Robin Harris

 

 

Robin Harris is the youngest of nine children. She has been writing since she learned to write, or so it seems. She has written poetry, prose, songs lyrics, fiction, non-fiction, movie scripts, etc. Her inclination to write was so innate, the gift long remained transparent to her and therefore underutilized. Robin spent a great part of her life searching for a niche that could contribute to the world at large and offer her a sense of personal fulfillment. Robin is currently completing a Master's Degree in Instructional Technology at Wayne State University. Her area of concentration is Human Performance Technology. Dream Catcher: The First Story, the book and workbook, was her first written work to merge her knowledge gained from her graduate studies with her natural ability to write inspirational stories. Dream Catcher: The First Story was birthed from her realization that our gifts, talents, skills, and inclinations intersect in a time and space that can open up the experience of living an extraordinary life. Visit Robin Harris's website at http://www.thedesignerlife.com/

 

 

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

Robin Harris: I grew up in Detroit Michigan. I am the youngest of nine children. The sister next to me is eleven years older than me. I was a very introspective child in a world surrounded by big people. My oldest brother has a son who is six months older than me. I was quite mature because of the adult environment I grew up in and I did not fit in very well with my peers. I began expressing my deep inner thoughts through poetry around eight. I expressed my dissatisfaction with life through lengthy letters which I would leave for my mother to read. The world of books and the written word were so comforting to me, so safe and being in a family that loved books made my literary adventures even more intriguing. I think the fact that my family made a big deal of my creativity allowed me to explore not only poetry, prose, short stories, and lyrics for music.

 

 

Page One: Why do you write?

Robin Harris: Writing is the way my soul expresses its wisdom to me. It is the way I release my pain. It is the way I touch other people. I write because...I am a writer. At the core of who I am, is the need to communicate, to listen and to speak to the deeper meaning of life and to play with it and have fun with it and to heal and inspire myself as well as others.

 

Page One: Tell us about DREAM CATCHER. How did this book come to be?

Robin Harris:I am completing my Master's degree in Human Performance Technology at Wayne State University. It is a specialization in the area of instructional technology. I wanted to learn how to design programs that would help others reinvent themselves and their lives. I had no intention of designing instruction for learning job related skills, my interest was life related skills. My instructor Dr. Edelson gave me a lot of flexibility to try things out and I decided to integrate my creative writing with instructional design and so that gave birth to my writing style which I call "teaching fiction". It's like the adult version of Aesop's fable. I use fictional characters and stories to teach and inspire others to take authentic action in creating a life they love.

 

 

Page One: At book signings, what do readers say to you about their interpretations of DREAM CATCHER? What do they like about the book? How has it helped them in their own lives?

Robin Harris: People tell me that they are ready for change. They tell me that my book and its message is so timely and personal that it helps them take definitive action in their lives. It's a fast read and I have actually had people take the book and three hours later call me to tell me they are done. They say it's gripping and they just don't want to put it down. That's the way I felt when I was writing it. In the story there are these invisible pseudo demons called "Slayers" they are dream slayers and they actually represent our own negative emotions. In the story there is Distraction, Pessimism, Anger, and the master slayer "Fear". Our pseudo angels called "Collectors" are Faith, Passion, Purpose, and Vision. People really relate to this cast of characters, and characters they are. When people who have read the book identify the Slayers at work in their lives, they can clearly see the trap that is being set and call upon their own Collectors to refocus and ground them. When people let me know that reading the book gives them a new set of tools to help them keep their dreams alive, I feel honored and inspired. There is a mutual blessing in this work.

 

Page One: Do you document your dreams? What should we look for in analyzing our dreams? What was the last dream you had and what did you get from it?

