A story or a poem can come from anywhere and be the kindling that ignites the creation of a book or other creative projects.
Lost and Found on the Camino de Santiago
This book was inspired in part by my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela along the Camino Francés, one of the ancient trails that leads to the sacred city in Spain. You can read part of the book at its Amazon page. The picture above is a sculpture of pilgrims that sits atop a hill near Pamplona. I took the cover image for my book from it.
Family
The two of the great people in my life who inspired storytelling and writing were my mother and one of my older uncles. It was not that they tried to be great storytellers, they just enjoyed entertaining people. And they were masters at their art and craft. My uncle would take me back to his youth in Chicago and my mother would often frighten me so badly, I could not sleep comfortably for days.
People
I believe that every person has a story, but we need to make the time to listen or help awaken those stories for ourselves and our families. Stories help us understand the past, listen and respond to the present, and create the future.
Food
One of my passions is cooking and learning about food, its history and origins. I grew up cooking with my family and those experiences have provided much inspiration for writing and for life. I am writing a memoir about food and family. It is my current project.
Faith
My work is tied, in part, to my understanding of Catholic Social Teaching, which proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Every person is precious, and people are more important than things. The work of Fr. Greg Boyle has had a profound influence on my life and view of human beings.
Other Writers and Teachers
Where would we be without other people who have made storytelling their work? They deserve a lot of credit. There are many... too many to list. And where would we be without the teachers who believed in us and our work. Thank you.
Lost and Found on the Camino de Santiago
This book was inspired in part by my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela along the Camino Francés, one of the ancient trails that leads to the sacred city in Spain. You can read part of the book at its Amazon page. The picture above is a sculpture of pilgrims that sits atop a hill near Pamplona. I took the cover image for my book from it.
Family
The two of the great people in my life who inspired storytelling and writing were my mother and one of my older uncles. It was not that they tried to be great storytellers, they just enjoyed entertaining people. And they were masters at their art and craft. My uncle would take me back to his youth in Chicago and my mother would often frighten me so badly, I could not sleep comfortably for days.
People
I believe that every person has a story, but we need to make the time to listen or help awaken those stories for ourselves and our families. Stories help us understand the past, listen and respond to the present, and create the future.
Food
One of my passions is cooking and learning about food, its history and origins. I grew up cooking with my family and those experiences have provided much inspiration for writing and for life. I am writing a memoir about food and family. It is my current project.
Faith
My work is tied, in part, to my understanding of Catholic Social Teaching, which proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Every person is precious, and people are more important than things. The work of Fr. Greg Boyle has had a profound influence on my life and view of human beings.
Other Writers and Teachers
Where would we be without other people who have made storytelling their work? They deserve a lot of credit. There are many... too many to list. And where would we be without the teachers who believed in us and our work. Thank you.