Returning to The Land

Something interesting happens when you leave a place that has held so much of you. You begin to understand what that place really was. For me, InTheLandOfMara was safety. This once-upon-a-time insecure girl created a place of security for her 51- year-old self back in the summer of 2021. A place where she got to build a world with her wisdom and her vibe.

Creating ITLOM was also an act of creative ownership. A piece of digital land where I could place my thoughts, memories, musings, and curiosities without asking for permission from anyone else. After decades of telling stories through television and film, I wanted a place where my own voice could roam freely. What began as a personal experiment became a place where ideas could stretch to the desires of others. Writers, wanderers, and curious minds who recognized themselves in the stories appeared here. Essays about rest and play, sanctuary and sensuality, and the complicated beauty of living a creative life with a full heart resonated. I wasn’t just casting dreams for myself, I made room for others to dream as well. I created community. And it’s time to reconvene.

I am coming home. I want to share why ITLOM had to go dormant back in April 2023. Why the essays paused. Why the land sat still without new footsteps crossing it.

Looking back, I can see how much this land prepared me for this event. The essays sharpened my thinking, demanded deeper introspection– speaking plainly on my own platform pulled and stretched me. The essays I have written were the first steps of my hand at prose– soil where my thoughts took root and grew from the places where my curiosity had been given permission to wander.

Turns out ITLOM wasn’t just a place, it became a lighthouse for Penguin/Random House to find me and invite me into the next chapter of my life.

My love for this place hasn’t changed. It’s actually grown. Now that I have my bookbaby in hand, I want a place to share it and talk about it and explore the themes of the book. But the land is still. Home is not just a place, it is people. And ITLOM was always about people, place, and purpose. It’s funny, while I made room in my life to write this book, I realized ‘all after the fact’ that I didn’t have to woman this website all by myself. I didn’t have to pause ITLOM to write a book because I was overwhelmed.  I could do what my new main character, Dionne, learns in my debut novel– let others help you.

I’m excited to announce we are back. WE. This time I will have help. A group of women who believe in the safe place of ITLOM to explore our hearts and minds and lay bare our dreams to be claimed in community will write beside me.

Please welcome JAQWAN EKIUWA EVBUOMWAN. She is responsible for the beautiful graphic designs that amplify the essays and the experience.

When asked about her ‘why’, she said, “I would love to contribute to InTheLandOfMara because it represents something bigger than a platform. It’s a creative sanctuary where storytelling, identity, and imagination can exist freely. As someone who believes design should amplify meaningful narratives, being part of that kind of space would be incredibly fulfilling.”  Please follow her here.

Also welcome JESSICA OURISMAN: She is a lead contributing writer. When asked about her ‘why,’ she said: “There is nothing better than writing for other writers. The self-actualization process of a creative is such a unique inward journey that there is a special comfort and opportunity for growth within a community of fellow creatives. Because we inherently process, experience, and express in a manner that is different from the “norm,” ITLOM provides a safe haven for those that channel life into their crafts. The opportunity to be a part of ITLOM is something I would never turn down (and honestly, I say no to everything lately).”  Please follow her here.

And to ALLIE ROSE: She is our Editor-In-Chief. She is the one who said, “Mara, it is time. If ever we need a safe place to land these days, gather our thoughts, and continue to dream, it is now. It’s time to bring back ITLOM. And I would love to help you do it.” Please follow her here.

What she didn’t know was that her encouragement aligned with the announcement of my book. It is simply divine alignment, and we welcome you to come back on the journey.

xo,

Mara