Teresa Jade LeYung's BLOG

November 15, 2009

A week ago, I saw a plastic bag of dog poop sitting beside the curb in front of my home. Well, whoever left it there probably had an emergency to take care of (maybe the dog ran off to chase a squirrel and so the human had to run after the dog). No doubt, the following day when human and dog come by on their walk, the human would see the abandoned bag and say to himself/herself: “Oh, look. I’ll dispose of this today.”

Another two days go by.  The bag is now flattened (probably by a neighbor’s tire) and some of the poop has oozed out.
What is it with dog poop in my path?

Last year, dog excrement (sans bag) was sitting on the sidewalk at the corner. I almost stepped on it when I was approaching the trunk of my car to get my walking shoes. After my walk around the neighborhood, I called my Constructive Living Instructor Patricia Ryan Madson. “Patricia,” I asked, “Am I supposed to pick it up?”
Patricia didn’t have to answer. I just wanted to hear the logic:  In practicing Constructive Living, I could stay annoyed (in this case–a neighbor has not picked up after his/her pet) or I could “take care of what’s in front of me.”  My friend Marie Elena Gaspari (also a writing coach) speaks the same wisdom.

Today, I told my hubby about what’s lying on the street.  He offered to dispose of the mess.  I knew “who” needed to clean the mess.
It’s late afternoon now.   I know that when I go outside again, I will see a clean street because I took care of what was in front of me.

As a writing coach, I remind myself that in a story the protagonist has to be the one who takes action or suffer the consequences of being a “passive character.”

How can dog poop help your writing?  Don’t let your protagonist be passive.

The book – Constructive Living: Outgrow Shyness, Depression, Fear, Stress, Grief, Chronic Pain by David K. Reynolds.  Achieve the goal of Constructive Living – to do everything well. Western world Dr. Reynolds had combined two of the most popular forms of therapy in Japan.

Cheers from

22-Day Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

http://writingcoachTeresa.com

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan is the author of Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW. Click here for print edition. Click here for Kindle edition. “Reach out, not stress out.”

Teresa’s novel Love Made of Heart: a Mother’s Mental Illness Forges Forgiveness in Daughter Ruby is used in college courses and archived at the San Francisco History Center.

Subscribe to  “Coach Teresa’s blog” Click here to start.

Real life example of a story’s defining moment.

Got to my day-job early; morning flew by with emails and voicemails and interaction with coworkers and volunteers.

It’s my short day; I’m meeting with writing buddies for lunch in San Mateo. I’m a mile from the freeway entrance when I see my hubby on the other side of the road; he sees me; we both pull our cars off the road to say hello and exchange a hug and kiss. What a joy!

Smooth sailing to San Mateo.  After lunch date with buddies, another meeting with writing colleagues. I’m having a wonderful day!

It’s 9:15pm I’m about half a mile from home. I’m in the left lane. What!?  A block away, in my lane, headlights coming at me?  There’s a bus to his right. He’s coming at me, the pair of headlights. I can’t weave into the lane to my right; there’s a car there. What to do!?  I tap my brakes while pressing on the horn. Angels, help!  The headlights swerve back into his lane.

The car to my right drives off. I’m at 10 mph and I feel sick.  A headache is brewing.  In one moment, our lives (driver behind oncoming headlights, bus driver, driver in the car to my right, and me) converged and parted.

Glad I didn’t swerve into the car to my right.  Glad the headlights sailed back to his lane. Glad to be home. Good to be alive.  Looking forward to embracing my hubby.

Protagonist Ruby Lin, Ruby’s mom, Mrs. Nussbaum, Ruby’s boss Chad, and Dr. Thatcher . . . from my novel Love Made of Heart when Stanford students Natalia Birgisson, Chana Rose Rabinovitz, and Zach O’Keeffe read scenes with me on Thursday, November 12, 2009, 7:00-8:00pm.

The Axe & Palm Cafe at Old Union
520 Lasuen Mall, Stanford University, CA 94305

Stanford students Zach O'Keeffe & Chana Rose Rabinovitz & Natalia Birgisson

The hardcover book will be sold for $10; a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Save the Libraries.

