tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post4197354078981320672..comments2023-07-22T07:59:05.327-07:00Comments on Valerie J Brooks - Gobsmacked: Confessions of a Working Writer: My DisappearanceValerie Brookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-45807566053475359452014-01-12T22:52:39.033-08:002014-01-12T22:52:39.033-08:00Valerie, writing and blogging don't have to be...Valerie, writing and blogging don't have to be exclusive. Come back to us! You're a wonderful writer. I hope you are following your muse. Anne Schroeder Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05137353578687008913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-62654085689449558872013-02-05T19:36:38.663-08:002013-02-05T19:36:38.663-08:00Hi Val! That was so sweet of you and thank you for...Hi Val! That was so sweet of you and thank you for sharing. After I'd sent my email, I realized I didn't send my intended comment:<br /><br />As usual, you struck a chord in me and moved me to tears. As an only child, it was fairly easy to retreat to my writing corner and I kept it up in college. Years later as a wife and mom, I struggle to find those moments - without lurking thoughts about what I "should" be doing... around the house, in the kitchen, on the job, etc.<br /><br />After some fights for my "me" time to write, I'm halfway through the second rewrite of my novel.The family's eventual support has freed my mind, and I'm grateful, yet with others so close to me in my life, I still find myself wondering if I'm going to be interrupted even when I know I wont! <br /><br />Thanks Val for reminding me that I'm not alone, that it's okay and that all will be just fine.<br /><br />Hugs!!!<br /><br />~TonyaTonya Ricehttp://tonyalit.typepad.com/readingcornernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-31730552643940694662013-02-05T15:35:22.158-08:002013-02-05T15:35:22.158-08:00That made me laugh! Yes, I think this could be the...That made me laugh! Yes, I think this could be the start of many people's bios. Glad it brought up that memory. Writing brings up so many memories that might have stayed buried.<br />Thanks for commenting, Irene! I sure appreciate it.<br />hugs,<br />ValValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-12364306235178981452013-02-05T15:33:21.324-08:002013-02-05T15:33:21.324-08:00Focus can do some magical things for our writing, ...Focus can do some magical things for our writing, can't it, Becky? Living with our writing, instead of having it chopped up, gives us a deeper understanding of that world we're creating. I think what is difficult to impart to others is that we carry around a whole other world in our head and heart. Easy peasy. LOL. Disappearing needs to be given power instead of derision, just as introverts have great gifts and should be honored, not just the extroverts who get all the attention. Ok, I'm getting off track, but you know what I'm talking about.<br />Thanks for your comments. You're always there for me and other writers. <br />hugs,<br />Val<br />Valerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-42962587051217257302013-02-05T15:25:27.699-08:002013-02-05T15:25:27.699-08:00I love that word "escapist." It sounds l...I love that word "escapist." It sounds like another vocation. (as in Magician)<br />Keep writing and working. Courageous move to devote yourself to your writing and even though volunteer work fulfills you, it is mandatory we volunteer for ourselves sometimes.<br />Always good to hear from you, Dan. Thank you for all your support.<br />hugs,<br />ValValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-52625880578830315862013-02-05T15:22:00.216-08:002013-02-05T15:22:00.216-08:00You know it, sistah! Not a slave to anything, but ...You know it, sistah! Not a slave to anything, but I am always trying to reach the heart of my actions and when I do, I pass the knowledge on for others. <br />Your friend,<br />Love you,<br />Blog Goddess LOLValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-59074295499802941642013-02-05T15:16:41.655-08:002013-02-05T15:16:41.655-08:00One of our gifts--Colonyhouse at Rockaway Beach. S...One of our gifts--Colonyhouse at Rockaway Beach. So glad you're finding solitude and time to write. Hope the words are flowing and the creative tide is high.<br />hugs,<br />ValValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-18051694364409321692013-02-05T15:14:36.460-08:002013-02-05T15:14:36.460-08:00Whew. I'm gobsmacked. You've known me a lo...Whew. I'm gobsmacked. You've known me a long time and this means so much to me. Thank you always for the support, encouragement and lovely words. <br />I love you, too,<br />ValValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-51120133510260656372013-02-05T15:11:56.480-08:002013-02-05T15:11:56.480-08:00You're a gift, Tonya! Thank you so much for ba...You're a gift, Tonya! Thank you so much for backing up my blog. That was so thoughtful.<br />Hugs,<br />ValValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-28108505793480057052013-02-05T15:09:45.340-08:002013-02-05T15:09:45.340-08:00How I love you, too, dear friend, and your blog wi...How I love you, too, dear friend, and your blog will rocket into the stratosphere once your readers find it, and that will be soon with your publication.<br /><br />Yes, may we all remove the sunflower seed and eat what nourishes us. <br /><br />Our writing community is a true blessing for all of us.<br />love you,<br />ValValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-83248167217914641052013-02-05T15:01:32.722-08:002013-02-05T15:01:32.722-08:00From KARLA DROSTE via email:
Thank you for your h...From KARLA DROSTE via email:<br /><br />Thank you for your honest and inspiring story of your disappearance. I found my creative soul in the chaos of the vertigo and had no choice but to take the time to feed what was starving inside of me - in my case, a lack of balance. You encourage all of us who are starved of the time, freedom and opportunity to create, to remember that life is short and it is time to express ourselves and our gifts - NOW!<br /> <br />Your story about Kippy broke my heart. May we all remove the sunflower seed and eat what nourishes us.<br /> <br />Love to you, dear Val,<br />KarlaValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-53834811043606992622013-02-05T14:59:03.252-08:002013-02-05T14:59:03.252-08:00From TONYA RICE via email:
Hi Val.
