I thought, wow! The butterfly has to imagine what’s on the other side of the chrysalis, or butterfly cocoon, before it can actually break through to the other side. It really parallels the lives of people. So often we get stuck thinking the life we are living is the only life we can have. What if we were able to imagine the life of our dreams? We would first have to “think outside the chrysalis.”

Trish Ahjel Roberts – 12 October 2020

The Back Flap

As the world manages the devastation and unrest created by COVID-19 and ongoing police brutality, Trish Ahjel Roberts carefully weaves her own story of trauma and redemption into a revolutionary path of joy and fulfillment that any woman can embrace. She skillfully draws on the butterfly’s story of transformation and blends it with her own, sharing each chapter as a drop of life-affirming nectar. When combined, her 12-drop approach is a revelation for personal and spiritual development. This book uses real-life experiences, along with Buddhist and yogic philosophies to shine light on the freedom awaiting outside the chrysalis.

About the book

What is the book about?

Thinking Outside the Chrysalis: A Black Woman’s Guide to Spreading Her Wings is a self-help memoir about the lessons I’ve learned from studying Buddhism, yoga and the school of hard knocks. It’s designed to help people live a more joyful and fulfilling life even if they’re already happy. We should all be on a path of evolution and personal development. This book is designed to help you along your life’s journey. Anyone can benefit from it, but it’s particularly impactful if you are facing any type of transition.

When did you start writing the book?

I started working on it in September 2019. I remember telling a friend the book was all in my head and I would write it over Labor Day Weekend. That was a pretty crazy thing to say. It took a lot longer than a weekend. Sometimes I think writers have to be a little nuts to do what we do.

How long did it take you to write it?

It took about nine months, which is perfect because I feel like I gave birth to my most important work to date.

Where did you get the idea from?

I quit my job as a financial advisor in 2019 to work for myself. I wanted to take my passion for inspiring people and turn it into a full-time business. In addition to writing, I’m a yoga and meditation teacher and a self-actualization coach. I was organizing a plant-based yoga retreat and named it “Thinking Outside the Chrysalis.” I’ve been fascinated with the butterfly’s story of transformation for about as long as I can remember. I thought, wow! The butterfly has to imagine what’s on the other side of the chrysalis, or butterfly cocoon, before it can actually break through to the other side. It really parallels the lives of people. So often we get stuck thinking the life we are living is the only life we can have. What if we were able to imagine the life of our dreams? We would first have to “think outside the chrysalis.”

I had so much information that I wanted to share, I decided to create a book for the retreat participants. One night when I was sleeping, ten topics popped into my head. I got up in the middle of the night and wrote them down. They became the first ten “drops” or chapters from my book. I added two more as the book progressed for the complete “12-drop” approach to ultimate happiness. Later, one of my book cover artists asked me for the title and I said Thinking Outside the Chrysalis: A Black Woman’s Guide to Spreading Her Wings. After I said it, I thought, “that’s it!”

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Writing an honest memoir isn’t easy. I relived a lot of painful periods in my life that I don’t usually think about. There were times when I was emotionally exhausted from revisiting old wounds. It was difficult but cathartic. There’s a point in the book when I realized I was telling a lie I had told so many times. It felt great to recognize that and speak my truth publicly for the first time. It tasted like freedom. The whole experience, while difficult at times, has been incredibly liberating.

What came easily?

A lot of pieces flowed so smoothly I didn’t feel like I was writing it at all. I was in “the zone” and felt like was channeling an important message. Those were my favorite and easiest writing sessions. They barely needed edits or restructuring and felt like manna from Heaven.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I really don’t know if other authors have influenced how I write, but I know the authors that I really admire. When I was a kid I loved to read Judy Blume. As I got older, I became a fan of Terri McMillan, Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou and Zora Neale Hurston. Right now, I’m a huge fan of Yaa Gyasi. I think she knocked it out of the park with Homegoing.

Do you have a target reader?

I really want the whole planet to read my book, but I find that my market is about 90% women and, probably 80% of those are Black women. That’s fine with me because Black women are my first love. I grew up one of four girls in my family, and I think I’ve always been a sister-friend. I’ve never understood when people talk about Black women being competitive or not supporting each other. I’ve never felt that way. I imagine teaching the 12-drop approach to ultimate happiness in workshops around the world, and especially in Black communities.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so, can you please describe it?

