Frazier was listening, but was he paying attention?

Frazier was listening, but was he paying attention?

I should have invited Aurora Morealist last week to talk about her new book, Spiritshine, but I was too busy not paying enough attention. Hey, this dizzy blonde misses some things with all the commotion happening inside my head.

That's what's happening INSIDE my head.

That’s the kind of commotion happening INSIDE my head…only all scrunched up. Yeah. I miss stuff.

Anywho, Aurora lives in Canada and last week was their Mental Illness Awareness week. It was also their Fire Prevention Week. Coincidence? I think not.

If I had my psychic mojo cooking, I would have interviewed Aurora last week, because she has done an awesome thing. I mean “awesome” as in “struck with awe and inspiration” not as in “those Chicken McNuggets were totally awesome, Dude.”

Aurora defines courage and compassion. She has been through the fire of emotional wreckage (and still suffers the scars), but has the inner resources to want to help others who are struggling. She’s doing this by sharing her very personal, evocative poetry in a book she recently published about the pain, fear, joy, hope, darkness, and light of life.

Here is the brave and beautiful soul you are about to meet.

Here is the brave and beautiful soul you are about to meet.

This is her recently released book of poetry.

This is her recently released book of poetry.

Lorna: Aurora, thanks for stopping by for a chat. Because this is a book you wrote to raise awareness about mental health from your own experiences with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), I’ll try not to go all wing-ding-a-ling on you.

Aurora: Thanks, Lorna, for inviting me to talk about my book. And, don’t worry about me. I can hold my own. I know what I’m getting into when I step into your blog.

Lorna: Yeah (cough, cough). I’m developing quite a reputation. But enough about me (for now). “Spiritshine” is an interesting choice for a title. I’m usually the one around here making up words, so where did that one come from?

Aurora: There is a piece in the book inspired by a photo I took of a flower that had pushed its way up through cement to the sunshine awaiting it. I liked that poem’s title. It’s hopeful. So is the book.

Lorna: You poets–always so inventive. And I suppose the delicate flower represents fragile humans, the cement represents the harsh realities of life and the sun represents hope or something. Am I right? Maybe I should write poetry. I saw a pine tree once growing out of a rock. And I thought, “Sheesh, I can’t even grow flowers in my garden!” Maybe I shouldn’t be a poet, after all. Okay. That’s sorted out. Who do you think would enjoy your book?

Aurora: Yes, perhaps you should stick with prose. You’re very good at that. As for my poetry, anyone who is hurting and needs to know that there is a way through. You may not believe so at the time, but if you can just find one thing to get up for daily– mine was writing–whatever that is, it becomes your anchor, your purpose, your way “through.”

Lorna: I hear you, Girlfriend! Some days, my head feels like it’s full of congealed oatmeal. Try finding your way through that! I find having to really pee is a great motivator. you’re right. I’m sticking with prose. Let’s see if I can “class up” this interview and get my mind off having to pee… Books are more than words on paper. What does this book mean to you?

Aurora: This book marks the two-year anniversary of when I was thrust into shock by evil doers who set me up for probably what was the worst hurting of my life.

Lorna: Wow. That sucks. (So much for classing up this interview!) I guess anyone who wants to know more about what happened can check out your blog, right?

Aurora: Yes. I’ve explained much of what happened in detail on my blog, but, suffice it to say I endured deaths, betrayals and abuses leaving me with PTSD. My only respite and therapy is writing.

Lorna: Well it’s a good thing you’re a writer. What inspires you to write?

Aurora: I love people! Okay. Maybe not so much anymore (just kiddin’). People, nature, love and kindness. Injustice is a big motivator, too. For some reason since I was small I cannot shut up about injustice. Poor world! 😉

Lorna: I have a son like that. He’s Captain Justice, only he doesn’t have either a ship or a crew. But he talks as if he has both. He’s 27. Maybe I shouldn’t have read him sociology textbooks at bed time… Back to you! So it’s your passion that inspires you to write. What, if anything, blocks your creative flow and how do you deal with that?

Aurora: Pain, angst, depression. I try to wait it out but sometimes starting to write is the best thing for it. I get through the ordeal and I have some art (albeit crappy at moments and I do apologize for that) to show for it.

Lorna: That’s interesting–not the crappy art thing, but that pain blocks you. I had this vision of the tortured poet cranking out great poems like Jimmy Dean cranks out sausages. No?

Aurora: (shaking her head)

Lorna: Okay, maybe I was thinking of me as a teenager. Busted. Tell us an interesting/fun fact about this book.

Aurora: This book was an accident. I did not plan on writing it. What inspired me to get it together was a blogger named Marci Miles who does so much for mental health awareness while fighting her own battles. I felt like if I could find one good thing about my past few years of suffering it is this: “Art saves lives.” To highlight Mental Health Awareness, I got the book out there inexpensively and am trying to make it free, just not sure that will be possible as publishing sites want their dues.

Lorna: Hey, that sounds less like and accident and more like Divine Intervention. You were meant to write this book at this time. Marci and you didn’t meet by coincidence. (Just a guess here, but I think those last few sentences were channeled–not as in “cable” but as in “psychic Lorna”.) I already know the answer to this (because I’m totally psychic), but tell us an interesting/fun fact about you.

Aurora: In the past year I have developed an insatiable appetite for pink. Not the artist 😉 though I like her music very well. The colour pink. Never wore it or bought it much before. Now I am drawn to it like butterfly to lavender.

Lorna: Pink is the color of the heart chakra and you are all heart, Sister! I’m just a wealth of metaphysical intel. Just to prove it, I’m going to tell our readers where they can get a copy of your book!

Go to Aurora Morealist, Aurora’s WP site to learn more about her book. Copies are available here:

https://www.createspace.com/4461119

http://www.amazon.com/Spiritshine-Aurora-Morealist-ebook/dp/B00FRAA2QK 

Aurora: Impressive, Lorna!

Lorna: Thanks! I’m sensing that there’s a question I didn’t ask you. Hmmm. You wanted me to ask “What do you want from publishing this book?” Am I right?

Aurora: Now you’re freaking me out.

Lorna: (Smiling) Well…

Aurora: Um…Only to raise awareness about Mental Health and that this can happen to anyone anytime. Nobody wants it, plans it or sees it coming.

Lorna: Well, hopefully this interview and your book will help raise that awareness. I know for sure that emotional illnesses like anxiety, depression, PTSD, or any number of other mental illnesses caused my chemical imbalances in the brain are hard to diagnose and harder to live with.

We need less judgement and more compassion. You’ve done a wonderful thing by shining a light on your situation and letting people know that:

1. they are not alone and

2. there is, as you say, “a way through.”

Thank you Aurora!

One last favor… Could you give us a peek of something in your book to tempt us…please.

Aurora: For you, Lorna, anything! Thanks for this opportunity. It’s been fun and not too traumatic. 😉

 

                                                                                      CIRCLE BACK
On your kind back
I trace
gentle circles,
pasts
patterns
people
orbs apart
roundly
fuse,
our circles linking
Forward.
Still
I wonder
is there such a thing as love
Everlasting?
Where fear never calls to choke hold anything less
Or only faint echoes
following us shadows:
“circleback, circleback, circleback.”
 
 
© Aurora Morealist
 
According to my only slightly freaky eye-marble paper weight, this book is going to do a world of good. It already has. Eye should know.

According to my only slightly freaky eye-marble paper weight, this book is going to do a world of good. It already has. Eye should know.