My name is Christine Meyers, I am more than I can write in a paragraph but to start off, I am human. Life has granted me magic, adventure, love, tough lessons, teachers, growth, suffering and support. In the best way I can, I have committed my life to my own personal growth and through that process I have come to learn and have deep gratitude for the art of sharing one's experience with others. Knowledge and experience are meant to help others, so I offer you all a piece of me, and with hope that it will reach those who need it and find value in it.
Professionally, I have worked in the field of Microbiology and Laboratory Science for 10 years. In 2015 I completed my Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from the University of Georgia. In my free time, I veer from my science background and indulge in the spiritual side of things including yoga, hiking, practising as a Reiki Master, reading, writing, and finding new and exciting ways to discover the world around me, especially through enjoying nature.
I was addicted to uncovering what the author was teaching through the illusion of a story. This curiosity, and passion to uncover, opened something in me that I hadn’t felt in years. A desire to create, to express, to remember my childlike self. I remembered all of my favorite books growing up, and how they left such a major impression in my adult life.
From a young age, I had a backpack full of short stories that I wrote, mostly inspired from my dreams. As I developed more mature writing skills, I continued to utilize writing as a major expressive tool through poetry, short novels and journal entries. I dove more and more into the literature side of creative writing and fell in love with the concept of interpretation of literary works. As one who loves puzzles and patterns, I saw these as a mystery to uncover, reading through HP Lovecraft, Margaret Atwood, Plato, Taoism, Buddhism, George RR Martin, Kurt Vonnegut and many more.
I carried those impressions with me for years, looking at the world through lenses I didn’t know I had. The art of storytelling, to me, is one of the most precious of gifts passed down through time. Through my children’s books, I strive to create a magical adventure that dives deep into the human experience in a light-hearted manner, to share timeless stories and wisdom with all. Life is not all serious and children’s books help to deliver a rich message in the fun form of contextual dessert. That dessert is served through my children’s philosophical/spiritual book series.
These books have no order to them, so they can be read in any way. I wanted to create a series that was connected, not by time, but through characters. Characters, and philosophical views, merge between books, creating an interconnected world of imagination, adventure, and experiencing the magic in the world around us. I also wanted a way for adults to be introduced to these philosophical views in a light hearted manner, so that as their children grow in discovering, they too can continue to grow and discover more of the world around them.
What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
CM: Gosh, part of me wants to say EVERY book I have ever read but I suppose there are ones that have stuck more than others. Specifically, 'Alice in Wonderland', 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe', 'Tao the Ching', 'Siddhartha', 'The Celestine Prophecy' and 'The Labyrinth'. Each one of these has had a major impact on my imagination in regards to expanding it. They each have their own unique element of transforming the ordinary into extraordinary and that is something I look to capture in my own writing.
How long have you been writing?
CM: Ever since I can remember I have had a notebook or stories or ideas. When I was young, maybe third or fourth grade, I used to carry around my little mermaid backpack filled with short stories that I wrote. The first one I remember writing was called 'The Worm that Ate the Bird'. I was always inspired by my dreams and surroundings and my mind transferred them into something bizarre and imaginative. Obviously over the years my skills have matured but I’ll always remember that backpack and wish I still had its contents.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
CM: So I don’t think it’s a major of wanting. I believe that there are certain skills we are all born with that, when nurtured properly, just blossom on their own. I never sat down and said, I really want to be a writer, it’s just something I’ve always done. It’s part of who I am and how I experience the world around me. It’s a gift I’ve been blessed with that naturally gives back to the world that nurtured it. I write for me, for Spirit, to be honest, and anyone that finds value in it is an added bonus.
What does success mean to you?
CM: The concept of success has changed for me many times over the years. We grow up believing one thing and then after life puts you through its many twists and turns, and that definition gets copied, pasted, edited and revised. Success to me, at this moment, means having peace in your heart knowing you are living out your own Truth.
Are you on social media?
CM: Yes, currently the only social media I have is Instagram. My handle on there is @taosway. This was the title of my first children’s book. I’ve just been building off of that for now.
Where do you get your inspiration?
CM: My inspiration comes mostly in times of play, a.k.a times when my mind is most free. I find in times when I’m not trying to create something I wind up discovering a new idea. I like to move around a lot and I find that movement helps to get the creative juices flowing too. Nature is a major contributor to my inspiration so if I find in blocked I go outside, or to the woods, to the river, to a park and normally I'll windup receiving some much needed clarity.
What advice would you give a new writer, someone just starting out?
CM: The best advice I could give is, don’t give up. Every new word written, every edit, every road block will all add up to your story, the path is different for every writer but that’s what forges it into your own, each piece plays a part in that no matter how big or small. Be patient. Don’t give up on yourself because your story is worth sharing and there is someone out there waiting to hear it.
What do you hope your readers take away from reading 'Buddy Finds Buddha'?
CM: Ah, this is one question I can not give a solid answer to. The fun and joy of reading is in the interpretation. I believe there are many messages within any written work and in that, is something for everyone. To say that this work can be boiled down to one-take-away would be a dishonour to the mind and it’s ability to discover its own answers. The world and its tools are here for us to discover pieces of our selves at every turn. May every reader uncover a new layer of themselves.
What are you reading now?
CM: Currently I am enjoying 'Galapagos' by Kurt Vonnegut.
What was the highlight of writing 'Buddy Finds Buddha'?
CM: This book was pure inspiration. The highlight of writing it was being able to be the conduit for the story to be told in this way. I was sitting doing breath work and near the end of it, the entire book, the characters, the purpose, the storyline, they all just came to me as if I was being given the blueprint to write it. It was magical. It is a great honor to share that with the world.
Favourite book when you were a child?
CM: Gosh, I have had so many favorite books. I’m not sure I can narrow down to one. The first book I remember loving was called 'The Rainbabies', the illustrations were memorizing and the story was so sweet.I also loved 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' because it opened up the world of fantasy to me that I hadn’t imagined before.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
CM: I’m a sucker for the outdoors so on my days off I’m typically out and about exploring the wilderness, be it the mountains, a park, the beach, the ocean, you name it. If it’s outside, I’ll be there. I also like riding my bike, practicing yoga, dancing, and reading.
If you could invite three people for a dinner party, who would they be and why?
CM: I Love this question, which means it took a lot of thought. I’d say that I would invite Princess Diana, because I’d love to hear her story, to share in her generous love and her authentic, courageous self. It would be an honor to meet her. Second I’d invite Cleopatra because also I’d love to hear her story, how she maintained power for so long, what she had to endure, what she had to sacrifice, what scared her, it would be fascinating to hear what really happened. Lastly, I would invite Buddha, because, well, the Buddha! It would be such a great blessing to witness him to learn anything he has to teach through his actions and state of being. I’d also love to know what makes him laugh, how he took on the greatest he was blessed with and his favorite part of living.
What is your favorite food?
CM: Anything homemade Italian and pumpkin pie.
If you would cure a disease, what would it be?
CM: If I had that ability, I would want to cure Greed. I believe it’s the root cause of so much wrong in our modern world and the virus that contributes to many modern health issues. Greed takes, and when the mind lives in a state where it believes it always needs to take to survive, then it loses connection with self and therefore relies on external forces for security and survival to feed it. This can be limitless therefore, leaving the mind completely unsatisfied. A mind that finds strength in taking and weakness in giving is unbalanced and creates unsettling disorder, and anything that disturbs balance is a disease.
'Buddy Finds Buddha' will be available to pre-order tomorrow on https://www.partnershippublishing.co.uk/bookshop
Follow Christine Meyers on Instagram on @taosway
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