I’ve been erratically blogging at Neither Here Nor There since July of 2008.
I’ve got four whole separate bodies of blog-work on this site: My Writerly Life (earliest incarnation, self-explanatory), WC Fields (World Cup 2010), Be-Coming Home (the journey from the fire that destroyed our home to our new home), and Write-Minded (my current offerings, mostly about my personal writing process, with occasional, random tangents).
It wasn’t till the recent launch of my daughter Bryn Jimenez’s fabulous BadAss Soprano website and blog (and more, check it out!) that I learned the internet rule: my first blog entry should have been about who I am and why I’m blogging.
Oops.
Better late than never, yeah? And in a way, this IS my first blog entry, because it is my first entry since (finally!) figuring out how to get a “Follow this Blog” widget going. (Yay! Look! There is is on the right side-bar: Follow this Blog Via Email!)
So, hello! Welcome to Neither Here Nor There!
I’m Risa Aratyr, author of the high Celtic fantasy Hunter of the Light. Writing is my passion and my calling … though I haven’t always been free to answer the call.
It took me my entire youth and then some to identify as a writer. Between then (36) and now (almost 63) (ooh, isn’t that reverse-number thing interesting …) anyway, once I realized, I was only able to commandeer a few bunches of blessed years for putting articles into the world, getting a book published, and writing some damn fine drafts of novels to-be. These happy bunches were sandwiched between decades of professional stage management and teaching same at a junior college.
You don’t need to be young to write. I always knew in my heart that my Muse would be waiting for me here in my 60s.
This blog is my way of keeping the writing juices flowing while I plod toward that light at the end of the theatre/teaching tunnel. Hope you’ll visit again. Hope you’ll share any comments that cross your mind. Hope you’ll follow my blog.
All the best.
I will patiently wait for your follow-up to Hunter of the Light but do not let this deter your interest in other forms of Art. It may be a kitsch thing to say but truth still lies in the old saying “We have but one life to live”
Please Enjoy yours.
Even if we have many lives to live, we only have one at a time ;) I’ll do my best to take your advice… enjoy the journey wherever it takes me.
Hi Risa,
Just back from Minnesota & had a wonderful 99th birthday celebration with Mary’s mother & family. Best part though was staying with a friend in Minneapolis & going to the opening season of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra……fantastic! The next night we went to a preview, full dress production of Sense & Sensibility @ the Guthrey….wish you were there, YOU would have enjoyed it even though it was a little rough around the edges in the first act, but got better & better. Also our friend Arturo, an ex-Spanish teacher knows all the best Spanish & Latin American restaurants. Surprisingly there are a number of very good ones.
Best to you & Roy as always & look forward to getting together again soon.
Fuertes abrazos, Adrián
Hola, Adrian! Looked like a good trip just from the b-day celebrations pics. Now you’re tossing in Chamber Orchestra concerts, full-dress previews at the Guthrie, and fabulous Spanish dining, ¡estoy bastante envidiosa! Welcome home, amigo mío — hugs to Mary, and thanks again for stopping by Neither Here Nor There!
Most interesting, will look @ it in a bit more depth while waiting for our flight to Minneapolis. Also very nice to see what Bryn has been doing & look forward to hearing her in person someday.
Abrazos fuertes, Adsrián
Adrian! How wonderful to see you here :) Wishing you safe there, amigo mio, and safe back home again.
Risa, I am SO exited for you! I look forward to finally having the time to follow along…on your journey! ❤️ Jo
Hi, Jo :) Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m so excited about all the reading time you’re going to have in your near future!
Hello Risa! I’m glad you’re back in the blog zone. I enjoy reading your reflections on the writing process and this trajectory of life (which appears to have limits, but perhaps not!). I look forward to reading more!
Hey, Claudia! Thanks so much. I’ve been blogging all summer — glad I finally had a good excuse to “spam” everybody with an announcement ;)