.SOMETIMES RAW.

As a writer, it is normal to be drawn to the written word, to daydream and to write down sentences that begin with the phrase: “as a writer”. These days, my fantasies center around the publication of my second book and what book cover to use. Of course, as a writer, one of my favorite authors is Patti Smith.

Patti’s book Just Kids has become a staple in every hipster-aesthete’s literary arsenal just because the cover is so goddamn awesome. As a writer, I have often pondered what makes a successful book cover these days, especially in the age of e-books and Audible. Would Daniela Henry’s book Sometimes Raw been such a hit without this cover?

“The real marrow of what makes a great cover is looking at an image and it being able to project out the abstract but important ideas or story that book is trying to convey, “explained Abigail Bergstrom, Head of Publishing Gleam Futures. “A lot of my authors have existing communities, so they have a real instinct and intuition on who’s going to buy the book,” she continued. This increase in agency among authors is reflected in their covers. “I think in the non-fiction space it’s very type-led, especially on issues of gender and women’s voices. They’re being taken seriously in the way that they should be and maybe haven’t in the past. Their covers are looking more authoritative — that’s a word I hear a lot of my authors say — they want to look authoritative. Less millennial pink, more authority.”

Bergstrom says that e-book sales have now plateaued, hinting that people still desire the physical object over its digital counterpart. I totally agree with this. People rarely post pictures of their Kindle book and a cup of coffee on Instagram for example. A book is a symbolic object which makes the picture so much more significant. Holding it, smelling it…. You get my point.

So, what draws you to a book? The cover for one because it speaks volumes about not only the content but how we choose to represent ourselves. How do I choose a design? “Really, it’s not about designing a cover that works for Instagram, it’s about designing a cover that’s going to be saleable through the internet,” explains Bergstrom. “Things like thumbnails on Audible — if you’ve got a cover that has really intricate tiny drawings, that’s not going to speak to the reader.” I heard stories from my writer-colleagues who had fights with their publishers over their cover design. How come? “The tug and war of the creative process is helpful,” says Bergstrom. “It really brings to light the positioning of the book and who it’s for…it’s good to have that ironed out and focused so that everybody’s on the same page before we enter the stage of comms and marketing the book.” For me, it is hard to find a suitable cover. Why? Because there is no specific formula for guaranteeing a cover’s success. “A successful book cover properly captures the tone of the book,” says Joan Wong, book designer. “To me, it’s not so much about making sure the book sells as much as it is about doing right by the writing.”

As a writer, I have to tell you that writing a book is not easy. It is hard work but I love it. I also have to tell you that I am in the final stages and just sent my second manuscript to a publisher. I love it at the moment and then I hate it in others and finally, I get used to it. After finishing a book, often an emptiness results and I write nothing. But I have found it is important to just be patient and go about my business and unexpectedly it will happen again. I know it always does. I will sit down again and begin the next book. This way I am never discouraged.

It does not matter if your dreams come true and you do get published, if agents swoon and audiences cheer. Trust me on this: It truly does not matter! What matters is the feeling that you are writing, every day. What matters is the work, diving in, feeling your way in the dark, finding the words, trusting yourself, embracing your weird (german) voice, celebrating your quirks on the page and believing in all of it. What matters is you, all alone on your desk, your favorite place to write, a place where you know who you are and what you are meant to accomplish in this life. Realize that it all depends on you. If you don’t want it, then to hell with it. Reach for what you love with abandon, with hope in your heart, with fragility, without knowing exactly what comes next. Reach and never stop reaching.

One last piece of advice. Whenever you feed your soul and truly savor what you do with your time, it makes it much more likely that your big dreams will come true. Now write and don’t judge the book by its cover.

“If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine, the tradition… you are not understanding yourself.” – Bruce Lee

It is not unheard of that in any career, creative practice or life stage, it may be rather difficult to know the next step, in which direction to go. All these things can feel like impossible tasks. Maybe they are. Many times we make decisions and rarely know where they will lead us and we cannot predict what kind of career ladder will reveal itself as we take our first steps into new territory. To just focus on goals or long-term plans that seem to work can many times rather prove futile. As comedian Tim Minchin put it, “If you focus too far in front of you, you won’t see the shiny things out the corner of your eye.“

Following a classical pattern or how things are supposed to be closed me off from pursuing what truly drives and excites me. So, I want to take the next step simply from a desire to upskill, from this restlessness for months now and the feeling of being stuck. This moment before taking action left me feeling uncertain, indecisive, confused and even fearful. I asked myself many times if I am ready or simply restless because, whenever things are uncertain all I crave is certainty. I know I cannot speed up time to get desired answers or shut off what is happening right now but what I can do is to focus and develop a passionate dedication to the pursuit of short-term goals that make sense for now. I simply have to work with whatever is right in front of me. Whenever I do not know what steps to take next, I take a break and then start with the smallest steps first to look out for opportunities that may appear. Because it is okay and maybe sometimes even beneficial to take a break instead of a step. I took some time off now to fill up my tanks and I am ready for new chapters in my life.

I started by asking myself questions. What is it I really want? What makes me happy? Such questions are important to determine what the self really wants. I really checked in with myself. It is safety I need? Is it a secure job and the security it gives me? So, I came up with the idea to step outside my present settings and asked if a new environment may bring clarity. Last weekend at the cottage I was able to reflect and get clarity on where I am going and why I do want to go in this direction.

