Up And Flying In The Face Of Adversity

I am privileged to be one of the co-authors in an inspirational book called ‘REVIVAL: Women Embracing Their Superpowers’ along with twenty-nine other women writers. On Thursday 11th June there was an official book launch online via Zoom, where several of us presented a snippet of our contribution. Mine is Chapter 18 entitled ‘Up and Flying in the Face of Adversity’ and describes a glimpse into my journey to creating my small business Amoreantos. At the book launch, my reading finished with the words, “Every day I am reminded of harsh lessons I have learned and the almost irreparable mistakes I have made, but I have survived and thrived because of it. Knowing that I have faced worse helps me cope with everyday issues with a ‘can-do’ attitude added to my stubborn determination.” This is my story so far and I hope that it helps others to see their own potential and believe in themselves regardless of the labels placed upon them.

Many months ago, I became a member of a ladies networking group called Revival Sanctuary where this book project manifested from. I met the group’s founder Sharon Brown at the MBCC Awards in Birmingham, and it was not long before I joined and was meeting more likeminded women whose mission is collaboration over competition. I wrote 1,500 words about myself for the members section of the Revival Sanctuary website, but little did I know then that Sharon had been planning to get us involved in this fantastic book.

All I needed was gentle persuasion and a few amendments to feel comfortable about sharing my piece publicly. Everyone involved joined a WhatsApp group and kept in touch over the coming months with Sharon and publisher Marcia M. Spence who was employed to take the book into print. Finally, I saw the first draft at a Revival Sanctuary meeting at The Botanist in Birmingham in March. It was a real milestone moment for me as I had struggled with what to include. I am incredibly grateful to proofreader and friend Joanne Parker who stepped in at the last minute to sign off my final version. 

In April, the book launched on Amazon, both on Kindle and as paperback. I was thrilled to be part of something this powerful and to spread the word among my connections. It was a proud moment when Mum read it out to me and said, “Did you write that?” to which I simply said “Yes” and smiled. Reading everyone else’s chapters has moved, inspired, and motivated me to carry on, especially through the challenging times of the Coronavirus lockdown. I had purchased two copies for myself, keeping one as a memento for the future. Eventually the book launch rehearsals arrived and at first, I stumbled over what to read and felt a little vulnerable opening up. As time progressed, I felt a real sense of unity with the ladies and it became easier to face the prospect of narrating to an audience. I also contributed behind the scenes at one point with some Photoshop wizardry. That made me feel even more involved and appreciated. 

In April, the book launched on Amazon, both on Kindle and as paperback. I was thrilled to be part of something this powerful and to spread the word among my connections. It was a proud moment when Mum read it out to me and said, “Did you write that?” to which I simply said “Yes” and smiled. Reading everyone else’s chapters has moved, inspired, and motivated me to carry on, especially through the challenging times of the Coronavirus lockdown. I had purchased two copies for myself, keeping one as a memento for the future. Eventually the book launch rehearsals arrived and at first, I stumbled over what to read and felt a little vulnerable opening up. As time progressed, I felt a real sense of unity with the ladies and it became easier to face the prospect of narrating to an audience. I also contributed behind the scenes at one point with some Photoshop wizardry. That made me feel even more involved and appreciated. 

The days leading up to the online book launch were fractious and I was uncertain that I would be able to manage it. We arrived into the Zoom room early to prepare and once we began, I knew that together we could do this. I listened intently as the ladies read the chapters before mine and then it was my turn. Sharon introduced me and suddenly I was in full flow after a hesitant start. I felt empowered and uplifted knowing that for that time my story was being heard. It felt fantastic to hear the strength in my voice, the flow of my words and the reaction of the audience. It is vastly different to public speaking in person, but this online book launch is part of my journey. I will continue to promote this remarkable book with my fellow co-authors and have already had interest in the book being featured in a leadership bookstore and a local women’s empowerment group.

BUY THE BOOK HERE