Why I Rewrote my Whole Book
To be honest with you, I had a complete version of my book done over three years ago. Inlaid with all my favorite stories from the natural world, Mirrors in the Earth felt complete. So I sent it to my writing buddy Samantha and waited excitedly for her reply. As soon as she was finished, however, she wrote back, “Asia, these ideas are great, and the imagery is beautiful…but what about your story?!”
The truth is, I had written a whole copy of my book without any of “me” in it at all. I was comfortable telling the stories of the trees and the creeks, but there was a part of me that felt my own story wasn’t nearly as beautiful, meaningful, or worthy.
But I took her feedback to heart. I went back into each chapter and added my own story— where I was at that time, who I was, and how I got there.
I ended up rewriting the entire book and, in the process, I rewrote what I thought I knew about my own story.
When you get the book in your mailbox you’ll probably be surprised by all of this. Today the book could just as easily be classified as nature memoir as nature philosophy. So much of my story lives in its pages now, including details I’ve never shared anywhere before.
As I wrote myself into the book, I realized that this was a huge part of what the Earth had been trying to teach me all along, the core message at the heart of its pages…
Each one of our individual stories is precious and important.
The life you’ve lived, the path that brought you here, is one of nature’s greatest tales. Your life story is not separate from the natural world, it’s a part of it— and it is every bit as meaningful as the story of monarch’s migration or the evolution of orchids or the deep sea meetings of the whales.
Who you are matters to this Earth. Your unique life story is a cherished part of the whole. And when you learn how to view it with compassion, you can step into the role that’s always been waiting for you.
Mirrors in the Earth is here to help you see that story, and your own self, through nature’s eyes. To show you how the Earth sees you— as someone who belongs here and who is innately beloved.
Preorders can often make or break a book so if you haven’t already, it would be mean the world to me if you ordered your copy now.
(Want to know why preorders are important? I explain more in this video!)
When you preorder the book you’ll also gain access to a whole course called Writing the Earth’s Voice, designed to help you ground into the beauty of your own story (and the wider story this Earth is asking you to tell). This course, and the other book bonuses, are only available for those who preorder so if you’re interested come claim the course!
P.S. Want a sweet Mirrors in the Earth tote bag with your book? There is a limited amount available for free for anyone who preorders. I’ve been loving bringing mine to the farmers market and filling it with summer flowers. Just submit your info here and my publishers will ship one to you! Then we can meet up at the market and be twinses.
