• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Deborah Munro, Author

APEX, a Sci-Fi Thriller Set in Rural Oregon

  • Home
  • About
  • Science
  • Blog
  • Publications
  • Contact

Creativity is Vulnerability

December 8, 2020 By Deborah Munro 2 Comments

As a creative, I well know that feeling of releasing the product of my soul to the world. It’s about as appealing as walking naked down a city street, and on a bad hair day. To create is to be vulnerable, and so it is no wonder that so many of us cringe at the thought of exposing ourselves to critique, judgement, and perhaps even rejection.

New Zealand beach, stacked rocks sitting balanced on a knee
New Zealand beach

So why do we persevere? Over and over again we create a poem, a painting, a story, a song, and after holding it close to our chest, protecting and nurturing it until it’s ready for public scrutiny, we put it out there for the world to see. As John Augustus Shedd penned in 1928, a ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. So, we must release our creative works, risking the ridicule and dismissal of something that came from our very essence.

One of my favorite genres to read is memoir. Here, the writer, playwright, or singer is revealing things they’ve done, often painful things that they’re ashamed of or wish they could whisk away and hide. By sharing these events publicly, we all benefit. I remember when I read “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, a memoir about finding oneself again by walking hundreds of miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. Cheryl made some terrible choices—having unprotected sex, getting addicted to heroin, destroying her marriage. Then she embarked on a journey by herself, hiking for months with no prior experience and making just about every mistake a person can make and live to tell about it, and somehow, it was the most inspiring, uplifting story I’ve read about a personal journey. It made me feel I could be brave, that I could overcome my fears and be the stronger for it.

New Zealand, open road through the countryside
Open road through the New Zealand countryside

I adore the poet Mary Oliver. She has two poems that particularly inspire me, “Wild Geese” and “The Journey.” The latter is about finding oneself and taking the steps necessary to make one’s own life all that it can be. The imagery is astounding, and when I think of publishing a creative work, I visualize her verses of wind prying at me with its stiff fingers, and I force myself to stride deeper and deeper into the world.

As most of you know, I am writing my first full-length novel, APEX, which I will soon be submitting for the next stage of the publishing process. I want it to be blow-your-mind perfect, and I’m scared to death that it won’t live up to your expectations. I think it’s good, but is it great? I don’t know, and so it’s with equal parts excitement and dread that I will put it out there for your reading enjoyment. I’ll be asking for your help to preorder copies once I have a release date, and I’ll be asking for reviews to help publicize this story. To be honest, I get heart palpitations just thinking about it, but I’m trying to be braver than my fears.

New Zealand signpost with Deborah Munro
New Zealand signpost with Deborah Munro, Author

My younger daughter, Amanda Munro, is brave. She is a singer, guitar player, and songwriter. Her music is fully autobiographical and so, so beautiful. Thus, it is with enormous pride that I invite you to listen to her very first single, “Clean Slate.” This song tells the story of love, heartbreak, and how she pulls herself through it by uprooting her life and starting fresh. 

Amanda Munro and her new album, Clean Slate
Amanda Munro with her album, Clean Slate

Please do us the honor of listening to her song, providing a review, and sharing it with your friends. Maybe you’ll find your new favorite musical artist after listening to Amanda’s song!

Go to https://www.amandamunromusic.com/, stream her song on Spotify, follow her on Instagram, and/or subscribe to be notified when her next single is released (The Ghost, available December 11th). If you want to support her music with a donation, there’s a link to do that as well.

So, I close by saying to all of you creative people out there, GO FOR IT! We want to hear your words, see your images, feel what you feel. I hope you can overcome your fears and put something out there for us to all share.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Deborah Munro Tagged With: Amanda Munro, creative

Deborah Munro

Science is pure joy for me. I love understanding how things work and teaching others what I've learned. Thus, I am a bioengineering professor, scientist, and author. I've recently expatriated from the beautiful Pacific NW and have founded a new life for myself in New Zealand.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Wayne Woodman says

    December 9, 2020 at 2:02 pm

    Thanks for putting yourself out there with your blog and I for one did not know you were in the midst of writing a novel, congratulations. What is the premise of the novel?
    Congratulations to Amanda for her single and going for her dream.

