I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me. ~ page 51 of Wild by Cheryl Strayed

One thing about Wild that kept jumping out at me, was how  brave the author was in her willingness to hike the trail alone. Even when Cheryl could have hiked with others, she often preferred to remain alone.

A woman alone. I think this is a good discussion topic.

I hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail with a friend in my early twenties (just a couple of years earlier than when Strayed went on her trip only ours was only for a week and on the opposite coast). When we got off the trail at the end of our hike and returned to civilization, all the locals we encountered were shocked that just the two of us would hike for so many nights out on the trail…two women alone.

Just as the forest ranger seemed to relish telling Strayed and her trail buddies all of his horror stories about all of the terrible things he’d witnessed, the locals did the same thing with us after we got off the trail for good. And boy, were we glad we hadn’t known more before our hike. It was hard enough to sleep. Afterwards, folks could not wait to tell us how the government wanted to expand the trail and how, in protest, local dissenters were booby-trapping the trails by hanging fish hooks at eye level. We heard about women disappearing, getting raped, etc. And on and on and on. I don’t necessarily remember all the stories, but I remember that they were delivered with emotion and amazement. How could we be so foolish?

Women are not supposed to be alone. It’s not safe. Right?

And yet the redemption that comes to Strayed seemed to depend on facing her journey, both external and internal, alone.

If you are familiar with The Hero’s Journey, as discussed by Joseph Campbell and others, you may remember that a Hero’s success in any particular quest typically has much to do with his alliances.

And yet, Strayed’s success in restoring her feeling of wholeness by going on her wilderness hike seemed dependent on her insistence on being alone, again and again, no matter how many times she connected and reconnected with others she came to know and like. She had alliances but so much of the story was about letting those old ties go.

Is this the Heroine’s Journey then? And is being alone an important factor in the Heroine’s Journey?

Have you been on a journey that was more like Strayed’s—more like a heroine’s journey? Or have you read other books that describe something similar?

Is Strayed describing The Heroine’s Journey…or is there no such thing separate from The Hero’s Journey? What do you think?

Every once in a while, good things happen to good people. And whenever this happens, I think it’s a cause for celebration. And, I don’t know about you, but I kinda feel the urge to grab my drum and join the circle.

You may have noticed that I used Cheryl Strayed as an example of tech-savvy writer in my recent post on how to be become a tech-savvy writer for #AWP12.

That’s because she planned the big reveal of her identity as “Dear Sugar” from the Rumpus’s Dear Sugar column just before the launch of her forthcoming book, Wild (publication March 20, 2012 from Knopf).

I thought this was a very smart move on Cheryl’s part. And I’m not going to take that back. It was incredibly smart. I want her to have full credit.

But let’s not forget about the power of traditional media. I have said this before and this seems like a good time to say it again.

While flying back and forth to Chicago, it seemed like I could not crack open a magazine (I cracked open many, it’s what I do when I’m flying) without seeing plugs for Cheryl’s new book splashed, Wild, across the pages in full color.

Was I envious?

A tiny bit. Who wouldn’t be? I think it’s only natural. But that little pang passed quickly. I got over it about two minutes after I saw her spread in The Oregonian, before I’d even left home for the conference.

After my two minutes of self-pity were up, I felt jubilant for Cheryl and for her family. I was pumping my fist in the air chanting, “Go, Cheryl!”

I gave Cheryl a big high ten in the lobby of the Hilton when I saw her at AWP. I am excited not just for her, but because traditional publishing still manages to work despite all the odds against it. This feels like something of a miracle. Especially when it works for someone you know. Especially when it works for someone who is also a mom. Especially when there is no trace of ego.

Cheryl is  a mom, and when a mom writer wins, that’s a win for the whole tribe.

So, go mom writers! Go, Cheryl. Rock those bestseller lists!

I predict that Cheryl's book is going to become the Eat. Pray. Love. of 2012. Mark my words.

I predict that Cheryl’s book is going to become the Eat. Pray. Love. of 2012.

Mark my words.

I could not be more thrilled for Cheryl. I am full of hope for her and all of us.

I hope her book is big. I hope it’s huge. I hope it blows the roof off all the bestseller lists.

I hope you will stop whatever you are doing and pre-order it right now.

There is power in the sisterhood of mothers. We may not always feel the power or act on it.

But when someone is worthy and hardworking, like Cheryl, we have the ability to add our vote to a mom’s rise to success.

Cheryl is very humble and deserving. She won’t be changed by the success. I hope you will jump on board on help me cheer her on.

Here are all the ways you can order.

Thank you for adding Wild to your pile of must-reads.