In the spring of 2011, I taught a three-week seminar to a small group of seventeen- and eighteen-year-old students on the story of Parzival, a tale written down by Wolfram von Eschenbach in the twelfth century. During it, I tried to show students a way of looking at literature and at the world by taking a journey into themselves.

The story of Parzival is the story of all teenagers – a quest to navigate the tumultuous waves of adolescence in a passionate search for their authentic selves, using honor, chivalry, loyalty, and love as guides.

During the seminar block, we read Parzival out loud, or the students read sections at home at their leisure, and recounted episodes in the class. We discussed themes and images, archetypes, history, and legend. But, most importantly, each student was required to write his or her own stories. Like the tale of Parzival, each one is set against the thrilling medieval backdrop of jousting and castles and crusades and kingdoms and strange mythical creatures—but each is as fresh and original as the students themselves.

The students in the class of 2011 and 2012 at the Great Barrington Waldorf High School are to be heartily commended for extraordinary work – amazing stories that are enticing, moving, funny, and wise – so compelling that they had to be published and shared.

You can buy it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or order it from your favorite independent bookstore! Or, local friends, please contact me and I’ll arrange pick up at the school for copies. (That will garner the most revenue for the school.) Please note that 100% of ALL PROFITS BENEFIT The Great Barrington Waldorf High School.

The first day of May falls at the height of spring and is most familiar to us as the ancient Celtic holiday known as Beltaine.  Bel is the Celtic god of  light, and in the northern hemisphere it is at this time of the year that the light is strongest. The farther north you go, the longer the twilight – that murky, dim, silvery brilliance that imbues the world till late into the night. (more…)

Earlier this spring I was contacted by a woman named Melissa Harshman who, along with several others, have formed the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association, a group dedicated to honoring the lives of the suffragists and establishing a memorial in their honor at Occoquan Park where my great-grandmother, Ada Davenport Kendall, and many others suffered terribly for the right to free speech. Last month, several women reenacted the Silent Sentinel protest in front of The White House to commemorate passage of the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote. They wore period clothing and carried replicas of the purple, gold, and white banners the original women held. Their purpose: to keep history alive. (more…)

The second volume of WriteSpa’s ‘Writing through the Year’ is available on Amazon. This one covers topics like “Nonsense Makes You Smarter,” “Sitting is Deadly,” and “Satisfying Conclusions.”

A reviewer writes: “Winslow Eliot knows a writer’s soul intimately because she herself is a writer, and a fine one at that. She has used this first-hand knowledge and her considerable creative gifts to bring forth an oasis for each season, where wordsmiths can “nourish and revitalize” their relationship with Writing. I began my journey with “Winter”, and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this book. It’s an amazing synthesis of poetry, useful information and highly effective exercises for the writer — beautifully crafted and wonderfully inspiring. I will put its lessons into practice immediately. I encourage all my fellow writers to join me in refreshing and recharging themselves with regular visits to Winslow Eliot’s delightful “Write Spa”.”

Photo: Sid Howells

When I was a girl and traveling around the world on a freighter with my family, we sailed through the Straits of Malacca and paused in Singapore to unload our cargo of copra. There we took a sampan into the city and found an elegant, red-and-gold restaurant where we ordered the specialty: sarang burung, or bird’s nest soup. (more…)

Since spring is almost here, I’m offering “Writing through the year – Winter” as a free gift till March 21. Let me know if you’d like a copy – I’ll send you a SW coupon or the mobi file for your kindle.

Here’s what it’s about: (more…)

John Locke: A Publishing Revolutionary

John Locke

I got in the car today, drove to my local Barnes & Noble, and noticed the special display where John Locke’s book, Wish List, is featured all by itself, not just alongside books by world-famous authors, but in a special section. I felt a burst of pride because I remember when John and I first met, and the dreams we shared, and how he was so happy and proud to be self-publishing. As many of you know – those who have followed my posts through the years (for example, “No Longer Waiting For The Call That Will Change Your Life”), John’s commitment to independent publishing changed my life, as well as that of many, many other writers. (more…)

Winter – Volume 1 is available now for your Kindle !

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Photo: Arturo Mann

January 2012 – It’s time for a paradigm shift. How often have you looked at a sunset and said, “I love that sky!” Or you listened to the radio and said, “I love that song!”

Recently, I realized that it’s time to experience this differently. These past few weeks, walking on the beach early every morning, contemplating the years past and the years ahead, filled with intense emotion, relentless thoughts, and focusing on the steady rhythm of my bare feet on cool sand, I continued to long for stillness, peace, and even joy. It all seemed so
elusive. (more…)

An interview with me has been posted on Savvy Thinker.

Karin, my interviewer, asked me intriguing questions including whether the editing process forces me to remove a favorite scene. (Answer: Yes!)

She also asked about the kind of books I write, the publishing process I’ve gone through, and whether  my characters take on a life of their own and segue into different personalities or different situations than I originally thought.

Fun questions to respond to and I hope you’ll find it fun to read.