    Reply
    • Deborah Munro says

      December 9, 2020 at 5:38 pm

      Thanks, Wayne. My novel is a hard science thriller (think “Jurassic Park”). You can read about it and watch the video trailer at https://deborahmunroauthor.com/

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Creativity is Vulnerability
  • Barbies vs Baby Dolls
  • The Cost of Yes
  • What 2 Broken Wrists Have Taught Me
  • Kiwi Diary – Hiking in Paradise

Categories

  • Craft of Writing
  • Deborah Munro
  • Interviews
  • Kiwi Diary
  • Social Media for Authors

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive new posts by email.

Footer

Follow Deborah Munro

If you're a science enthusiast, like bonus material and short stories, love learning about the craft of writing, or want to know the latest on APEX, here's your chance! Be notified of new content and receive short posts by subscribing today.
  • Count Me In!

Facebook Author Page

Facebook Author Page

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

INKSHARES

Please pre-order your copy of APEX here.

APEX cover

Instagram Feed

deborahmunro.author

Deborah Munro is the author of APEX, a contemporary world sci-fi thriller set in rural Oregon.

deborahmunro.author
2020 was a difficult year for most of us, but it a 2020 was a difficult year for most of us, but it also contained many bright spots for me, and I'd like to highlight a few of them.  I started the year in Tonga with my biomed students and my friend Dawn. Amanda became a divemaster and also released her first two singles, and Carolyn graduated with a Master's degree in clinical psychology and is establishing themselves as a counselor. Carolyn's new puppy, Luna, joined the family, making me a granddog-parent twice over (with Simba being my first granddog). I spent the lockdown hiking and knitting, and I even created some how-to videos on socks, which was fun. Once things returned to normal in NZ, I took advantage of the lack of tourists and had a road trip with a friend, taking in all of the south island. I also entered and won the HealthTech Supernode Challenge, providing much needed publicity for my research. I even obtained my New Zealand residency, which enabled me to purchase my first house here sooner than I anticipated. So, here's to us all having a prosperous and joyful 2021! Happy New Year!
We're having oliebollen for our New Year's celebra We're having oliebollen for our New Year's celebration. It's a traditional Dutch doughnut with raisins, and I can confirm they are delicious 😋.
Zoom Christmas with Settlers of Catan and my kids. Zoom Christmas with Settlers of Catan and my kids.
Merry Christmas from New Zealand! It's summer here Merry Christmas from New Zealand! It's summer here and usually warm and sunny, although the next few days will be drizzly. I'll be celebrating with friends, as I can't travel to see my kids in Denver. Instead, @once_upon_a_munro, @amandamunromusic, and I are planning a Zoom Christmas, something I would never have envisioned a year ago. Thank goodness for the digital age we live in!
https://deborahmunroauthor.com/blog/ As a creative https://deborahmunroauthor.com/blog/
As a creative, I well know that feeling of releasing the product of my soul to the world. It’s about as appealing as walking naked down a city street, and on a bad hair day. To create is to be vulnerable, and so it is no wonder that so many of us cringe at the thought of exposing ourselves to critique, judgement, and perhaps even rejection.
Walking on the beach. Had it all to myself. 🥰 Walking on the beach. Had it all to myself. 🥰
I moved today! It was a ton of work and still not I moved today! It was a ton of work and still not fully done, but that view makes it all worthwhile 😍.
Just a cat greeting me on my way to work 🙃 Just a cat greeting me on my way to work 🙃
Happy Thanksgiving Kiwi-style! Happy Thanksgiving Kiwi-style!
Another fun day fishing in beautiful NZ, this time Another fun day fishing in beautiful NZ, this time off the coast of Kaikoura. I caught two legal size blue cod at the same time! 😍
Amanda's first single will be released in November Amanda's first single will be released in November.  Pre-save it now by following this link https://linktr.ee/amandamunromusic.
Went deep sea fishing yesterday for the first time Went deep sea fishing yesterday for the first time. It was a beautiful day, we were visited by dolphins and albatross, and fish were caught. I only managed some orange sea perch, which we threw back, but I still enjoyed a lobster (called crayfish here) dinner and I get smoked groper (grouper) tonight :).
Load More... Follow on Instagram

HOME | ABOUT | SCIENCE | BLOG | PUBLICATIONS | CONTACT

Copyright © 2021 Deborah Munro, Author

WordPress Website by Waterlink Web | connecting your customers with you

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.