Robin Harris:The dreams I refer to are the soul's dreams and they come to me in the form of day dreamming. I have been doing that since I was a child. In my wildest re-occuring daydream I am a misfit who evolves into this feminine super heroine who has great power, great compassion, and of course I am a sexy Diva, too...in my wildest daydream. In a way I want to save the world, rescue people from their painful and discontented lives. I experienced so much pain and isolation in my youth and young adulthood that it is etched in my soul. That is why I have a deep compassion for the human struggle and at the same time, I know that our adversity can bring us our most valuable life lessons. I want people to learn those hard lessons quickly and get on with having a great life and if and when possible learn from other's mistakes.

 

Page One: What general advice do you have for writers who just completed their first book? What do they do now?

Robin Harris: Advice, only write what inspires you. If it doesn't touch, move, or inspire you, don't write it. Once you have a draft that makes the grade in your own heart, let it set for a while, then go back and start the editing processes. When you get to the point that you feel like you are going to scream if you have to read it one more time, hand it off to someone else whose judgement and advice you can trust and appreciate; not someone who thinks everything you do is totally 100% wonderful. You want good, solid feedback, but don't hand it off to someone who will rip it to shreds cause that's just the way they are. Go that round of editing and then find an independant editor and pay them to edit your book. Once you get the editor's feedback, evaluate it, don't take it as the gospel truth but test everything out and validate the comments and the suggested changes and do your next round of edits. The editing phase is laborious and lengthy and it takes time. At this point I hired someone to do the typesetting layout for me. And there was some re-editing necessary even at that stage. Never assume the person editing/typesetting your material is perfect. They may be professional but that doesn't mean you hand off to them and don't validate their work. While I was working with the typesetter, I was also working with the publisher to get the cover ready. My husband did the artwork so I did not have to hire someone. Depending on your intentions and your budget, you may want to find someone locally to work with you who would see this as an opportunity to showcase their talent. After working with the typesetter for a couple of rounds, I finally gave the okay for him to send the electronic file to my publisher. They sent me a bound proof with the cover design and we began our final round of edits. I think after the second proof I was satisfied and ready to print copies for distritubtion. This entire process took me about 18 months and that is because I got discouraged along the way and the editing process was excruciating for me. I have a somewhat short attention span and the fact that I completed this project is, in and of itself, a sign that I am maturing. I encourage writers and would-be writers to give themselves the chance. You won't know if it is your gift unless you actually commit to doing it and then do it. So I say... go for the gold!

 

Page One: Tell me about your publishing experience -- You published independently with Trafford Books. Is it a difficult process to publish on your own?

Robin Harris: The publishing experience was actually quite empowering. I felt like I had "MY TEAM" and we were on task with a mission. Trafford made me feel really comfortable with it and I found both the editor and typesetter through their referral program. They sent out press releases and in a few days I actually got emails from magazines and radio stations asking for review copies. I needed to retain a certain amount of control because this book is the means by which I am bringing my soul's dream into reality. I won't give control of that to anyone other than my Divine Inner Guide. As you can see from the previous question, the editing was the hardest thing for me. Beyond that everything else was more like a fun adventure to me. I had a blast writing the story. I enjoyed working with "MY TEAM" and it was at an affordable cost. I'd like to get picked up by a major publishing company, but if that doesn't happen, I can still do what I set out to do and that is launch my coaching career that helps clients fulfill their soul's dream.

 

Page One: Are you working on a follow up? Or something totally different?"

Robin Harris: I have the next book called "Turnaround" sitting on my desk waiting to be edited, of course. Turnaround is the same writing style but this time their are no Slayers or Collectors but there is a turnaround coach who works with a an unlikely cast of characters whose lives cross paths through a gym. I am also starting a story called "How to turn your talents into talent$" a story about 3 people who through adversity and discontenment discover their true gifts and talents and turn them into profitable ventures. In this story I resurrect the Slayers and Collectors and add a new set of mystical players called gatekeeper who work with the collectors as a vicious war is being waged by the slayers against the human capacity to make our deepest dreams come true.

 

Page One: What was the last book you read?

Robin Harris: I am reading Wishcraft; How to get what you really want ...by Barbara Sher. It's an older book, I have heard about it through several friends and in other books so I finally decided to pick up a copy. I'm enjoying it.