| Today, Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of | | | | knew lived in a small palace that had once been |
| Reader Views talks with author Terry Andrews, | | | | home to a bishop, and it was an unusual place |
| about her new book "Dance of the Jaguar." | | | | that made quite an impression on me. I used that |
| As a writer and teacher, Terry Andrews focuses | | | | for the setting of the school, but the school |
| on personal growth and empowerment. Andrews | | | | itself.is fictitious. When I write fiction, I like to use |
| has been a newspaper journalist, an editor, and an | | | | settings where I have been so that they seem |
| adjunct college professor; she gives writing | | | | both real and realistic. |
| workshops that help people learn about | | | | Juanita: What is the dance of the jaguar? |
| themselves. Her study of energy practices, healing | | | | Terry: It's the dance of transformation. In the |
| techniques, and intentional living informs both her | | | | story, it's a pivotal scene that connects Martha to |
| novels and her nonfiction. Terry Andrews | | | | the animal kingdom. It is what lets the animals |
| authored the popular "Spiritual Cat" and "Spiritual | | | | know that she now understands them and can |
| Dog" books, and her classic story "Blue Christmas" | | | | even communicate with them as her equals. The |
| has been published in several collections, including | | | | title of the book and the cover came to me in a |
| "Family Christmas Treasures" (2003,) "Chicken | | | | dream, and for three days I tried to find the |
| Soup for the Soul, A 6th Bowl" (1999), and | | | | book, not knowing it was my book. I hadn't |
| "Chicken Soup for the Soul Christmas Collection" | | | | written the scene of the dance yet. But then, all |
| (2006). | | | | of a sudden Martha was doing the dance. After I |
| Juanita: Welcome to Reader Views Terry, what | | | | wrote that scene, I decided, and I don't know |
| an honor to have the opportunity to talk with you | | | | why, to reenact it. I waited till about 10:30 at |
| today. We are excited to hear about your new | | | | night, when my neighbors were all in bed, and |
| transformational book "Dance of the Jaguar." | | | | then I made a blazing fire in my grill outside my |
| Firstly, would you tell us about the common | | | | house, which sits in the woods. Then I put on a |
| themes of personal growth and happiness that | | | | jaguar mask from Mexico and began to dance |
| run through your writings, and your personal | | | | around the fire to see what would happen. When |
| affinity with these topics? | | | | I finished, I noticed my tabby cat, Grace, |
| Terry: Thank you. I love being able to talk about | | | | watching through the window. Grace is fairly |
| it. It's exciting that people who read the book | | | | sedentary and has never done anything out of |
| want to share their stories of personal | | | | the ordinary, but when I came in, she began a |
| growth--especially how the book has impacted | | | | series of ballet-like leaps around the living room. |
| them. It starts a dialog, which I believe is essential | | | | She continued for several minutes. She |
| today. Sometimes we don't share these stories | | | | understood what I had been doing. It gave me |
| because we don't know how they will be received. | | | | goosebumps. |
| One couple told me they read the book out loud | | | | Juanita: Terry, another significant theme of your |
| and discussed it as they went along. The themes | | | | book is the issue of power - giving it away, being |
| in the book of personal growth, empowerment, | | | | manipulated, and standing in one's own power. |
| and how we find happiness are all important to | | | | Would you elaborate and relate it back to |
| me. And I decided to share my ideas in a fictional | | | | Martha's experience? |
| format so that I could have fun with them--in | | | | Terry: I wanted to show through Martha the way |
| other words, not only share useful ideas and | | | | that many of us never claim our power--and by |
| techniques, but do it in an engaging and | | | | that I mean the power to be who we are and to |
| entertaining way. My own personal path to | | | | live happily and to be authentic. In our culture, we |
| empowerment has helped me create the life that | | | | are not shown how to do this. What we are |
| I want to live, which is what happens to the main | | | | taught as we grow up is to give our power away |
| character in the book. | | | | to people who supposedly know more than we |
| Juanita: How long was the writing process for | | | | do--people in positions of authority. These people |
| "Dance of the Jaguar"? | | | | often have more information than we do, and |
| Terry: It took about three years. The idea had | | | | they can certainly assist us in making decisions |
| come a few years earlier, and it rolled around in | | | | that are to our benefit. But at some point we |
| my head for a while. And then one day the story | | | | have to learn to trust our own inner knowing, the |
| just arrived. At that point I began writing. When I | | | | little voice inside that suggests to us what we |
