Just wanted to let you know I’ve got another blog called Continuous Awakening. I posted to it this last summer from my phone while I rested–a lot–in my back yard.
I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Laura Hillenbrand, who wrote Unbroken and Seabiscuit; yet, I feel like I know her heart. We both have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and we both wrote our books from bed. I did attempt book signings at Costco the summer of 2010, and I sold out my first self-published printing of 2000. But there was a problem: I was unable to function for three days after each signing. In August, just as the book selling season was on the verge of stepping into the best time of the year to sell books, I chose to do something huge: just take care of me. So that’s what I’ve done from then until now.
I June, my doctor ordered that I take a mandatory three month vacation. She diagnosed me with Stage III Final Phase Adrenal Exhaustion, bordering on Addison’s disease (which President Kennedy had. That’s why you see a doctor nearby in many photos. It’s a life threatening illness.) I wanted to sleep in my own bed. I didn’t feel strong enough to travel anyway. So, to avoid making the jump into Addison’s, I was a very good patient. I did Nothing. Nothing. All summer and into September. I slept under the shade of a tree almost all summer. It was great! I put a sign up on the door: Writer at Work. Except I wasn’t writing. I was getting better.
Oh wait, there was that little Adrenal Crisis when I went to the ER on September 11 because I was slipping in and out of consciousness after sleeping for 16 hours. That was after having convulsions and wretching while lying on the floor. (Too much information?)
Other than that, I’ve enjoyed lots of mini adventures from the bench on my back patio under that shade tree the last several months: Watching a family of quail come at the same time morning and evening. So beautiful. Watching the birds at the feeder. Listening to music, and Unbroken, on my iPhone. Feeling the breeze on my skin and getting the best tan I’ve had since high school! Now, I’m ready to see what can happen with Secret Speakers again. I won’t be doing book signings. Author’s visits to classrooms? Maybe. Depends on the day. And I’ll need to tell the teacher that I’m really unreliable, so have a back up plan. But there’s the internet. I figure if I was on the most-viewed profile page of all time on Goodreads and I have 3,000+ friends there, then I can start creeping back to doing promotion from my keyboard. Pray for me. I wrote on another blog to keep a journal of sorts this summer. I just posted from my phone. If you want a peek it’s called Continuous Awakening.
As I was driving down Provo Canyon on November 3, 2o10 I saw hundreds upon hundreds of sheep moving from one pasture to another. They were walking in a line around the edge of a hill to a place I couldn’t see. So I pulled over. What I saw next amazed me. A shepherd dog appeared that is exactly how I imagine Sauveren if he were a white dog.
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Write Your Review Below!
Latest on Thu, 06:38 am
mirna: i just started reading it and i cant put it down. thank you i love it.
Sylvia: This book is amazing!! Thank you for sharing it!! It was a clean moral fantasy - a refreshing break from a tough world!
Brandi J.: I read this in one day!Got it at my school library,I'm can't believe I never looked at it before!I loved The Woolly best,he was funny,and sweet!
Paige Brandt: I am only on page 100, but I am already engulfed in the story! I believe that my step mother wrote to you.
I love how each secret speaker hides in each one of our throats.
What a great world to enter.
I am eager to read more!
Mey: the most healing book of all time.
Anonymous: This book brought me out of a very dark place. It came along right when I needed it.
Mitzy: I think it was really good. It just took me a while to get into it. I realized the connections with the bible and then saw that the book was christian fantasy. I think it was a good mix.
Quiana: This is undoubtedly the best book I have ever read. (Excusing Narnia, of course!) This is certainly a book I'll read again and again! I want to be an author, and I hope my books are as good as this. I'm waiting veeeeerrry patiently for a sequel!
tierra: What a great book I loved it there should be a movie I love the book soo much great job
Jackie: This was a book that captivated me for hours until I finished it! It's a book that's full of adventure.
Shirley: I read Secret Speakers twice and enjoyed it even more the second time. HOWEVER, listening to the audio book has been a remarkable experience! Simon Vance brings the various characters to life with remarkably different and appropriate voices. I am amazed by the poetic music of the words as well as the flow of the story. We frequently comment, “Oh, isn’t this wonderful…doesn’t she write beautifully!” I give it 5 stars--or more if it’s legal. [...]
Karey: Hello Becca, you must miss your mother. Perhaps she's closer than you know. It's wonderful to talk about her in stories. To answer your question about my degree, Becca, I majored in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. Many authors get other degrees, though, and that’s great because it helps give them a lot of life experience and different observations of the world.
Elliana a.k.a Becca: It is with great pleasure to write this letter to you. You know me as Becca but when I write stories I go by Elliana Kingrod. Thank you so much. It was a great book and I love the first line. It makes me laugh every time I read it. I just want to say that the book cover means a lot to my family and me. You see my mom had cancer and we [...]
Ashton: I was right
Ashton: SecretSpeakers
will probally be the best book I've ever
read
Karey: Thanks for your comment, LJ.
LJ: I think this book is a recreation of the story of Jesus in the bible. From the 'bleeding from every pore' to giving the miracle of sight by putting mud on the eyes. It was a good book but I think all of these rave reviews make it seem like this story hasn't been heard before.
wonderbeth: I was skeptical about Secret Speakers being as good as people say it is, and didn't think I'd like it. But I was I wrong. I can't stop thinking about the scenes in the story.
candace e.: This book has a brilliant way of displaying some of life's greatest meanings through fantasy.
cheryl: I loved the book. A great fantasy with a moral that doesn't slap you in the face. I am recommending to all my friends.
PatrickES: I liked it for the spiritual content.
Clare Coco: knew it would be great the moment I heard about it three years ago
Gwen: Finally–a new book for our children’s generation that is as Tolkienesque and/or C.S. Lewisinian as anything I’ve come across.
Alexa: I could tell I was going to love it just from the back cover.
Tom S. char: we just bought five copies to give as gifts. Sequel, please?
I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Laura Hillenbrand, who wrote Unbroken and Seabiscuit; yet, I feel like I know her heart. We both have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and we both wrote our books from bed. I did attempt book signings at Costco the summer of 2010, and I sold out my first self-published printing of 2000. But there was a problem: I was unable to function for three days after each signing. In August, just as the book selling season was on the verge of stepping into the best time of the year to sell books, I chose to do something huge: just take care of me. So that’s what I’ve done from then until now.