My plan was to...From TONYA RICE via email:<br /><br />Hi Val.<br />My plan was to comment on your beautiful post “My Disappearance”, however the post is not there on your blog. I wanted to make sure you know that and thankfully, I subscribe, so I had the incredible, wonderful pleasure of reading it.<br /><br />In case something screwy happened with Blogger, I’ve got the full text and photos below for your immediate reference. I’d hate for your words to be missed by others.<br /><br />Warmly,<br />TonyaValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-90688061954867801992013-02-05T14:38:17.788-08:002013-02-05T14:38:17.788-08:00That's such a heart-warming story about the st...That's such a heart-warming story about the student, and thank you for offering that lifeline to her. I can imagine how sleep deprived, over-worked, scared and lonely she felt.<br /><br />You've thrown that lifeline to me, so I know it first hand. You're one of the major people I'm grateful for in my life. I'm sure you've saved dozens of lives at the college and will continue to do so. That was always your path--to make a difference in the world--and you're doing it one person at a time. My mentor, Peggy Marston, did that for me when I was a student there, and she will always be one of my angels.<br /><br />Love you dearly,<br />ValValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-34326169396055143392013-02-05T14:30:21.432-08:002013-02-05T14:30:21.432-08:00From BARBARA SULLIVAN via email:
Hey Val--just tr...From BARBARA SULLIVAN via email:<br /><br />Hey Val--just tried to post this comment on your blog. Can't tell if it took or not, so am sending it this way too:<br /><br />About the bathroom thread: just yesterday, I was in the women's room in the college where I teach. A few of us were washing or drying hands and blabbering to each other when someone came in, rushed to a stall and locked the door, then burst into tears. The rest of us looked at each other with lifted eyebrows, trying to judge by the tenor of her sobbing whether desperation or privacy should prevail. She just went on crying fiercely behind the stall door, as if she still had a ways to go, and one by one we left. My boss mouthed to me that she would check back later. When everyone else had gone, I knocked on the stall door and said, "I'm not going to interrupt, because it's a woman's sacred right to cry in the bathroom, but if you want to talk, I'll be in my office for a couple of hours," and I gave her the number. <br /><br />About five minutes later, she was at my door, mopping up. She had had a crisis of confidence in--of course!--a writing class, during--of course!--a peer review workshop. I talked her through it, and pretty soon she came up with a plan of action and went off to implement it. Brave soul, to disappear from class because she didn't want to cry there; to find a place where she could cry and be heard by other women, who care; to hear that it's okay to back away whenever you need to, to get that if you don't give yourself permission to "disappear," you can work your way into an anxiety box that just gets tighter and tighter; and to trust herself when she figured out what to do next. <br /><br />So glad you are trusting yourself in this way; I'm very sure--even though I haven't read your novel lately--that it's paying off in just the way you describe.<br />Valerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-8424773208366307592013-02-05T14:29:07.709-08:002013-02-05T14:29:07.709-08:00From JUDITH WATT via email:
Val,
You always amaz...From JUDITH WATT via email:<br /><br />Val,<br /><br />You always amaze me with your truthfulness and ability to write a riveting story. Why am I always amazed? I know it's coming! I find myself reading quickly, almost short of breath, to reach the end. Then I'll scroll back to the top and read your story once again at a leisurely, savoring pace. With a book, the suspense is sometimes almost overwhelming and I've been known to read the last few pages before I can return to the beginning to read, once again, at my leisurely, savoring pace.<br /><br />Thank you for sharing yourself with all of us Gobsmacked followers and for having grown stronger and wiser to be the beautiful, creative, intelligent, witty friend that you are.<br /><br />I love you,<br /><br />Jude Valerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-40335785435260725122013-02-05T14:28:27.537-08:002013-02-05T14:28:27.537-08:00From SANDRA PETERSON via email:
Yeah! Glad to hea...From SANDRA PETERSON via email:<br /><br />Yeah! Glad to hear from you and what a great blog about disappearing. I am. Right now. "Disappeared" for a few days at the OWC House at Rockaway and beginning to make sense to myself as I unwind in its solitude. surrounded by weather too miserable to tempt me out. Thanks for making contact!<br />~SandyValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-26541044128989550982013-02-05T14:27:26.750-08:002013-02-05T14:27:26.750-08:00FROM JESSICA MAXWELL VIA EMAIL:
Val!
