Monday, August 3, 2009

Magnificent, Marvellous, Mighty Monday and ISABEL ALLENDE


Yesterday was the birthday of one of the greatest storytellers of our time, the acclaimed Chilean writer Isabel Allende. Her own story reads like a great novel itself, but who could have conceived of a character and life such as Allende?

Flamboyant, beautiful, intelligent, eloquent and mystical, she weaves the world of the spirits and the material world together in her stories. Isabel has her own personal rituals for when she writes. She always begins a new book on January 8th, the day she began writing the letter to her dying grandfather - which eventually became the international bestseller The House of the Spirits.

And so for this week, let us explore our more mystical sides in our creative pursuits. Let the unconscious dictate our creative adventures. Be open to your dreams, to the sacred and irrational and to where the spirits guide you as we salute the incredible Isabel Allende!

But there is something magic in the storytelling. You tap into another world. The story becomes whole when you tap into the collective story, when other people's stories become part of the writing, and you know that it's not your story only. I have a feeling that I don't invent anything. That somehow I discover things that are in another dimension. That they are already there, and my job is to find them and bring them into the page. But I don't make them up. And in the years that I have been writing, things have happened in my life and in my writing that prove to me that everything is possible, I am open to all the mysteries.

Isabel Allende

photo of Isabel by Lori Barra

9 comments:

  1. I am not familiar with Isabel Allende, but the bit of info here you have shard has me intrigued. She certainly sounds like a very interesting person.
    A worthy tribute and thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Flamboyant, beautiful, intelligent, eloquent and mystical." Does this sound like a Leo or what? Lovely post. Her writing sounds wonderful

    Thank you for your participation in the little discussion at WM. Your comments are always so thoughtful, Josephine. xo

    ReplyDelete
  3. your writing always manages to enthuse - i'm embarrassed to say i haven't read any isabel, but am inspired now to find the time! and thanks for visiting me!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am a huge fan of Isabel Allende. I love her rituals and her words. thanks for the post. Happy Birthday Isabel Carla x

    ReplyDelete
  5. I adore this woman! I went to see her talk recently! Tis a pity - if I hadn't left my job at HarperCollins I would have met her properly for more than just 3 minutes whilst she signed my book! I did help market some of her recent books though - Ines of My Soul and Zorro...she is simply amazing and so warm hearted!

    Anyway also popped along to say just to let you know, I have been caught up in this pass-it along blog exercise and I had to nominate 5 other bloggers, hope you don't mind but you were one - click through to my blog to see what you need to do (if you so choose to keep it up!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love your blog. I love to read, and I will pick up one of Isabel's again. Your writing enthuses me to read more and more!
    xo Lidy
    Lidy
    ps. come over and have some French Tarts in the garden with me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You sound like you are channeling Elizabeth Gilbert of "Eat, Pray, Love" when she gave a speech at the TED conference talking about inspiration and muses. Her speech was wonderful. Our book club read Daughter of Fortune and loved it and, of course, we read Zorro. I love the magic in storytelling and so admire people who can weave that magic.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooh, Eat, Pray, Love is on my reading list. What a great title! I am so jealous Curious Cat that you have met Isabel! And of course I don't mind being nominated. Thank you for your kind words, Pinry. If I have managed to inspire Gary, Willow and anybody else to read little of Isabel's work then I'm a happy tale peddler! xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Isabele Allende is a writer I would love to meet too! Fascinating...
    And I also have Eat, Pray, Love on my "to read" list... was quite fascinated with her approach to "inspiration" when I saw a video of her talking (in a very expressive NY way!!)
    I like the idea she has that you have to at least "turn up" if you have any chance of inspiration/muse/magic appearing.
    x

    ReplyDelete

Thanks ever so for your comment! I love feedback! xx