Meryl Davids Landau has written for national magazines for more than 20 years. Her work has been published in O, the Oprah magazine, Reader’s Digest, Glamour, More, U.S. News & World Report, Self, Redbook, Prevention and Whole Living. Some of her articles have focused on yoga, meditation, hypnosis, energy healing, chakras, and other alternative fare. I'm very excited to introduce you to:
The Five W's of Meryl Davids Landau
Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog!
WHO?
I've always been a person who loves exploring new ideas, which is why I adore my other writing hat doing pieces for magazines (I've been published in most women's magazines, including Oprah, Redbook, Glamour, and More), where I get to to interview people and find out what they do and what they know. And I love exploring my own inner essence--via yoga, the stillness of meditation, and even chanting (although I confess you wouldn't want to hear me; my voice is awful!). I'm also a wife and a mom to two teens, which keeps life interesting, to say the least.
WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?
A perfect day for me would start with a meditation and a long yoga session (it's no coincidence this becomes something my protagonist treasures), then I'd go to the beach for a walk on the shoreline (the best part, for sure, of living in South Florida). Afterwards, I'd meet my husband, kids and maybe some friends at an outdoor café, followed by a museum visit or a good read on a park bench.
WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I've loved writing since the fourth grade, although when I see my high-school-aged daughter forced to squeeze her essays into those stilted formats, I'm amazed any of us survived school with that love intact. I went to college intending to study newspaper journalism, but found that type of writing too rigid, too. (One professor said, "Newspaper sentences should be comprised of subject, verb, object, period.") Magazine feature writing turned out to be my love for the next two decades, until I discovered the joys of making everything up via fiction. Now I treasure both my magazine and novel writing.
WHERE? Where do you write?
I still write for magazines, and I blog on holistic health and spiritual topics, so I write in my home office, during regular work hours. After I completed my novel I took a long break from writing fiction, but now I've started the sequel so I'm back to that, too. I usually work on the novel in my home office, also, although occasionally I'll steal off with my laptop to Barnes & Noble or Starbucks, or even a park.
WHY? Why do you write?
It's so satisfying to know that something I've written informs or, even better, moves the person reading it. That's been especially true with Downward Dog, Upward Fog; I've heard from so many women that the novel inspired them to take up their own spiritual practice, whether it's yoga and meditation like Lorna does or something else. The idea that words I typed into my computer with my little fingers have that power provides an incredible high that I'll never get tired of.
Thank-you so much for joining us here today Meryl! It was great getting to know more about you. I've can't help but believe tapping into yoga would be an awesome way to relax and really clear my head. Make sure to stop by tomorrow to read Charlotte's review of Downward Dog, Upward Fog!
No comments:
Post a Comment