Kathy Ashby

Q. Thanks for interviewing with us. Tell everyone who you are and what you do?

A. I am an artist of all mediums. I knew this when I was about 5 years old. I am a retired glass blower. Now, I sculpt, paint, play music and I write stories, articles and poetry.

Q. How was your experience being in the “Be You” book?

A. The Covid Pandemic put a monkey wrench in the experience. It is always exciting to have a story accepted, in Chicken Soup for the Soul (my third one so far). It is a well-respected publishing house. The launch date was postponed from May 12, 2020, to April 20, 2021. The first thing you learn about being a writer, whether waiting to hear from a publisher or for a book launch is how to be very patient. On another note, I am happy my story, ‘A Man’s Profession’ got a lot of reaction

especially locally in newspapers and social media. Women were happy to share the idea that things have changed for the better. Not all professions welcomed women in the old days. Feminism was real, hard-fought for and needed to happen to open men’s eyes and shake up the good-old-boy traditions. This may be a surprise for younger women. Do they take the freedom to choose a traditionally male job for granted? Maybe. The world is a better place and more productive when anyone can be who they want to be and work at a job because that is what they want to do and are good at it. Can women lose that? History has proved this to be the case. Think of Pythagoras c 500 AD, opening a school in Crotona where women and men were equally permitted into the ‘Esoteric’ circle, and then again in the 18th Century, the age of Enlightenment where the western women could be highly educated and publish her writings. What happened? Think of ‘keep barefoot and pregnant’. Women must strive to protect the liberties we have in the western world and spread the force. In 2009, the Dali Lama said, “The world will be saved by the Western woman.”

Q. What or who motivated you to be a writer?

A. Hearing that my dad was very ill threw me into a panic. He was

"Women possess power, but it is power that has yet to be seized, ignited, and released."

the storyteller in the family, and I lamented the fact that the family stories would end, so, I started to write down the things I remembered. It poured out of me, one tale after the other. My dad recovered long enough to hear that I was a writer and he read several of my published pieces. I remember him saying, “I’m very proud of you”. It still makes me tingle to think about it.

Q. Let’s talk about your book “Carol A Woman’s Way” and the motivation behind the book?

A. I was horrified to hear chainsaws at the back of my property. A trail-cutting crew was clearing old growth forest for a snowmobile trail. This started a battle to stop the ‘yahoo’ invasion (i.e., 3,000 snowmobiles going by on a Saturday). My family lost. The loss was painful, emotionally and financially, although in the ending of the book we “win”. Pre-reviewers, publisher and critics wanted a happy ending so it had a happy ending. Nevertheless, I thought the experience was important for people to hear and gain insight: What to do and what not to do. I also delved into the unique aspect of feminine activism, using the ups and downs of female cycles, strengths and weaknesses and introduced the idea of women friends in sync. (A topic first studied by Martha McClintock of Chicago University). This a theme, that I further explored, and it runs

through the book, (seven cycles, seven waves, hence seven strong times when to do battle) to explain the power women have. PMS times at the beginning of the each female cycle (urges) when there is a need to do something, to act, the body and mind working as one. It is a force within a woman’s body, which is preparing for life. Women’s collective energy at this time is the most supreme force on the planet.

Q. How was your experience being chosen to participate on the “We Wise Woman”?

A. I am grateful. This was an honor I never expected. I was insecure about my book theme in Carol “A woman’s Way”. I made it a sub-plot. I worried about the reaction. Somedays though, I thought to myself, someday probably long after I’m dead someone will study it at the PHD level and actually get it. Then, miracle of miracles, a woman, named Tryphena McShane gave a review of my book just after it came out. It was a very busy time, but low point in my life. Her review was fantastic. I hugged myself around the computer reading it for the first time and felt a cloak of warmth surround me. It was positive, emotional, raw and fearless about the theme. Not only did she get it, she said, that she got it! She said she cried with gratitude. Wow. She invited me to be on the website “We Wise Women” see full review attached.

Q. What advice can you give to the next generation of women leaders?

A. This quote is worth repeating. In 2009, His Holiness, The Dalai Lama stated that, “The World will be saved by the Western Woman”. From the We Wise Women website it stated: “We Wise Women” recognizes that the Dalai Lama is talking about us and our time NOW. The largest group of midlife women the world has ever seen is awakening at this critical time for the evolution of the planet. Carol Shields said, “Women possess power, but it is power that has yet to be seized, ignited, and released”.

Q. What books inspired you in your career?

A. I love the stories of Robin Hood, the writing of Voltaire and the poetry of Alexander Pope and I too want to write great hero stories, create philosophy and be insightful with poems that help us understand our humanity. My new poet to admire is Amanda Gorman. Her poem and presentation of “The Hill We Climb” and bubble up possibilities over visual obstacles was so very real and ground breaking.

Q. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A. We miss our son and his fiancé and our two grandchildren in Calgary, Alberta. I wish for a time when it is safe again. I also hope to save and then can afford Hawaii. They say it is beautiful.

Q. Are you working on any new events or upcoming projects?

A. I am writing poems, painting, learning to speak French and Croatian and enjoying nature and being on the land outside as much as I can be in all seasons. Every day I am still in the battle to save the planet by phone calls, letters to the Editor, Emails to politicians, and talking to friends and also on the radio, TV and social media. Young women will take up the fight and older women, Crones will guide them.

Q. Where can thereaders follow you?

A. I occasionally blog, post on Twitter and Instagram.