We recently connected with Valerie Foster and have shared our conversation below.
Valerie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?
“What Would Dolly Do?” So says my favorite pink tee-shirt. I use the word “hero,” very sparingly. I believe it should be reserved for those who do not just do a good job at their job, but who go beyond expectations, who unselfishly reach for the extraordinary in leaving this planet a better place. For me, that describes Dolly Parton. Of course, she is supremely talented and creative, but she exceeds all meaning of fulfilling one’s purpose. I envy her exceptional business acumen, her bold willingness to assert herself in protecting her one-woman industry. That even extended to turning down Elvis wanting to record “I Will Always Love You” when it would mean losing her rights to the song. She is not afraid to claim her one-of-a-kind style, not afraid of hard work, as she oozes grace, personality, and humanity. Most of all, her dedication to promoting literacy through her Imagination Library has resulted in her donating over 186 MILLION books around the world! Wrapped in uncompromising femininity, she is one highly intelligent, honorable, and resilient warrior. The lady is comfortable in her skin, and when I begin to doubt my own abilities or purpose, I pause and think, “What would Dolly do?”
Valerie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have loved literature and writing since I first learned language. This led to a career teaching high school English. I was always writing, even “composing” a song in first grade. But my deepest, secret dream was to see my own book on a bookshelf. Dare I? The Universe is funny; once I admitted it to myself, Fortune kicked into gear. Life provided me not one, but two powerful experiences to capture in writing. I had to dig deep and put aside all my fears and insecurities, devoting five years to write each. I found a traditional publisher for my first manuscript in just four days! That set me off on an astonishing journey of travel, public speaking, and seeing my book, The Risk of Sorrow: Conversations with Holocaust Survivor, Helen Handler, archived in six countries. My second book, a memoir about my family’s experience with my daughter’s near-fatal eating disorder, Dancing with a Demon, has earned international recognition. Both books focus on important, contemporary themes/issues that connect me to untold readers. From schools to churches to book clubs to community organizations, radio shows and television interviews, I love meeting readers and speaking on a wide variety of topics. The best moments are when a reader tells me how my words have been helpful or inspirational. In a way, I am still teaching. I am now about to release second editions of both books, updating with an Afterward and Teacher/Student Reading Guides. My dream has taken me further than I imagined.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I believe every human being is creative. Some of us just lean into this endowment. My parents always encouraged creativity in my sister and me. My father would always choose one artsy-craftsy Christmas gift to add to the traditional presents. My mother practiced unlimited patience in teaching us to sew, cook, and take us to the hobby store every summer to choose new art projects. Today, I make collages I call Little Orphan Earrings. People donate their “orphan” earrings to my latest story-telling art. I am about to begin my fourth. But my writing is the most difficult, yet satisfying, of my “play.” Its most rewarding aspect is also its first requirement: to be willing to be different. I think being a creative is a way of life. A “creative” will look at life around her in a unique way, and reflect that back to the world. Sometimes that’s scary. Even as I respond to this interview, I try use words that stand out or surprise someone. The greatest squander in life is to be boring, to just repeat what has been said, do what’s been done in the same way. An artist is never bored with life. There’s always more to learn, try, risk. For me, the challenge of any creative process is life itself. And it is fun!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Writing is a very lonely sport. It definitely requires resilience, first in the writing, then the publishing, and finally in the marketing. My first manuscript sprang from my journaling, which I did to keep sane, while fighting to save my daughter’s life from anorexia. Once I decided to write a book, I did it in secret. I was a newly married, full-time teacher with three teenagers. I would wake obscenely early on the weekends, sneak downstairs and curl up with my laptop, writing for hours before anyone else was up. It took me five years! But ya have to keep at it. You have to keep believing in its worth. With every inquiry letter sent, a writer has to stay resilient when those rejections come in. Keep going! Stay resilient in marketing, never being shy to tell people about your work. My image of resilience is a strong spine that enables one to stand straight and keep taking the next step. It’s worth it!
Contact Info:
- Website: valeriebfoster.com
- Instagram: @valeriefosterwrites
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riskofsorrow/posts/pfbid027ws6WavDsJKiktnWSQVk4XE2JbvV8XCBqX6DL5GhknFRzDFGbovUNi42d3bdxSiMl
- Linkedin: Valerie Foster
- Twitter: @Lostearrings
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPYelb0cD0Y&t=238s
- Other: The Power of Memories: Surviving Auschwitz – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgheVftT2r4
Image Credits
Photos by Tom Foster.