Elizabeth Gould
Elizabeth Gould has long been fascinated with feminine archetypes, mythology, and rites of passage. She has taught and mentored girls at puberty and is the former director of a non-profit dedicated to positive menstrual/menopausal education and awareness. She holds a BA in Art History from Stanford University and an MS in Education from the State University of New York.
The themes in The Well of Truth grew organically out of her two decades of experience as a mother, teacher, and menstrual advocate. The stories incorporate her love of art, travel, mythology, goddess traditions, trees, storytelling, and the moon. The Well of Truth is her first book.
Instagram: @thewelloftruthstories
Is there a genre of music that influences your writing? Do you listen to music while you write?
I don’t usually listen to music while I write, though I love listening to all kinds of music when I’m not working. I’ve got a soft spot for Irish music: traditional bands such as Silly Wizard, The Chieftains, Danú, Altan, Wolfstone, and Celtic rock/fusion bands : The Waterboys, Shooglenifty, and Croft #5. I never get tired of listening to Lúnasa either.
Have you ever experienced Imposter Syndrome?
Whenever I’ve had that experience, I remind myself that we’re all making this up as we go along. I’ve discovered that instead of comparing myself to other people, it's better to focus on self-to-self comparison over time. That feels a lot better!
Not all books are for all readers. When you start a book, and you just don’t like it, how long do you read until you bail?
Before committing to a book, I open it randomly and read a page. Sometimes I can tell that it's not for me. But often, I’m intrigued enough to give the book a try. If I set a book down after reading a few chapters, even if it's a book I think I should read, I won't ever pick it up again. I no longer feel guilty for not finishing a book. That’s the beauty of Little Free Libraries - it’s a great way to recycle a book.
Is there a work of art that you love? Why? Have you ever visited it in person?
I was lucky enough to spend a year studying art in Italy in college. I fell deeply in love with the work of the Italian Baroque master, Caravaggio. Living in Rome, I made regular visits to see his paintings in churches and museums. There were two paintings by Caravaggio- the Conversion of St. Paul and the Crucifixion of St. Peter- in the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, which was next to where I caught the bus home from school. I’d pop into the church every day to see them, just because I could. Though I love Caravaggio’s dramatic and bold paintings, I think my favorite one is “The Rest on the Flight into Egypt” at the Doria Pamphilj Gallery in Rome. It features an angel playing the violin for Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. There is something so sweet and lyrical about the composition, the color palette is so warm, and the painterly details are exquisite. I could easily spend hours looking at it.
If you could create a museum exhibition, what would be the theme?
It would be fun to create an exhibit of contemporary women artists from around the world. I would also love to create a show that featured goddess traditions in art. Incidentally, I recently heard about the “Female Power,” show at the British Museum which is an exploration of female deities from antiquity to the present. That sounds right up my alley.
