I find many similarities in the definition of "starving artist" to that of "starving author." A starving artist generally makes tremendous financial sacrifices in order to create art. Much is the same in the world of writing books which is very convoluted & confusing. There tends to be two worlds in the book business these days, publishing your works with a formal company or self-publishing. Each have great benefits, but also struggles, particularly if you self-publish which will undoubtedly define you as a starving author.
In order to support my self-published book Recipe Records, one year ago I embarked down the road of creating an internet radio show to promote my book & future publications, hopefully reaching potential readers. My very quirky & interesting show has a raw "garage" sound which has pushed me out of my comfort zone and it's been a total hoot. I've experienced the most wonderful guests & learned about their talents, views & stories...and it's all been quite a rewarding experience.
Joining me tomorrow on the first anniversary of my quirky show, will be two remarkable women. We are going to talk about the incredible mountains of experience, growth & rewards that have come from publishing our books. Most likely you'll hear about some of the pitfalls as well.
My guests will be Jude Southerland Kessler, the author of the 9-volume John Lennon Series along with publicist from Moonglow PR & author Jennifer Vanderslice.
My many fascinating meetings this year have resulted in finding new friends in the writing world, such as Jude & Jennifer. Jude has spent decades researching the life of John Lennon & meticulously provides the product of that research in her books. Jennifer recently "stumbled" into publishing her first book, after she recently experienced a retreat at a monastery in Kentucky.
If you don't listen to the show live...that's OK. You can go to www.blogtalkradio.com anytime & search for the shows. In the search box, enter Recipe Records & you'll see a list of all of my previous shows. I've had the honor of interviewing authors, musicians, chefs & more. Each guest has been very special & I feel that they are someone that YOU should know as well.
You can listen to tomorrow's show by going to this link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/recipe-records-cookbook/2013/07/09/starving-author-show
You are cordially invited to chat with us!
Call this number: 347-857-3983
Jude Southerland Kessler Jude, Illustrator Doyle Jeter &
Susan Cowsill of "The Cowsills"
Jude & Charlie Lennon (John's Uncle)
Jennifer Vanderslice
. 
Jennifer's latest publication
WANNA BE A WINNER?
* Tomorrow's first caller will win Jude Southerland Kessler's book Shoulda Been There
* Another lucky caller will win a copy of Jennifer's Journey Along the Abbey Road
If you can't call in tomorrow--you have another chance to win:
* Do you like Recipe Records Cookbooks?
You can win a chance to have your recipe featured in one of my next books: Recipe Records-the 70's Edition or Recipe Records - The Light Rock Edition
*A copy of Recipe Records will be given away on the air tomorrow also.
You must send an email to win & I'll announce the winner on the show tomorrow!
Send your email to:
lanea@reciperecordscookbook.com
Hey---Support Your Starving Authors - these books make very thoughtful gifts & now is the time to stock up! Be sure you sign up for Jude Kessler's newsletter via her site as well. You won't regret purchasing any of these fine books:
Jude Kessler: www.johnlennonseries.com
Jennifer Vanderslice: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DHMXGK4/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
Lanea Stagg: www.reciperecordscookbook.com
* * *
John's Blurb - with Jude Southerland Kessler
It was the same old story. While I sat in the hospital
waiting room with my father – waiting for my mother to get her weekly blood
tests completed – I was treated to another desultory chorus of “If only you’d
worked as hard at being a professional as you have at being a Beatles writer,
you could have made something of your life…you could have been a teacher!”
My father delivers this tired sermonette at least once a
week. It’s useless trying to explain to him that I was, indeed, a teacher for
six years, but I gave it up to devote my life to writing the life story of John
Lennon. He can’t grasp that. He’s so clearly disappointed in me.
As he went on about fact that “with as much work as you’ve
put into these three books, you could have written a dissertation and had your
doctorate,” the lady sitting in the waiting room next to us tried (in vain) not
to eavesdrop. But after about ten minutes of the diatribe, she looked over at
me and silently mouthed, “I’m so sorry.”
The truth is, I’m rather used to it. But I brought it up to
tell you that if you feel unappreciated, if you feel that no one “gets you” or
sees the things you do, you’re sooooo not alone! In Strawberry
Fields, John Lennon talked about his own feelings of isolation. He wrote,
“No one – I think – is in my ‘tree.’ I mean, it must be high or low.” In other
words, no one was “sitting” on the same branch as John was. No one shared his
perch, his world view. John, quite often, felt very much alone.
For years, it was a source of pain for him. He felt
misunderstood. So many of John’s songs and quotes are about the fact that no
one understands him. You hear it when he says, “It’s weird not to be weird,” or
“You don't need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what
you are!” You can just feel the little boy who grew up without his mother and
father – living with an aunt and uncle on Menlove Avenue – singing himself to
sleep, consoling himself against the vast loneliness.
But towards the end of John’s life, he began to make peace
with the world’s inability to share “his tree” or see his side of things or
appreciate his genius. And he began to comprehend that others had faced this
same isolation.
Case in point: Vincent Van Gogh only sold 1 painting during
his lifetime. He died thinking he was a miserable failure. And the great
Impressionists (Matisse, Picasso, etc.) were vilified during their lives. Their
paintings were forbidden in the world’s great galleries. The poet Emily
Dickinson faced so much rejection that she became a recluse. And Galileo – for
expounding his view that the earth revolves around the sun – was tried for
heresy, forced to recant, and placed (for the rest of his life) under house
arrest! John was not alone in his
predicament.
By the end of John’s life, however, he had come to realize
that “when you do something noble and
beautiful and nobody notices, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a
beautiful spectacle, and yet most of the audience still sleeps.”
You may not feel today as if anyone notices what you do. But
someone does: you do.
You may think the songs you sing aren’t heard. But they are:
you hear them.
Make the music that delights your soul. Write the book that
is in your head and heart. Dance the dance you can’t help but dancing. If it
fulfills you’re the desires of your soul, that’s enough. I believe that. And
during the sermonette in the next hospital waiting room, I still will.
- Jude Southerland Kessler
Peace, Love & Rock & Roll,
Lanea Stagg
Recipe Records Cookbooks
.
2 comments:
Sounds like another great upcoming show! I cannot believe you've been at it for a year already.
I can't believe it's been a year either, Katy !
THANK YOU FOR BEING MY VERY FIRST GUEST!!!!! U WERE A TREMENDOUS SUPPORT & SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT--U HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I'VE CHERISHED THAT :)
CHECK OUT THE SHOW
http://rockblocks3.blogspot.com/2012/07/pilot-of-airwaves.html
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