Irmgarde Brown

Sister Jane was awarded Best Books of 2021 INDIE by Kirkus Reviews
Harford County Living named Irmgarde Brown, Artist of the Week Jan 24, 2023
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Contextual Moments Blog

Who are the Orphans?

Who are the Orphans?
by Irmgarde Brown

I am an orphan. But then, most people my age are. It’s the natural flow of life, children outlive their parents, and the baton is passed.  

My father died when I was nine and apparently, in that moment, I became a “single orphan.” I didn’t know I had a label, but I certainly knew what it was like to be raised by a single mother. In some ways, it was for the best. My father was twenty-five years older than my mother, and I believe the speed of change for a non-English speaking older gentleman would have become more challenging than bearable. It was hard enough for mother to keep up, but she did keep up until 2004, dying at ninety-one.  

Circle of Awareness

Circle of Awareness
by Irmgarde Brown
                Some years ago, my friend Nancy owned a beautiful home whose interior was decorated in the most amazing way. As far as I know, no professional designer did this work. Instead, it was Nancy herself, a lover and collector of art who had fashioned a feast for the eyes. No matter where I stood in her house, wherever I looked, something beautiful or intriguing filled my gaze. Sometimes it was a painting, but it could be a set of vases or a small figurine or sculpture, or perhaps a platter she had hand-carried from Italy. And there were family photos too, but expertly framed and perfectly placed to capture the eye and experience her family of love. With everything that she placed around the rooms, she invited guests to notice—to be aware of the surroundings, to see beauty.

Elizabeth Gilbert and Me

Elizabeth Gilbert and Me
by Irmgarde Brown
I may regret stepping into the mire of Elizabeth Gilbert’s most recent debacle over the delayed (or indefinitely suspended) release of her latest book, “The Snow Forest,” that was slated for the spring of 2024. My understanding is that the book is a family saga set in the 1930’s in Siberia, a far cry from the Western border of modern-day Russia where hell is being poured upon the Ukrainian people. And yet, because of indiscriminate “review bombs,” Ms. Gilbert has felt impelled to pull her book amidst the controversy.

Doors and Liminal Space

Doors and Liminal Space
by Irmgarde Brown
The other day, a photographer friend posted a series of door photographs from around town on his Facebook page. They were all in black and white and very moving. I remembered then that I, too, have photographed doors over the years, but rarely with any deep meaning or conscious intent. Certainly, I must have intuited how they can symbolize possibilities or new beginnings. But up until recent years, I haven’t embraced their potential for deeper significance.

I have since learned that there is a moment in between as one passes through a door, leaving one place and entering the next. It’s called liminal space, a period of transition. It's a gap, and it can be physical (like a doorway), emotional (like a divorce or widowhood) or metaphorical (like a decision).

In the Silence

In the Silence
by Irmgarde Brown

What happens in the silence?

Back in my acting school days, we were often encouraged to dwell in the small silences between sentences—to not feel compelled to speak straight through, but to allow the character to think, to consider, to ruminate, if you will. And then going even further back, I remember a one-act play, actually a “sketch”, by the avant-garde playwright, Harold Pinter, in which silences were a key aspect. Of course, the two characters were both in midlife and I was in my twenties; what did I know of broken marriages and broken lives where silence reigned? That would come much later.

An Author Posse

An Author Posse
by Irmgarde Brown
My adult son has a group of friends he started with back in middle school. We call them the posse. They laugh together, they hang together, they support each other, and yes, they get in trouble together. I thought they’d split up after marriage, or parenthood, or girlfriends, or out-of-town jobs. But no, they’re still together after fifteen years. I’m looking for an author posse. Granted, I can write alone, but the rest of it? I need a gang.

The Path to Healing

The Path to Healing
by Irmgarde Brown
Certainly, Sister Jane (and its companion novella, Sister Jane’s Lenten Journal) examines healing in a variety of ways: physical, emotional, and spiritual. In the last several months, I have been struggling with another kind of pain that requires healing—organizational trauma.  

Opposite of Faith is Not Doubt, but Certitude

Opposite of Faith is Not Doubt, but Certitude
by Irmgarde Brown
Other people have known this. I just heard it for the first time last week at my Symposium as part of the School for Action and Contemplation. And once I heard it, I knew I needed to ponder it. At the time, I assumed the phrase was original to Richard Rohr, but a quick Google search seems to give Anne Lamott the attribution, although she uses the term, "certainty." Same thing. Although Rohr's use of "certitude" has more flair. All good. I like Lamott too. 

Why a Lenten Journal

Why a Lenten Journal
by Irmgarde Brown

I don’t remember when I became intrigued by the church calendar. Certainly not while I was active in Charismatic and Evangelical churches, where the only calendars celebrated were Christmas and Easter week. At my Methodist church, we acknowledged Advent with the lighting of candles on a huge wreath (3 purple and 1 pink) but they didn’t have much meaning for me. When my late husband and I adopted our children (aged 4 & 5), we had a variety of Advent calendars, one with tiny books that told the Christmas story and two others that involved daily chocolate. I don’t think I need to say which calendars were the most popular.

