Today’s guest is Joni B. Cole and we’re chatting about her literary collection of humorous essays, Party Like It’s 2044: Finding the Funny in Life and Death.
Joni is doing a virtual book tour with Wow! Women on Writing and you can find her full tour information below the interview. I hope you’ll visit some of her other tour stops, too!
Bio:
Joni B. Cole is the author of seven books, including the new release Party Like It’s 2044: Finding the Funny in Life and Death, and two acclaimed writing guides: Good Naked: How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier (listed as a “Best Books for Writers” by Poets & Writers magazine) and Toxic Feedback: Helping Writers Survive and Thrive (“I can’t imagine a better guide to writing’s rewards and perils than this fine book,” American Book Review). For twenty-five years she has taught creative writing to adults online and through her own writer’s center in White River Junction, Vermont, through the Dartmouth Writer’s Society, and at a diversity of academic and nonprofit programs across the country. She is a contributor to The Writer magazine and Jane Friedman blog, and hosts the podcast “Author, Can I Ask You?” For more info, email jonibethcole@gmail.com.
Please tell us about your current release.
My favorite way to describe the book is the way one of my reviewers described it: “Joni Cole’s essays are a cross between David Sedaris and Kelly Corrigan.” I love those comparisons because they speak to the humor of the essays, for sure, but also how the collection’s intent is to go deeper, and illuminate life’s complexities and dilemmas. For example, one essay is about my fear that I’m related to the real-life inspiration for Dracula, but it also has me questioning how people can do such terrible things to one another. Another essay is called “The Real Reasons Writers Hate Amazon,” but beneath the humor is a serious reflection on the challenges of releasing our creative work to the world. My hope is that the collection makes readers think, feel, laugh, and reflect on their own life stories.
What inspired you to write this book?
I love this question because I think it’s important for writers to pay attention to what inspires them. In fact, think it’s important for everyone to tune into where they find inspiration as a way of feeding their creative flow in whatever form it takes.
In writing this book, there was no single aha moment, but rather a lot of little seeds of inspiration—a memory that kept asserting itself, for example, or an experience, however quiet, that seemed to have something more to it worth exploring. Other times the inspiration for an essay might simply be something funny that happened to me, or an incident that bothered me, often disproportionately.
As a writer (and human being) more times than I can count I have discovered the extraordinary in the ordinary…if I was willing to delve more deeply into those everyday moments that, for whatever reason, drew my attention, provoked my curiosity, or made me laugh. For example, one of my favorite essays, Our Old House, is about buying my ex-husband a new oven for the home we once shared with our two daughters. This is hardly a dramatic event, but many readers have pointed out how deeply touched they were by that essay, and how it offers insights into how we can all move past difficult experiences with love (and appliances) intact.
Excerpt from Party Like It’s 2044: Finding the Funny in Life and Death:
Spirit Animal Tricks
Every morning my friend Betsy starts her day by pulling a spirit animal card from her well-worn deck. Knowing your spirit animal, she explains, gives you insights on how to improve your life. It clarifies your power and purpose. These creatures of the wild provide protection, guidance, and healing. Betsy does alright for herself. She looks like she could be in an ad for eyeglasses that make you look pretty, intelligent, and from Ohio, all of which describe her perfectly. Life has thrown Betsy some serious curves, yet she exudes a contagious optimism, which makes me believe her spirit animals must know what they are doing.
One morning Betsy and I met for coffee at a trendy café, its air purified by a plethora of soft ferns and herbal elixirs. A product shelf displayed CBD oils and creams, candles to inspire healing and passion, and—not surprisingly—spirit animal cards for sale, though the café also provided a deck for customers to use in house. It turns out, however, that Betsy packs her own deck. She pulled it from her roomy bag and told me to cut the cards.
“The elk!” she exclaimed after revealing my spirit animal for that day. “The elk is an earth sign. It represents strength and stamina.”
“Yes.” I found myself nodding in approval. While I have never put much stock into astrology, I can relate to earth signs much more than my own birth sign, Pisces, a water symbol that does not align at all with my deadline-driven personality, my insistence on punctuality (If the invitation reads seven p.m. then show up at least five minutes early!), and my preference for breathing without the need for scuba gear. I like my feet firmly planted on the ground.
