wondered about the joys and challenges of your “fancy” life as a married woman. A sequel to your memoir? Great idea! And enjoy the writing process. After all, “Its the not the Destination, It’s the Journey.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Lynn, you know I like quotes, and this one fits the bill. Thanks for the good wishes! 😀
Detours are part of life and often lead us to a place we never knew existed. Embrace your place and keep moving forward!
You know quite a lot about the writing life, so I take your advice seriously, Jill. Thanks! 😀
Thank you for the writing update, Marian! You’ve made great progess as you’ve allowed the book to develop organically.
Along the way, I’ve felt annoyed by the stutters and stumbles. I’ll think of my book progress in a new way: developing organically, thanks to you, Liz. 😀
I’m glad to hear it, Marian!
I love it! Can’t wait to read it.
It may take a while, but thanks for your enthusiasm, Linda Lee! 😀
Good morning, Marian! I’m late with my response today. You HAVE been busy! “A few lurid details”? What a teaser that is! 😄
When you go back to your project with your Aunt Ruth’s diary, you might want to look at A Midwife’s Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Ulrich takes this a late 18th century diary of a midwife in Maine and puts it into context and narrative chapters, as you were describing doing. It won a Pulitzer Prize.
Merril, I just put Laurel Ulrich’s book on “hold” at the library. Although I don’t expect to win a Pulitzer Prize, I do think my Aunt Ruthie’s diaries at various stages of her life deserve scrutiny–perhaps her words couched in a narrative that also illuminates the era. Thanks for the suggestion! 😀
You’re welcome. 🙂
It’s an interesting book, and there’s also a PBS American Experience episode based on it.
Thanks for the tip about the PBS episode. 😀
You’re welcome!
So excited for you. Enjoy the journey my friend! Xoxo
Thanks, Jenn. Good advice! 😀
Marian — Oh, WOW! How darned COOL is that?! I look forward to reading your next book.
Oh my gosh, Laurie. It’s Thursday. I read your comment yesterday and missed replying till now. Living life in the fast lane will do it to you–haha! 😀
What would life … and our writing life in particular … be without a few surprises? I look forward to reading about the continuation of your “Checkered Life.”
Thanks for being a part of my cheering section. I appreciate your support, LInda! 😀
It sounds wonderful, Marian. Can’t wait to read it. Life is full of changes that can make our journey even better than it was.
“Change orders” probably happen as often to writers as they do for contractors building a house. Thanks, Joan, for the good wishes. I return the same to you as you anticipate a move. 😀
A good blog post for ideas on how to organize blog posts to create a memoir. It’s a keeper for me.
Elfrieda, you and I are on similar tracks, expressing ourselves creatively and with conviction (!) while leaving a legacy for the precious “next” generation. Thank you!
Keep chugging away, it will come together, I’m sure! It is one way to provide a legacy/history especially for your family, which is a huge gift. And the rest of us will get an inside look at the Beaman magic. 🙂
You have recently been through the struggles of making sense of your career life and created a memorable memoir. Thanks, Melodie, for the reminder that divine “alchemy” (magic) is at work even though daily life tends to obscure the progress. 😀
Sounds like a great idea to me, especially to write about a successful marriage and joyful career. I love the idea of bringing in more about Cliff and including his artwork. What a great project to share! I never imagine any place I begin in writing to be close to where I’ll end up. Detours and roadblocks everywhere and somehow we keep going and get there. Love and good fortunate and laughter. I feel it coming.
Elaine, so true! I don’t know why I thought that my work in progress would be a straight shot from start to finish. The path to publishing Mennonite Daughter followed meandering miles, and My Checkered Life appears to be playing the same tricks on me. Thanks for the encouragement too. I reciprocate the same hopeful wishes as you continue with your butterfly book. 😀
Sometimes detours take you to amazing places you would never have discovered otherwise….By the way, I see Christa in her Grandma Beaman’s eyes. Two beautiful ladies.
Yes, Crista has many of her Grandma Beaman’s features including the blonde hair. She got the brown eyes from my side, but she certainly favors Cliff’s side, even in temperament. It’s good to hear from you, Bonnie. Thanks! 😀
Best laid plans! All the best with sequel.