Best of 2021 But It's 2022

Best of 2021 But It's 2022
by Irmgarde Brown
It was a great day, December 15, 2021. Kirkus published their list of “Best of Books for 2021,” specifically for Indie authors (that can mean anything from self-published authors to Small Press authors – like me), and there was Sister Jane, front and center. Hurrah!

Writing a Story is Like Going on a Date

Writing a Story is Like Going on a Date
by Irmgarde Brown
So says little known Indian author, Pawan Mishra. But I’m thinking he has a point as I ponder my own style. Here’s the truth: when an idea drops into my mind, it pours out of me like water from a bucket. Let me explain...

Looking Through the Fog

Looking Through the Fog
by Irmgarde Brown

I have now had several opportunities to chat with people who have read my book and I am gratified when they pick up on one of the core themes that is underneath the "miracle" story: self-discovery. Jane Freedle had no idea who she really was by the time of her husband's death. For most of her life, she had been under the thumb of two men in her life, her father and then her husband. 

What the? Time is Flying!

What the? Time is Flying!
by Irmgarde Brown
Here's what's new:
  • Sister Jane received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. 
  • Sister Jane is now available in four major library systems in Maryland (Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, and Cecil). More to come. 
  • I have made several personal appearances and I have half a dozen book club appearances in the next two months. 
  • My book is available in several locations in town and I've had people yelling from across a street, "Irm, I LOVE your book!" It's quite humbling. 
  • Last week, I recorded my first podcast interview which will air Sept 13th. 

Launch Party Success!

Launch Party Success!
by Irmgarde Brown
What a wonderful day at the Launch Party. Thanks to all friends and families who made this event such a success. The Price House was a perfect venue for the party as it represents some of the most beautiful Victorian homes in the area. And although Sister Jane does not take place "exactly" in our lovely city, there are many similarities. The biggest laugh of the day came when someone asked me if any of the characters in my book were based on "real people" and I answered, "Everyone!" Streaming event was recorded (fast forward recommended - LOL)  https://youtu.be/UUilOzrg-bw
 

What a Character!

What a Character!
by Irmgarde Brown

               Quite a few “characters” have floated in and out of my life. I’m sure you could say the same. They are the colorful bits; they are the ones we remember for a long time.

                Charlie rented one of our rooms on Park Avenue when I was a child. He had what I now know was a trigger finger, his ring finger, on his right hand. He was a heavy smoker and spent a lot of time hanging out on our porch. Gruff and grizzly, most of the time, he indulged a 2nd grader who had lots and lots of questions. And then he was gone.

Genres. Who Needs Them? Do You?

Genres. Who Needs Them? Do You?
by Irmgarde Brown

We are in a culture of labels.

We label people and attitudes and houses and neighborhoods and cities. And of course, books. In some cases, I’m aware that labels can be helpful. I certainly appreciate finding the right size clothing and I confess, if I’m at the used clothing store, I gravitate to familiar labels/brands. I’m glad that foods are labeled with nutrition facts and whether they are spicey. I’m grateful for the “skull & crossbones” to warn me of poisons and toxic materials.

But honestly, haven’t we taken this labeling a bit too far?

Miracles as Viral News

Miracles as Viral News
by Irmgarde Brown
I wonder, if you read in the newspaper or heard on the nightly news about a woman who was working miracles, would you believe it? Would it matter which newspaper or television network carried the story? What if your friend told you about it? What if someone you knew had a miraculous healing? What would it take for you to believe?

Is This Book About Me?

Is This Book About Me?
by Irmgarde Brown

When I give my little “elevator” speech about Sister Jane, I feel compelled to mention that she is, a) an older woman and b) grew up in a small town.

One friend immediately asked me, “what’s older?” I’m afraid to answer that. I know, whether I like it or not, that I am considered older. My worst birthday year was not when I turned fifty, but fify-five. At that point (although I think this category has since changed), I would be in the great miasma of fifty-five and up. I would be in that last check box. Now, if that doesn’t make a poor girl feel old, I don’t know what does. I’m curious what you all think? And although the last check box has changed, I’ve managed to grow into that one as well.

 

How Sister Jane, The Book, Was Born

How Sister Jane, The Book, Was Born
by Irmgarde Brown
Which way is the best way to write and publish a book? How many versions of a book are started and cast aside? And why write a book instead of a short story or a magazine article or a blog post? These are just three of many questions that writers and wannabe writers face as we look at the blank screen. 

We read memoirs and articles about writers - we want to be inspired. We attend conferences and subscribe to writer's magazines - we want to be encouraged. We talk about writing, a lot!