{"id":2660,"date":"2017-07-09T07:29:43","date_gmt":"2017-07-09T15:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wayofstory.com\/?p=2660"},"modified":"2017-08-27T10:07:37","modified_gmt":"2017-08-27T18:07:37","slug":"stories-come-unexpected-places","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wayofstory.com\/?p=2660","title":{"rendered":"Stories Come from Unexpected Places"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Stories Come from Unexpected Places<\/span><\/h1>\n
“It is a still stranger thing that there is nothing<\/span><\/h5>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 so delightful in the world as telling stories.”<\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Virginia Woolf<\/span><\/h5>\n

A therapist friend challenged me to write children\u2019s stories taken from my own childhood memories. He further asked me to come every so often and share these stories with his three young children. So, thinking \u2018I\u2019ve never done that before so this sounds like fun\u2019, I accepted the challenge. Every two weeks, I write a new story and drive over to my friend\u2019s wife and three children (the therapist being at work) for Story Hour.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve had nine stories so far and the children won\u2019t let me stop. Though pre-school age, the children sit and listen to the four page stories, many which involve former pets of my childhood, a horse born on my birthday, a black lamb given me on Easter, two ducklings won at the State Fair, and others. Then we all take paper and crayons or colored pencils and draw the story, this is my Green Dragon that came from one of the stories called Cloud People. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The oldest child, a lively boy, suggested we all become the animals. So now after the story and the drawing, we become the story. We play. Remember play? I had largely forgotten how important play is at any age. And surprisingly, when we join the very young at play, that very young person we once was comes alive again. Isn\u2019t that great?<\/p>\n

Now, in- between Story Hours, I get ideas for new stories. Here\u2019s an example. I was driving in town the other day, and suddenly I saw a mimosa tree. This brought up a childhood memory of when I was seven or so in Texas. There was a tall mimosa tree just in front of my swing. I would sit on the swing and see how high it would go, aiming always to touch my barefoot on a high branch of the mimosa tree. Later on, I began talking and telling my wishes to the now magical mimosa. That\u2019s the title: The Magical Mimosa<\/em>. And then, magically a story is born. \"\"<\/p>\n

If not challenged by my therapist friend, I would probably never have written these stories for children,\u00a0 nine tales now and growing. And yet these stories from childhood were there waiting to be tapped. If I hadn\u2019t tried something new, other than the plays, films, non-fiction books I usually write, I would not have allowed this long, forgotten part of myself to both emerge and play.<\/p>\n

This experience made me realize how vital it is to be remain open not only as a writer, but as a human being as well.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile never forget that \u2018Stories Come from Unexpected Places\u2019<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Next Way of Story Sat workshop in Ojai, CA is Sat, Sept 9, 10-4pm<\/span><\/h3>\n

This will be a small group in my home. Limited spaces, sign up early for discount.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Catherine\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 THE WAY OF STORY in OJAI<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

with Catherine Ann Jones<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Saturday, Sept 9 (10-4pm)<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00a0<\/strong> \u201cWe\u2019ve become lopsided living only in our heads. Writing, in order to serve the soul,\u00a0 must integrate outer craft with the inner world of intuition and feeling.” \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Catherine Ann Jones, NY TIMES<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The Way of Story<\/strong> offers an integrative approach to writing narrative, combining solid craft with experiential inner discovery. Craft alone is not enough. No other writing workshop offers the solid craft to guarantee a good story along with the intangible inner dimensions of writing.<\/p>\n