Late one insomnia-ruined sleep, amidst the "Covid-Chaos", (as I so have coined), I came up with a unique, interactive, challenging endeavor. I realized that among my "personal" blog entries I wanted to introduce something new: the implementation interviews with local people, artists, writers, other teachers (and whatever else I came up with)--anything that would a) challenge me as a writer, b) strengthen me as a writer, and c) support others who may be struggling--in whatever form--during all of this uncharted Covid-territory.
It was then that I started thinking about the local artists/writers/"star" individuals I know. There was the founder of the company that created the purple Mothman I love so much, Daniel Finsley. There was Jason Pell, the bartender and published graphic novelist I met during an assessment training in Charleston during happy-hour. There was Crystal, colleague and fellow artist...the list went on.
And in this insomnia, the new project solidified: as soon as I was confident to launch it, I would begin a "Spotlight On..." series featuring local people that, in one way or another, inspired, impressed, "wow"ed, or influenced me. Then, the excitement kept me up even later (or, earlier, at this point) into the night.
Such is the custom of my inspirations.
I'm 90% sure that, like I always do with my "manic" ideas, I quickly messaged the folks that first came to mind for the project--in the hours I should be sleeping (For whatever reason, my greatest creative ideas -still- surface at two or three in the morning). There, in loosely thought-out, possibly incoherent, late-night messages, I "put the feelers" out for potential participants.
They were "all in".
Which brings me to the announcement. Tuesday or Wednesday of this week, the first "Spotlight On..." entry in the series will be live. I'm going to try to drop two of these interviews a month, one in the first week and one in the third or fourth, as they do take more preparation and planning than other entries.
Dropping this Week of June 1st: "Spotlight on...YINZER Daniel Finsley: Dad. Artist. Designer."
Dropping the Week of June 22nd: "Spotlight on...Jason Pell: Creator of Pinpricks, Zombie Highway, Suicide 5, and other graphic novels.
I hope you delightful readers enjoy this project as much I do!
-W.B. Healy