elizabethlevett

This week I’m taking a little time off trying to get something coherent written. Instead, I want to use this space to promote the work of a very dear friend.

I met Merijane Block in the mid-1980’s. We met while working together at an engineering firm – just by chance – and loved each other pretty immediately. Merijane was a graphic artist back before the days of computer assisted graphics – think drafting boards and blueprints. She was amazing. We used to tear up the town. We feasted on fat sandwiches from Quincy’s on Market and sipped cappuccino at Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store in North Beach.

Merijane was a self-made writer, with a copy of Writing Down the Bones and one of those lovely Chinese notebooks in her yellow satchel, she was determined to create art from reality. She had a natural talent for writing and made it her daily practice. She wrote about life and love with beautiful detail and wisdom. When she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, her writing became, as she put it, a lifeline. She transformed her grief and loneliness into beauty.

In 2007, Merijane began participating in the Laguna Writers’ workshops led by Christoper deLorenzo. It was with Chris that she really blossomed. Chris is a gifted and insightful writer and teacher. He welcomes participants into his home (or retreat space) with hospitality, tea, and fabulous treats (those brownies!). In this environment, with Chris’ carefully crafted prompts and supportive feedback, Meri became the writer she knew she could be. She gained confidence and honed her craft even as her disease advanced its grip on her life.

After Merijane passed away Chris and I went through her prolific collection of notebooks and published pieces, reading, crying, laughing and celebrating Meri’s work. With the help and support of another close friend, Irit, who was very dear to Merijane and cared for her in so many ways, we compiled a collection of pieces for publication.

This week we’ve been very pleased and proud to present this beautiful little book as a tribute to our friend.

All proceeds of the sale of Meri’s book go to the Commonweal Cancer Help Program and to the Bay Area Young Survivors, two organizations in which Meri was a frequent member and facilitator. Copies may be ordered here, directly from the print-on-demand publisher: https://tinyurl.com/y6oh67um

“Our way is not difficult, save the picking and choosing.” This was a saying Merijane had up in her apartment. I often thought of it when we were reading, re-reading, discussing, deciding, changing our minds. Of course, we were thrilled with the result. And it really wasn’t so difficult.