I’d like to introduce you to Rachel Field. She is a talented writer, charismatic speaker, and devoted friend who has become very important to me. She died in 1942. In 1994 Jonathan and I bought her house, the house where Rachel spent all her summers, on an island off the coast of Maine. In 2008, I began researching, then writing Rachel’s life story, which occupied much of my writing life for the next ten years. In spring of 2021, the book will be published at last. It still feels unreal to me. The tentative title is “You’ll Never Be Quite the Same,” but I’m not quite sure yet. It is based on her famous poem that begins, “If once you have slept on an island, you’ll never be quite the same…”
I’ll never be quite the same, having slept on an island, having enfolded Rachel Field into my life. And then, of course, none of will ever be quite the same, even from one day to the next. Life is change, every day. That’s why this blog has its name. Still, for a book, maybe “If once you have slept on an island” would be better. What do you think? I’d love some gut reactions. Rachel Field was born on September 19, 1894. She loved the fact that crickets went into their most ebullient chorus in September. To her, it marked the coming of fall, which she adored. The crickets are singing her birthday song even now. Listen. My 60th year in 60,000 words Day 23: 248 words, TOTAL = 3511; 56,489 remaining
7 Comments
Laurie Cartier
9/20/2019 12:12:02 am
Hi ! This is so exciting!! My gut reaction is that “You’ll Never Be Quite the Same” is an awesome title! Excited for you!!
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Unjoo
9/20/2019 01:41:27 am
Love the title! So unique and original.
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9/20/2019 03:33:09 am
I like both, but they convey very different concepts to me. ‘You’ll never be quite the same’ could be a self-help book: anything from changing your diet to learning to say no. ‘If once you have slept on an island’ carries more mystique...it begs to be investigated—what happens if you’ve slept on an island? It has an immediate visual, which the other doesn’t. To me it’s both more unusual and better in focus. But mostly, how incredibly exciting. Huge congratulations
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9/20/2019 07:35:24 am
Robin, This is fabulous news! Emily had told me about you and Rachael. I'm excited that I'll soon read Rachael's life story. :)
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Nancy Riesgo
9/20/2019 07:49:59 am
Oh, so glad to hear that this will become a reality for you! Can't wait to read it. After knowing you years ago, I read and was struck by her book, All This, and Heaven Too. My gut reaction goes with your island phrase for a title. Something about an island just sounds more alluring and inviting.
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Robin
9/20/2019 01:11:48 pm
Thank you so much, everybody. This is helpful to me.
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Byobbie
9/20/2019 07:49:26 pm
I vote for island. But your editor (or you) have time to change your mind multiple times :-)
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AuthorRobin Clifford Wood is an award-winning author, poet, and writing teacher. She lives in central Maine with her husband, loves to be outdoors, and enjoys ever-expanding horizons through her children, grandchildren, and granddogs. Archives
December 2024
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