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Sherrill Bodine & Patricia Rosemoor | What Was Written In Our Stars?
August 28, 2013
Sherrill: When my friend and co-author Patricia Rosemoor and I set out to write WRITTEN IN THE STARS,
our reincarnation epic love story of danger and destiny, we thought about how
destiny had played a role in our lives. Absolutely I believe my destiny was written in my stars from the day I was born. From a very, very young age I knew being the daughter of a woman declared
mentally challenged at birth meant my destiny was to completely accept her as my
mother and be her daughter in all ways. I also knew my destiny was to prove to everyone that my grandparents were right
when they chose to rear my mother exactly as they did all her siblings, although
at that time many children with her challenges were either hidden away or
institutionalized. And they were right to allow my mother to give birth, even
though the male progenitor of the child was unknown and the doctors warned the
baby could have the same challenges or worse. Then I had a keen sense of my own destiny but I wasn't always so steadfast. As
in the case of my husband. Fast forward from my childhood to my seventeenth summer. I grew up in Lafayette, Indiana, where Purdue University is located. Often
college guys dated "townie" girls. John was a blind date in April of my senior
year in high school. I "stood him up" on our first date - but that is another story which will be in
my memoir! It is now August. John and I dated all summer but it had been rocky. I had
seen the worst of men in my role of protecting my mother from predators. I did
not give my trust or my open affection easily - if at all. All summer I had also dated other guys and now that John and I were no longer
seeing one another, I simply kept up that pattern. I had given little thought
to John leaving very soon to go home. When he returned I would be at Indiana
University - having worked 12 hour days selling magazines door to door to pay
for going away to college. I was at the Frozen Custard, our iconic teenage hangout - sitting in the car of
one of the other guys I'd dated all summer. I swear what I am about to tell you is absolutely true. This strange voice in my head said, "It is wrong for you to let John leave. Get
out of the car and go to his fraternity house. He will be there. It is your
destiny to be together." I can still remember the hot fear at that moment. Shaking, I got out of the
car, asked my friend, Pam, to drive me to the fraternity house. Instantly, she
said yes and added when she returned to the Frozen Custard she would be hitting
on my date because he was so hot. I didn't care. I was too frightened by this strange feeling and the odd voice
in my head leading me down a path to change the course of my life. When I arrived at the fraternity house, the great room was deserted, but I
simply stood, knowing John would come. He did. Just as he was meant to do.  Patricia:
From the time I was a kid, my mom would tell me I could be anything, do anything
I wanted. Except I should have a back up plan. And I should be prepared to give
it all up when I got married because that's what my husband would expect. My
answer to her: "Then I'll never get married." She would tell me not to talk
nonsense, of course. Even as a kid I was drawn to anything creative. I was in theater at twelve.
Worked for a local newspaper when I was fifteen. Took classes in television
production the moment I got into college. Got a Masters of Television. Worked as
an educational radio-television producer and was part of a theater company and
did photography back in the days when we printed our black and white photos
ourselves. I knew I was destined to do something creative, something special,
something that wasn't a job but that was who I was. I always knew I was not cut out for that back up plan that Mom insisted I have.
And that I would never get married and live the way someone else expected. Until I met Edward. I was thirty. It was kind of a bizarre first meeting at a girls' camp in Michigan. A work
friend talked me into "camping" on Presidents' Day weekend - in bunkhouses, not
outside. The first person we saw when we entered the mess hall was Edward
wearing his knit cap and Dr. Who scarf wrapped around his neck to keep him warm.
I wasn't impressed. Not then, not when we all rode out in the snow - all
including his eight year old and twelve year old sons. But something weird happened over dinner. He was an artist having to make his
living restoring antiques. His best friend at the Art Institute was a teacher I
had not only worked with, but who was a good friend of mine. His older son was
in theater. I had tried out for a play at their church and if I had gotten the
mother's part, I would have played his son's mother. And Edward had a way about
him-warm and humorous and easy-going. I couldn't imagine him telling anyone how
to live. He won me over. The next week, he called and we dated. Once. I knew he was something special. I swear what I am about to tell you is absolutely true. The next night I had a date with an on again-off again boyfriend who I'd known
for nine years. NINE YEARS! And I felt guilty. I kept thinking of Edward, and
when the evening was done, I told the old boyfriend that this was the last
goodbye. Against all reason, after one date, I KNEW. There wasn't anyone else for me. I
knew my future would be with Edward. And I was right. Edward was my rock, the
person who pushed me to be the best writer I could be, to grab my dream of being
an author with both hands and run with it. Edward was truly my soulmate. He
still is, though he fell victim to a brain tumor several years back. If there is
another life beyond this one, I plan to hook back up with him there. One commenter will win a copy of WRITTEN IN THE STARS
Comments
29 comments posted.
Re: Sherrill Bodine & Patricia Rosemoor | What Was Written In Our Stars?
I can always relate to a story that mentions my home state Michigan! This sounds like a very good read.
(Lynne Pearson 9:58am August 28, 2013)
thanks for this fascinating post and a wonderful peek into
this book.
(Sharon Berger 10:51am August 28, 2013)
So hope I when, this is my favorite Genre mixed with my 2nd favorite!! Thank you for the opportunity!!
(Marcelle Cole 11:09am August 28, 2013)
Good morning, ladies, and good luck to you all :)
(Patricia Rosemoor 11:17am August 28, 2013)
Oh my goodness!!! Destiny is the best. Sometimes I seriously have it happen to
me. It's really, really crazy.