Love Made of Heart by Teresa LeYung Ryan

www.LoveMadeOfHeart.com

Many thanks to Barbara Whittaker (GM of the Axe & Palm Cafe), Arabella Napier (Residence Student Affairs Specialist), Natalia, Chana Rose, Zach, Jemal Diamond in Business Support Services, the folks in the Marketing Dept., student liaisons, and everyone at Stanford for coordinating this much-anticipated event. Cheers to the Axe & Palm culinary staff!

Map of Stanford Campus: http://campus-map.stanford.edu/index.cfm?ID=02-580

Menu: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/rde/shaa/pdfs/2009TheAxeandPalm_menu.pdf

 
How The Axe & Palm Cafe got its name? http://www.stanford.edu/dept/rde/shaa/pdfs/storyoftheaxeandpalm.pdf

A tree that didn't give up

Dear Writers,

My husband and I were in Forestville, CA this past weekend. We came upon this tree–the trunk was hollow; two of the three major limbs were broken; one limb survived, bearing fruit. What a magnificent sight to behold.  A tree that didn’t give up.

That tree is a metaphor for our endeavors.  Keep writing. The publishing arena is fiercely competitive. If your dream is to be happily published, then, keep writing and rewriting.

Cheering for you!

Writing Coach Teresa

This is what happened.  Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter sponsored an author showcase and silent auction in November 2007 at the Mechanics Institute Library.  I was one of thirteen WNBA member-authors showcasing our books.  This event was a fundraiser for the chapter, so, many of us donated prizes for the silent auction.  I donated one hour of consultation (help a writer with her/his pitch, query letter or synopsis, or, platform building/career coaching).

Rita Lakin, author of the Gladdy Gold comedy-mystery series, donated a set of her novels and a chance to be a character in her upcoming novel!  Well, I placed my bid for that.  How fun is that—to be a character (no matter how minor) in a mystery novel written by Rita.

Networking.  Great food.  Being with friends and colleagues.  Having fun. Every fifteen minutes I dash over to the auction display table to check the bid sheet for the prize I want.   Good.  I’m still the highest bidder.  Sure hope I get it.

Author Showcase portion of the event begins.  Each author gets a minute or two to talk about her book.   Fun to listen to all the other authors.  Rita Lakin says that her protagonist is modeled after her mom.

Women's National Book Association members at Mechanics Institute Library November 2007 Rita Lakin is second from the right standing

We sell and autograph books. I am having a lovely time.

Okay last chance to place bids.  I see several people going by where Rita’s auction item is displayed, but, I can’t tell whether they’re writing something on the bid sheet.  The auctioneer announces, “Bidding is now closed.”

It’s not often one can be a character in Rita’s novels.  Her cast of the mainstay characters is already large.  True, there are always the new villains in each novel, but, those names are already assigned, their character profiles already determined.  Rita says she has to get creative to match the auction winner’s name and physical traits or personality to a minor character’s profile.

Breathe.  If I don’t get it this time, well, maybe the next auction, the novel after this one. But what if I can’t attend the next auction?

The auctioneer is walking over to the display table, announcing the winners.  She’s standing in front of the prize I want.  “What do we have here?” she says, “A set of novels featuring P.I. Gladdy Gold, by Rita Lakin, and a chance to be a character in her upcoming novel!  The highest bid is from Teresa LeYung Ryan!”

Yahoo! I think I’m jumping up and down like a cheerleader.

Teresa LeYung Ryan got a set of Rita Lakin's mystery series and a chance to be ...

That was November 2007.

Getting Old Is a Disaster hits the bookstores in January 2009.  Page 104 Protagonist P.I. Gladdy Gold and Jack her sweetheart head out to Key West for their romantic getaway.  Hurray.  By the time they reach Islamorada though, the rain is seriously coming down.  By the time they pass Marathon, the wind is howling and the rain is pelting down.  Ah, the Brown Pelican Inn, a charming faux-Victorian B&B.  At the desk, the checkout line is longer than the registration line, which consists of just Gladdy and Jack.  The manager introduces herself as Teresa LeYung . . .

