Meet the Author: Maria Blon
Welcome to the first post in our new “Meet the Author” series, where we chat with local authors about their books, reading habits, and more!
This week, we spoke with Maria Blon, author of three books, including Living Passionately: 21 People who found their purpose and how you can too (2014), Hearts Blooming through intuitive mentoring (2021), and Haiku Journey (2022).
Maria Blon is an intuitive author and mentor, who helps writers and creatives feel safe and confident sharing their gifts. She began her professional life as a math and yoga teacher at the college level, using hands-on, interactive learning techniques and reflective writing. (You may have also seen her around the bookstore, offering poetry and writing workshops.) All funds raised by Hearts Blooming are donated directly to the HEART in Haiti School, which was started by her family in 2010.
Describe your book in 25 words or less.
Hearts Blooming through intuitive mentoring is about transforming challenging situations with yourself and others into learning opportunities for all involved.
What inspired you to write this book?
I mentored three young adults with special gifts, which could be really challenging at times. Writing about how I was feeling, plus what was and was not happening, helped me to find solutions to challenges, process my emotions and to witness progress made over a long period of time. I love sharing my learning to help readers build better relationships with themselves and others.
Tell us a little about the book writing process.
The book was written over three years, when I journaled about what was happening. I worked with two editors who helped me narrow the book down to the stories readers would most relate to. I then wrote Hearts Blooming Tools to guide readers to apply the lessons to their lives. A few months before publishing, I was invited to a Writing Circle, whose members have been my greatest supporters and inspiration to keep writing. When I am not sure how to move forward in some part of the book writing process, I have a team of friends, family and professionals who help me with next steps.
What do you do for fun when you're not writing?
I love gardening, reading, plus spending time in nature walking, swimming or cross country skiing. I am continually creating and doing new things.
What's the next project you're working on?
I am writing a collaborative book called HEARTs Unite: from vision to reality, a school system is built in Haiti, about the school our family and friends started in 2010, after the devastating earthquake.
What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Writing can be a solitary activity, so having support through the process is really important. Joining a writing circle, asking encouraging friends to read your work and celebrate your successes, plus scheduling time to write on a regular basis are all really important. Sometimes as writers, we can doubt ourselves and the sooner we notice this doubt showing up and reach out for guidance the better you will be able to move forward towards your goal.
What are you currently reading?
Change Your Questions, Change Your Life, by Marilee Adams, which I purchased at Well Worn Books :)
Tell us about one of your favorite books or a book that changed your life.
The Witch of Portobello
Do you have a favorite quote from a book?
"Athena is a young woman who tries to fill the spaces, the silences in her life. The more she tries to fill them the more dissatisfied she becomes. Until she learns that it is the silences between the notes that make the music so powerful. When she learns to embrace the silence, the spaces, she finds a power an energy." —Paul Cohelo, The Witch of Portobello
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Paul Cohello
If you enjoyed this interview and would like to learn more about Maria Blon and her work, you can find her online at heartsblooming.org, or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
All three of her books (Hearts Blooming, Living Passionately, and Haiku Journey) are currently available in store.