FOUR DAYS A WEEK. At Our Fingertips. An Unexpected Place.

The sun is rising.

The ocean is speaking.

The moon is dreaming.

I am listening.

The wind is whispering.

by Mia T. Starr

* THE MOMENTS BEHIND THE PHOTOS ABOVE (sun, ocean, moon, and wind from top to bottom)—Mia at the Shadowcliff in Grand Lake, Colorado for the 13th Annual Lighthouse Writers Retreat in 2010. She steps out to meet the sun. * Stephen Lloyd Webber (Mia's fantastic writing teacher at the Writing Immersion Retreat in Tuscany in 2011 and 2012) shares a breathtaking photo of the ocean near Heaven Hill in Big Sur, California, where he and his wife, Jade Webber, are building a private sanctuary for writers and artists. * At night walking with the moon, dreaming and imagining. * Mia remembers the moment from September 2009. She is on the mountains of Boreas Pass in Colorado, holding a prayer arrow. The wind is whispering. Mia closes her eyes and makes her wishes, trusting all will come to be.*

* JOIN US EACH MONDAY IN MAY AND JUNE 2012 for more moments from Mia's journey into writing, leading to the sharing of a new scene and reading from her historical fiction in progress, MORNING SUN. It is Mia's intention to complete her revisions to her manuscript by the end of this year, bringing to you a novel set in Viet Nam and inspired by her father's seventy-five page, handwritten journal. The story takes place from 1944 to 1975—a time beset by famine, sacrifices, doubts, and two wars. MORNING SUN is a story about an ordinary Vietnamese boy's survival, courage, and hope. Subscribe and be part of the journey.*

* A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily and The Becoming Daily. May 2012.*

A JOURNEY CONTINUES. From courage, perseverance, and a willingness to learn, Caron creates the life she seeks.

Thank you for joining us for the second segment of A CHAT WITH CARON. If you missed the first segment from last week, click here to begin the journey.

-Mia


WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT BEING A WRITER AND TOUR LEADER? WHAT EXPERIENCES DO YOU THINK HAVE CONTRIBUTED MOST IN SEEING BOTH DREAMS COME TRUE FOR YOU?
I really love my life and feel so blessed to be able pursue these two passions. I'm on the borderline of introversion and extroversion--processing life internally and externally. Writing and tour management allow me to live in both realms; to engage the world in an exciting way and then interpret my thoughts and experiences through careful and expressive language.

I've been writing and making up stories in my head since childhood. And my father was a passionate and insatiable traveler, instilling in me a love of travel and adventure. My husband and I have had an unconventional life, making a lot of moves and unusual choices for our family. All those things contributed, but mostly--without taking God out of the picture; I am a person of deep faith--I believe that in our time and culture, we have the freedom to make the lives we want to live. I wanted a simpler, more courageous life boiled down to the things I'm passionate about: faith, family, writing and travel.

WHAT ARE YOUR FEARS AND HOW DO YOU COMBAT THEM?
To be perfectly honest, I'm a fearful person by nature. When I accepted my first two tours, I immediately felt panicked, and thought Who am I to lead tours to Italy? Likewise, as soon as I signed the contract for my debut novel, I told myself I can't sell a book. What if no one likes it?

In both instances, I had to apply what I've learned about God over the years--He loves me, equips me, is faithful, and is strong when I am weak. I believe these things with my whole heart, because I've experienced God in such a way time and time again. I don't live a charmed life. I've fallen hard many times. But even when I do, He surrounds me and sustains me. If I fail, it will be okay. And I sure won't succeed without trying.

Some years ago a friend shared this quote with me, and it changed everything:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." --Marianne Williamson (often incorrectly credited to Nelson Mandela)

WHAT NEW PROJECT ARE YOU WORKING ON?
I'm currently working on a story based in large part on my experiences in Zimbabwe in recent years, my continued involvement in humanitarian efforts there, and my time spent at Imire Safari Ranch—a black rhino breeding station and game park. In “GREAT ZIMBABWE,” American Sara Jenkins travels to Zimbabwe to meet the father she’s never known and perhaps scrape together enough courage to deal with the challenges she faces in her life and relationships. Instead, she must solve the mystery of his disappearance more than two decades ago.

