Welcome to the Official Website of Patricia Adams Farmer
Welcome Readers and Friends! Vincent van Gogh once wrote to his brother, "I dream of painting and then I paint my dream." I wonder if he thought of this while painting his sumptuous purple Irises. His Sunflowers? His Starry Night? Eve van Gelder, a Dutch-born character in my novel, The Metaphor Maker, surely thinks of this as she sips her morning tea at the "Van Gogh table" of her seaside tea and bookshop. Enter, Madeline Prescott—idealist, social activist, grieving sister—seeking refuge from the scorching realities of the day. In the shelter of Eve's shop, Madeline's own dreams take on color, light, and even spiritual significance. The setting: Southern California. The year: 1968. The stakes: to find "a metaphor to live by," or to give up hope altogether. To stop seeking a better world. To stop dreaming. To stop expanding one's soul. In a word, to shrivel. But shriveling is not in Madeline's character.
It's not in my character either, especially when it comes to dreams. Six years ago, after the publication of Embracing a Beautiful God, I stood looking at a blank canvas with a restless yearning to create something completely new. A colorful picture was already forming in my head—redheaded character and all. I dreamed of writing a novel set in 1968, with all the drama, angst, inspiration, tragedy—and even comedy—that was the late Sixties. I dreamed of painting this world with the variegated colors of my background: philosophy, process theology, history, and the arts. A little daunting—not to mention, highly impractical, given my busy teaching schedule. But the choice was this: to write the novel or to write the novel. Really, when you're compelled to paint your dream, you don't fall back on more practical choices. You just do it, no matter what.
And I'm still painting—painting my dream. This time, I'm writing a present-day sequel to The Metaphor Maker as an on-line serial novel. For me, writing weekly installments of Fat Soul Fridays is like taking a happiness pill, so I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I wish for you, readers and friends, this same kind of happiness: Paint your dream, no matter how impractical it may be. And may my characters inspire you, challenge you, and entertain you along the way. Blessings and Peace,
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