When I first started wandering from creative blog to creative blog, I was struck by how often SARK’s books were recommended. Eventually I bought one and at first I worried that, since they were so heavily illustrated and written in coloured inks, they would be more style than substance, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The self-named Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy (aka SARK) has written and illustrated fifteen books, including Succulent Wild Woman, Eat Mangoes Naked and A Creative Companion. Her latest, Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper is subtitled “Gifting the world with your words and stories and creating the time and energy to actually do it.”
As glorious to look at as SARK’s other books, it’s about being a writer and the power of stories. In SARK’s own words, the book is for “Word adventurers. Story gulpers. People who love books. And anybody who feels drawn to express, play and explore life.” It’s about finding the time to write and getting the support of others (including other writers). It’s about sharing what’s in your heart and getting it down on paper. Like all of SARK’s books, it’s predominantly about being kind to yourself.
This book is so full of inspiration that I began marking the pages I wanted to rip out and frame, the messages I wanted to send to friends, and the paragraphs I wanted to make sure to re-read, but I had to stop because I was marking practically every page. If I had to pick just one quote, though, I think this is my favourite (I get a catch in my chest every time I read it):
You dare … to write your life. You dare to be viewed and projected upon as wildly successful and ingenious. To write yourself open. To write through the closures and scars and insecurities and sometimes loud voices that repeatedly say: How Dare You? and answer just as profoundly This Is How I Dare.
Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper is probably my favourite of SARK’s books, which is saying something. Highly recommended.
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