Dr. Heather Friedman Rivera’s creative writing journey, Part Two

Thank you for returning to read the rest of Dr. Heather Friedman Rivera’s story. I’m so pleased she offered to write a guest post here on Choices.

In Part Two she relates how she wrote Quiet Water, the first novel in her Golden Raven Series trilogy. Part One was posted on January 22.

Part Two

The Writing of Quiet Water and the Golden Raven Series

The following week in Dr. Miles’ class just as usual she started with a guided meditation. When I relaxed into meditation I saw an image of a woman sitting on a curb. This woman started talking to me. She said her name was Tess Whitaker and she just moved to the apartment she was sitting in front of. I was surprised by what I was being shown but I told myself to just allow the images and words to come. I wrote quickly what she related to me and then over the next six months she spoke to me daily telling me her story. Some days I could not type fast enough. Quiet Water was born.

I finished the book and it was published in September 2013. I thought I was done with this project. One afternoon, as I was taking the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood, Tess started talking again, Well don’t you want to know what happens next? she said. For the rest of the walk she told me the beginning of the second book of what is now part of the Golden Raven Series. Book Two is called Maiden Flight and will be released summer 2014. I am currently working on Book Three, Pocket of Thyme. I think that the story will be complete after this one. But I guess Tess will tell me if I’m mistaken.

Writing the Golden Raven Series has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. Creative writing is wonderfully freeing and a beautiful way to spend a day. I love finding new cafes to write at or traveling to where Tess directs me. I’ve seen Vancouver, Catalina Island and Taos, New Mexico through fresh eyes . . . the eyes of Tess. Not only has she opened up a new world for me but through this process I found healing. Situations that were unresolved in my current life somehow solved themselves in Tess’ world. I was able to see other’s points of views as they played out in the books. Of course this is Tess’ story but there is a bit of me and many other readers in her. Her trials, struggles and triumphs are something many of us can identify with.

After I realized the healing power of writing fiction I began holding writing workshops in addition to my past life regression workshops. Writing in of itself is cathartic. We can purge our deepest fears, hurts and disappointments onto the page and then rip it up in bits or burn it, releasing the energy to the ether. But there may be times where even writing it out as our self may be too revealing and fiction can help. In fiction, we have a character to try out scenarios and work out issues. We not only are safe behind the monitor or paper, we have another layer between our feelings and the words our character. As our character works through the dilemma the energy reaches back to us and slowly and gently helps to heal us.

Fiction is not only healing for the writer but for the reader too. A reader can see how a situation will work out before trying it herself or travel to exotic lands or even skydive from the safety of his/her living room. We can experience emotions, make conclusions and come to insights through our protagonist’s journey. I’m very grateful to my protagonist, Tess, for sharing her journey and giving me the freedom to explore her world.

About Dr. Heather Rivera

Dr. Heather Friedman Rivera obtained her Ph.D. in Parapsychic Science in 2011, her Doctorate in Law in 2002 and is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist specializing in Past-life Regression.  She trained with Dr. Brian Weiss at The Weiss Institute. Rivera is also a Registered Nurse with over 20 years of experience. Heather is an adjunct faculty member for AIHT and she and PLR institute provide dissertation mentoring for the students. She was recently asked to be a reviewer for the Journal of Regression Therapy. Heather and her husband Mark have founded an organization for advancing past life research, PLR Institute, at www.plrinstitute.org. Her personal history with chronic illnesses prompted her to publish several articles on managing chronic illness, evaluating nutritional supplements, and utilizing holistic health approaches. She authored a book on her recent research and her journey of healing from past life regression. Her book Healing the Present from the Past: The Personal Journey of a Past Life Researcher was released Jan. 1, 2013 She has an article on her research that is available for viewing in the Journal of Regression Therapy Vol XXI, Number 1, March 2012.  Her second book, Quiet Water a past life novel, was released September, 2013. Quiet Water is Book One of the Golden Raven Series. Maiden Flight, Book Two will be released summer 2014.

She lives in Southern California with her husband, Kala (a Puggle), Kiki (a neurotic Chihuahua) and Danzy (a black cat) who believes he helps Rivera write.

Quiet Water is available for purchase at www.amazon.com and www.bn.com. For more information on Dr. Heather Rivera, her research and her research institute, please visit: www.heatherrivera.com and www.plrinstitute.com.