| write fiction, the characters take over after a | | | | should do. Have you ever listened to someone |
| few pages and make it their story. They have | | | | else's advice and then later told yourself that you |
| their own ideas about what should happen and | | | | shouldn't have listened? That's what I'm talking |
| sometimes it feels like I am watching a movie and | | | | about--that inner guidance that offers wise |
| simply writing down what happens. The | | | | counsel. When we don't trust our own wisdom, |
| characters become as real as actual people. Once | | | | our own feelings, then other people can |
| the story is in place I do a lot of rewriting to | | | | manipulate us. Martha learns that she has let other |
| make sure that the book is engaging and that it | | | | people make many of her decisions, which has |
| captures the imagination of readers. | | | | left her feeling unfulfilled. As she begins to trust |
| Juanita: How was writing this book different from | | | | herself and to not let herself be convinced by |
| your previous works? | | | | other people to do things that she doesn't want |
| Terry: It was different because I wrote the book | | | | to do, that's when the real changes begin for her. |
| that I myself wanted to read. I put my heart and | | | | Juanita: Why do people tend to confuse control |
| soul into it, and it was a very exciting and | | | | with power? |
| creative process that surprised me in many ways. | | | | Terry: I've known people who didn't feel safe in |
| Juanita: What happens in "Dance of the Jaguar"? | | | | their worlds. To create a feeling of safety, they |
| Terry: I like the way a friend of mine describes it: | | | | tried to control their environments and the people |
| The main character, Martha, is just going about | | | | around them. When they discover they can do |
| her day when Bam! Everything changes and | | | | that, they feel a sense of power. But that's not |
| suddenly she is presented with an opportunity to | | | | really power. It's like the Wizard of Oz, hiding |
| live her life differently. The story feels very real | | | | behind his curtain. Real power comes from using |
| and believable, yet has magical elements as well. | | | | the talents you've been given. Using your gifts |
| Martha's life changes at the moment she decides | | | | creates an experience that enriches you, and it |
| to follow her heart, and she discovers some | | | | helps others be the best they can be. |
| amazing untapped talents. For instance, she learns | | | | Juanita: How can you recognize someone who is |
| how to fly. She is also able to travel from one | | | | not living in an authentic way? |
| place to another in a matter of seconds by using | | | | Terry: One way that works very easily is this: |
| portals. To learn how to use her skills, she decides | | | | How do you feel when you are around that |
| to go to an Ancient Wisdom School in Mexico. | | | | person? Do you feel enlivened, energized, full of |
| There she meets Sheila and Angela, who become | | | | ideas, ready to follow your own dream? Or do |
| companions in her adventure. Between classes, | | | | you feel tired, dragged down, discouraged, or |
| she tries to decide how best to tell her family and | | | | frustrated? If the person makes you feel good |
| friends, but her neighbor Ned is the only one she | | | | about yourself in a genuine way, without wanting |
| feels will understand. As the story progresses, | | | | anything from you, that person is living in an |
| Martha discovers an inner power she never knew | | | | authentic way. |
| existed. But also what happens in the book is that | | | | Juanita: Terry, your main character is female--are |
| readers can see ways that they themselves | | | | you gearing your book towards women readers? |
| want to grow. | | | | Terry: Women readers are great because they |
| Juanita: So even though there is a fantasy | | | | love to talk about what they learned from the |
| esoteric element to your book, its message is still | | | | book. But I know of several men who have read |
| grounded in practical and usable tools for personal | | | | the book and enjoyed it, too. |
| empowerment? | | | | Juanita: Do you think women are especially in need |
| Terry: Yes, there are some very usable | | | | of this message? |
| techniques. For example, how to use intention, | | | | Terry: Yes, because we are still disempowered in |
| how to connect with your potential by releasing | | | | many ways, lots of them subtle. It's important to |
| limiting beliefs, and ways to connect with your | | | | look at the messages we are given as girls and |
| intuition. There are also some techniques that | | | | as women so that we can decide for ourselves |
| need to be developed. You can't believe how | | | | how we want to be defined. |
| many people have told me that being able to fly | | | | Juanita: Terry, did any of your own personal |
| like Martha does, is one of their biggest wishes. | | | | experiences make their way into this story? Do |
