Luzca is real

What a story. It turns out that Luzca is the true spirit of an ancestor. A great-aunt to be specific who was named Lucinda Gray. Before I found her information in an old book tucked away in a drawer for over ten years, I'd already made the primary characters of the novel she is inspiring her and her grandmother who was to be clearly called GranGrae. Turns out GranGrae is Gran Gray and real too.

Gran Gray is listed in the family tree as a fully Native American which explains a whole bunch. Her son, my great-grandfather was a pastor among other things. Spiritual matters are in my blood it seems.

In the next couple days, I'll be editing a blog that will be an edited compilation of emails I've sent that show how Lucinda is influencing my writing, interacting with me and affecting her presence in my life.

Of note:
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the US. I have not been in touch with my father's side of my family. He died thirteen years ago. I saw them all at his funeral and then a subset three years later at my paternal grandmother's funeral over a decade ago.

There was one instance when I ran into an uncle who teaches math in my same school district several years ago, but that has been the extent of the contact.

Last Saturday I was doing a workshop on my book, the non-fiction parent primer on California Schools at a district-sponsored event with over 40 presenters and some twenty colleges represented. My room was in the farthest building, the farthest corner at the end. That, by the way, is exactly where I had kept the family reunion booklet that included the only reference in my home to "Aunt Cindy" aka Luzca--in the furthest most corner of my bottom bookshelf on the side of the split drawer that is furthest away from where I sit and type.

There were no attendees at 8:00am when the first session was to begin. The halls were empty. So empty, so lifeless, that after setting up I took the time to see who the competition might be, who else was presenting. I notice a name that sounds vaguely familiar. The first name is a bit unique. It sounded like a cousin. A quick check of the last name and sure enough it is a cousin from my father's side.

Wow! It was only the week earlier, six days prior, that I had uncovered Lucinda Gray. When I did, when I saw all the parallels between the story line that I had laid out for my fictitious Luzca and GranGrae, I vowed to get in touch with my paternal relatives. That was on the Monday before the Saturday workshop. Of course, I put it off, did nothing, and wouldn't have any time soon left to my own initiative.

I glance back down at the program. I'm in disbelief that while I sit at this workshop that I had previously determined was gonna be my last workshop connected with my first book, a connection to Lucinda is there too.

Unbelievable. Forty presenters, a huge spread of rooms that span three two-story buildings. My cousin is in the next room.

That Luzca!

She's serious. The first words out of this cousin's mouth. "You have to come over for Thanksgiving." With two feasts to attend already, my initial response was not affirmative. It took a few minutes to appreciate that this was not optional. I had failed to follow through and email or call as I had promised Luzca I would. No worries. She already had the whole thing planned anyway.

I'll wait till after tomorrow's reunion to post the edited emails. More coming.

...and why did I finally begin to blog tonight? I'm finally knuckling down and attempting to get on paper some of this novel I seem to be channeling more than writing. And as I do, the tone begins to stand out. It is Lucinda's own voice describing our lineage, the tradition of connection to spirit, the crossing of dimensions, the melding of worlds.

Too fascinating.