The Book I Never Thought I would Publish

So ... I've just published a book that I never thought I would. And ... the reason that I never thought I would publish it is ... that I never had any (conscious) intention to write it.

And yet ... I've just published Gathering Stillness: Reflection upon Reflection. And am just about to market it. It's a book of fifty poems. (Not sure why it's fifty either ... but it is so.) It's a collection of spiritual poetry; I have my influences and I have walked paths.

This is what it is collectively "about" ... if a book of poems can be declared to be "about". From off the back cover - "Gathering Stillness is a collection of poems to inspire us to perform the devotional act of gathering Stillness to oneself. To gather Stillness is to engage in a sacred, devotional ritual, a shamanic practice. Once Stillness is Gathered, "you" are not really there, yet a You not of the surface world is most certainly there. Perceiving. Accepting. Being. you and You are joined, together."

And yet ... I had no (conscious) intention to write Gathering Stillness. It was well into May this year - 2012 ("as the Nazarenes understand and tally the turning of the years") - and I was juggling my "day job" with my "Life's Purpose" job. I had just published my first novel - Alba: The Great Dance of Leaving and Returning" - in April, and was (very) ready to begin marketing it. And ... Whaam! As Roy Lichtenstein famously quoted (many, many times). I felt the Touch of inspiration to publish my poems.

What an "odd" time to receive that Touch. What about Alba! Well ... when the Divine reaches out and Touches ... who am I to say "No"?

I worked hard - but in fact I experienced the whole work of making Gathering Stillness effortless. Did I have enough poems? Well ... how many is enough? I decided that "enough" was that amount that gave me a book in Createspace that was just thick enough to give me a spine that could hold a title and an author name.

So I lightly stepped through my poems. Reacquainting myself. Re-introducing myself to them. "Hi! I'm your writer, Rennie!" Gently through my notebooks and content from fablesofeternity.

A few small polishes here and there. Not many or much. Finished or wrote three or four additional. Struggled, struggled, STRUGGLED with one. Could not quite get the rimes and rhythms so. And then it was "so" enough (which is Perfection enough for me). Played around with the cover. Could I ... or could I not ... fit the title text on the spine. Hmm ... I did fit it on. but ... Hmm ... I'm a couple of fractions of an inch under the recommended width for holding text on the spine. Hmm ... should I risk? Not being a graphic designer or book designer by trade - and in fact this is my first ever book cover - I decided "no".

And this is verily a most true account of the coming into being of Gathering Stillness. Took me two months ... in equal parallel with my day job. You can visit the website here. And you can buy it from Amazon here.

Namaste! I bow to and honor the Light within you ...

rennie