My stories, A Gentle Healer and Remembering Sasha, are published in the newly released book - Nurturing Paws. It's an anthology of inspiring stories and poems that show the healing power of animals. A portion of all book sales will go to charities promoting physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
Other contributors include three time Senior Poet Laureate Elaine Morgan, New York Post and Huffington Post columnist Tina Traster, several Chicken Soup for the Soul® contributors and dozens of award-winning writers.
Last week, my book, In the Eye of Deception, won the TWG National Book Award for Life Stories and was given an honorable mention in The Grace Irwin Award, their highest award.
Some reviews:
"Your book came at supper-time last night, and I finished it at midnight. I marvelled at the writing - the English, the choice of words, the flow, the chapter divisions, the sequence arrangement andbthe authority graciously claimed." Reader's Comment
It took only 2 days to read your book. Your writing is phenomenal btw - what an easy to follow read. Images came straight away to me. Reader's Comment
..as I read your book my heart started aching...I wanted to wrap that hurting little girl in my arms and love all the pain away...after a while...my heart began to ache for another reason...old hidden wounds of my own wounded past began to surface and I KNEW that I would have to deal with them...
I had come such a long way (I thought) I had written books about the healing of a soul...but reading throught the section covering the times with your counselor I felt I was there and she was gently leading 'ME' out of a dark hole into the light. I didn't want to see the truth...I wanted to stay in denial that all was well with my world...but I can't...and I won't. Your book will touch many lives my ...I know...it has turned my world upsidedown. Reader's Comment
My book released December 2009 has sold more than 100 copies. Reviews and comments have been powerful for me to read....to know that In the Eye of Deception is touching people, giving hope and helping others find freedom.
Visit www.gentlerecovery.webs.com to read the introduction and and see reviews.
My book is now available. I have set up a website @ www.gentlerecovery.webs.com for anyone interested in purchasing the book.
I never meant this to turn into a book. I never wanted anyone to know the horrible things that happened. I started writing to get the images out of my head and as I did, some people came alongside me, encouraging me to tell my story.
It's my prayer that whoever reads In the Eye of Deception, will find hope and freedom for whatever situation they are in.
Healing and recovery is a process, a long process. There were times I dared Him to kill me. Instead, He waited until I was ready. I am so grateful He let me live. Now I owe Him. I need to tell, to tell what only He was able to do in my life.
I never told anyone. I kept it all inside. I started to wonder if it was some crazy dream or if it even happened at all. I thought maybe I made it up? Other times I thought - it wasn't that bad - it was no big deal. But last year people I hadn't seen started surfacing - family, friends - people who knew....
You're a miracle they said. How did you survive?
Survive? Miracle? What did they mean? They started to tell me stories of their memories of how bad things were, how thin I had become, how out of control......My older sister who I hadn't seen for a long time returned from living overseas. She needed to talk. She forced me to listen....forced me to remember.
The memories hit. They hit hard. I wrote to get the images out of my head.
I couldn't eat or sleep. I wanted to get in my car, close my eyes and drive. It felt like it was happening all over again - the beatings, the confinement, the rape - throwing up day after day after day even if I had tasted even a small bite of something - shoving needles in my arm - three and four times a day - ripping my arms with jagged rocks to feel something because I felt nothing. I was numb inside.
Why now God? Why are you letting me go through this now? I didn't want to remember and yet in remembering it dawned on me - finally - just how far down God had reached to free me.
Everyday in the heat, rain and cold - I ran - alone in the woods - in the hills near our home. There I felt the gentle touch of God - And I heard His whisper - You're stronger now. It's time to tell the truth of what happened. Tell your story to give someone hope -
How could I have never told anyone what He did. Nothing worked. Nothing could break the chains that kept me in living on the edge. Nothing except the gentleness of His touch.
The power of His gentleness.......
This November, I will publish my story In the Eye of Deception. A True Story.
The book In the Eye of Deception is done. It's now being edited and hopefully will be published early October.
I promised God I would tell anyone He wants how awful things had gotten. How far down He had reached to pull me out. I had never told anyone. Now, I'm stronger. It's time to tell.
"In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
Who are caught in the schemes he devises.
He lies in wait, watching in secret for his victims.
He lies in wait like a lion in cover;
He lies in wait to capture the helpless and drags them off in his net.
His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. Ps 10:2:9,10 NIV
