Many of you have my book, Love, Courage, and Miracles in your hands. I have heard that some of you do not, yet, and are waiting. I apologize for the weird slowness of the snail mail……It will come at the right time.
I woke up this morning to a beautiful message from one of you readers. She is a CF mom too with her own story to tell. She said such nice and supportive words…“and of course a few of my salty tears, of camaraderie and love, have blended into your written ones.” So many of you have offered such lovely support. Wow, this is amazing. And then I have also heard from moms who have experienced loss and opening my book and beginning the story has been hard for them. This feedback has been hard for me. In one way, I feel this indicates a success as I have touched on the place in the heart where our stories are held. On the other hand, I am sad that my story reminds others of their losses. But, that is why I wrote this book, to be honest and to reveal the depth of this experience in all that it was and still is for all who are a part of this community and those who what to learn about it.
To feel that I have opened a part of my life revealing intimacies on the pages that you are reading fills me with a certain electricity. I think that ii should make me feel shy or want to hide until I know the coast is clear but it is really surprisingly an overall different feeling. It is exciting! From the beginning of this book journey when the muse was knocking on my heart I had a compelling need to write it out. As I identify with being an artist, it was very much like needing to create a painting or a new series of mosaics with their images and broken pieces telling an artful story. And now you are reading and I am now considered an author!
It is very exciting to have you all read my story and it was important to me that this book would be a piece of art. I wanted it to have strokes of emotion, magic, love and hope. I also wanted the actual book to be “pretty” and simple. That is truly Anna’s head pictured on the cover…..the blue budgie is a stand in because of his bright and colorful beauty as the original one was a little faded in color. I am happy with the interior look and have enjoyed using Atmosphere Press as a hybrid publisher…they are all very kind and professional.
My wish now as an author? Please, if you have enjoyed my book, tell your friends and family. Help me to promote it! Use it in your book group! If I am near by I am happy to come or come via video chat. Please write a review on Amazon or other book sellers. This is a wild world to publish a book as an unknown person. I want the story of CF, organ transplant and the tremendous courage it all takes to be shared. Anna and I always hoped that this book and our story would support others going through similar times and inspire hope. May this book serve to connect with you and perhaps inspire you to understand that your life is also a work of art to be shared. And here I am, an author, feels very cool!