[Since one of Rita Lakin’s mainstay minor characters in the series is Denny Ryan (and my last name is also Ryan), to make the manager Teresa LeYung Ryan might mislead readers.  So, in this spellbinding mystery that involves a hurricane unearthing a fifty-year-old skeleton, I got to be a minor minor character.  What a thrill!  What a major event for me.]

September 27, 2009

Speech for Salinas Libraries Centennial Celebrations and Read-In Reunion

Kathy Richman translates Teresa LeYung Ryan's speech into Spanish

Greetings.  I am Teresa LeYung Ryan, the author of Love Made of Heart.  The title of my book describes the Chinese character for “love.”  Inside the character “love” is the word “heart.”

It is a story about an immigrant-mother’s love and sacrifices; it’s about her daughter who ultimately finds self-forgiveness.

Today I’m here to wish Salinas Public Libraries a happy birthday and another hundred years of “open doors for open minds!”   The California Writers Club is also celebrating their centennial birthday this year!   I give a shout, out to all the branches of CWC!

To honor today’s celebrations, I have written a letter to my mom, who died of metastasized breast cancer in 2000.

Dear MaMa,
Guess where I am today?  In Salinas, California, the birthplace of your mother.

4 years ago, Lyle and I packed our tent and sleeping bags to join library advocates at the 24-Hour Emergency Read-In.

Kathy Richman helped me read a mother-daughter scene from my novel.  The reading was fun, so was camping out, but, we all knew what would happen if our beloved libraries were going to be shut down.

It is 4 years late.  The Salinas libraries are thriving because of community love and support.  Three weeks ago, when I opened Patti Fashing’s email about a re-union, I ran to check my calendar.

So, this time, instead of packing sleeping bags, Lyle packed a canopy.  We carpooled with Patrick Camacho of Save-the-Libraries.

You see, MaMa, public libraries have a special place in my heart.  Remember when I used to tell you?: “I won’t be home after school, I’m going to the library.”

Well, that’s where I really went.  I wrote all my book reports there. Even though I could have brought home the books and read them in our apartment, I chose to read and write in my quiet and safe place. The library was my sanctuary.

All those years, I never thanked you and Father for the great sacrifices you both made—packing up your lives, leaving Hong Kong, so that your 3 children would get an education.

Here in the U.S.A. we the children gained the power of reading and writing while you struggled with a new language in a new world.

I thank you now, for having the wisdom to let me spend many hours at my quiet and safe place. Those days I was a scared little girl and felt that I had nothing to say.  But how I loved writing book reports.

These days I am speaking out for libraries—at city council meetings; through letters to editors; through emails; on my blog and other blogs.

Also, I am using the gift of reading and writing to honor immigrant-stories; to advocate compassion for mental illness; to help survivors of family violence find their own voices; to encourage parents and grown-children to speak from the heart.

Today I celebrate libraries, librarians, patrons, and everyone involved in organizing this lovely party. I celebrate California Writers Club.  I celebrate you, MaMa. You are all love made of heart.

Everyday I’m reminded of this truth: No one is “self made.” No writer is an island. In the fiercely competitive book industry, a writer needs a circle of colleagues, friends and loved ones to survive and thrive.

Case in point:
On Sept. 19, 2009, I was one of the exhibitors at the Sonoma County Book Festival in Santa Rosa, CA.

Teresa LeYung Ryan, Amy Gorman, Kate Farrell, Rita Lakin, Pat Windom, Marcia Canton having fun together at Sonoma County Book Festival

“Sonoma County Book Festival was a testament of positive attitude and team effort.  Shyne, Kate Farrell, Marcia Canton, Rita Lakin, Amy Gorman and I chipped in to buy two 10’x10’ booths.  We had to bring our own tables, chairs, and canopies though. Linda L. lent us her canopy; we dusted off our card tables and folding chairs.

