|
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Meet The Muses: Melissa Bourbon/Misa Ramirez - style
Happy Weekend, D. D. Scott-ville!
I've got a beyond fabulous treat to kick-off our weekend with tons of gusto and super sweet inspiration...and her name is Melissa Bourbon - aka Misa Ramirez, one of my favorite authors and new BFFs.
Here's the scoop on Melissa/Misa:
Melissa Bourbon, who sometimes answers to her Latina-by-marriage name Misa Ramirez, gave up teaching middle and high school kids in Northern California to write full-time amidst horses and Longhorns in North Texas. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love/hate relationship with yoga and chocolate, is devoted to her family, and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams.
And here are her fabulous books (the first four all available now at Amazon):
***I'm a huge Lola Cruz Mystery fan, and am getting ready to dive into these next two books...
And boy-oh-boy, I can't wait for this new series in 2011...
So now you've met the amazing and talented Melissa - aka Misa - and for more interesting tidbits on her and her books, visit her website http://misaramirez.com as well as her wayyy cool Community of Readers Under One Roof
http://booksonthehouse.com
And how 'bout Misa's muses?
It's time to Meet the Muses, Melissa Bourbon/Misa Ramirez-style:
It wasn’t until recently when I was writing the first book in a new cozy mystery series that I began to think of my muse, or muses as the case may be, as something really tangible that I could summon at will, or that would betray me by being absent when I needed her/them most. In fact, I can’t say that I thought about my muses --because as I’m writing this, I’ve had an epiphany and do believe that I have more than one-- much at all.
But they’ve shown their true colors. I’d begun to think of them as fickle girls, but I’ve changed my tune. I’ll never look at them in quite the same way or take for granted the beauty of having them on the job, fully engaged in my creative process, or the power of their insight.
I have new respect for my muses and what they offer through song, practice, and memory.
It often takes a big shake up and the absence of something to really appreciate what you have. That’s how it happened for me. You know what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder and all that? It worked. They left, I was melancholy, and they returned with a new light for me to follow.
How very poetic, I know.
I’m not a metaphysical girl. My feet are firmly planted on the ground. Let me be clear, I don’t, like, sit around thinking about cliches and how they apply to my life. But cliches are cliches because there is truth in them and sometimes that truth is more palatable when taken in a pithy dose. The absence of my muses is what helped me recognize them in the first place. It also helped me appreciate the creative energy they bring into the my writing equation.
They deserted me several times while I was writing Pleating for Mercy, but it was through that desertion that I came to appreciate what they are to me and what they do. I can pinpoint exactly when they left, almost down to the very minute. My creativity had dried up. I had writer’s block. I was panicking, thinking I’d never finish this book, and if I did, it would suck.
But I can also look back and see when them returning--after I’d taken much needed time away from my project, had recharged, and had allowed my mind to open up, let fresh idea in, and see things in a new way.
What I realized was that those clever girls didn’t abandon me,. I’d temporarily shut them out. I was on overload and completely unable to feel their creative energy flow into me. And so they stepped aside and led me away from my writing and back into reality where I could and did regain perspective on my characters and plot by doing the opposite of what I always think I should do. I always think I should keep going, push through the writing pain, persevere and give myself permission to write crap and revise later (which I do whether I give myself permission or not). I never think that stopping and taking precious time away from my writing is the answer.
But it is! I’ve completely changed my thought process on this idea and it’s been so freeing. If only I’d listened to the girls in my head sooner I might have staved off some gray hairs and wrinkles and the divot in my forehead from banging it against the wall.
Better late than never, right?
So my muses, yet to be named (though Lola and Harlow come to mind), are alive and well, ever-present, and an important part of my creativity. Thank God I realized it!
Sounds like the MUSE THERAPY lesson here is that you must always be open to the epiphanies your muses are ready to nourish and bless you with...right?
So Misa's wondering...and I am too...
How about you? Have you ever felt that your muse(s) has abandoned you? Did you have an epiphany like I/she did?
Sexy Sassy Smart Meet the Muses Bourbon Ramirez-Style Wishes --- D. D. Scott
P.S. You can also connect with Misa by visiting her and the other Naked Hero Goddesses at http://thenakedhero.com !!!Labels: All-Things-Muses, Muse Therapy, Muse Therapy Guest Bloggers
6 Comments:
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
-
|
Sooo tickled to have you here in D. D. Scott-ville, Misa!
You're such a fabulous muse inspiration, and your books just rock!!!
And as for your question, my muses used to abandon me on a regular basis...but finally I had my MUSE THERAPY epiphany (yes...I, the Muse "Therapist" use my own "therapy" every day!)...and that's how I learned to rein in and reign over my muses forever and ever and then a bunch more after that!!!
Sexy Sassy Smart Muse Epiphany Wishes --- D. D. Scott
P.S. My Bitchy Signs, Quotes and Anecdotes are my primary remedies! LOL!!!
I'm glad to hear that you reigned in your creative muses again & can continue to write your awesome books! Loved your blog on D.D.'s website!
Thanks for having me, D.D.. It was so fun to think about and write about my nameless muses, and to come to some understanding of what that really means.
You and your muses ROCK, D.D.!
jaw, thanks for stopping by and getting the lowdown on my muses!
You're the one who rocks, Misa!
I feel sooo lucky to have you not just as one of my favorite authors but also as a new BFF too!
And muse-to-muse, the Carrie Squad is tickled beyond their fabulous shoes to welcome you and your muses into their kingdom!!!
Sexy Sassy Smart Muse-to-Muse Wishes --- D. D. Scott
HI!!! I love how Misa can just put her mind to something and get it done!! Reel in that muse you Mystery Goddess!!