I love your reference to the quote. Bobby Burns was right about plans going awry. Thanks for the good wishes, friend! 😀
Hi! You go, Girl!!!
In the “murky middle,” it’s great to have you in my cheering section. Thanks for boost, Mary Sue! 😀
PAM WIGHT has tried to comment without success today. Here are her encouraging words:
LIFE is a detour. Many, many detours that end up taking us to the right place.
So, yay for your detours and I CAN’T WAIT to read the sequel. xo
Thanks, Pam. And here is her winsome website: https://roughwighting.net/
WORDPRESS is apparently have issues with comments not posting. Here is dear LIESBET COLLAERT’S comment, which she graciously re-typed in my G-mail account:
“Hi Marian,
I love this new direction of your second book. It totally makes sense to create a sequel to Mennonite Daughter and having most of the material already is super helpful. I assume you are mentioning those two years in the travel trailer following Cliff’s career as well?
Well, it looks like your year has been focused around your and aunt Ruthie’s lives and I’m happy you made this much progress on your new book. I know you think it might have all happened quicker, but it is still impressive how far you’ve come in less than a year. I could never do it. I need years to write a book, even if it were to revolve around my blog posts!”
I hope you and Cliff are doing well!
Liesbet xx
Hi Marian and Liesbet. I think I figured out how to get a comment in. I took deleted the link WP had here to my blog post and filled in the details again. Works! 🙂 And I agree, no matter if we’re writing/publishing our first book or our fifth – it all is challenging, takes time and effort, and in the end, is soooo rewarding. xo
Hi Pam,
I had the same issue commenting on another (WordPress) blog and ended up doing what you did here, namely logging out of WordPress in the comment and re-entering my details, which worked there as well. I’ll try that approach here as well.
Thanks, Marian. I signed out of WordPress in this reply and entered my details, like Pam did, which seems to do the trick.
I’ll tell the Mad Hatter on WP/Jetpak. He should think we are discerning women. At least we are determined. Thanks, Liesbet. 😀
LIESBET, thanks for persevering through the “comment chaos.” I hope it is resolved soon. I remember the shifting sands of my first memoir, and somehow thought the second time around would be easier. NOT! The manuscript is becoming more of a marriage memoir than a strictly personal story.
Yes, Cliff and I are doing well. And, yes, the travel trailer story is sure to appear in the new volume. Again, thanks for making a valiant attempt to post here. 😀
Hi Marian and Liesbet. I think I figured out how to get a comment in. I took deleted the link WP had here to my blog post and filled in the details again. Works! 🙂 And I agree, no matter if we’re writing/publishing our first book or our fifth – it all is challenging, takes time and effort, and in the end, is soooo rewarding. xo
PAM, waaaaay to go. We are smart cookies, wizards at workarounds. Thanks for going the extra mile. 😀
Some would say that a marriage memoir is personal as well. 🙂 I’m glad this comment chaos is figured out on your blog. If people realize that signing out and re-entering the info does the job. Not sure I’m having the same issue on Roaming About, though. I have to get back to camper work now, but I’ll reply to your other emails later.
LIESBET, signing out and re-entering the info is a good workaround. I hope that effort is not necessary next time. Huge thanks for your persistence. 😀
It may have become quite complicated but isn’t that the joy of a journey , when you somehow get lost , and then slowly begin to find your way .. I’m sure it will all be worth it in the end . Look forward to reading it Marian just like everyone else 😊
Cherryx
Cherry, I started wailing when I realized I had gone down a blind alley, as they say. But then, I stopped and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the revised route would lead to a better destination. I want my dear readers, like you, to have the best story I can bring them. Hip, hip, hoorah for your cheer here, Cherry! 😀
I REALLY like the new direction you’ve decided to go with your memoir sequel.
I remember finishing your book and wanting more about your marriage & life in Florida. What adjustments you must’ve had to make!
Bravo to you for both of your book projects! Bravo to Susan too. I didn’t know she was also a book editor.