Falling Down a Rabbit Hole –– Ending Up On a Carousel Horse in Paris..

Kaye Wilkinson Barley

 

           

The first time I went to Paris, which was a dream come true, I spent a lot of time researching the City of Light beforehand.


I love research. I love those endless paths that can carry you into surprising places meandering from the practical to the magical.

I have always been one to read everything I can find about a destination. That does not mean I am a person who plans every moment of every day while traveling, but I love learning about someplace new. It is fun to come upon a landmark and know a little something about it.

And I learned just enough about the love the French have for carousels to want to learn more.

There are approximately 20 carousels in Paris. I say approximately because it is really hard to pin down a true number. Some carousels do not stay in one place, or they are completely removed for whatever reason, and may show back up in the same spot at a later time. Or not.

While pondering the fate and history of Parisian carousels I found there is really not one good source to answer all my questions and decided I wanted to write my own book filled with carousel photographs.

Husband Donald is always up for an adventure so when I told him that I would like to go back to Paris to do some research and take some pictures he was a more than willing companion. He is also a better photographer than I am.

After two trips to Paris chasing and photographing carousels, we still have not found them all. There is an awful lot in Paris to distract a person from what they might have started out to do, you know. There are gardens, and cafes, and museums, oh my. So, I guess that means we will just have to go back.

But in the meantime, we found a publisher who liked our idea and our Carousels of Paris was born. A photo essay of some of the carousels. Hopefully, there will be a book two.

All this is to say, I am a woman who believes in following her dreams. As trite as the saying, “Life is short” may sound, it is also very true. Never has that been more apparent than right now as we are all fighting our fears regarding COVID-19.

The world closing. Who would have ever thought this would happen?

And as it re-opens many of us are wondering if it is too soon. When will be feel safe to leave our homes? To travel to another country? Will we be healthy enough?

While I ponder all these things, I write. Which sends me down yet another rabbit hole where I can live in a world of my own making. And feel safe.

Kaye Wilkinson Barley is the author of WHIMSEY: A Novel. She lives with her husband, Don, in the North Carolina mountains along with Annabelle Barley, the Princess Corgi.

Kaye is the author, along with being co-photographer with husband Don of the new photo essay book "Carousels of Paris," published March 17, 2020.

They are also co-authors/co-photographers of the book "My Name is Harley and This is My Story," a 94 page photobook written by Harley about his life in the North Carolina mountains, his travels and escapades with his Mom and Dad.

Kaye was a contributor to "Blood on the Bayou" - The Anthony winning Bouchercon Anthology 2016 edited by Greg Herren, published by Down & Out Books.

Kaye was also a contributor to three regional Western North Carolina anthologies - - - "Clothes Lines," "Women's Spaces Women's Places," and "It's All Relative." All edited by Celia H. Miles and Nancy Dillingham. Was a former Southern Writers Magazine Short Story Finalist.

When she is not writing she might be traipsing around with her camera or searching for THE perfect pizza with her husband. Besides pizza, she also has an undying love for ice cream.

You can follow Kaye and news about upcoming book signings at her author page - http://kayewilkinsonbarley.com/

Kaye is Blog Mistress of the popular Meanderings and Muses, which you can follow here -http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com

Writing and Me

By Kaye Wilkinson Barley

I have written all my life. 

I write to understand.

I write to comprehend my feelings. 

I put those feelings down on paper in an attempt to bring order to the chaos often accompanying  those feelings. 

But it was never for public consumption.  

Not until I was 60 years old.

When I did, finally, at the suggestion of Kathryn Stripling Byer, North Carolina Poet Laureate 2005-09, submit my first piece, it was accepted for inclusion in a regional North Carolina anthology.

It was a piece I wrote while my husband was living in North Carolina and I was stuck back in Georgia for a period of time that seemed unending.  A rough time.  That someone felt as though that piece, written straight from my heart, was worthy of being shared with others was a surprise, and brought some much needed joy.

A statement from one of the editors of the anthology, Dr. Celia Miles, stayed posted on my laptop for years.  “I hope you’ll continue to write,” she said. “You were born to write.  Your writing has honesty.” 

It helped me write the one novel that I had wanted to write for as long as I can remember.  You know the one.  The one that Toni Morrison was talking about when she said, to you, ““If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

I think my writing style comes from simply loving to tell a story. That love of storytelling is how I developed my voice.  And, I’ve been told it’s a distinctive one.   

As far as the craft of writing, I will be the first to admit - I know nothing.  If my writing passes any sort of craft test, it comes from having been a reader since the cradle along with being lucky enough to know some excellent editors who have graced me with their help and expertise. 

I have, of course, read some of the best books on how to write that all writers read.  And I love them.  Especially Stephen King’s “On Writing,” and Anne Lamott’s “Bird by Bird.”  I love and recommend them, but have I learned anything from them? 

Except that one bit from Ms. Lamott about the first draft always being terrible?  I don’t think so.  My fault – certainly not theirs.  My fault because I always find myself reading for the story.  The entertainment.  The simple joy of words, excellence in pacing and beautiful phrasing.  Yep – even in “how to” books.

Learning through reading, for me, comes, I believe, without my conscious thinking.  And, it comes from reading books written by good writers.  Writers like Louise Penny, James Anderson, Margaret Maron, Pat Conroy – along with others.

All that said, I have not one word of advice regarding writing.

Unless you have yet to discover that it can save your sanity.  If that’s the case, then my advice is to write.  Tell a story – be it to friends, family, the public or to yourself.  Tell a story, “the” story, “your” story.  But first, do it for yourself.

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Kaye Wilkinson Barley lives in Boone, NC with her husband, Don, and their spoiled little Corgi, Annabelle. Kaye has had several short stores and creative non-fiction essays published, one photo/story book and one novel; WHIMSEY: A Novel. Kaye and her husband are avid photographers. Her blog, Meanderings and Muses ( http://www.meanderingsandmuses.com/ ), is a place where she shares stories and photos.  Anything and everything from a memory, a book review, a recipe, or a political rant.