Dear Friends, Old and New, Near and Far:
As many of you know, I finally boldly announced to the world at large that I'm leaving Pittsburgh to wander the world and finish my book, An Unrealistic Life: The Art of Living Your Dream Without Getting a Real Job. Of course, I'm on Plan B already. My departure date was postponed until near the end of June because of new projects.
And, as if to celebrate the end of a winter worthy of Dickens, the spring here has been glorious, a profusion of redbuds, rhododendrons, and irises in every hue. My dogwood was so beautiful I thought about sleeping under it. And does it make me reluctant to trade the serenity of my garden for unseen destinations? Yes, a bit. But the longing to see the exotic flowers of other lands is not diminished. Beauty is to be savored everywhere.
Meanwhile, this month's issue is a tribute to the fascinating people I have met in my travels, all of whom are pursuing their dreams and doing what they love.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
If you too are ready to begin pursuing your passion, please sign up for my workshop Following Your Dreams in Big Leaps and Baby Steps, which will be given here in Pittsburgh on June 8 at The Center for Health and Healing. Bring a friend and receive a discount!
|
|
|
EXCITING NEWS!
|
When I was staying in Eze Bord du Mer in February 2006, (thanks to the generosity of Dr. Robin Van der Molen who graciously lent me his apartment) I fortuitously met Camilla Leslie, a lithe Irish blonde who had given up a marketing job in LA to become a screenwriter.
Her script had just been optioned and she was madly re-writing as the producers searched for the appropriate leads. At that time, she was living with her young son in what she called her "pre-Hollywood shackette" in the hillside village of St. Jeannet, north of Nice.
(This is a small stone
house in the village, but not where Camilla lived.)
Originally titled Buy Borrow Steal, the film stars Heather Graham as a 30-something who is wildly searching for solutions to her ticking biological clock. Now named MISS CONCEPTION, the film opens for a trial week in LA on June 6th. Camilla writes, "A US rollout will be considered depending on the success of the opening...hint hint!!" For a light-hearted look at a modern maid's dilemma, grab your sweetie and head to Miss Conception next weekend. If enough of you in LA see it, the rest of us will too. Check out the trailer and the theatres where it will be shown.
|
YOUNG ARTISTS AT WORK
|
This past month I've been the Artist-in-Residence at Beechwood Elementary School, working with the 4th grade students to design and paint stunning banners on a beach theme for their cafeteria.
What a creative way to learn math for the real world, using measuring, proportion and scale to turn small designs into big ones.
Special thanks goes to teacher Mrs. Robin Kanselbaum for this innovative way to teach math.
|
|
FINAL NOTES: BLATANT REQUEST FOR HELP!
Yes, I'm still being reminded that the publishing world insists that writers now have a "platform," a following, measured by the number of names on one's mailing list. (Poor Steinbeck would have never been published, or Shakespeare either!) Based on recent comments from an agent, even poignant or provocative prose isn't enough to get a book contract. I'm just out here ziplining through space trying to write and they want me to build a bigger platform. Here's where you come in. If even half of those of you who receive this, forward it and encourage 5-10 of your friends to sign up, my mailing list would increase by several thousand. Tell them they don't even have to read it.....I'll never know! And they will have helped a mostly unknown writer on the way to getting published.
I could even cook up a "free report" to get new readers to sign up, and maybe I'll do that, (Tips for Traveling Alone on a Shoestring, or How to Keep your Head in the Stars Without Falling on your Face) but for now, I'll just send kisses through the air and shafts of gratitude bounced off the stars. Hopefully that will brighten your day and save you from information overload.
Until then, keep savoring life, have an artful day, and dream unrealistic dreams!
Elena Hiatt Houlihan
Moving Images
|
|
|
MUSE BRIEFS:
|
 |
|
GREAT NEWS! I've been invited by the Footpaths to Creativity Foundation to attend their art colony in the Azores. So for three months, from late summer to early fall, I will be working on my book on the tiny island of Flores, off the coast of Portugal. I've already been listening to some Portuguese tapes, and since it sounds nothing like Spanish, I'm a bit stunned. At the least, I have to learn some words for food, and "Where's the bathroom!" Stay tuned for photos and stories as I venture to this small dot in the Atlantic.
NOTE: I've heard that if you're reading this on a handheld or as a text version you're looking at strings of code. Check it out full screen for brilliant colors and photos!
|
NOTE: You may be a close friend or relative, someone
who's genuinely interested in the continuing saga of my book, a teacher or student I've worked with, an editor I'm trying to impress, a perfect stranger I met briefly in the airport, at an opening, or had an intense conversation with in the Paris market or a Bangkok cafe. (Perhaps you've forgotten me, but I have not forgotten you!) Since I'm NOT making any promises to make you RICH, BRILLIANT or FAMOUS in 5 easy steps (not yet anyway), if my stories and observations don't enliven your day, then hit UNSUBSCRIBE. We have a strict anti-spam policy here at The Wandering Muse, though we acknowledge that some friends in Hawaii actually consider spam quite nourishing. If you've been forwarded this newsletter, please click below to subscribe. Merci mille fois!
|
CONGRATULATIONS!
|
Noted writer Eddy L. Harris has been honored in France. This spring his book, Still Life in Harlem, re-issued in France as
Harlem by Liana Levi Press, was awarded the prestigious 21st Prix du
Livre in Poitou- Charente. Tales of his adventures canoeing down the Mississippi, wandering in Africa, and motor cycling through the South will be featured in An Unrealistic Life.
Here's Eddy, photographed in Paris at Le Procope, where Voltaire and Moliere used to hang out. Find his books on Amazon and read more about him at www.eddyharris.com |
PAEAN TO PITTSBURGH
|
For culture vultures, it's still a banquet here in daBurgh. Last month we had Silk Screen, the Asian film festival. My favorites were, Tuya's Marriage, about a reluctant bride in Mongolia, and The Owl and The Sparrow, a poignant tale of urban alienation focusing on an orphan in Vietnam. Afterwards, we were treated to a discussion with writer/director Stephane Gauger. We are so blessed that these independent filmmakers simply don't give up on their mission of bringing us glimpses into other worlds.
And please note the upcoming Three Rivers Arts Festival from June 6-21, which is bringing traditional craftspeople and avant garde art, as well as musical performances for every taste whether you are pierced or pinstriped. This is your chance to support local artists and enrich your life with one-of-a-kind creations.
|
MORE KUDOS:
Dr. Moe Turmel, whom I met at the Mega Book Marketing Conference in LA, now has his own radio show where you can hear his mellifluous voice sharing both wit and wisdom. A recent interview with Moe covers the subject of grief and loss.
And, congratulations to that blonde bombshell, Carol Pereduhoff, travel writer extraordinaire, who won Honorable Mention in the University of New Orleans Writing Contest. Her current columns are featured in the Toronto Star.
|
|
|
