More with author Jaclyn Lanae
- What inspired you to write this book?
- I’ve written two books, actually, and both were largely inspired by the same experience: a motorcycle accident that briefly took my life, leaving me with a badly scarred body and an utterly broken spirit.
- How did you choose the title?
- Does it hold special meaning to you?
I originally planned to title the first book; the memoir as Two Lives. But when I had coffee with a dear friend one day just before I was about to publish it, she suggested I use a phrase from the book instead. As I was reading through one of the final drafts, I noticed that I’d used the phrase “The me I was” in an effort to describe the profound personal, emotional, and spiritual transformation that was the true storyline.
The second title “Make Yourself Magic” came about from my belief that there are powerful energies that run through our Universe, our planet, and our bodies – and that when we can connect to that power, we can become co-creators of our lives; an alchemy that feels like “magic”.
3. Can you share your process of writing and how long it took to complete the
book?
The Me I Was took years to write in large part because it started more as a journal as I worked to process all that the motorcycle accident had taken from and gifted to me.
The second project, Make Yourself Magic, took only a few months to write because it was one of my Pandemic projects. I was gifted a significant amount of time to work on it, and I saw such a need in the world for perspectives and practices that would bring us all hope and healing. The passion to share that information and those ideas made the writing much easier.
4. Were there any challenges you faced while writing or publishing it?
When I published The Me I Was it felt like every step was a challenge. I’d never done anything like this before and I had no idea how to do even the most basic things – like format the text properly. I must have made at least 5 attempts before I finally got the manuscript uploaded.
The other massive barrier I faced was far less logical, but perhaps even more difficult to overcome. I was vacillated constantly between believing that I had a valuable story and perspective to share, and feeling like I was way out of my depth to even attempt such an effort. I doubted the value of the work, the quality of my writing, the appropriateness of what I was saying… even how it would affect the other people in my life and in the story. I had to distance myself from any concern about how it would be received by the world in order to produce something that felt authentic, and I had to grow a thick emotional skin in order to protect myself from the criticism of others.
Of course I learned a lot from that process and it made publishing Make Yourself Magic much easier.
5. How do you feel about sharing your work with the world?
I feel great about it – now. However, I’ve realized that there’s a certain distance that I’ve afforded myself (and perhaps hidden in). In an effort to protect myself from the aforementioned criticism, I consoled myself with the perspective that probably only a few dozen people would ever read them, and that many of those people wouldn’t know me. In hindsight, I realized that they were much more profoundly appreciated than I had expected, and that I was going to have to step into the “spotlight” a bit to nurture the value of the books.
6. Are there any parts or characters in the book that are especially personal or
meaningful to you?
Definitely. Obviously, because The Me I Was is a memoir, most everything about it is very personal. But I think the thing that’s been most meaningful for me is that I’m often told by readers how much they appreciate my vulnerability and transparency in both books. I think so often we’re afraid to be wrong or viewed as less-than-perfect, and it means a lot to me that by showing the reality of the most intense and personal parts of myself and my life, I’ve been able to connect as a real, flawed, human being to other real, beautifully imperfect human beings.
7. What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
With both works, my greatest desire is that they will inspire people to honor their authenticity and appreciate themselves as powerful beings. I’ve lived a life replete with what others might consider “mistakes” but for me, those are the most beautiful parts of my journey to discover who I really am. I hope that others can see their own “mistakes” not as flaws or problems, but rather as re-orientations toward their most authentic selves. I’m always most humbled and honored when readers reach out to me and say that after reading my work they feel better about themselves and their lives; that they feel a sense of hope. “If Jaclyn could do it, so can I,” kind of sentiments.
8. Did you experience any memorable moments during the research or creation of the
book?
Oh, SO MANY!! I met with some of the people that helped to save my life; the woman who found me bleeding out on the side of the road, the man who tore off his shirt to create a tourniquet, the gents that flew the helicopter to get me to the hospital. I even spent some time with the orthopedic surgeon who became my favorite doctor and I was moved almost to tears when he told me that working on me inspired him to go back to school for additional training to become a multi-trauma surgeon.
9. What surprised you the most about the publishing journey?
Honestly, I was surprised at how difficult the world of book publishing is. In my very naive, young mind, I kind of expected that I’d publish a book and a few years later I’d be living comfortably on those earnings and working on other books. However, I’ve come to love the process almost as much as the finished product, and the feedback I get from readers is far more valuable than any money that I make. That sounds so trite and cliche, but it is absolutely true for me at this stage in my career.
10. Do you already have ideas or plans for your next project?
Yes! I’m THRILLED about a third book in which I tell the tale of the twists and turns my life has taken since recovering from the accident. I moved to a developing country in order to be with a man that I thought might be the love of my life, and in the colossal, dramatic collapse of that relationship, I began to find another version of myself. I’m taking a tounge-in-cheek kind of approach and using the narration of that story to discuss the ridiculous, hilarious, and sometimes abhorrent dynamics of relationships, and who we are in them.
All about author Jaclyn Lanae
Jaclyn Lanae is an award winning writer, a podcaster and transformation coach, and author of The Me I Was, a memoir about losing her life (briefly) in a motorcycle accident. The massive personal transformation that came in the wake of her healing inspired a second book, Make Yourself Magic in which the author shares the resources that helped her recover her spirit and rediscover her joy. Her story inspired an independent documentary film and has been featured in various publications. She now centers the majority of her work around trauma healing, personal empowerment, and emotional wisdom, supporting her readers and clients in creating lives they love living.
Keep up with author Jaclyn Lanae
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