Transformed by the Shadow (working title) is the next book I will be writing about the eclipse experience.
It was to be my second, but I had so many fabulous stories and comments about the 2012 eclipse that I just had to create Totality – a souvenir book of images and personal accounts of the eclipse of 2012 So, Transformed will be my third. Amazing.
I was able to do the research for this in the lead up to the 2012 Total Solar Eclipse in North Queensland. I undertook a Pre- and Post-Eclipse survey, and did many interviews of locals and visitors before and after the eclipse. I was also contacted by many people after the eclipse, with people wanting to share with me how AWESOME the eclipse experience was.
This project is ongoing, and I have now identified about ten individuals that I will focus my stories upon. These individuals were able to really clearly describe, well, as best as they could, what the eclipse was like, how it was different to what they expected, and how it really gave them a shift in perspective in their lives. I’m trying to answer the question: HOW does seeing a total solar eclipse have such a profound impact on some people.
Not everyone has the same experience. There were many that saw the eclipse, enjoyed it, said they were glad of it, and they could leave it at that. (mmm, many who were clouded out said this). But for some people, it is something that acts as a trigger that gives them a new way of looking at things. It’s an unexpectedly powerful event that triggers them to really think about what is important in life. And you know what – it’s universally about connecting with people, feeling part of something bigger.
I can’t wait to really get stuck into this project.