Congratulations Nere Lartitequi! SDMWA April 2022 Member of the Month
Interview with SDMWA Board Member, Janet Hafner
JH: How did you first discover SDMWA?
NL: When I decided to write my book, I hired Marni Freedman to be my writing coach. Then I took some writing classes with her and after that, I started the Writing Memoir series.
JH: Have you always been a writer?
NL: Not at all. In1983, I wrote my dissertation, with lots of help. Then at 80, it came to me that I should write a book, and that is when the writing adventure began, almost five years ago.
JH: What impacts do you think writing classes have made on your writing?
NL: Very simple, profound, and humbling: I learned to write.
JH: We’d love to hear about what you are presently writing.
NL: I am currently involved in the publishing and launching activities for my book, The Missing Peace, which will debut later this month. Eventually, I plan to write a newsletter.
This book is my legacy. It’s the first and possibly last book I will write; I don’t have plans to write another.
JH: Who are your favorite authors? Favorite memoirs?
NL: Some of my favorite authors are Maya Angelou, Don Miguel Ruiz, Deepak Chopra, Rómulo Gallegos, and Isabel Allende. My favorite memoir is Edith Eger’s The Choice. My all-time favorite book is A Course in Miracles. I discovered it in the early 80s, and it started my process of finding my true authentic self. It has been my guiding light since then. Over 40 years later, A Course in Miracles still inspires me to keep growing and becoming a better version of myself. It is especially important for me to continue practicing unlearning old baggage, or as I say in my book, unlearning outdated conditioning. A Course doesn’t have an author, as it was channel by a professor at Columbia University in the 70s. It was published in 1975.
JH: Any advice for new writers?
NL: Be patient and kind with yourself. Writing is a lot about rewriting many, many times. Don’t be shy; look for and find the support you need for your writing. For instance, as English is my second language, I needed extra help editing my book. I looked and I found great support.
JH: Nere, we are so excited about your new memoir. Please tell us about your book and your launch.
NL: The Missing Peace aims to inspire people to live an authentic life with peace as the most treasured and indispensable ingredient.
With the use of simple yet effective tools, I hope to inspire my readers to move from victimhood, struggle, and anger to inner harmony. My greatest aspiration is to open my readers’ eyes to a new possibility to experience life with joy, happiness, and peace-filled contentment.
My life has spanned more than eight decades, three distinct cultures, and two radically different careers. Yet, my course in life might feel like yours. Ultimately, I want to help my readers answer these questions: What happens when we pursue the things, we believed would lead us to gratification only to discover that we are still unfulfilled? How do we move from dissatisfaction to inner peace?
From my website:
The Missing Peace
Join Nere on a journey to redefine peace as your primary intention, learning along the way to reorient yourself towards the qualities conducive to enhancing peace: forgiveness, kindness, gratitude, respect, living-in-the-moment, persistence, and enthusiasm.
Nere outlines the common obstacles to peace when we experience inner, outer, or interpersonal conflict in our life. Breathing to calm ourselves, she asks us to examine our assumptions, challenge our conditioning, and replace negative thinking with affirmations that support a happy life.
On this journey, Nere not only encourages us to find our own way to live in peace but invites us all to become instruments of peace by setting intentions and approaching life’s difficulties with compassion and understanding. As humans, we often define success by monetary and material standards. Nere believes the true key to success is the inner peace that allows us to find personal fulfillment, growth, and the ability to use the tools we have to continue to spread peace in our everyday lives and throughout the world.
The launch will be at the La Jolla Library on Saturday April 23 from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. The invitation sending says:
Please join us on Saturday, April 23rd to celebrate the launch of The Missing Peace, my legacy book for all generations about finding and enjoying peace. Jeniffer Thompson, co-founder of the San Diego Writers Festival and host of The Premise podcast will interview me. Light refreshments will be served.
The peace we want begins inside of each of us.
I hope you can join me!
JH: Please let us know how we can reach you. Website? Social channels?
NL: Website: themissingpeacebook.net
Instagram: @missingpeacebook
Facebook: facebook.com/nerelartitegui.author
Questions and personal contact: nerelart@gmail.com