Greetings subscribers! First, thank you for subscribing to my blog. Out of the thousands of blogs on the internet, something caught your attention here, so I appreciate your interest. Since I don’t know all of you personally, I’m not sure why you’ve subscribed, but I’m curious. If you want to leave a comment below explaining why you signed up, go for it. At present, there are about 200 of you!
Or if you prefer to be more private, send me a message through the Contact page here. I’d be delighted to hear from you.
Change: the name of the game
They say that the only thing that stays the same is change. Or something like that. So, after you read this post, you may want to make a change and unsubscribe. Why?
If you signed up because you hope I’ll write more posts about cults, fundamentalism, or The Way International, I will no longer be doing that.
If you’re interested in my many pervious posts on those topics, you can navigate to the top of any page on my website, click “Blog,” and select them from the drop-down list.
So, whether or not you are a former follower (or current one) of The Way International, please know I’ve said everything I want to say about that in Undertow and in previous blog posts here on my website, and in a YouTube video of my presentation, “A Cult Insider’s Story.”
A little background
In 2015 I launched my website and started this blog. Posts at that time fell into these categories: Cults, Curiosities, Fundamentalism, My Writing Life, On My Mind, Writing Undertow, Travels. As I said, you can see those listed in the drop-down box. Back then (eight years ago already, can you believe that!?), I wrote and published a post for this blog practically every week, then not-so-weekly, AND during that time I published two books: my cult memoir, Undertow (2017) and From the Porch to the Page: A Guidebook for the Writing Life (2022).
Both books are available from major booksellers in paperback and eBook, and from independent bookstores and in libraries. You can read the books’ descriptions on my website. Click “Books” on the navigation bar.
Onward
What will I write posts about now? Mainly topics related to writing or to travelling or that fit under “On My Mind” or “Curiosities.” [Note: after this post came out, my friend, Nylda, asked in a comment]
Re: travel posts—with my husband, Hoyt Edge, I’ve visited about 25 countries. You can read about some of them in travel blogs I have written already. Theyhich include lots of colorful and interesting photographs, too. Here’s a sample from a post about our trip to Ireland.
Again, thanks for your support over the years. I’m a lucky writer to have such a lovely readership!
Thanks for reading!
Your writer on the wing,
Charlene
John+Arnett
You’re one my friends, and I find many of your blogs interesting. I, of course, have my own “cult” story, but it’s always good to move on even though the past continues to affect how we choose to engage with the world.
Charlene
I appreciate your kindness!
Tina Meekins
Hi, “Undertow” helped me heal from my own Way experiences. I was 15th corps. That’s how i found your blog 🙂 . Thankyou! Been out maybe 11 years now and it’s been a journey reclaiming my life and identity. You book was instrumental in helping me. thankyou. Tina
Charlene L. Edge
Oh, thank you for telling me this, Tina. I’m grateful my story helped you in some way and hope you continue on that great journey we’re all on as we grow!
Nylda Dieppa
I love your well crafted and thoughtful writing and hope you continue writing about Curiosities and anything else churning in your mind!
Charlene L. Edge
Thanks, Nylda. I hear ya! Will include stuff that captures my imagination.
Charlene
Thanks, will do that!
Billy
I doubt if I will be attracted much to travelling, or even writing. It is interesting to read some things about writing by one of my favorite trauma authors, but that is because she hits home on what she posts about trauma recovery. Of course trauma stuff doesn’t have to be about the Way to hold my interest. All this doesn’t mean I won’t read your posts to get the flavor about how a friend is doing, so I don’t plan on unsubscribing for now.
Charlene L. Edge
Thanks, Billy. I guess I’ll keep up with some topics that fit under “Curiosities” as well, so you may find some of them to your liking.
Roz
Miss seeing you but love keeping up with your writing. Always so interesting.
Charlene
Thanks, Roz.
Kathleen Brandt
It’s true I first became interested in your blog because of our shared past, but one thing I liked about it right away was that you didn’t seem fixated on TWI and wrote about other things as well. Continuing in that direction seems like a great idea.
Charlene
Glad to hear that. Thanks, Kathleen.