The Possibility Box

What positive messages appeared to you today?

Source of Inspiration: Sue Shanahan

images © Sue Shanahan. All rights reserved. www.sueshanahan.com

images © Sue Shanahan. All rights reserved. www.sueshanahan.com

As an aspiring author writing about the roles of inspirational messages and serendipity in helping me to write my first book, The Possibility Book, I am still astonished about connecting with artist and writer Sue Shanahan, whose heart-warming portraits are featured here.

We share a few uncanny things in common. For starters, her artistry revolves around positive messages; she weaves a love of reading and books into some of her material; and she has written about coincidences.

But there’s even more to it than that.

images © Sue Shanahan. All rights reserved. www.sueshanahan.com

images © Sue Shanahan. All rights reserved. www.sueshanahan.com

Back when my web designer and I were launching the Possibility Box, he suggested that I sign up for Google Alerts on topics relevant to the site.

“Seek and you shall find” has never been more true than in the era of Google.

Every day the alerts pile up in my already crowded email in-box. They don’t always contain interesting info. Sometimes I delete them before opening. But one day, I happened to open and read the Google Alert with this story from Sue in The Huffington Post:

Coincidences: We Are Never Alone

It caught my attention because she wrote about reading a book about coincidence by Squire Rushnell. I also read a book by Mr. Rushnell, When God Winks at Youa while ago.

Not only that, but she also wrote about reading the book on Martha’s Vineyard, which made me go “Whoa!” because Martha’s Vineyard is the setting for another book about serendipity that has been influential on my aspiring author journey, Hitchhiking with Larry David, in which author Paul Samuel Dolman describes chance encounters on Martha’s Vineyard with Larry David (of “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” fame). There are more layers to this backstory, as well as another story about why Martha’s Vineyard seems to me like a sort of epicenter for serendipity.

Then I saw Sue’s artwork, especially Dreams Begin in Books and Book Worm, and recognizing so many connections on so many levels, knew I had to reach out to her. We began corresponding and she has been a source of inspiration, not only through her artistry, but also through emails and comments encouraging me to keep going, to keep writing.

I hope Sue Shanahan’s artwork might inspire, comfort and encourage your creative spirit as much as it has mine. Her

images © Sue Shanahan. All rights reserved. www.sueshanahan.com

images © Sue Shanahan. All rights reserved. www.sueshanahan.com

portraits are available for purchase on her Etsy store and her children’s book, Glory in the Morning, especially lovely for fans of fairies, is available for the iPad.

The world needs more creators like Sue Shanahan who illuminate the beauty in the world.

As they say, within challenges reside opportunity. Coming soon… more about that… and…

An Aspiring Author’s Perspective on Why the Publishing Biz Both Inspires and Irks Me

Catch the details here or via Occasional Positive Message emails.

Where are you finding inspiration? Feel free to share with me at michele at possibilitybox.com