I start with a concept, of course, then an outline. When I write I need a beginning, middle and end, basically a skeleton, and then I can go back and fill-in. I can’t imagine writing without building the structure first. My memoir was a little different because it doesn’t have the plot arc of a novel. I laid the chapters like bricks. Each drop of wisdom rests upon the one before it.

Before COVID, I loved to write in my local vegan coffeeshop. I miss that. Now, I write at my kitchen table a lot. Sometimes I’ll go on my patio or to the park. One of the things I love about writing is that I can do it no matter where I am. I remember writing parts of my first novel, Chocolate Soufflé, in a marble composition notebook on the beach in St. Martin. It makes a writing career pretty amazing.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I don’t edit while I’m writing. I just get my thoughts onto the paper. When I finish a scene or a chapter, I go back and edit. When I’m finished, my best friend reads it and we make any changes that make sense. Final edit recommendations are from my professional editor. I met her at a writer’s retreat in Costa Rica at the beginning of the year. Making that investment in my writing career is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The retreat experience was amazing, but a great editor is worth their weight in gold.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I don’t normally listen to music when I write. If I’m in a noisy café or my daughter has the TV on loud, I play the classical music channel on Pandora. It creates nice background sounds, but my mind doesn’t follow it. If I listen to my favorite music genres, I can’t write anything. I’ll just start singing and dancing!

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I haven’t submitted my work to agents. I’ve contacted a couple of agents over the years, but I never got far enough along to submit a writing sample. Getting an agent seems to be a Herculean task, and even harder for Black writers. I’ve built an amazing team in the past year. I would love to find an agent who wants to represent me and understands my vision.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher?

I decided to go indie because I wanted to support people during the pandemic. I knew that finding a publisher and going through the long turnaround at a publishing house could take 12-24 months. I’m also a bit of a control-freak, and I wanted to maintain creative control.

Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I took a book marketing course and reviewed my options as a writer. I decided going independent was the best route for me at this time. I guess I would describe that as gradual.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

My book cover was professionally done. It’s a combination of work between an independent artist and a wonderful cover designer I found on Fiverr.com. I love seeing my vision come to life on the cover of my book. The central character on my book cover is also the main element in my business logo. I’ve named her Shakra Blu to pay homage to the throat chakra in energy healing. The throat chakra represents the voice and is depicted with the color blue. I write because I have to speak my truth. I want to inspire other women, particularly Black women, to raise their authentic voices as well.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I created an Advisory Board for my business when I launched in 2019. They’ve been invaluable in helping me market my book. I put together a marketing plan, and I hired a couple of PR consultants. Unlike my first book, Thinking Outside Chrysalis: A Black Woman’s Guide to Spreading Her Wings is getting all the love of a first-born child. I adore my first novel, but when I finally published it, it was as a hobby. My self-help memoir is the first book under my company, HoneyButterflyz Wellness and Transformation. It’s an introduction to my life’s work.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

The biggest advice I have is to create a professional product. It’s difficult to catch every typo, but you should start with a product that’s at least 95% perfect. If you need to make a few post-production corrections, you can catch them later. What you don’t want is a book with blatant grammar and spelling errors and a cover that looks “homemade.” You are your brand, so if your work looks sub-par on your first publication, it will set the standard for what your readers will expect.

About You

Tell us about yourself and any future writing plans?

I grew up in Brooklyn NY and have been living in Atlanta for the past thirteen years. I live with my teenage daughter and my very cute canine assistant, Cooper. You can follow him on Instagram at @vegan_cavachon. I’m working on a companion journal for Thinking Outside the Chrysalis that I’d like to have available in time for the holiday shopping season. I’m also working on Raising Caterpillars, a self-help memoir for parents, and Butterfly Squad, a young adult novel. Both are planned for 2021. I want my readers to know that we don’t have to give up. We can dream a better world and bring it to fruition. We just need to take the first step and think outside the chrysalis.

End of Interview:

For more from Trish, visit her website, like her Facebook page, follow her on Twitter, and check out her Youtube channel.

Get your copy of Thinking Outside the Chrysalis from Amazon US or Amazon UK.