Long story short, I figured out what I want. I want to take a leap in different directions. I want to go to the next stage and challenge but I do not know what that looks like quite yet for one way even though I have articulated it in my head. One direction is crystal clear and I know what I get myself into because I have been there and this is actually what I want and need in my life right now. I cannot be stuck in my head anymore trying to figure things out that may never work out.

Currently, I am accepting that there is always a waiting period and impatience can rear its head when I am feeling stuck after I have done everything possible. Everything will eventually unfold and when one door closes, another one opens. I also know that taking the next step won’t magically change everything in my life but I still have certain expectations that I want to meet. I trust myself while putting and throwing myself in these new situations and will see what happens. I know I can put my son and myself where we need to be. I feel that I need to follow these directions because this time I am trusting my gut and believe in myself. This way I celebrate my achievements as I go and remind myself of them if I start feeling a bit wobbly and just keep going.

I am still sad and excited simultaneiously but it is time to start fresh because my life simply cannot go on like this. Nothing has changed here for me which makes it easier to move on. Most importantly, I need to give myself time to heal. I follow my heart and gut and I know that after a lot of stress, I deserve to be happy while everything is lining up for me. When I feel sad that I left, I feel excited, too. I know that I will be connected to my family and friends in Canada at a very deep level.

“However will we cope without you. I guess we will find out“. How do you know it is true love? Because you feel free and at home at the same time. From my heart to yours.

Why is organic expensive and why buy it?

Organic products are more expensive because of higher production costs. These include the cost of organic seeds and fertilizers, labor, lower yields of certain crops, and marketing. Organic products are also not subsidized by the government, as are commercially produced products. The growing of organic products prevents soil depletion and contributes to maintaining water quality; it uses less energy and keeps harmful and unnecessary chemicals off our plates. Organic products are not exposed to antibiotics: buying them means you help protect farm workers and support an economy that promotes biodiversity. Most importantly, the taste and flavor are so much better.

It is also wise to avoid crops that have been grown with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Check the source of the meat, eggs, and dairy you buy; milk, cheese, eggs, meat, and poultry could all come from animals that were given GMO feed. If you are concerned, choose organic or non-GMO verified. Certified organic products do NOT contain GMOs. Look for the no-GMO label. The five most prevalent GMO crops – corn, canola, soy, cotton, and sugar beets – end up as hidden additives in all kinds of prepared foods including corn syrup, oil, sugar, flavoring agents, thickeners and hundreds of other foods.

Feel good about frozen: most frozen fruit and vegetables are non-GMO unless they are one of these five high-risk crops: corn, Hawaiian papaya, edamame (soybeans), zucchini and yellow summer squash. Choose organic or non-GMO verified for those five and watch out for other ingredients that might be from a high-risk crop. Choosing dried beans, grains, nuts and seeds, while avoiding corn and soy, is a great way to go non-GMO.

How do I eat more sustainably?

Support local and organic when you can. Shop at farmer’s markets whenever you can. Buy directly from an organic farm (great for meat, apples, pears, berries – things that freeze and store well). Join a Food Coop, e.g. the Ontario Natural Food Coop. Support Community Shared Agriculture. Join a community garden or grow your own; a window and pot are enough to get started. Use the Dirty Dozen & Clean 15 lists as a reference. Use the Environmental Working Group’s website as a reference.

How do I save money and eat well?

Plan your meals. Buy in bulk. Batch cook. Make your own stock, milk, nut/seed butter, dips, and dressings. Buy local and in season. Preserve the harvest (freeze, dry, ferment). Eat and cook meals at home. Eat cheaper cuts of meat (organ meat, ground meat, soup chickens). Support the Ugly Food Movement; apples with brown spots can still be eaten.

Get in the habit of eating everything you buy. Older vegetables and leftover cooked rice or quinoa can make a great soup or a hearty casserole. Leftover bread can be made into croutons or frozen and saved for a yummy bread pudding. Borderline fruit can be put in the blender and either put in smoothies or frozen for another use.

What are the impacts of Climate Change?

Environmental impacts/What to expect according to research: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (ICCP) predicts:

a rise in sea levels of up to 2 feet by 2100. Loss of freshwater (reduced snowmelt and saltwater intrusion), extreme weather patterns (hurricanes, droughts and extreme heat, floods, blizzards, tornados), forest loss due to fire and the spread of disease, oceanic acidification and dead zones, habitat change (cold – and vulnerable species) and potential mass extinction, and changing migration patterns.

Social impact: Coastal and island nations are at risk. Drought, crop disease, lack of water and food in vulnerable areas. Climate refugees and climate migrants have no international legal protection – 26 million people worldwide are displaced annually due to environmental disasters. Land grabs, land prices, global poverty, hunger, and increased social tension all contribute to the social impact of climate change.

Human impacts: Lack of food/diversity of food. Heat exhaustion. Nutrient deficiencies. Mental health. Crop failure due to extreme weather and rising temperatures. Lack of fresh water. Spread of tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue fever. A rise in insect-borne illnesses such as Lyme. Exacerbation of smog conditions such as asthma.

What can be done? Consume less. Buy better: Think locally, act globally. Support organizations that campaign to protect the climate. Recognize the connection of food to climate: we can make a difference! Get indoor plants. The top five houseplants that filter air are: Spider Plants, Peace Lilly, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, Golden Pothos, and Aloe Vera!

Now, go outside and play.

Stay happy. Stay healthy. Part 2 is coming soon.