Writers At Work
This is the sixth in Ravenshead's series of interviews with writers.
Pauline Edward is a Canadian writer who was born in Alma, a small town in Quebec, and now lives in Montreal in Quebec. She is an astrologer, numerologist, author and speaker.
She has published Astrological Crosses in Relationships and her latest book "The Power of Time - Understanding the Cycles of Your Life's Path" is out now.
Details of Pauline's award winning consulting business can be found on her bi-lingual web-site A Time For Success.
Ravenshead (RH) interviewed Pauline Edward (PE) in early December 2006 and the interview is reproduced here:
An Interview with Pauline Edward
RH: Can you tell us a bit about your background?
PE: Looking back, my life looks like a patchwork of seemingly disconnected experiences. I was born in a small town in Lac St. Jean, Quebec in the mid fifties, then lived most of my life in Montreal. In my teens, having difficulty fitting in and in search of answers to the meaning of life, I embarked on a spiritual quest that would last to this day. I read anything I could find that was remotely spiritual in nature, from Edgar Cayce to Thomas Merton. Desperate to find hope in the future, I began to study astrology. The New Age hadn’t been born yet and there were no self-help books. The books I managed to find at the time had a profound influence on me, reinforcing my feelings of differentness and disconnectedness from the so-called ‘real’ world, yet fuelling my desire to discover the meaning of existence. This is when I decided that one day I too would write.
College was definitely not for me, so I did the next best thing: I married. Although the marriage lasted only eight years, I was blessed with two wonderful daughters. To earn a living while building my astrological practice, I took a variety of jobs, including R&D and technical writing as well as computer tutoring. During that period, I tried my hand at fiction and wrote The Healer (still unpublished). I was more successful with non-fiction; Astrological Crosses in Relationships was published by Llewellyn Worldwide in 2002. Although I will probably never be a prolific writer, writing will always play an important role in my life.
RH: When did you start writing?
PE: I began journaling in my late teens as a way of expressing all the feelings and inner questioning I was unable to share with others. In many ways, writing served as a lifeline, helping me to not only clear my mind, but also connect with inner guidance. Writing is a wonderfully therapeutic and creative activity, whether you publish or not.
RH: Do you still have your old journals and do you find them helpful?
PE: Yes, in fact, I recently gathered up all my old journals and agendas to work on my next book. It's kind of neat going back over these old notes. I'm a different person today, much stronger, very certain of my direction. I want to just hold that younger me in my arms, and tell her that everything will be okay.
RH: Do you speak French as well as English and has this influenced your writing?
My mother tongue is French, and I have in fact benefited deeply from having been raised with two cultures. There are words and expressions that don't translate very well, indicating different ways of perceiving the world. Being exposed to multiple cultures opens you up to more possibiltities.
RH: What makes you write?
PE: Writing gets under your skin, like a bug. It’s just something I have to do. It’s like breathing. When I’m thinking things through, trying to understand something, ideas come to me as though I were speaking to someone. I have to write them out. Sometimes, waking in the middle of the night with my mind filled with ideas, I drag my laptop onto my lap and pour out my thoughts. My greatest inspirations come through at that time. I probably learn more from the process of writing than my readers do from reading my words. I think through writing I am able to more clearly receive inner guidance.
RH: Where do you get ideas from?
PE: Everywhere and anywhere, from the time I wake up in the morning.... till the time I wake up the next morning. No kidding! I even get some of my greatest ideas in my dreams! Each experience, no matter how seemingly insignificant can turn out to be a source of inspiration for writing. Writing is about expressing life experience; where does life experience begin and stop?
RH: Which writers have influenced you?
PE: There have been many! Most of the writers that influenced me have done so because of the content of their writing more than the craft. They include Edgar Cayce, Thomas Merton, Carlos Castaneda, Paul Brunton, Gurdjieff, Yogananda Paramahansa, Lobsang Rampa, to name a few. On the fiction side, I was a big fan of Taylor Caldwell, Barbara Michaels and Marion Zimmer Bradley. In my unabashedly romantic phase, I thoroughly enjoyed the works of Nora Roberts, Barbara Delinsky and Jennifer Cruise. The only book I read more often than Thomas Merton's Seven Story Mountain (3 reads) is Gary Renard’s The Disappearance of the Universe, which I have read 6 times. This book, along with A Course in Miracles, continues to shape the way I see the world, and no doubt will for the rest of my life.
RH: What's the easiest thing about writing? What's the hardest?
PE: I’ve never considered the easy or hard aspects of writing. It is just such a pleasure to have an idea and the time to sit down and write it out. There are moments when your mind needs a break, where ideas have to be refreshed and new inspiration allowed to flow through. Sometimes being in that “I don’t know what to write next” phase can be a bit frustrating. I’ve learned to give it a rest, go for a long walk, do something physical. You’d be amazed at how quickly your inspiration returns when you’re in the middle of doing household chores!
RH: Have other peoples comments affected your writing?
PE: Actually, yes. When people tell me how they connect with my writing, how it has touched them, how they have learned from my words, I am encouraged to write more. It also validates my decision to write, and strengthens my purpose.
RH: What are you currently working on?
PE: I am presently working on the book that years ago I said I would ‘one day’ write. ‘Waiting for God’ is the story of my spiritual journey, a synthesis of all of the paths as well as twists and turns my life has taken as a result of having encountered the various ideas and teachings in the books I have read over the years. There is a new novel in the works, as well as a completely different book project, something really fun, which I will leave as a surprise!
RH: When is your next book due and what is it about?
PE: 'The Power of Time', also published by Llewellyn, will be released in the fall of 2007. It is a really cool book on how to calculate and use your personal numerology cycles for planning and goal setting. If you have never explored the world of numerology, this is a great way to get first hand experience and benefit from this incredible knowledge at the same time. Everyone should know their personal numerology cycles!
RH: Any advice for other writers?
If you think you might have the writing bug inside of you, don’t wait for that elusive ‘one day when I have time.’ Just do it. Writing is a skill that generally requires some honing. Words cannot adequately convey the feeling of satisfaction that comes from putting your words on paper. Even if you never publish, unleashing your creative voice can be among the most enriching and rewarding experiences you will ever have.
RH: Thank you for your comments and for taking time out to answer our questions.
PE: You are most welcome and I wish you the best with your really fun writing software.