A thousand ...FROM JESSICA MAXWELL VIA EMAIL:<br /><br />Val!<br /><br />A thousand thank-yous for this blog. You know what, just yesterday -- yesterday! -- I found myself wondering what happened to your blog,<br />then quickly "knew" that you'd decided not to be a slave to it anymore, which led to thoughts about our discussion months back that your blog<br />was born of the need to be read, to be heard!, because this inherent part of writing has been denied you for so long. So, maybe, your über-successful stint as a Blog Goddess satisfied that longing long enough to allow you to drop back into the real work? I'm just so fascinated that my radar picked up your blog distress signals only yesterday! <br /><br />And, fyi, I am SO with you on this time thing.<br />Love,<br />Your #1 Salem Fan,<br />JessValerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-84111694661851398912013-02-05T14:24:18.363-08:002013-02-05T14:24:18.363-08:00DAN JOHNSON VIA EMAIL:
Hello Valerie,
It's re...DAN JOHNSON VIA EMAIL:<br /><br />Hello Valerie,<br />It's really funny, just the other day I was thinking that you hadn't sent your blog in a while, then I remembered there had been a few other times where they came in sporadic flow...that said, I'm happy to read about what you've been up to, and glad to know you've been productive with the pen.<br /><br />I too am an escapist of sorts, I think writers have to be in order to pursue their craft.<br /><br />As a kid growing up in the 50's, I was a loner...traveling with my imagination to places only I could go to. Even now, being retired but working at completing two novellas and keeping up with adding poetry to my poetry page, I have recently stepped away from volunteer work I thoroughly enjoy, and will continue to support emotionally and financially, until this present work is done.<br /><br />I'll not bore you with the rest of the details of my life, but be assured, I have become pretty good at being an escapist.<br /><br />It's been good to read your blog and do keep writing.<br />Cheers,<br />Dan<br />Valerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-44062751754756459372013-02-05T06:25:47.855-08:002013-02-05T06:25:47.855-08:00Val, so glad you are taking care of your health an...Val, so glad you are taking care of your health and your creative soul. Beautiful post! I disappear too, at times, and find it re-energizing to block out the rest of the world on occasion and focus on my creativity.Becky Green Aaronsonhttp://www.animprobablelife.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-10641773401540109782013-01-31T06:55:03.118-08:002013-01-31T06:55:03.118-08:00Great post, thanks Val. I though for a moment you ...Great post, thanks Val. I though for a moment you were starting to write my bio! I shared a bedroom with my little sister and used to give her my barbie dolls to take downstairs with her to play so I could have privacy in the room to write. Haven't thought about that in years!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16041244085403366467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-84599149041095890072013-01-30T16:26:24.666-08:002013-01-30T16:26:24.666-08:00What is it about 7th grade & bathrooms? I hid ...What is it about 7th grade & bathrooms? I hid out in the bathroom during lunch because the bread on sandwiches made me gag. Sweets made up for it...<br /><br />www.writeradvice.comLynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02221840403009644033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-57649423154154975242013-01-30T14:03:40.195-08:002013-01-30T14:03:40.195-08:00Thanks, Deborah. Yes, this post does seem to carry...Thanks, Deborah. Yes, this post does seem to carry the skeleton of a story and as I write these pieces, the view comes clearer and clearer as to how to focus a memoir.<br />I so agree that about words managing to appear when you need them the most. The magic of our vocation.<br />Thanks for commenting! Valerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-25710465221234693352013-01-30T13:59:23.630-08:002013-01-30T13:59:23.630-08:00I wonder how many others have had their retreat be...I wonder how many others have had their retreat be the bathroom? As one of my comments on FB said, it would also be interesting to hear from others or even write an article about those who gave up writing because a parent had read their diary. Thanks for commenting, Elisabeth.Valerie Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03974801169865595635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-2037281987702648872013-01-30T08:28:09.871-08:002013-01-30T08:28:09.871-08:00Why do the right words always manage to appear whe...Why do the right words always manage to appear when you need them most? Threaded as they are by a profound theme, every one of those 'disappearances' you write about here is a story in and of itself I'm hoping to read more about.Deborah Battermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08323806344051047240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-971026925134956743.post-68262467289431100802013-01-29T09:26:02.154-08:002013-01-29T09:26:02.154-08:00Thank you for this post. Love it. I had a similar ...Thank you for this post. Love it. I had a similar experience with bathrooms. I think my entire 7th grade was me hiding in a bathroom. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18369668508477916936noreply@blogger.com