The elk on the card and I studied one another. It looked powerful and paternalistic, its kind eyes seemed to sympathize with my deepest thoughts: It’s okay if you aren’t always a perfect person, like right now, pretending that you believe in spirit animal cards. My lack of faith aside, the elk’s steady gaze made me feel comforted and safe, feelings that I had been missing lately. While it has been years since I lost my parents, there are times I still feel like a bereft, albeit middle-aged orphan. Who will take me in if I can’t pay my mortgage? Who will drive me to the mall to accommodate my faltering night vision? Who will tell me that the horror of pandemics, and rising sea levels, and mass shootings are grown-up problems, so it’s okay if I just want to forget about everything and go to sleep between them in their big, safe bed?
“When in balance, the elk represents endurance, patience, and solid relationships,” Betsy continued reading from the guidebook that accompanied the cards. “When out of balance, the elk must be sure to pace itself and take breaks.”
I was surprised by how much the elk’s guidance resonated with me, as if it knew just what I needed to hear. Until the elk came along, I had been feeling guilty for visiting with Betsy in the middle of what was supposed to be a workday, not to mention paying fourteen dollars for a foamy green drink that didn’t even include alcohol. But now this strong and wise creature had assured me that I should take breaks to invest in relationships, just like I was doing with Betsy. For a moment, I fantasized about getting an elk as a pet. I could keep it in my tiny backyard at my condo and press my cheek against its warm coat and scratch it behind its antlers.
After that meeting, Betsy—with the exuberance of a New Age missionary—started pulling a spirit animal card for me most mornings and texting me the result. Yesterday, she told me that my spirit animal for the day was the owl. At least I think it was an owl. I don’t remember, but what I do remember is that whatever the animal told me, it felt comforting and made a lot of sense at the time. Betsy also has pulled for me a starfish, a tiger, an otter, an earthworm! (The latter was alarming, until I learned that spirit animals go deeper than their obvious traits, like the importance of their poop to our ecosystem.) I truly appreciate Betsy’s efforts on my behalf, but usually the clarity and comfort these spirit animals inspire quickly abates, and the rest of the day I am left trying to recall who said what when. Is today the day I am in a period of transformation…or in touch with the infinite divine? Am I supposed to wait before making that big decision…or step out of my comfort zone?
I used to think I had a preponderance of peculiar friends, or at least peculiar to me given so many of them have faith in things that just don’t resonate with my own weltanschauung. There is lovely Betsy, with her travel pack of spirit animals, not unlike Susan, a retired therapist who now keeps her own counsel, often with the help of an invisible bird on her shoulder. My friend Carol gave up a career in the law to study astrology and do tarot readings. Cheryl, a cancer researcher, found comfort after a devastating loss by becoming a medium. Frances, an energy healer, relies on her angels who speak to her through a psychic reader. And, to the surprise of no one, most of these same friends, treasures to a one, also swear by the power of crystals.
“Citrine!” One, or maybe all these friends have proselytized. “It’s just what you need to move your life forward. Plus, it will take care of any bladder issues!”
Spiritually speaking, I don’t know what I believe in— certainly not the dogma of traditional religions, and, while I hate to admit it to my friends, or even to myself, probably not any of these secular shortcuts to a mystical realm. But one thing I do know for sure is that I do not want bladder issues. With that in mind, I went out and bought myself a citrine necklace at a psychic fair held in our local town hall. The stone hangs from a natural hemp cord. It does look pretty; I’ll say that much for it…
What exciting project are you working on next?
I’m working on another collection of personal essays just like Party Like It’s 2044…only completely different.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I have this memory of a moment frozen in time. I’m staring down at my school desk, even more anxious than usual. My third-grade teacher is about to hand back our homework, my very first creative writing assignment where we could make up a story about anything at all. She sets my handwritten pages face down on my desk and keeps on walking. I take a deep breath and flip over the papers. A gold-star! A gold star is pasted at the top!