In this story, I explore the tempestuous sea of political, economic, cultural, and racial tension in Zimbabwe today while simultaneously honoring the great beauty, courage, dignity, and strength of the Zimbabwean people. With a bit of humor thrown into the mix. I can't help it.


WHAT IS THE ONE GREAT DISCOVERY YOU HAVE MADE FROM FOLLOWING AND SEEING YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE?
I've found that courage, perseverance, and a willingness to learn are three of the toughest, and yet most important, qualities for dream living. In our instant-gratification culture, we shrink back, give up too easily, or don't want to invest the time to accept instruction, but the rewards of a valiant, purposeful, informed life are sweet indeed.

WHEN YOU ARE NOT WRITING OR TRAVELING, WHAT IS YOUR MOST FAVORITE THING TO DO?
Our family is very close, and so we love spending time together laughing and talking, especially in the company of good food. It's almost embarrassing how much pleasure we get out of a favorite pasta dish or a fabulous new recipe.

✶ What are your dreams and what keeps you going? Be part of the magic. Inspiring. Encouraging. Believing.

✶ The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart--this you will build your life by, and this you will become. -James Allen

✶ Continue the journey with Caron and find out more about her debut novel, AN UNCOMMON CRUSADE, at her blog. Follow her on Twitter. She would love to hear from you.

✶ A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily. May 2011.

WITH LOVE AND INSPIRATION. We embark on a journey with Caron Guillo, a writer and Certified International Tour Manager for Queenslander Tours. We celebrate a woman who did not quit when the hours turned dark on her writing, and later when her plans to teach summer school were derailed.

We welcome Caron, who has reached a special moment in her life. The hours of light and joy with two dreams realized: the publication of her debut novel, AN UNCOMMON CRUSADE, and the bliss of working with Queenslander Tours, a company she loves, doing what she loves--traveling, learning, and discovering new ways to tell her stories.

This month also marks another wish come true for Caron. AN UNCOMMON CRUSADE was recently named the Winner in the Religious Fiction category of the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Caron's dedication and perseverance inspire me. And I think of Steven Pressfield and what he wrote in The War of Art--Winning Your Inner Creative Battle:

The best and only thing that one artist can do for another is to serve as an example and an inspiration.

Thank you, Caron, for being an inspiration and for being here. Thanks so much for sharing with us moments from your journey, for reminding us to follow and trust our dreams. To not give up.

-Mia

A CHAT WITH CARON

WHAT DID YOU LOVE AND LIKED LEAST ABOUT YOUR SIX-YEAR PUBLICATION JOURNEY? WHAT KEPT YOU GOING DURING THE DIFFICULT TIMES?
It seems strange that I really did love having six years from the time I actually started writing AN UNCOMMON CRUSADE until it was published. It gave me lots of time to grow as a writer, polish the manuscript and double check my research so that I could be proud of the finished product.

On the other hand, of course, was my old friend Impatience. It's easy to get discouraged. It's hard to hear one publisher or another say, "It's an interesting story, but it's just not right for us." At one point, I thought of serializing the novel online. In the end, I just couldn't let my daughter see me quit. I have sons, too, but it is my daughter who will most look to me for guidance on what it means to live courageously.


YOUR DEBUT NOVEL, AN UNCOMMON CRUSADE, WAS PUBLISHED EARLIER THIS YEAR. HOW DID IT FEEL WHEN YOU HELD YOUR BOOK IN ITS PUBLISHED FORM?
It seemed very familiar, for I'd been envisioning it for years.


TELL US ABOUT THE MOMENT WHEN YOU WENT FROM BEING A MATH TEACHER WORKING IN A BASEMENT CLASSROOM TO A TOUR LEADER AND TRAVELER? WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE THAT LEAP?
Trust me, that middle school basement was inspiration enough! I'd really been thinking of making the transition for a few years, but was always waiting for the right time. One year my plans to teach summer school were derailed by a paperwork glitch. A coworker asked, "What are you going to do with your summer?"

That's all she asked, but for some reason, it seemed to echo down that basement hallway and sounded like, "What are you going to do with your life?"

I had no idea.

