Monday, June 25, 2012

Sitting on Top of the World—
Dances in Two Worlds Wins Colorado Book Award 


Indepencence Pass
“So I was sittin on top of the world just laughing with my feet hangin down....” This line from my first book, You May Plow Here: The Narrative of Sara Brooks (Norton, 1986), began cycling through my mind when I drove over Independence Pass on my way home from Aspen to Denver two days ago. The line appears in the story “Laziness’ll Kill You.” One time, Sara and her two cousins got into a dispute about something while they were working in a field on the 53-acre farm her father owned in Alabama. Although she was the troublemaker that day, when her father walked up, he “give the others a good whippin, an that excluded me. So I was sittin on top of the world just laughing with my feet hangin down and knowing I was in the wrong.” This is one of my favorite lines from You May Plow Here—no wonder it came to mind as I crossed the Continental Divide at 12,096 feet.

Aspen, Colorado, 22 June 2012
Sara Brooks’ delight sprang from innocent and harmless childhood mischief. My delight springs from knowing that my book, Dances in Two Worlds: A Writer-Artist’s Backstory (Fundamental Note, 2011), has just won the 21st annual Colorado Book Award 2012 in creative nonfiction. The Colorado Book Award is given by the Colorado Humanities Center for the Book, state affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. I celebrated the award at a reception at the Aspen Institute Friday afternoon and over wine and dinner at a sidewalk café with three new friends that evening.

I take pride in the award and what it represents: a lifetime of acknowledging my fears, listening to my intuition, and hard work. None of my three books would have been possible, however, had it not been for the family, friends, and teachers upon whose shoulders I have stood. Not the least among them was Sara Brooks herself. By telling me her stories and entrusting the editing to me, Sara Brooks awakened the storyteller in me. Ultimately, she gave me Dances in Two Worlds, and she gave Dances in Two Worlds to you. The book is available at http://astragreece.com/publications.html
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5 comments:

  1. Mr. FreiJune 25, 2012 at 5:56 PM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Mr. FreiJune 25, 2012 at 6:03 PM

    I posted a comment, "beautiful words and book! Congratulations Thordis !" but it disappeared when I tried to explain that mr. Frei is really me. Sorry for the confusion!

    Cheers,

    Kathy Conklin

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  3. stacy muszynskiJune 26, 2012 at 8:41 PM

    Niela, it's a pleasure to say to you Congratulations, dear friend.

    You write: "I take pride in the award and what it represents: a lifetime of acknowledging my fears, listening to my intuition, and hard work. None of my three books would have been possible, however, had it not been for the family, friends, and teachers upon whose shoulders I have stood."

    With these words, and with your life and your friendship, you inspire me and spur me to do my own best work, filled with and prodded by my own fears, intuitions and hard work.

    Stacy

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  4. Thordis Niela SimonsenJune 28, 2012 at 4:58 PM

    The inspiration is fully reciprocated, Stacy. I could not feel more complimented!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Erica OJuly 9, 2012 at 3:39 PM

    Oh, Niela, that's wonderful...though, come to think of it, not actually surprising. :)
    Congratulations to you. I am so happy to know that there are many others who "get" what an amazing person you are.
    Love,
    Erica O.

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