Dancing with Snake

When Karen's husband - beloved and celebrated actor, Al Lewis – died, she found herself in despair walking two parallel roads: an everyday path where she struggled to be normal and another where her feelings of loss bordered on madness. In this brief, riveting tale, Karen explicates grief as she travels through her personal valley of despair, sorrow, and self-doubt to arrive at the heart of the creative process itself. By circling through memories and letting go of past wounds, she sheds her grief skin like a snake to uncover the promise of living authentically. These transitions are interpreted by artist Mimi Seton in dynamic renderings which vibrantly illuminate Karen's psychic relationship with the poetic, ancient avatar, an earth spirit called Snake. This totemic creature ultimately reunites her with what had been lost and experienced as dead – her soul. "Dancing with Snake" celebrates Karen's reconnection to the Earth through the art of belly dancing. While this powerful book is a song to one's beloved, it is also a spiritual guide on how to take responsibility for your creative gifts and discover your deepest source of joy.

Karen I. Lewis holds a B.A in Dramatic Art from UC Berkeley and an M.A. in Theater History from Hunter College. She is an actor, author, and teacher. Her previously published memoir, "I Married a Munster: My Life with 'Grandpa' Al Lewis," playfully and trenchantly commemorates her 26-year marriage to the late actor and activist Al Lewis, most famous for his role as Grandpa Munster on the TV sitcom, "The Munsters." Al and Karen met in 1979 when both were cast in Neil Simon's "California Suite." For over a decade, the couple produced and hosted a weekly public affairs program on radio station WBAI-NY. Her day job at a Tenants' Rights organization soon became a passion and she rose through the ranks to become its Executive Director. She also enjoyed teaching karate and playwriting to young students and adults. Yoga and belly dancing have long been a part of her meditative practice and support for her creative expression, however, writing has piloted her spirit. Journaling since the age of 10 when her grandmother presented her with her first diary, Karen's short pieces and poems have appeared in various newspapers and journals. Her work can be found in several volumes of The Distance Project, edited by Mimi Seton. Karen lives in the Bay Area with her partner, sharing and treasuring his love of painting and drawing.