People have been telling me for a long time that I should write a book. They said my story of living and thriving with cancer for over 30 years is inspiring. But I didn’t think I was a writer.

I had just started taking a writing class with Terri Tate when the pandemic hit. We continued with the writing class on Zoom. And then I read The Story You Need to Tell — Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness, or Loss, by Sandra Marinella. I loved the book.

Sandra and I started facilitating Zoom book groups together. These groups helped me get immersed in the book and in writing. Sandra says, “You have to work hard to turn off your I-can’t-write voice, and you must beware, for we all have one.” Knowing I wasn’t alone in that helped me continue writing.

“Stepping Stones,” one of the writing prompts in Sandra’s book, asks us to make a list of significant life experiences and then explore each event in writing. As I did that, my cancer memoir evolved. Coloring Outside the Lines, Surviving and Thriving with Cancer for 30+ Years is very close to being ready for you to read. After finishing the first draft, I hired an editor, and we are almost finished with the editing process. Next comes publishing. Watch for the availability of pre-orders that will help us know how many to print.

Healing Journeys programs have always been about noticing what was useful to me, and sharing it with you. That’s how I chose the presenters for the conference we offered for 25 years. And that’s why we are offering another book group, Story Circle, with Sandra Marinella starting in March. You don’t have to be a writer, or be interested in publishing. You just have to be willing to explore another tool that can be useful in healing from trauma, illness, or loss.

More Information and Registration are Available Here.

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