Electrical tape without the casing

Writing Prompts are Fun!

Black. Sticky. In a plastic awkward-looking but ultimately practical casing. Electrical tape – meant to wrap around and hold together wires that conduct power.

Waterproof. Most tape is not but electrical tape must be. Water and electricity are not a good combo-platter.

Faith. Always a sticky subject. Always cased in awkward containers – buildings, ugly and stunningly beautiful. Bread – tasty or powdery and tasteless. Bibles – disputed and worshipped casings, more awkward than practical.

Faith. Meant to hold the power of the unknown together with human power. Two entities which rival the power of electricity.

Faith. Waterproof? Ha! Any faith constructed to be impermeable will surely prove to be a useless tape. The very essence of believing is some power beyond ourselves is acknowledging the holes that can be poked through by others, by science, by rationality, by experience.

One tape is quite as good as any other until you need the cord to the leaf blower patched up so you can blow leaves and walk through the puddles created by your uneven yard.

One faith is quite as good as any other until you want the practical version that mends you when broken and protects you from the depths of despair. 

Getting Plugged In

This is an ancient blog post that I am recycling because it is a reminder to all creative types that being plugged into the source of our creative power is an on-going issue that we must address over and over again. Are you plugged into the source of your creativity today?

Presenting Leatha with the first copy of No Rehearsal: A Memoir-June 2014

            I need to get plugged in. Plugged-in to the creativity hidden deep inside my soul. Plugged-in to the message that is uniquely mine to share. Plugged-in to the motives that drive me to share.

            Plugging-in means having the energy, focus and desire to write. Plugging-in means prioritizing my writing. Plugging-in means not pre-judging before I’ve even pulled out the laptop to begin.

            What power am I trying to plug-in to? That’s a hard one to answer. The first power that comes to mind is my mentor’s quote, “Trust the process.” If I can plug-in to the process, the power would be there.

            The second power is my firm conviction that every person has a story to tell. Can I really say that I have used up the power of my stories in my first memoir? I don’t think so.

            The third power is my belief that every person possesses some creativity. I think creativity is part of the human condition. So I must plug-in to mine.

            So what if I’m disconnected or the power lines are all blown down in a storm. I return to the quote, “Trust the process.” The power lines connected to my blog have been down for months. How can I deal with that condition?

            Maybe accepting the fact of a needed break for myself and my readers too!

            Maybe admitting that my undisciplined spirit is the source of power failure and be gentle and nurturing to that spirit.

            Maybe by taking baby steps such as call the power company AKA another Leatha Kendrick class at the Carnegie Center.

            But I’m beginning to think that the biggest step toward plugging-in is admitting that the power source is and always was within me. The answer to all questions lies deep inside each of us. The plug really is just a conduit to our own resources.

My blog, Grit and Grace, is back online!

I have accepted a Facebook challenge to write every day for five days. It was the kick-in-the-pants I needed to re-start the blog.  

The last seven months have been a blaze of excitement with the publication of No Rehearsal: A Memoir. Seven years in the making, the publication of this memoir was the fruition of much writing, revising, tears, revising, remembering, revising and more revising. 

Promoting the book has been great fun. From the launch party on July 15th at Joseph-Beth in Lexington to the many book clubs, I have enjoyed every single event. An extrovert's delight to discuss the many hours of introverted writing activity. Please allow me to brag a moment--our over 100 persons event at Joseph-Beth broke their record to attendees at a local author event, EXCEPT for basketball coach, John Calipairi but we're not sure yet whether we count him as local. Then our Quail Ridge Book Store event in Raleigh, NC doubled the size of their normal events and brought in old friends from around the area. 

The promotion of a book never stops. This part of the process is generally not one authors like. I admit, I don't mind the worst of it and thoroughly enjoy the best of it. 

Thank you to each of you who have purchased my book, read it and especially those of you who have sent me a personal response. Every response has been precious to me and one of the unexpected pleasures has been those of you that haven't been in my life for some years but have discovered the book and re-connected with me afterwards. What a delight!

Stay tuned for more engagements and now, more blog posts!