Like most memories from long ago, there may be more truth than facts in how I recall the particulars of that childhood experience. But I do know that assignment marked the first time I recognized that creative writing—writing something from my imagination, from my own perspective —mattered to me more than almost any other activity I had ever tried to do before. In some small but meaningful way, I believe that little gold star helped seed my belief that I could be a writer.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I don’t write full-time. My livelihood is to teach writing, which I love, but it takes up several hours most days of the week. Plus I have other deadlines and professional responsibilities, especially now that I’m doing lots of author events related to the new book. So I’m out of the habit of writing daily and I’m paying the price. For me, it is so much easier to write productively when I’m writing consistently, which is why I can no longer afford to “find” the time to write; I need to make the time. So I guess I better set my alarm to 4:30 a.m.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I love writing in my bathrobe because I think it has magical powers; I just feel more creative when I’m cozy. Another quirk I have is that like having a lit candle on my desk when I write. And I love writing in cafes.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which has a large Amish community. My family didn’t practice any religion, but when I was little I remember wanting to grow up and be Amish. That phase was intense but short-lived.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I really enjoy meeting readers and book-groups to not only talk about my collection of personal essays, but also hear their stories. And, as much as I love talking books, I also love talking about writing and teaching writing. Hence my two writing guides, which I hope achieve what I promise in one of the book’s subtitles—to help aspiring authors and newbies write more, write better, and be happier.
Links:
Website | Writers Center | Facebook | Instagram
Blog Tour Calendar
November 13 @ The Muffin
Join us at the Muffin as we celebrate the launch of Joni B. Cole’s essay collection Party Like It’s 2044. Read an interview with the author and win a copy of the book. https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
November 15 @ One Writer’s Journey
Visit Sue’s blog for a guest post by Joni B. Cole about tips for productive revision. https://suebe.wordpress.com/
November 18 @ A Wonderful World of Words
Visit Joy’s blog for a spotlight of Party Like It’s 2044. https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
November 20 @ One Writer’s Journey
Join Sue again for her review of Joni B. Cole’s essay collection Party Like It’s 2044. https://suebe.wordpress.com/
November 22 @ Michelle Cornish’ blog
Visit Michelle’s blog for her review of Party Like It’s 2044. https://www.michellecornish.com/blog
November 24 HERE!
November 25 @ Choices
Visit Madeline’s blog for a review of Joni B. Cole’s book Party Like It’s 2044. http://madelinesharples.com/
November 26 @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie’s blog for an interview with Joni B. Cole. https://chapterbreak.net/
November 28 @ Thoughts of Maddness
Don’t miss Maddie’s review of Party Like It’s 2044. https://maddiegudenkauf.com/thoughts-of-maddness
November 30 @ Deborah Adam’s blog
Join Deborah for an interview with the author, Joni B. Cole, author of Party Like It’s 2044. http://www.deborah-adams.com/blog/
December 1 @ The Faerie Review
Visit Lily’s blog for a spotlight of Party Like It’s 2044. https://www.thefaeriereview.com/
December 3 @ Shoe’s Seeds and Stories
Visit Linda’s blog for her review of Party Like It’s 2044. https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/
December 4 @ The Shaggy Shepherd
Visit Isabelle’s blog for her review of Party Like It’s 2044. https://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com/
December 6 @ A Storybook World
Join Deirdra for her spotlight of Party Like It’s 2044. http://www.astorybookworld.com/
December 7 @ Knotty Needle
Judy shares her thoughts about Joni B. Cole’s essay collection Party Like It’s 2044. http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com/
December 10 @ Boys’ Mom Reads
Visit Karen’s blog for her review of Party Like It’s 2044. https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/
December 13 @ Jill Sheets’ blog
Visit Jill’s blog for her review of Party Like It’s 2044. https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
December 15 @ The Mommies Review
Visit Glenda’s blog for her review of Joni B. Cole’s essay collection Party Like It’s 2044 http://www.themommiesreviews.com/
December 17 @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion
Visit Linda’s blog for her in-depth interview with author Joni B. Cole about her essay collection Party Like It’s 2044. https://bootsshoesandfashion.com
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