Talking Books with Baby Boomer Maggie Rose Crane

Of all the baby boomer women I know, no one intrigues me more than Maggie Rose Crane. Going gray and loving it is the motto she lives by. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to give up your hair color? Scary, isn't it?

Maggie says it's not scary at all; in fact, it's the premise of her new book, Amazing Grays: A Woman's Guide to Making the Next 50 the Best 50 (FTA Press).

We interviewed Maggie to find out more about her book and to give us some insight on what it's like being a published author.

Thank you for this interview, Maggie. Can you tell us briefly what your latest book, Amazing Grays – A Woman´s Guide to Making the Next 50 the BEST 50 (Regardless of your hair color!) is all about?

It´s a guidebook for midlife women on how to stay vibrant, engaged and joyful in the second half of life. I use my personal journey as a springboard to shatter stereotypes about aging, so the book ended up being balanced somewhere between a memoir and a how-to. I share my most poignant insights and experiences on what it means to be a woman "of a certain age" and offer suggestions on how to mindfully chart a graceful course through the physical changes, emotional challenges and mental gauntlet of aging. I believe at this stage of life we also have an opportunity to redirect our focus from our packaging to our essence and deepen our appreciation for our "roots of a deeper kind".

It´s certainly not an anti-aging message. It´s about accepting and celebrating our roles as Amazing Grays (regardless of ones hair color), appreciating what we have been given, and not wasting time and energy trying to hang on to the past.

Can you tell us what (or who) was the inspiration behind your book?

After a major epiphany in a hair salon convinced me to never color my hair again, I began the grow-out process. Allowing my hair to go gray was the precipitating event that threw me up against all my fears, expectations and limiting beliefs about what it means to get old in a youth obsessed society. While I appreciate that not every woman will choose to go gray – we all experience fears about getting older. For some, the fears are triggered by children leaving home, for others - a job that´s winding down or become unfulfilling, a relationship that´s evolved, a face no longer smooth or a tummy that won´t suck in – no matter what! It´s so important to expose our fears, expectations and anxieties so that they don´t run the show from backstage. I reveal how to navigate this turbulence with wisdom, perspective and practice.

Is this your first published book and if so, can you tell us your experiences in finding a publisher for it?

Yes. My husband self-published his own book in 1998 and it´s been very successful. Seeing his success and learning from his experience, I decided that self-publishing was the way to go. I wanted to maintain control of my cover, content, marketing and profits! We started a small press publishing company – which was happy to publish my book as well.

Initially, it requires a greater outlay of cash from ones own pocket – but I think the risk is well worth taking.

Can you tell us how long it took you to write your book and the time it was released?

I began writing very part time, mostly in an attempt to make sense of the changes happening in my body, mind and psyche as I entered midlife. It wasn´t until I had gone gray, spent 3 months on a silent spiritual retreat, and began researching midlife changes that it occurred to me to put it all in a book. I didn´t really make it a full time effort until the last year. In all, it took over 3 years to complete the process; from germination to published book.

Do you have any words of inspiration for other writers who would like to be wearing your shoes?

Yes - Follow your instincts! I had an editor tell me that no one would be interested in reading about the spiritual aspects of my journey. Another told me that memoirs don´t sell. Ha! Ever heard of Eat Love Pray? I changed and edited a lot of what I wrote based on the "experts" opinions – and in retrospect – I would have done just as well (I think better) if I had followed my own gut.

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in January. Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?

Even before these tough economic times, more people were turning to the Internet for information and material goods. Now, during this tough economy, it´s even more important as it´s often easier and less expensive to shop online. It´s also helpful to read other people´s recommendations before deciding how to spend ones dollars. The world of blogging has exploded, with millions of folks tuning in everyday. Now, it makes more sense to "travel" around from blog to blog, than from city to city. You can actually reach more people on the internet – at a lower cost.

What´s next for you?

Since I spent over 10 years traveling the country talking to women about leadership and life skills, I plan on developing workshops for midlife women. I love meeting amazing women and sharing our stories. It will be an opportunity to share what we know, discover new things about ourselves, reawaken slumbering dreams and decide how to make the next 50 our best 50 - (regardless of our hair color!)

Thank you for this interview, Maggie, Can you tell us how we can find out more about you and your new book?

Visit http://www.maggiecrane.com/. I´m currently offering a free bookmark with purchase of Amazing Grays. It features a wonderful quote for midlife women, affirming how powerful and amazing we truly are. After all, we become what we think about most!