Drawing from life’s experiences
The early months of my retirement were anything but relaxing. The advent of Covid-19 meant a lengthy sequestering period during which I developed a severe case of anxiety.
I couldn’t sleep and felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness.
I wanted desperately to escape such a dark situation but wasn’t sure how.
On the way to recovery
With the help of some meds prescribed by my doctor and sage advice from family and friends, I was able to begin the recovery process.
I joined a running club that provided much more than a recreational outlet.
Like many who suffered through the pandemic, I rediscovered the importance of reaching out for help. The collective spirit generated from a like-minded group lending support is essential to getting back to a healthful state.
Writing as a catharsis
It stirred something that was missing from within. I needed to get back to what I loved: working with the printed word.
I was able to write once again, something that I wasn’t sure would happen. For me, writing provides a sense of purpose, an outlet to express deeply rooted thoughts and emotions.
Thus, the short stories that make up my third book, Adversity’s Early light, are filaments of my soul.
Two for the Seesaw can be purchased at billheitland.com
My first book, Two for the Seesaw, is what I would call a fictitious memoir. Much of it is drawn from episodes in my life or the lives of friends, but names and places have been changed to land the book in the genre of fiction. It depicts a boy whose father uses baseball as a way to lift his son out of the crushing weight of loneliness. As his father takes his last breath, the son realizes how he wants to spend the rest of his life. His career as a journalist is successful yet not complete. The same can be said of his marriage, which is teetering on the brink of disaster. But an essay penned by his son brings things into a sharper focus and galvanizes the family into becoming whole once again.
The second book, Chance Evers, is a novel based on the lives of brothers I accompanied to St. Sebastian, Florida to uncover buried treasure in the oceanic depths. Their relentless spirit for adventure and discovery was infectious. The knowledge I picked up during the two-week experience provided the impetus for penning a novel.