by Alvin Ramirez May 10, 2012
In this Book Journeys radio episode hosted by Angela Lauria, the journey of publishing a book was likened to giving birth to a child where there’s one big push before it comes out. Kayce Hughlett, author of As I Lay Pondering, Daily Invitations to Live a Transformed Life, lent her thoughts on this in the interview, as well as her experience going through the creative process of writing. The book wasn’t originally part of her plan. It began when she started writing a blog as part of her self-therapy in coping with family issues and problems. It all fell into place when a friend told her that she had a book with the couple of hundred blog posts she had written. She toyed with the idea for about a year, sorting through those blog entries and compiling them into what she had wanted for her book.
Hughlett explained how her being a psychotherapist helped in the creation of As I Lay Pondering. As a personal healing endeavor that turned into a vehicle for reaching out to people and touching them in many helpful ways, it was in essence, a personal invitation into falling in love with life and living it fully. Hughlett explained how the book came to be useful as her own guide to living in spite of her being its author. It became instrumental to her as a life coach. She admitted to getting satisfaction from the positive reaction of people touched by her book, which to her is more valuable than selling a million copies.
Hughlett was never really into writing, but she explained how she simply talked herself out of the doldrums in order to get it done. During difficult times when her writing was challenged, she would remind herself that she was writing to help other people. She explained how she is happiest when she connects with people through her book, because connecting was in a way part of her writing process. She recounted how life coach, Jennifer Louden, gave her good advice in how to write Morning Pages, and that was to always make it count.
The lesson she learned in writing her book was to avoid procrastination. For Hughlett, procrastinating was a reflection of doubt on her ability or authority to write. To erase such doubts and negative thinking, she said she would play some music and dance in her office, which resets her for writing and the creative aspects of it. The title, As I Lay Pondering, coincidentally came to her while she was… well… pondering. It was a surprise to her how her book easily came out and likened it to birthing a child with one long, hard push.