| Juanita: Would you tell us more about your main | | | | you think you could have written "Dance of the |
| character, Martha? Who is she, who does she | | | | Jaguar" if you hadn't gone through your own |
| represent? | | | | spiritual transformation? |
| Terry: Martha is loosely based on a friend of mine | | | | Terry: I think most fiction draws on personal |
| who--like Martha--doesn't usually tell her son what | | | | experience, but the wonderful thing about fiction is |
| she's up to. She's a widow and a grandmother, | | | | that you can then expand on that experience to |
| but still young, with enough free time to be able | | | | create art, magic, and entertainment. One of the |
| to examine her life. She feels like she hasn't lived | | | | first things Martha learns at the Ancient Wisdom |
| the life that she wanted to live and that she's | | | | School is how to manifest chocolate. A few years |
| missed some opportunities. In that regard, she | | | | ago I had an experience with manifesting |
| represents the part of us that we haven't learned | | | | chocolate. I'd been reading about the law of |
| about or explored yet--the part that wonders | | | | attraction, which says that if you want something, |
| "what if?" In other words, what have I not | | | | and don't cancel that wish by thinking that you |
| learned about myself by never following my | | | | don't deserve it, it will come. So yes, it was |
| dream? What am I truly capable of if I simply let | | | | important for me to go through my own personal |
| go of my fear and follow my heart? | | | | transformation, and the book grew out of that |
| Juanita: What is Martha's personal journey in | | | | process and some of the experiences I had. |
| "Dance of the Jaguar"? | | | | Juanita: I've heard that readers of "Dance of the |
| Terry: It's a journey of self-discovery. She has a | | | | Jaguar," are so enamored with this book, feeling it |
| chance to learn about her untapped talents and to | | | | is almost a guidebook for life, they are calling for |
| discover what makes her happy. And also to | | | | a sequel. What are your thoughts on these |
| connect with her true self. It's her true self that's | | | | wonderful responses? Do you have plans for a |
| given a voice in the story when she begins to | | | | sequel? |
| listen to what she wants to experience in her life. | | | | Terry:I started the sequel as soon as I finished |
| Juanita: Do you think fear and self-doubt is what | | | | Dance, because I really liked the characters and I |
| stops most people from being their authentic self? | | | | knew there was more to the story. So when |
| Terry: Oh, good question. Yes, I believe fear and | | | | people began to ask if there was a sequel, I was |
| self-doubt are the biggest blocks to living a fulfilling | | | | very happy. I'm working on it now. I'm thrilled to |
| life. Often our fears are irrational. We feel them, | | | | be getting this kind of response to the book, but |
| and we never go past them. We've been taught | | | | I also feel blessed. I was willing to trust myself |
| to be afraid or to doubt our own ability. What I've | | | | and to write the book I wanted to read. |
| learned is that going past the fear opens the | | | | Juanita: How can readers find out more about you |
| doorways of potential. In fact, if I discover | | | | and your endeavors? |
| something I am afraid of--like giving a talk to a | | | | Terry: Probably the best way is through my |
| group of people or signing up for an art class--I | | | | website at |
| move in that direction. Taking the action makes | | | | Juanita: Terry, it has been great talking with you |
| the fear go away, and I discover something that | | | | today. "Dance of the Jaguar" will certainly inspire |
| makes me happy on the other side of it. | | | | readers to new levels of personal awareness, |
| Juanita: Is this story set in present time? Where | | | | while providing a fantastic and entertaining read. |
| does "Dance of the Jaguar" take place? | | | | Before we depart, do you have any final |
| Terry: Yes, it's set in present time. It takes place | | | | thoughts? |
| in Oregon, where I live, and Mexico, where I lived | | | | Terry: I've enjoyed this chance to talk about my |
| for several months. | | | | book. And I thank you for your insightful |
| Juanita: Would you elaborate on your time in | | | | questions. Final thoughts? Writing this book has |
| Mexico, and how it inspired inclusion in your book | | | | connected me with who I am in many ways--it |
| by way of an Ancient Wisdom School? | | | | definitely created wonderful personal growth. It's |
| Terry: Years ago I spent several months in | | | | exciting to share that possibility with others. And |
| Cuernavaca, which is 45 minutes south of Mexico | | | | I've had so many comments from people who've |
| City and is called the City of Eternal Spring. During | | | | read the book about the ways it impacted them |
| that time I visited a number of pyramids and | | | | that I'm eager to finish writing the sequel. I can |
| learned about the history of the area. Someone I | | | | hardly wait to see what Martha will learn. |