Posted on March 12, 2010 - by Lauren

Author Interview – Nancy Burnett

Journeys Home: Stories from Grandmother’s Lap by Nancy Burnett

What excites you most about your book’s topic? Why did you choose it?

Real life story excites me more than anything. I want to know and understand human nature both in the abstract and on very personal levels. My choice follows my history of studying human development at the graduate level, of practicing psychotherapy, and of years of personal analytic work both formally and informally.

How long did the book take you from start to finish?

I wrote in stream of consciousness for about 18 months. I then took another 18 months to cut and reassemble the resulting segments into coherent essays. This required new writing plus rewriting. Another period of months completed editorial revisions and other book preparation tasks.

What aspect of writing the book did you find particularly challenging?

Getting over my initial reticence and self-doubt. Finding the voices necessary to telling the story. Keeping my confidence in the face of frustration.

What surprised you the most about the book writing process?

It’s actually pretty easy for me. My muse is reliable when I move forward with trust.

Did you have any favorite experiences when writing your book?

Traipsing around Arkansas doing “research” in the company of my cousin was great fun. Just being together makes us laugh. Sometimes I just get tickled with myself over what I have written because it feels so good. I loved reading the emerging paragraphs out loud.

What do you hope your readers will gain from reading your book?

I want people to see themselves and find overlooked opportunities for improving their quality of life, to find new courage to confront healing tasks, to be inspired that if I could find humor and hope in my life experience, they can too.

What projects are you currently working on?

I am picking up where this book left off in time and theme and continuing into my adulthood. The precipitating points are dreams instead of photos but I’ll probably include some pictures again.

Is writing your sole career? If not, what else do you do?

I am a certified Life Cycle Celebrant, a spiritual director, and I create and facilitate programs—classes, retreats, events—for women that are affiliated with the Marion Woodman Foundation.

Did you do any research for your books, or did you write from experience?

I wrote from experience. I informally interviewed some family members and retraced a few family documents as well.

How did you come up with your title?

It emerged from the imagery in the writing. “Journeys home” is a central dynamic of the stories. “Grandmother’s lap” is the land of Arkansas, the place that cradles the essence of my origins and identity. “Recollections”—recollecting bits and pieces—constitutes the soul work of the writing project.

What books have influenced you the most?

I have been deeply influenced by over twenty-five years of reading and reflecting on the writings of many Jungian scholars and practitioners, e.g., Marion Woodman, Marie-Louise von Franz, and Jeffrey Raff. Linda Leonard’s The Wounded Woman put me on the road to healing. I primarily read nonfiction, but I love the novels of many contemporary women writers, e.g., Margaret Atwood, Barbara Kingsolver, and Alice Walker. The Women’s Room, by Marilyn French opened my eyes. Among male novelists, I love the work of John Irving. I loved A Prayer for Owen Meany. I hadn’t realized that a novel could be so expansive. Long before any of these, Something More, by Catharine Marshall inspired me to keep searching.

Who was your publisher and why did you choose them?

My publisher is also my friend, Catharine Clarke. We began working together as writer and coach. She progressed to editor, book producer, and then publisher. To become the latter, she put her 30+ years of experience in the writing world into proper form taking a leap of faith. Her Soul Garden Press is a gift to soul-writing and soul-writers.