Brenda Iovino

Thank you, Brenda for taking the time to visit with Manic Readers.

Can you please give a brief synopsis about your book THE SHADOW OF YOU? 

The main character is a fortish single mom living in Manhattan with her young teen daughter.  The story traces the breakup of her marriage but, also the ‘out-of’ body’ lover that has been with her for several years, and cumulates with her meeting a new man, ‘in body’.  The story, as of late, unfolds with Hawk and hers relationship becoming more intense and yet Hawk’s pulling back, which only confuses and angers her, of course.

From what I’ve read this is your personal story.  How long has “Hawk” been with you?

As ‘Hawk’, for the last 6 years but as a male entity, much longer going on 15 years I believe.  My memories of our time, in that lifetime which is in the book, started coming to me after I moved to New Mexico.

Did the remembered past and the present now create much conflict and stress for you?  If so, how did you deal with that?

It did.  I was very angry that I would not know him in this lifetime in the flesh.  I was grateful to have him in my life, but I’m human.  I wanted more, more of him.  I was getting depressed and not able to write.  I have a friend who has always talked to the ‘dead’ as a child and gifted seems like such a small word for her abilities, so without my asking her to, she channeled him and he wanted to tell me things that I was too angry to hear. 

Now, I’m very aware that some of your readers will say, ‘she’s nuts’, phony and whatever.  Perhaps they will think I’m doing this to, I don’t know; get on Oprah Winfrey’s show.  I know that I’ve been asked during readings I’ve done, if I was concerned that people will think this, the ‘nuts’ part I mean.  I have to give your readers the same answer: “Just because it may be in my head, doesn’t make it any less real.”  My memories, reactions to those memories are simply that, mine.

So now my anger is gone and I just relished our past and present time together.  The words that were channeled and written down for me helped me a great deal with this.

Have you found peace now that you’ve told your and “Hawk’s” story?

Is your creativity flowing again?

Peace, ahh…, good question.  I’m not searching for him, so that’s a kind of serenity for me. Yes, I have found peace with him or I should say not having him here in this lifetime.  I still ask him questions for his wisdom.  Hah, it never comes as quickly as I would like.  As he has told me, patience is not my virtue, but it needs to be.

Did you always believe in reincarnation or did your experiences convince you? 

This would take much too long to answer, but I’ll give it a shot.  My first recollections of this belief were when I was sitting in church when I was eleven or so.  It made no sense to me what I was hearing, than, I kept asking questions, big believer in that.  I began to read many books on religions and different thoughts.  Some rang true for me and others didn’t.  Bottom line, that’s what each of us, has to decide what rings true for us, not what we’re told to believe.  The odd thing is how many people think if you believe in reincarnation, you must not believe in God.  This is their ignorance and fear coming through.  I wish more people would question their beliefs.  But of course, these are just my thoughts.  I don’t want to sound like I’m preaching, God forbid!

Is your life as Flying Snow Goose the only remembered past life? 

No, but it’s the only one that I wasn’t in search of.  By that, I mean Hawk came to me – not me hunting for reasons or answers to so many questions I had regarding relationships and phobias in this present lifetime.

Will you be writing anymore books along these lines? 

Hard to say, I mostly write plays.  I have a comedy, ‘That Irish Thing’ about two 18th century ghosts who have been with a woman since she was a child.  They think they help her, but – not always the case.  This will be mounted inTaos,NMin October of this year.  I guess you could say that I do write along the lines of the spirits in us and around all of us at times.

What compelled you to move from New York to New Mexico? 

I would have to say, the memories were steering me, even though they weren’t clear yet.

Does your home in Tres Piedras, NM inspire you?

Yes, most certainly.  Mountains, well they are hard to describe.  I live about 24 miles from Taos and I never tire of the drive.  The sky and such, always new to me and the way the light hits those magnificent Mountains, well, you’ll just have to come for a visit.

Thanks for the invite, you never know what’s ahead so that just may happen. 🙂

Do you find more time passing between your “cultural fix” trips back to New York? 

Yes and no, I try to go back every two years but at the moment,Paris seems on my list.  My daughter is there in grad school, so I was there for the Christmas holidays last year and I’ll go back next year, when she graduates.

What’s up next for you?  

I just rented a space in Taos for live performances and it’s where I’ll be mounting my play which, I will be first-time directing.  We’ll also do comedy and jazz nights.

Are you currently reading anything good? 

Believe it or not, I just finish The Old Man and The Sea; yes, as much as I love Hemingway, it was one of his I never read.  Of course, I cried, but than it doesn’t take much.  I’m also reading The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield.  Not a new book, but I actually found it recently and I believe things happen or come to you for a reason.  I’m enjoying it a great deal. 

If you could recommend one book, what would it be? 

My favorite is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.  I recently re-read it.  

Thanks so much for visiting with Manic Readers, Brenda.   It’s been very interesting and I’ve enjoyed it.

Y’all can visit Brenda to find out more about her and her projects.