Monique Hemmingson is a writer and wellness advocate living mindfully in Mount Maunganui with her husband, James, daughter, Lulu, and dog, Remy.
She is passionate about beautiful design, good food, travel, creative entrepreneurship and storytelling. Monique talks to NZ Booklovers about her second book.
Tell us a little about The Makers.
The Makers, follows on from my first book Wild Kinship, Conversations with Conscious Entrepreneurs, and is again guided by the notion of holistic wellbeing. In it I explore our mental, emotional and cultural health by profiling a wide range of artists and makers. Together we discuss what it means to be a creative today and why it is essential to our own health and that of societies. The Makers is a celebration of the arts, it aims to inspire and encourage you to flex your own creative muscles and to take note of the little things that bring you joy and make life meaningful.
What inspired you to write this book?
Personally I am, and have been on, an active pursuit for wellness for the last decade and naturally will be for the rest of my life.
Wellness to me goes far beyond a diet or exercise. It is about my mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. It is my relationship and connection to Mother Earth and my loved ones. To attain it is where I find joy and what I deem successful in life. Without our health we have nothing.
That pursuit has weaved its way into my life in many different forms over the years both personally and professionally; from opening and running a successful wholefoods café to writing about holistic wellbeing across different platforms including, of course, these two books.
I believe that if we were all given the privilege, time and resources to seek personal holistic wellbeing, people would be kinder, more compassionate, accepting and empathetic beings, we’d tread more lightly on this planet and have a stronger sense of community and belonging. In short the world would be a better place.
What research was involved?
Many of the artists featured I knew of previously and am a fan of their work. Most of the research though was in the doing; speaking with the artists themselves and further researching ideas we’d spoken about.
What was your routine or process when writing this book?
These books have largely been passion projects worked on in-between life and other roles or projects. The Makers in particular was squeezed in whenever possible- often in my daughters naptime.
If a soundtrack was made to accompany this book, name a song or two you would include.
I’d imagine something soothing and calm with soul. Anything from Leon Bridges or Teeks for example.
What did you enjoy the most about writing The Makers?
Connecting with such a wide range of artists at varying stages of their careers. I found admiration and became inspired by hearing about the journey these people had taken, often through hardship and adversities.
Often these days, especially with the likes of social media, we’re not getting the backstory anymore. Which means we’re not connecting properly, understanding where someone has come from or what they’ve been through is an important component. We get the ‘highlight reel’ and instead of feeling empowered or seen, we feel less than. That can very quickly dampen any creative spirit and our emotional health as a whole.
What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?
Nothing particularly special. We’ve had a bit of a challenging year in our household, so just finishing was celebration enough.
What is a favourite book you have read so far this year and why?
I really enjoyed the novel Honeybee by Craig Silvey. It was a heart-breaking yet gripping glimpse into a world I knew little about. It touches on some really important topics that we as a society need more education and empathy for.
What’s next on the agenda for you?
My builder husband and I are in the middle of a housing project that we hope to finish early next year so for now that will take up the majority of my spare time and serve as my creative outlet.