Within a couple of days, however, my friend Mark Story, the owner of QueensLander Tours, emailed to ask when would I go through training so that I could lead tours for him. And in that moment, I knew what I would do with my summer. I enrolled in the International Guide Academy (Denver), earned my certification as an International Tour Manager in the hopes that "sometime in the future" I'd be ready to make the career leap, and then swallowed my fear when Mark offered me two tours that season. They conflicted with the school calendar, but I could see it was the right time to align myself with the thriving QueensLander Tours--a company I really believe in and love working for--and so I resigned my contract that summer and haven't looked back.

✶ Don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong. -Ella Fitzgerald

✶ Join us here next week on May 30, 2011 for the second segment of Caron's journey. She shares with us her fears and the ways she combats them. Find out what project she has in the works.

✶ A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily. May 2011.

BEHIND THE LENS. This week we meet Esta H. Singer, a photographer who is drawn to the quiet moments capturing history, the serene and turbulent landscapes around her, a personal truth and expression in time. Her photographs reveal a love and respect for people, architecture, and the joy of an unexpected magic that comes from doing what she loves. Taking photographs. Exploring her surroundings. Seeing in new ways.

We welcome Esta, who has kindly taken time to be here with us for a chat and to present a few of her selected photographs below.

Thanks so much for joining us and celebrating Esta's art. A special thanks also goes out to Esta's parents (shown in the photo to the left with Esta) for being here. Esta's dad is recovering from cancer, and her parents recently celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary. As Esta said, "I am grateful."

-Mia

A CHAT WITH ESTA

WHAT IS THE FIRST CREATIVE MOMENT YOU REMEMBER? WAS ANYONE THERE TO WITNESS OR APPRECIATE IT? HOW DID IT FEEL?
My childhood was filled with creativity, my mom is an artist. I recall two activities I enjoyed: collecting stones, painting them, then gluing the stones together to make little animals or people. The other, making colored "sand" by rubbing salt into a pastel colors then pouring the sand in a jar to make a design. My mom was always encouraging my creativity, and always praising it. As such, I always had a feeling of accomplishment and pride.


WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL CREATIVE DAY?
My ideal creative day is a day where my only commitment is being creative. I love putting myself in a new environment or a quiet place for ideas to inspire and flow.


WHEN YOU CREATE, DO YOU LOVE THE PROCESS OR THE RESULTS? WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY?
I love the process of creating; it's exciting to live in a moment of wonder and see it become. I love the results because more often than not, they always surprise me. When photographing, sometimes the camera sees something I don't, so when I upload the photo, there are elements that didn't overtly appear to my eye, and make the photo even more interesting than I had imagined. Magic.


THROUGH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY, WHAT IS THE STORY YOU WANT TO TELL?
I love this little planet; every aspect. It is filled with magic every day. I love putting a little spotlight on something that may be overlooked, or not seen, and give the image its own voice; to capture one moment in time and share it.

✶ Capturing one moment of truth one snap at a time. -Esta H. Singer

✶ What was your first creative moment and the story you want to tell? We hope you'll share with us in the comments section the magic of your moments.

✶ For more beautiful photography by Esta, visit her online portfolio, be a fan on Facebook. Her photographs are also available for purchase at Etsy.

✶ When Esta is not taking photographs, she is a Brand Strategy Expert, Social Media Savvy, and Dot-Connecting Master of S.H.E. CONSULTING. Follow her on Twitter for great and fun tweets. Always a joy.

✶ A top story in Anita's Finding Inspiration Daily, The Andrew Daily's Stories, Kamio's Daily, and The Play-Making Daily. May 2011. ✶

Last week we celebrated Ken Kaminesky's magnificent achievement--his Notre Dame de Paris photo on the cover of the National Geographic. This week we talk to Ken about his passion for travel photography, and where he wants to go next. Thanks so much for joining us. Prepare to be inspired. -Mia

WHAT IS THE FIRST CREATIVE MOMENT YOU REMEMBER?
In photography it was when I developed my first roll of film and printed my first print. It was like magic and I was hooked. Little did I know that I'd be doing this for a living just a few years later.


WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A LIFESTYLE AND TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER?
I started working for fashion photographers in the early 90's and a few years later worked for some guys who shot a lot of lifestyle stuff. I enjoyed working with different people all the time, it was fun to create nice images with a team of talented people. It takes a lot of work from different artists to make great fashion and lifestyle images. Hair Stylists, Make Up Artists, Wardrobe Stylists, good Assistants, Producers and Models of course. It is much more involved than most people imagine. I really enjoyed this kind of work and went on to shoot fashion for a while and then lifestyle images for about 15 years now.

