One of my joys in writing
Taking the Plunge is meeting new people. The first thought that came to mind
when I read about Lori Henriksen was “I can’t wait to meet her! The second
was “I can’t wait to read her book!”
Special thanks to writer Stacy Lawson for making the connection and introducing Lori – something she does
extraordinarily well. R2
Lori and I met on a flight from Seattle to San Francisco . She was on
her way to the 2010 SF Writers Conference, and I was on my way down to visit
with a writing friend, We fell into each
other's lives. This is what can happen when writers meet each other. We want to
support each other, because we know how hard the work is.
It didn't take long for Lori and me to uncover the
fact that we were both writers. Lori was working on a novel The Winter Loon about a young woman
who in 1930 joins a rodeo circuit and is introduced to a world where love is
not always restricted to a man and a woman.
I admire people
who risk and have risked to show up for their own life's journey. Ruth
Thompson, the protagonist of The
Winter Loon interests me for this reason. She is out to find herself
during the Great Depression, and in so doing, opens herself up to the ridicule,
fear, and small mindedness of others when being gay was illegal. I think Lori's
book is coming at a good time.
Gay marriage is legal in many states. Hurray. I'm
convinced it will be legal everywhere at some point. In ten years or less, some
of us will begin to forget the work done to bring about this change. Poll
people under thirty and see if they know about the 1969 Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village that started gay
advocacy. I believe that revisiting history through fiction or non-fiction
reminds us of our past and keeps us in touch with our own vulnerabilities. The
importance of this is that we seek change and remedy for other people who are
struggling for their rights.
All I can say is
that I am hungry to read Lori's work. Stacy Lawson
Lori Henriksen
Most of my
adult life has been spent working as a psychotherapist in the child abuse
prevention field with both children and adults and in the community college
system, counseling students with learning and psychological disabilities. I
volunteered with the AIDS Health Project in the 1980’s and 90’s and learned
first-hand the intense identity struggles in the gay community.
Over and
over again, I reaped the rewards of witnessing people work through conflicts
and achieve goals they thought beyond their reach. The many life experiences
interwoven in this career have influenced my belief that we have the potential
to strengthen and transform ourselves through story.
I retired in 1998 and moved from San Francisco to Ashland , Oregon . I enrolled in an extension class
called “Writing Your Life” at Southern Oregon University. I met an accomplished
writer and was surprised to be invited to join a writer’s group. For the first
two years I mostly sat in and listened. At a local writer’s conference I shared
a short story in a workshop and was encouraged to make it a novel. I learned to
write on the wings of my critique group. Writing, rewriting, and rewriting. I
learned to accept feedback without feeling defensive. I learned to cut and edit
unnecessary words and make every word, every sentence and every scene move the
story forward.
It’s been a long journey on a winding path, but over the
last ten years I have finished that novel. A year here and a year there pulled
me away from my writing, but like any pilgrim on a quest, I take one step at a
time. I won’t reach the end of the journey until my novel finds a home. The
fortitude it took in the 1930’s—and even today—to be true to one’s self outside
the norm is the essential drama of the novel inspired by my lesbian mother’s
life. You can read the first two chapters and more about the writing of the
novel at www.lorihenriksen.com.
- Who are you? List 5 words that
best describe you.
Compassionate –
Imaginative – Determined – Curious – Realistic
2. What have you done that you’re most proud of?
I have continued to grow over the
years. I have been in a loving committed relationship for over forty years, and
we are still best friends. I open my heart to stray dogs and cats and give them
a home. They find me. I don’t go looking for them. I can now call myself an
author.
3. If you could change one thing in your past, what would it be?
I would
have had the confidence and self-esteem to do more. My early years were spent
trying to find myself and my place in the world. I spent too much time feeling
less than everyone around me.
4. On a personal
level, what drives you crazy? What gives you joy?
Crazy? War.
The drive for materialistic gains without regard for others. Basic rights
violations. The divisive political atmosphere.
Joy?
Stories of heroic acts as daring as pulling someone out of a burning car or as
simple as a word of encouragement to a distressed child. Finding solace in
nature. A hike with my dog. A glass of wine, good food and loving friends.
People working together to fight discrimination.
5. Given no restrictions (i.e. money/physical
capabilities) – what would you most like to do?
I would
fund no-kill shelters for unwanted and homeless animals. This would include the
funds to educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering all
dogs and cats.
With no
physical restrictions, I would start with a climb to the summit of Mt. Shasta and stick my face in a lenticular
cloud.
I would
visit India and live in an ashram. I would
learn to sail and visit as many ports of call as I could before publishing my
final novel.
he
world
On Holiday in England |
Panther Meadows, Mt. Shasta |
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