“My sister Maria helped me design a lovely poster.  My hubby Lyle found a second canopy through Craigslist, packed a cooler for us, and schlepped a carload to the festival. (Shyne, we missed you.)  Pat Windom and Marcia’s hubby Joe sat at the booths while the five of us got stage time (Thank you, Kate Farrell and Linda Loveland Reid!). B. Lynn Goodwin was our
neighboring exhibitor.  So many other folks to thank–calendar editors; CWC & WNBA colleagues; Marlene Cullen’s writers’ forum; book festival organizers and volunteers (led by Nadja); readers who stepped out to support the event.  Networking, meeting fans, being out in the community. Glad we were together, having fun.” Teresa LeYung Ryan, author of Love Made of Heart and writing-career coach http://www.WritingCoachTeresa.com

“Calling ourselves the Fab Five, our group talked books all day to a
constant stream of eager readers interested in literature and in meeting
authors. The Fair was splendidly organized and the spirit warm and
inviting. Thanks for offering this day to the community.”  Amy Gorman,
author of Aging Artfully: 12 Profiles of Visual and Performing Artists
85-105 http://www.agingartfully.com

“What an opportunity the SoCo Book Festival was for me and my young adult
novel, Girl in the Mirror ! I sold books; gave out postcards; networked
with teachers and librarians in the community; and spoke to some teenage
girls. There is no substitute for speaking directly to your audience
(sorry, Twitter).”  Kate Farrell, author of Girl in the Mirror
http://www.girlinthemirror.info Workshop Leader http://www.wisdomhasavoice.com

“And what an interesting, intelligent, talented group of women we are,
including dear Pat Windom who will make it Fab Six (and others who might
beg to join us) for next year’s appearance. I bet Booths 75-76 had more
fun than anybody.” Rita Lakin, author of the Gladdy Gold mystery series
http://ritalakin.com

“Can’t stop thanking you for a special day!” Marcia Canton, Ph.D., author
of Mentoring in Higher Education: Best Practices http://www.cantonassociates.com

Playwright Kathryn McCarty on Rivets set

Powerful lines in Kathryn G. McCarty’s play RIVETS.

Relationships between female coworkers, sisters, mothers and daughters, management and union, Caucasians and Blacks, women and the men being shipped out to fight, women and the men at home front . . . wartime in U.S.A.

Tension, conflict, drama, comedy, songs, dance, poignancy, history, resilience, patriotism, love, hope.

Will Southard played multiple parts skillfully–fun to watch him. Entire cast did superb job. Behind-the-stage crew deserves applause too.

Thank you, Elisa, for orchestrating the day!

RIVETS!

Celebrating Rosie the Riveter

& the Home Front Soldiers of WW II

book & lyrics by Kathryn G. McCarty

music by Mitchell Covington

director Clay David

music director Peter Maleitzke

Teresa LeYung Ryan with cast members of Rivets

SS RED OAK VICTORY

Kaiser Shipyards

Aug. 28 – Sept. 27, 2009

Friday & Saturday Nights at 8 pm.

Sundays at 3 p.m.

Saturday Matinees Sept. 12, 19, 26 at 3 p.m.

http://rivets.homestead.com/

Writing colleague Pamela Reitman had emailed me the invitation to this half-day symposium. The words on the flyer hooked me. “Building a Caring Community for Mental Illness,” “open to everyone,” “this conference is FREE,” and “light refreshments will be provided.”
And, I didn’t have to be Jewish to attend this event at Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco August 30, 2009 Noon-5:30pm.  “Open to everyone” said the invitation.  I would go with my mom watching over me.
In my first novel Love Made of Heart, I had fictionalized my mother’s story, her battling with mental illness, my role as a witness to her suffering. Whenever I give talks on the book, I make the statement: “I advocate compassion for mental illness.”  The conference would give me an

Pam Reitman greets community of mental health advocates

opportunity to meet a spectrum of advocates for mental health.