The travel work is newer and is something that I have a deep passion for. Artists evolve over time and I needed some new challenges. After shooting stock lifestyle images for close to 10 years, the stock photography market changed as the economy took a downward turn. I figured if I was going to remain competitive, I had to find new and interesting ways to photograph the things I loved. Travel has always been a passion and now it's my main focus.


DID YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS THAT YOU WOULD BE A TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER?
There are always doubts. All artists I know are riddled with doubts. But if you believe in yourself and your talent, and have passion for what you do, then there is a good chance that you can have some kind of success. I never overcame the doubts, in fact I think it helps to have doubts. Anyone who does something creative and has no doubts is either delusional or in some kind of denial. It's great to be confident so long as you always strive to get better.

DESCRIBE YOUR FIRST SUCCESSFUL CREATIVE ACT.
I had a great imagination as a kid. Kinda like Calvin, in the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. Every day was full of creative imaginative moments.


WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART ABOUT BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER?
The business and marketing side. Lots of people can be good at taking photos. Running a photography business is a business, not an art form. It's challenging to try to self promote work that you are very close to. One of my goals for next year is to find an agent that I can collaborate with on the marketing of my work.


WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY?

1. Seeing people's reactions to my work. It's really gratifying to know that what I do is appreciated.
2. Being in a place that is special and having it all to myself. Like being at the Eiffel Tower at 4 am in the rain or a glacier fed lake in the mountains at sunrise, that's magical.
3. Meeting cool people from all over the world.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST START BLOGGING? WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT IT?
In February of 2010 I wrote my first blog post. I love the fact that it's a trip down memory lane for me each time I write a story. I get to revisit these great places that I'm showcasing and that's really sweet.


WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Photographers who create stunning images. Good food, art and design. People who I am close to inspire me, perhaps more than I tell them, I hope they know. My amazing friend Vivian passed away last May, her courage and attitude about life continues to inspire me on a daily basis.


WHICH ARTISTS DO YOU ADMIRE MOST AND WHY?
My favourite photographer is Nick Brandt. He is a genius in my opinion. His passion for the animals that he photographs is so obvious and he sounds like such a good and kind human being. I'd love to have a beer with him one day. Anyone who loves wildlife will be amazed by Nick's beautiful images, and if you want to do something to help preserve these wonderful creatures, please visit Nick's non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Africa’s wildlife and ecosystems.

I love Banksy, the British graffiti artist. His work is simple but poignant and makes us think. He is original and his art has meaning.

I'm a big fan of Impressionists and Post Impressionist artists, like Cezanne, Matisse and Van Gogh. They make the world look beautiful, I need that from time to time. I love art in general and could spend all day looking at every kind of art imaginable. I just wish I could paint.

WHEN YOU ARE NOT TAKING BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHS AND TRAVELING, WHAT IS YOUR MOST FAVOURITE THING TO DO?
Watching my Montreal Canadiens hockey team with friends and reading about all the great places that I have yet to visit.


HOW WOULD YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS DESCRIBE YOU?
One word... AWESOME! Seriously though, that's something that no one can answer. I'd like to think that they consider me an imperfect but good person.


WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR?
I have a horrible fear of heights. I get dizzy just thinking about being at the edge of a cliff or a tall building. Don't ask me to go hot air ballooning any time soon!


WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST DREAM?
To photograph as many countries as possible and to live somewhere warm, next to the ocean.


WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
I'm looking to associate myself with a charity this year. One that is representative of my values and feelings about all the wonderful places that I am fortunate enough to visit. So I am actively researching different groups that will allow me to give something back to help maintain the archeological sites and natural settings that I love so much. It would be nice to think that I can do something to help others enjoy these places for generations to come.

✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶ ✶

✶ Give voice to your dreams. Let us know what inspires you. Share your thoughts with us in the comments section.

✶ Continue the journey with Ken Kaminesky at Thursday Treasures for more amazing photographs.

✶ Be sure to visit Ken's fantastic, travel photography blog. He's also on Twitter, where his tweets travel around the world and are full of interesting links to artists, insights, videos, and more.