Margaret Doner

Margaret Doner is a certified past life therapist, having studied with world reknowned Jungian trained Roger Woolger, Ph.D. -- a man whose pioneering efforts in past life therapy helped to move the field forward. She understands the ideas she writes about from a personal perspective -- the novel mirrors many of her own experiences -- and a professional one, having conducted hundreds of past life regressions. INFINITE DARKNESS/INFINITE LIGHT is a powerful addition to the ever-expanding world of "Spiritual Fiction." While INFINITE DARKNESS/INFINITE LIGHT explores reincarnation, the novel is neither a scholarly text nor a religious study. It is the tale of Victoria Barkley, a theatre professor, who encounters Dennis Manon, new to the English Department at her college. Victoria experiences confusing and at times terrifying past life visions. Trying to integrate these images into her contemporary life, she begins a search that takes the two professors on a journey from their shared shadowy darkness into the light of forgiveness.

 

"Infinite Darkness/Infinite Light" is a life changing, can't-put-down marvel. Doner's experience as a past life regression therapist spun through the rich, lyrical text and engaging characters, made me question and explore my own past life possibilities. One of the best books I've read in a long time. I savored the last few pages, hoping it would never end."
Kimberly Kay, WCZX Radio, New York

 

Pageonelit.com: Where did you grow up and was reading and writing
a part of your life? Who were your earliest influences and why?

Margaret Doner: I was born in Lafayette, Indiana and grew up there and in Evanston, Illinois. However, I lived in Europe a lot as a child because my father, Dean Doner, would take us there whenever possible. He was a Ph.D. in English and an academic and whenever he had a sabbatical or could find a job overseas he would drag the family with him. I had a wonderful, exciting childhood exploring Europe. I remember when I was eight years old - and he was a visiting professor in Salzburg, Austria - sitting in on lectures he gave on John Updike. I don't think I understood a thing, but I would sit quietly for hours, absolutely enraptured by him and wanting desperately to understand. When I think back on it now, it seems a little odd letting an eight year old listen to a lecture on Updike! My father was published in the New Yorker and one of his poems was selected for a Best Poetry collection. My oldest sister is also a writer, and I have to say that I avoided writing as a profession until later in life. My BFA and MA are in dance and choreography - with three writers in the family I felt it best to carve out another niche for myself. It wasn't until I had a car accident and quit dancing that I began to think about writing as a serious professional pursuit.

 

Pageonelit.com: You are a certified past life therapist -- for those that are not aware of this field please explain.

Margaret Doner: My mentor as a past life therapist is, Roger Woolger, Ph.D., author of "Other Lives, Other Selves." I studied with him for two years before he certified me. Although past life therapy does have an "other worldly" feel about it for most people, it doesn't differ all that much from present life therapy in its intent. But, instead of looking to your childhood for the answers or to understand your behavior, you look at the original source - the past life when it first arose. For example, if the problem is a phobia and unexplained by present life circumstances very often you can find the source of the problem in a past life. Many people have intense claustrophobia - this can be caused by being buried alive or imprisoned in small spaces in a previous life. It can help alleviate the fear when the cause is understood.

 

Pageonelit.com: Why did you write INFINITE DARKNESS INFINITE LIGHT?

Margaret Doner: "Infinite Darkness/Infinite Light" came directly out of my own experiences. I came to believe in reincarnation, because in the eighties I met a man who triggered for me remembrances of a past life. At the time there wasn't much support material out there for those of us who were uncovering our past lives and attempting to clear karma. Shirley MacLaine - God Bless Her - helped me so much with her book, "Out on a Limb." I remember reading it and having light bulbs going off in my brain constantly. I have always been very spiritual - even though I was raised by atheists. The experiences I had while uncovering my past lives and trying to understand how it all fit together is the inspiration for this novel. And if it helps anyone else who is struggling to heal their karma, then I've given something back.

 

Pageonelit.com: Tell us about INFINITE DARKNESS INFINITE LIGHT? Where did the title come from?

Margaret Doner: When Victoria uncovers the fact that she and the man she is obsessed with have experienced a horrific life together in the concentration camps of Dachau, Germany, she is looking at their darkest shadow. The title refers to her revelation that it is in our darkest places that we find our greatest redemption and ultimately vow to commit ourselves to the light. We live in a world of polarity and experience - we can't know the light until we know the dark. We know what good is because we have experienced evil.

 

Pageonelit.com: At book signings, what do readers say to you about their interpretations of INFINITE DARKNESS INFINITE LIGHT? What do they like about the book?

Margaret Doner: My favorite comments have been from readers who normally do not read spiritual or "new age" books and have found they couldn't put it down. I have had a number of men tell me that they picked up the book because it was the only thing to read (one in the bathroom and the other on an airplane) and they became engrossed in it. Because it is a novel and written in the first person, I think once you connect to Victoria, you're hooked. Where is she going to go next? The past lives keep it exciting because you time travel. The other favorite comment has been from a couple of Jewish readers. The book challenges the idea that one is a "Jew" or a "Christian" or a "Muslim" because Victoria was a Jew in her past life, although she isn't today. I believe we all are "Everything." None of us is just male, female or rich, or poor. We have, or will have, experienced all these things through many lifetimes before we stop returning to the Earth plane.

 

Pageonelit.com: What general advice do you have for writers who just completed their first book? What do they do now?

Margaret Doner: I think most writers understand the difficult and competitive market that is publishing today. The traditional routes are still open, but now there are many more possibilities with online publishing and self-publishing, such as First Books. I have published with a large press - Berkley Books - and a small one - Vivisphere Press (the publisher of "Infinite Darkness/Infinite Light") They both have pros and cons. The large publishing houses tend to take your book out of print faster. The small ones don't have the publicity machines in place to promote your book like the large ones, but they are patient and committed to their writers over the long haul.

 

Pageonelit.com: Tell me about your publishing experience -- Is it a difficult process?

Margaret Doner: I have been very proactive when it comes to promotion. I think most writers will tell you that it is necessary to do that today. I hired a publicist outside of the publishing house and ran an ad in RTIR (Radio TV Interview Reports) in order to get radio interviews. Because I had a "non-fiction" edge to this book, as a past life therapist, I used it to get radio interviews. If you are comfortable doing radio and can find a marketing angle it's not a bad way to go - you can reach many people all from the comfort of your own living room.

 

Pageonelit.com: Are you working on a follow up? Or something totally different?

Margaret Doner: I have a number of things in the works. I am a screenwriter as well as a novelist and have a screenplay under option - another one is at the consideration phase. I wrote the screenplay for this book and am marketing it as a made-for-TV movie. My next novel is entitled, "The Children of Angels," and is about angels who come to Earth.

 

Pageonelit.com: What was the last book you read?

Margaret Doner: Da Chen's, "Sounds of the River." He's a great storyteller.

 

Pageonelit.com: Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance your writing.

Margaret Doner: I'm not a "hobby" type of person, I guess. I tend to throw myself into things fully. I do meditate everyday and hold meditation workshops occasionally. Besides being a writer and past life therapist I'm also a massage therapist - I enjoy anything pampering. My idea of a good time is to go to a spa.