My impressions and memories of the day:
2 friends carpooled with me.  It was already minutes past noon when I drove up to 301 14th Ave. at Clement St.  I dropped off my friends.   Scanning down the street, I was ready to park many blocks from the Beth Sholom. I couldn’t believe my eyes when half a block down the street, there was a space!  Mom! My parking angel!
Who drives by looking for parking but another friend I had shared the invitation with.
The first person I encountered was a volunteer who opened the glass door and greeted me with a smile.  “Here for the conference?” he asked.  “Up the stairs to the Koret Hall.”
My friends were signing in.  A volunteer handed me a program and welcomed me. I chatted with another volunteer who asked me “Teresa, what do you do?”  “I write stories for those who cannot speak for themselves.”  She told me about her son’s experience at camp—how the one activity he could connect with was story-telling.
A female voice from stage announced the start of the conference. Pam Reitman looked lovely in a black/white/sage Piccaso-ish dress. She welcomed us, told us about the committee’s dedication to making the conference a reality, the history of Bay Area Jewish Healing Center, her personal story. It was hearing Pam’s personal story several years ago that had attracted me to her writing about mental illness.
Rabbi Hyman greeted us with “Nachamu, Nachamu” (Comfort, Comfort).”  He and Rabbi Kukla did in fact create an atmosphere of comfort.  I even sang along a simple song in Hebrew.  A cello player.

Rabbi Hymand and Rabbi Kukla say: "Nachamu, Nachamu"

6 panelists shared personal stories.
“I didn’t know we had mental illness in the family until my father suffered from depression, then I found out that his father had mental illness. I had clinical depression after I gave birth.”
“Friends and neighbors bring food when you have a broken leg. They don’t when you have mental illness.”
“There’s stigma on mental illness even among physicians. When I was in medical school, I knew I wanted to be a psychiatrist, but, my classmates looked down at me because they were going to be general practitioners and surgeons.”
“I thought that what I was going through was typical teenage misery. Then in grad school I was feeling happy and confident for the first time, but, I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating, and I was talking to myself. I thought I was the reincarnation of the person that I was writing about in a research paper; that’s when I knew that something was strange. The book An Unquiet Mind catapulted me to call my friend and seek help. Ten years later, I went back to grad school and became a doctor.”
“Stigmas.  We hide behind the illness, knowing other people would ostracize us. We wouldn’t have to hide behind other illnesses.”
“Psychic history.” “Holocaust survivors… intergenerational healing.”
The audience was given index cards to write questions for the 6 panelists. After several questions were addressed, and the volunteers were collecting more cards from the audience, there was silence. Rabbi Hyman said there was no hurry to fill the moment with words. Filling the moment with silence was lovely.
More questions and responses.
“Isolation.”  “Shame.” “Hope.”
“Some people think we have to find meaning in every experience. What about finding leap of faith instead?”
“Stigma.”
“When I don’t hear from my son, I double-up the efforts to call him.”
“You can continue communicating even though your loved one is not.”
“There’s no distinction in the way I treat this person and that person. I treat everyone with respect.”

Pam Reitman & Teresa LeYung Ryan write about loved ones with mental illness

Refreshments. Pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, strawberries. Danishes, glazed donuts.  I chatted with a yoga teacher. We talked about our moms—how much we miss them.
Breakout sessions.   I was in the group facilitated by Steve Foreman and Sharon Roth. In the library. 11 in the group. We sat in a circle. “What would you like to suggest to the planning committee to make this conference more assessable?” “How to connect with folks who are isolated?” “Volunteerism.” “NAMI” “Why is it when I read a news item about a violent crime, there’s mentioning that the suspect has mental illness as though it’s implied that mental illness leads to violence…?”
“What else can we do to help build a caring community for mental illness if we don’t have time to volunteer?” “Call or email legislative representatives and remind them to include mental health in healthcare reform.” “Share stories.” “Create a blog and invite everyone to tell their mental illness story. Offer resources on the blog.”
Then we gathered in the Main Sanctuary to hear reports from all the breakout sessions. Closing ritual that included prayers and songs.  During prayers, I saw my mom on a swing!  That was the first time I pictured her in that playful act.
A lovely day indeed.
It’s Wednesday, Sept. 2nd, and I Googled “An Unquiet Mind” (the book that had helped Dr. Karin Tamerius, one of the panelist on Sunday).  YouTube had “Personal Reflections on Manic-Depressive Illness” from the Research Channel series.  Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison told her personal story. Such courage to open up about her disease (mania, suicidal depression) and her struggles with medication (side effect that were severely debilitating) that ultimately helped her. Stigmas. Personal and professional reprisals.  Who else could really understand what the patients are experiencing?  She ended her speech about the role of love in recovery.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxRLap9xLag
I’m thinking about Carmen Lee’s organization:  Stamp Out Stigma  http://stampoutstigma.org/
and National Alliance of Mental Illess   http://nami.org/
and my mom.

