My Writer's Journey

Though I first posted the following poem on my health blog, Peace Be with You, I now post it here as well. The poem seems appropriate for also describing my writing journey.

I have had many positive experiences on my writing journey. Those include, along with great personal growth, that I recently published a book of poetry. Numerous short stories have also appeared in literary reviews. My novels, however, remain unpublished.

Of course,the choice to publish is now entirely my own. New self publishing options make it possible to bypass the industry’s traditional gatekeepers who have not known what to do with my fiction. The gatekeepers are now solely the reading audience which will embrace, or not, what one has written. My current hope is to be able to reach that audience effectively and that it will welcome me.

On my writing journey, there will again be highs, as well as disappointments. But, whether I publish again or not, I will never stop writing, which I love to do. Through it all, it will remain a journey of healing and self discovery.

The Healing Journey of a Broken Vessel

Whence does my hope come?
Why does faith in renewal
remain undaunted?

A broken vessel
containing my life stories
lies shattered and strewn.

New life may emerge
from the shards of brokenness.
Will I be patient?

From Creation to Transformation

Writing my book Peace on the Journey was a joy. I also felt pride because of its potential for helping those about whom Dr. Joan Barice has said, “For those struggling with chronic illness, loss of a loved one, or any major life challenge, these Peace on the Journey poems affirm that one can still choose to smile and resolutely renew life. Facing hardship honestly but tempering it with hope, these healing poems light a path out of despair.”

While my joy and pride came in part from seeing my name on a published book, they also came from knowing that this book is a fundraiser as well. Ten percent of its net proceeds are designated for the Myelin Repair Foundation, a deserving research organization which might transform the lives of millions suffering from MS. 

Yet, I have dreaded the promotional stage of this book’s journey. Then I realized, how will anyone know about the book if I don’t tell them about it? How will potential readers benefit if no one feels motivated to purchase the book? I must enjoy promoting this book as much as I did writing it.

Still, promoting a book of poetry has felt strange.The thing is, I never expected to produce a book of poetry. I was, I thought, a published short story author seeking to be recognized for her novels some day. Then, in 2009, in addition to this blog focused on literary and cultural themes, I started another one called Peace Be with You. The reason was I wanted to write anonymously about my own journey with MS. Somehow, that MS blog segued from prose into poetry. Don’t ask me why. It just happened, and I went along.

After posting the blog’s poems, though, I was stunned by some of the reactions I started getting, and not just from those affected by MS. I received comments like: “With your words I see hope and understanding … At times, your words say what I’m feeling that I couldn’t find the words for.” Another reader said, “You always manage to speak the words that are in my heart and mind.”

Then, people began asking if the poems were available in a book. I kept saying, no, no, no. First, I didn’t know if I was physically up to producing a book. Second, I still resisted identifying myself as a poet. Then, one day, I realized that I might not be a poet with a capital P, but my writing was resonating with readers. Why not provide the book they were asking for?

I proceeded to winnow my blog’s roughly 1100 poems into 366. This format would offer a year's worth of poems for anyone dealing with loss of any kind. Over the next two years, during which there was some teeth gnashing and, yes, a few choice curse words, I finalized the manuscript for publication. 

Now, the paperback and Kindle editions are available on Amazon. Not infrequently, I gaze at the book with a sense of wonder. Did I really write this? Daily, for my own inspiration, I read the book’s poems on my Kindle. Strangely, the poems read as if someone else has written them. They feel transformative, though I am already deeply familiar with their content. Indeed, Peace on the Journey  feels like the universe’s gift to me.

Kindle Edition Available

The Kindle version of my book is now available.  Peace on the Journey is enrolled in Amazon’s Matchbook program. This means that if you already purchased the print edition in the past (or purchase one now), the Kindle price is reduced by 50%.

It has been a remarkable experience for me to read my own book in this new edition. It feels as if I had published it for the first time. Also, in my Kindle library (organized by Amazon), my book “sits” alongside Thomas Jefferson and John Keats. What a thrill!

Too Many Websites?

Over the years, I have kept active at least two separate blogs. That made sense because each focused on completely different topics. This particular blog has focused mostly on my literary life.  The other blogs focused on personal health and a miscellany of topics. Each of these blogs has had its own personality. For example, one was strictly prose; another, poetry. Each also had its own discrete set of followers.

With the publication of my book, Peace on the Journey: Poems, I have also created another blog/website called Peace on the Journey, still under construction. That website’s concept is that it will focus strictly on the book. Besides, it gave me an opportunity to register the name of my book as a website.

Increasingly, though, I find myself using the same post in the various blogs. Now, that might be a sign of fatigue over managing too many blogs. Or, it might be a sign that I am finally integrating the separate parts of my life.  I do own the rights to JudithMercado.com, which is currently inactive. Perhaps, when I eventually activate that website, I will have full integration by simply listing separate pages for each of my various blogs. We’ll see. This is a work in progress, as is my life.

In the meantime, I share with you today’s poem from my Peace Be with You blog

Future Promise


Morning hoarfrost forms
fresh dew frozen on parched grass
before sunlight comes.

A slumbering world
poised to shed its dormancy
awaits light’s coming.

What life may exist
beneath apparent stillness
holds future promise.

In This New Year

May You ... 

Have light shine away
the darkness of your valley
so you can reach home.

 Meet along the way
strangers who treat you kindly
 and with a full smile.

 Feel deep in your heart
the warmth of those beside you
 who also love you.

International Distribution of Peace on the Journey: Poems

Some international readers have asked why they cannot find my book in their country. To address that, I spent a few hours in the “Academy of International Amazon Book Distribution” and have learned a few things. I have discovered that, though Amazon is working on expanding its distribution, there are still some countries where my book is not available. Among these are Brazil, China, India, Japan, Mexico, and, surprisingly, Canada and Australia. Since a Canadian friend ordered the book, I assume she bought it from the US site. Perhaps this will change when the book is converted into Kindle format in January, but I am not sure. In the meantime, I’m sorry for any time some of you have spent searching for my book.

The links for the following countries are provided:

 France: Peace on the Journey: Poems

Germany: Peace on The Journey: Poems

 Italy: Peace on The Journey: Poems

 Spain: Peace on The Journey: Poems

 UK: Peace on The Journey: Poems

US: Peace on The Journey: Poems