Ask the Author: Kypris Aster Drake
Answered Questions (7)
Kypris Aster Drake
Hi Jimmy, nice to hear from you! My answer to this question is simple, but not easy. I truly believe that the meaning of life is to be happy. But let me explain.
I don't mean happiness at the expense of others, but I also don't mean trying to be happy while making everyone else happy.
In my experience, true happiness comes from following the vision that we're all given by Spirit. The "not easy" part is being open enough to see and hear what that vision IS. It can get so confusing for me with all the narrative in my head telling me I need to do and be a thousand other things. To hear the voice, for real, I must get very very QUIET. How? Meditation, of course.
I have a new book coming....really. And in it I write about how I've moved to a happier life, and how maybe, just maybe, that would work for you too. Stay tuned. The book designer is busily creating cover art and making the writing pretty and readable. Hoping to be complete by Summer Solstice.
I don't mean happiness at the expense of others, but I also don't mean trying to be happy while making everyone else happy.
In my experience, true happiness comes from following the vision that we're all given by Spirit. The "not easy" part is being open enough to see and hear what that vision IS. It can get so confusing for me with all the narrative in my head telling me I need to do and be a thousand other things. To hear the voice, for real, I must get very very QUIET. How? Meditation, of course.
I have a new book coming....really. And in it I write about how I've moved to a happier life, and how maybe, just maybe, that would work for you too. Stay tuned. The book designer is busily creating cover art and making the writing pretty and readable. Hoping to be complete by Summer Solstice.
Kypris Aster Drake
I get my body moving. I walk, bike, hike, or do yoga. If that doesn't work I go on an "artist date" a la Julia Cameron. And barring that, I pray. :)
Kypris Aster Drake
On a day when the writing is flowing I just feel so happy. I love putting ideas down on paper and crafting pages that take all the millions of ideas in my brain and create something that can help people.
Kypris Aster Drake
Read voraciously. Write every day. Even if you don't feel inspired. Even if you think you have nothing to say.
Get support from other writers and ask your friends to read your work. Ask for feedback and do your best not to take it personally. If you want to write, you really need to know the truth.
Recently I got a fabulous rejection letter from a fiction press for a short story. I'd asked the editor to let me know what could be improved about the story. She gave me specific feedback that will help me to rewrite the story and hopefully sell it in the future. I felt a little upset that they didn't want to publish my story, but SO grateful that the editor took the time to tell me how I could improve.
Get support from other writers and ask your friends to read your work. Ask for feedback and do your best not to take it personally. If you want to write, you really need to know the truth.
Recently I got a fabulous rejection letter from a fiction press for a short story. I'd asked the editor to let me know what could be improved about the story. She gave me specific feedback that will help me to rewrite the story and hopefully sell it in the future. I felt a little upset that they didn't want to publish my story, but SO grateful that the editor took the time to tell me how I could improve.
Kypris Aster Drake
I have a several projects, a couple of which are fiction. But the sexuality projects I'm working on most significantly focus on a book for women who suffer from vulvodynia or vaginal atrophy. It's a real problem in breast cancer survivors, but lots of women during and after menopause have this condition too and don't even realize it or know what to do to feel better. After that I'm hoping to write a short book for prostate cancer survivors too.
Kypris Aster Drake
Ideas can come from anywhere. I have a long long list of books I'd like to write and not enough time to write them! My son is actually a great source of ideas. Because he's a teen and naturally curious about sex, he's not afraid to ask "dumb" questions. I end up writing about them and discover that lots of adults have the same questions.
Kypris Aster Drake
I was taking a class in "how to write an ebook" for a woman I was working for as a personal assistant. The idea was that I'd go to the class and take notes for her, since she was writing a book and was too busy to attend. I started writing my own book just to follow along with the process, and all of a sudden a huge wad of inspiration flowed in to write about the work I was doing with Cancer survivors. It's the shortest book I've ever written, and my longer term clients tell me they wish they'd had it years ago. A nice compliment!
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