August 23, 2009

Authors Teresa LeYung Ryan, Luisa Adams, Martha Alderson at Peninsula Festival-San Mateo County Fair

What did I do today?

Got ready for a gig at the San Mateo County Fair/Peninsula Festival (with buddies/authors Luisa Adams and Martha Alderson):

Packed poster of my novel Love Made of Heart; 18 copies of the book; book stands for my book and my buddies’ books; color programs; camera; recorder; show-and-tell material.

Ate hearty breakfast of last night’s leftovers.  Exchanged “Have a fun day!” with my hubby.

Loaded the trunk of my car; off to Luisa’s house so that she, Martha and I can take one car to the festival.

I had told Tory Hartmann, president of California Writers Club-Peninsula Branch (the one who got CWC this gig), that we would arrive by 12:30 (for 1:00 show time). The line of vehicles to the parking lot was longer than a thousand-page novel, and, it was now 12:26.  Don’t panic.  With Luisa’s calmness and Martha’s encouragement, I got into another lane that zipped us to the  entrance.

Show biz. Always be on time. Alexandra King, Co-Director for the stage, recognized us (from our photos) as we rushed into the Expo Hall.  Literary Arts Director of the Peninsula Festival Bardi Rosman Koodrin warmly greeted us.  A joy to work with professionals.

Fellow CWC member Christopher Wachlin (he had presented on Tuesday) was there, and, he said “yes” to taking photos of us 3 on stage. Thank you, Chris!

Tory Hartmann, who had presented on Tuesday as well, moderated our panel.
Questions she asked:

1.  “How did you (Teresa LeYung Ryan, Luisa Adams, Martha Alderson) meet each other?”

2.  “What advice do you have for anyone who wants to write for a readership?”

3.  “What does your writing-life look like?

Teresa, Martha, Luisa answering questions from Tory

Answer to #1  The 1997 and 1998 Jack London Writers Conference brought Luisa and Martha into my life; we’ve been buddies since, being each other’s safety net in this fiercely competitive arena called the publishing world.

Answer to #2  Writing is lonesome work. Go out and be with other writers, exchange ideas and leads, find mentors, learned from those who have accomplished what you are pursuing. Where do you find these people?  Writers’ organizations.  Writers’ Conferences.

More info on California Writers Club— www.calwriters.org

http://www.cwc-peninsula.org

More info on Jack London Writers Conference— http://jacklondonwritersconference.org

Answer to #3  My writing life (today) is preparing for the gig, showing up, having fun.

After we 3 did our job, we supported the festival’s food vendors and ate 4-H’s baked goods. Asked kind strangers to take photos of us in front of roller coaster and giant slide. What a colorful scene!

Back to the stage area to take photos of our colleague Geri Spieler. More photos with Tory, Bardi, and Alexandra. Also part of the writer’ life–show up in the community and have proofs of your showing up.

Back to Luisa’s, said goodbyes.  Came home, swapped “How-was-your-day?” with my hubby, emailed the photos to everyone (at event) who might want to use them for their portfolios, websites, blogs.

After I post this blog, I’ll work on my new book:  YOUR PUBLISHING JOURNEY: BUILD YOUR FAME WHILE WRITING

Geri Spieler, Bardi Rosman Koodrin, Tory Hartmann and colleagues at 2009 Peninsula Festival