During the 1980’s, Xenia nursing home resident, Helen Hooven Santmyer, at eighty-seven, published . . .And Ladies of the Club, her 1,300-page novel of small-town life. It landed on the NYT bestseller list for 37 weeks, at number-one for seven of them. The paperback edition sold more than a million copies. At the time, I was teaching elementary school down the road in Yellow Springs, harboring my own dream of becoming a writer, and doing nothing to make it come true. I don’t know why (immaturity?) I found the whole thing so funny, the old woman, the best seller, the media circus. I laughed, that’s going to be me, not the bestseller part, the finally-publish-a-novel-in-your-eighties part. It turns out karma does indeed exist. My first novel, An Invitation to the Party, will be published summer, 2023. I will have just turned 81, something I find horrifying and, yes, hilarious. Personifying the definition of cock-eyed optimist, I’ve begun a second novel. If you find yourself in my situation-my father summed it up as “old too soon, smart too late,” I’ll share a little trick that works for me. When I’m writing, and only then, I have convinced myself that I will live forever. No need to rush, or worse, to quit. No need to worry you won’t finish this thing you’ve begun. You have all the time in the world. This works no matter what the unrealized ambition. And if you believe that, in your special case, it’s obviously too late, that people will laugh at you for trying, take heart. The universe will hear their laughter and take note.
8 Comments
Billie Dickson
1/17/2022 09:41:40 am
Love this advice. We are never too old to create something, even if it pleases only ourselves!
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Kristina Manuel Onder
1/17/2022 09:52:22 am
That's just lovely. I'm looking forward to reading your blog every week! I get to hear your "voice" and see your paintings! Win, win!
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Jennifer O'Brien
1/17/2022 10:15:18 am
Your so talented an artist and writer . Love how you see things in your own special way. Then you share it. Thank you!
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Judy Johnson
1/17/2022 10:40:20 am
You are my role model!
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Lynda Pauley
1/17/2022 11:57:37 am
I have, fortunately, known several artistic senior people. Even at 90 they have amazed me with their desire to continue to create. So when those days come when I ask myself why go to the studio, it’s because I am finally finding my voice and now I understand why they continued. Love your dad’s quote and your love for your work. Thank you for sharing!!
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Vanessa O'Kelley
1/18/2022 08:58:09 am
Thanks for sharing this Mary Jo. I needed to hear your words today and every day. Congratulations on your novel. I can't wait to read it!
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Margaret Tabor
1/18/2022 06:43:43 pm
MJ, I am excited by your news. Keep us posted about the release of your book.
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We tend to write about what we know. I am a writer, thus this blog: Why write? What, when, where to write? Stay tuned. Archives
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