Book: Love Pain: Stories of Loss and Survival
Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Hi, my name is Lynn Jaffee. I’m an acupuncturist and free-lance writer. I love to write and blog about health, nature and eating well at acupuncturetwincities.com. I’ve also written about Eastern medicine in ‘Simple Steps: The Chinese Way to Better Health’ and how you can use it to live a healthier life. However, in my recent book, ‘Love Pain: Stories of Loss and Survival’ I wrote about love, loss and mental health after losing my adult son, Andrew, to cancer. I live and work from my home in Edina, Minnesota, which is near Minneapolis.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Love Pain: Stories of Loss and Survival’ book?
Love Pain was an incredibly hard book to write, because I was telling the story of losing my son. Despite the story being sad, there’s also a narrative underneath the sadness about living life to the fullest and appreciating the small miracles that occur every day. Even on the worst of days some incredible things happened, and it was a challenge finding the balance to tell that part of the story without the sadness overshadowing everything else.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I love so many different authors that it’s hard to choose! I’m a big fan of Pam Houston because reading her stories feels like you’re talking to your best friend. And when I’m stuck or need inspiration in my writing, I always turn to Natalie Goldberg.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
I love the Southwestern United States, especially Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. Maybe because I live in Minnesota which is so green and lush, I’m attracted to the red rocks and desert landscapes of those states. It’s beautiful country that demands you go outside to hike and explore it.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?
The idea for a book percolates in my head for several months before I actually sit down and begin to write. Because I was writing about the loss of my son, that process for ‘Love Pain’ took even longer. I knew that I would write the book, but beyond being creatively ready, I had to be emotionally ready to sit down and write that story.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Love Pain: Stories of Loss and Survival’ book?
It took me over a year when I actually sat down to write ‘Love Pain’. There are several stories in the book, and I’d write a couple of them and then had to step away for a while. It seemed that when I took breaks, I was able to come back and feel fresh and ready to continue writing.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Love Pain: Stories of Loss and Survival’ book to buy?
It’s available in paperback and on Kindle from Amazon.com here.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Love Pain: Stories of Loss and Survival’?
I had completed the book, but was struggling for a title, figuring that if I just set it aside for a while, a title would come to me. Then, one day when I was walking through the marsh trail near my house, I came across a women who was singing to her daughter in German. As I passed by them, she was a little embarrassed about singing, and explained to me—a complete stranger—that it was about love pain, and it was s song that her grandmother used to sing to her. I immediately thought “That’s it! Love Pain!” So much pain that occurs in our lives is because of the people we love, and it felt like the perfect title.
The cover image for ‘Love Pain’ is actually a photograph I took during my first solo road trip out west that I wrote about in the book. It was taken in the Sandhills of Nebraska, and I was attracted to the lonely road and the threatening color of the sky. I felt like it captured the theme of the book, that despite difficult times on the road ahead, we find strength and keep moving forward.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
For myself, I took regular breaks from writing, so I could come back with a fresh perspective. For my readers, I tried to keep the stories interesting in a couple of ways. First, each story intertwines my son’s words with my own, so we’re both telling the story from two different perspectives. Second, I tried to mix things up. While I was ultimately telling a story of loss, the book also talks a great deal about travel, nature, a little bit of Eastern medicine and the incredible things that happen when you slow down and live in the moment.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
Yes, despite being a story of loss, many readers have said they enjoyed the humor in ‘Love Pain’. There’s even a food fight!
Book Is Available On Amazon
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