(Jackie R 12:08pm August 28, 2013)
My mom said she knew my dad was the one and told her mother right after meeting him.
(Colleen Conklin 12:31pm August 28, 2013)
The stories you just shared gave me chills! I love hearing about destiny and true love. I would also love to read "Written In The Stars". It sounds like my kind of book!
(Heather Sterner 1:30pm August 28, 2013)
Sounds like a great read!
(Amanda Ray 3:02pm August 28, 2013)
Thank you for this great post and thank you for doing what you do.
(Melanie Backus 3:33pm August 28, 2013)
Sherrill and Patricia, I believe that that one look, one date can be all it takes.
I met my now husband our junior year in high school. We sat near each other
in chemistry and bumped into each other throughout school. His father died
that year and his family moved when school finished. We wrote two or three
times a year, but that is all. No dating, nothing more than casual friends in
school. Seven years later, he is in the Air Force stationed at the same base in
CA as my cousin's husband. I stopped by on my way home in NY State for a
months break after 2 1/2 years in the Peace Corps before going back to finish
the third year. My cousin invited him over for dinner, he took us all out to
dinner the next night, and came by to say good-bye when I left. He stopped
by my family's home for a couple hours on his way to his new assignment.
Five months later, he shows up in the village in the Philippines where I am
assigned and proposes. We never did date before that. I made him wait for
an answer until I got home a few months later and the wedding was delayed
for almost a year because he was sent to Vietnam. However, I don't think
there was ever any doubt in our minds after seeing each other the first time in
seven years that we were meant for each other. 42 years later we are still
going strong and looking forward to many more happy years together.
(Patricia Barraclough 3:56pm August 28, 2013)
Such nice comments from you all, and what an incredible surprise to hear your story Patricia. I just read it to Sherrill over the phone because she's not somewhere she can read it at the moment. Just know I'm smiling. :)
(Patricia Rosemoor 4:28pm August 28, 2013)
I so much enjoyed reading about you both on your blog---how wonderful and exciting. Wishing you both all the best that God has for you. Talk about exciting and thrilling, I do hope I win your book, would love to read it. Thank you so much for this chance to win.
(Esther Somorai 5:11pm August 28, 2013)
My husband and I dated for only 2 months before we were engaged and now have been together for 13 years. I think you just "know when you know"!
(Juli Lear 5:18pm August 28, 2013)
What great stories you have about how you knew who you were meant to be with.
(Maureen Emmons 5:47pm August 28, 2013)
This is all such fun. Sherrill's idea for our blog was a great one.
(Patricia Rosemoor 6:07pm August 28, 2013)
I enjoyed reading both your incredible stories. It seems that intuition lead you in the right direction. Written in the Stars sounds like an incredible book. I wish it was in print format (I don't have an e-reader). Is this a first for each of you writing a book together?
(Linda Luinstra 6:18pm August 28, 2013)
Hi, Linda -- it's the first book we wrote together, but we each have substantial backlist. You don't need a reader to read it. Amazon will let you read it "in the cloud," meaning on your computer. You can also download a Kindle App for your desktop if you prefer that.
(Patricia Rosemoor 6:58pm August 28, 2013)
Cool stories. I wish my brother would have something like that happen to him. He needs a good kick in the pants. I shouldn't talk. He is at least dating.
(Laura Gullickson 7:08pm August 28, 2013)
Sherrill and Patricia, I loved reading both of your posts! I believe in destiny,
also. My husband and I have known each other for nearly 23 years, but I
knew from the start that he was the man I would be with for the rest of my
life. I looked up the plot of your book, and it sounds fascinating! Thanks for
the chance to win!!!
(Linda Brennan 7:36pm August 28, 2013)
I love your stories, and I hope that I can find someone like that someday. :)
(Nicole Swirsley 8:23pm August 28, 2013)
I love the the idea of Destiny. To be frank, I saw the title Written in the Star and automatically, I was thinking of Aida, the musical. Yes, there is a song written by Elton John, "Written in the Star" in the musical. It's one of my favorite song.
(Kai Wong 8:45pm August 28, 2013)
Kai -- I saw Aida in Chicago before it went to Broadway. I don't, however, remember the song. Now I'm going to have to go find it and listen to it :)
Great how many of you believe in destiny & that you've experienced it. I hope everyone gets to at least once in her life.
(Patricia Rosemoor 9:12pm August 28, 2013)
Yes I believe in destiny it can be so compelling.
(Bonnie Capuano 9:12pm August 28, 2013)
I just love when you know, without a doubt, that an encounter is so right, so profound.
(Karen Blossom 9:28pm August 28, 2013)
Loved reading your "absolutely true stories".
(Sheila True 10:01pm August 28, 2013)
Wow, Congrats on your new book: WRITTEN IN THE STARS. Yes, I
too believe that danger and destiny and fate can play a big
role in our love life. Congrats to both of You with the new
book and it sounds like a fantastic book to win and read
this summer. Thank You very much. Cecilia CECE
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 10:15pm August 28, 2013)
Thanks for the peek into your lives. I love time travel and reincarnation stories. I'm looking forward to reading yours.
(Amy Kincade 11:05pm August 28, 2013)
Thank you all soooooo much for sharing YOUR stories with us!!! Truly LOVED writing this book and hope you all enjoy reading it!!!
xo sherrill
(Sherrill Bodine 11:20am August 29, 2013)
Thank you for sharing such a personal story.
(Mary Preston 9:58pm August 29, 2013)
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